Abstract
Consensus analysis methods are commonly used by anthropologists to study cultural knowledge. Consensus analysis has been used to study intracultural variance, intercultural variance, and cultural consonance across a variety of contexts. However, the cultural consensus model and other consensus analysis methods have not become methods that are commonly used by marketing researchers to study cultural knowledge. This dissertation reviews the theoretical and methodological foundations of the cultural consensus model in order to shed light on a method that marketing researchers could use to statistically estimate various aspects of cultural knowledge. In addition, this dissertation reviews how the cultural consensus model has been applied by anthropologists and discusses how the cultural consensus model could be applied to study consumer culture, organizational culture, and national culture. In order to illustrate how consensus analysis can be used to study intracultural variance, intercultural variance, and cultural consonance three original empirical studies are performed. Finally, based on methodological issues encountered during the three empirical studies, this dissertation identifies important considerations a researcher should bear in mind when performing an ethnographic study that uses consensus analysis methods.
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