THE U CURVE THEORY AND THE TARGETING OF ETHNIC GROUPS

This paper seeks to strengthen the rationale for multicultural marketing. The growth in the size and diversity of ethnic groups within Australia enhances the opportunity for organisations to develop multicultural marketing strategies. If there is a convergence in ethnic group behaviour towards the host culture the rationale for a multicultural strategy diminishes. The feasibility of targeting an ethnic minority group for marketing purposes requires establishing that, in a dynamic context, the group's consumption-related behaviour differs sufficiently from the norm to warrant this focus and that segmentation conditions, such as measurability, uniqueness and stability, apply over time. The theory of expatriate adjustment to a host culture is applied to segmentation issues arising from the targeting of ethnic groups. The theory is used to strengthen the case for targeting ethnic groups. The process of expatriate adjustment is combined with social learning theory to argue that the models and behaviours influencing voluntary arrivals from a different culture will strengthen the cohesiveness of an ethnic group and its distinctiveness from home and host cultures. Establishing that ethnic groups within a host culture are likely to be measurable, unique and stable through tim