Ethnic diversity in Britain: a stimulus for multicultural marketing

Abstract

Purpose

The current study seeks to explore ethnic diversity in Britain by investigating the strength of ethnic identity and acculturation levels of two British ethnic minority groups – Indians and African Blacks. The study also aims to examine the role of demographic characteristics in explaining the strength of ethnic identity and acculturation levels between the surveyed ethnic groups.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilized a survey research design. Data was collected using a personally administered structured questionnaire from a convenience sample of 365 married ethnic members.

Findings

The results of t‐tests revealed that both Indians and African Blacks are strong ethnic identifiers and highly‐acculturated. Further results based on step‐wise regressions showed that age and income offer more explanatory power of ethnic diversity among African Blacks and Indians respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The study highlights the complexity and importance of ethnicity in the development of multicultural strategies in Britain.

Originality/value

Research relating to ethnic diversity in Britain is relatively limited and of the very few studies available, there has been more emphasis on qualitative research approaches. This study also offers findings on ethnicity at a time when there is growth in the population of ethnic markets in Britain.

Citation

Makgosa, R. (2012), "Ethnic diversity in Britain: a stimulus for multicultural marketing", Marketing Intelligence & Planning, Vol. 30 No. 3, pp. 358-378. https://doi.org/10.1108/02634501211226311