Japanese Status Perception and Its Impact on the Values and Lifestyles

Abstract

Recent debates on social stratification of the Japanese society may have important implications even for marketers. Based on the consumer survey conducted in 1994, 1998, and 2002, this study analyzed the dynamic influences of status perception of Japanese consumers on their opinions and perceived behaviors in consumption or many aspects of everyday life. The results obtained here suggest the potential effectiveness of status perception as a segmentation variable in addition to its relative easiness in measurement as a proxy of social status.