Empirical Research in Foreign Cultures: The Case of Japanese Rice

Abstract

Within the study, we show that it is quite demanding to conduct consumer surveys abroad, in particular, if the targeted society differs in so many ways from the one of the home market. The results of a study are presented analyzing consumer behavior in the Japanese rice market. We evaluated the preferences of Japanese consumers in rice. Amongst others, focus was set on origin (which is actually a prominent attribute in Western European food markets). To approximate the impact of relevant attributes influencing consumers’ purchasing decision (origin, brand, quality seals and price), a discrete choice experiment was conducted with Japanese consumers, mainly living in urban areas.