The role of consumer ethnocentrism in a buy national campaign in a transitioning country: Some evidence from Slovakia

The goal of this paper is to examine the link between consumer ethnocentrism (CE) and the attitudes of two consumer groups to a buy local campaign in a transitioning economy, Slovakia. Using a structured questionnaire, data were collected from 211 non-students at shopping malls in Banská Bystrica (non-student group) and from 209 students at the University of Matej Bela, Banská Bystrica (student group) in Slovakia. Ethnocentrism was measured using the consumer ethnocentric tendencies scale (CETSCALE) while attitudinal statements were used to measure the attitudes toward locally made products and a buy local campaign. The attitudinal data were factor analysed and the correlations between the CETSCALE and the attitudinal statements were examined. Summative scales based on the factor analysis results were also developed. A significant finding of this paper is the role of the government and industry in encouraging Slovakians to buy local. The nonstudent consumers to be less ethnocentric than the student group are found. The attitudinal statements of both groups toward Slovakian products are generally similar. This research was designed to contribute to the discussion of CE by linking it to attitudes to a buy local campaign in a transitioning country.