A preliminary test of an index for international consumer behavior: Russia and the United States

Marketers need to understand both the similarities and differences among groups of consumers to ascertain which aspects of the marketing mix to globalize and which to localize. The purpose of this research is to begin to bridge the knowledge gap by testing a tool to measure cultural environment, the International Consumer Behavior Scale (ICBS). The ICBS is applied in Russia and the United States in an effort to ascertain potential similarities and differences in consumption based on culture. In this research, the authors assess the usability of the ICBS cultural scale developed by Samli (1995), offer a preliminary understanding of two diverse cultures, and discuss managerial implications of this knowledge. © 2004 by The Haworth Press, Inc. All rights reserved.