Authors : Poh Kiat Ng, Jian Ai Yeow, Kian Siong Jee, Li Wah Thong and Chai Har Lee
Abstract: The automobile plays a significant role in the daily life of a Malaysian and this has spurred automotive companies to look for an edge wherever they can find it in order to keep up with the competitive pressures of satisfying consumers. More often than not, factors such as branding and price of the automobiles would be the dominant factors that affect the buying decisions of consumers when it comes to buying a Japanese car in Malaysia. However, this proposition requires further substantiation alongside other variables such as ergonomic features, innovation and recreation awareness. Hence, this study aims to determine the relationship between those variables and consumer decision-making with regard to the purchase of Japanese automobiles. To facilitate this objective, researchers collected a total of 150 usable survey responses and analysed them using reliability, correlations and multiple regression analyses. It was found that 23.9% of variance in consumer decision-making was significantly explained by brand name, ergonomic features and innovation. Price and recreational consciousness was found to insignificantly affect Malaysian consumer decision-making in buying Japanese automobiles. This finding was perhaps due to consumers being price cautious during times of uncertainty and rising cost of living.
Poh Kiat Ng, Jian Ai Yeow, Kian Siong Jee, Li Wah Thong and Chai Har Lee, 2017. Consumer Buying Decisions on Japanese Automobiles in Malaysia: An Empirical Study. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences, 12: 4390-4395.