Asian consumers more like Japanese counterparts: survey

<p>Hakuhodo's third annual Sei-Katsu-Sha survey of consumer attitudes </p><p>and behaviour in the region has found that Asian consumers may be </p><p>becoming more like Japanese consumers. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>In last year's study, Hakuhodo researchers showed that rising incomes </p><p>and the greater participation of women in the workforce pointed to a </p><p>growing number of women who aspire to cool, more detached and less </p><p>socially-embedded lifestyles. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>This year's study, based on a larger sample, seems to point in the same </p><p>direction and the trend is being driven by the maturing economies of </p><p>Asia, said Hakuhodo strategic marketing director Satoshi Oyama. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>"As a country develops onto higher economic levels, people become less </p><p>socially involved and more involved in individual things," he told </p><p>MEDIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The study revealed important basic similarities between Japanese and </p><p>other Asian consumers including low scores on wanting to be leaders or </p><p>to stick out in a crowd and relatively high scores on wanting a stable </p><p>life. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>The latest study also identified three main types of lifestyles groups </p><p>in Asia: </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- The mainland China type (Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou), </p><p>who are more concerned with self-fulfillment and who use personal </p><p>ability to achieve influence; </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- The Asean type (Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan) ,who give </p><p>greater importance to stability, family happiness, and leading a simple </p><p>and harmonious life; and </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- The pre-Asean type (the Philippines and Vietnam), who attach </p><p>importance to all the above values in addition to a desire for affluence </p><p>and to help those in need. </p><p><BR><BR> </p><p>- The Hakuhodo study was published with the November 24 issue of MEDIA. </p><p><BR><BR> </p>