The Ghanaian textile industry is faced with a drifting consumer attitude in favour of Asian and European African print textile brands. The actual state and reasons of the Ghanaian African print textile consumers’ attitudes are unknown. Studies that have explored the subject area tend to be eurocentric. The few studies that have been conducted in sub-Saharan Africa and Ghana gave limited attention to the attitudinal and demand factors that account for the Ghanaian African print textile consumers’ choices. It is against this background that this study examines consumers’ attitudes towards the Ghanaian African print textile industry. It seeks to identify the demand factors that motivate consumers to buy Ghanaian African print textiles, the brand attributes that form their brand perception, and the elements of normative beliefs that influence their purchase behaviour towards the Ghanaian and foreign African print textiles.
A review of previous studies and theoretical models such as the economic theory and the theory of planned behaviour identified five relevant constructs: economic factors, marketing environmental factors, motivational factors, attitudinal, and purchase behaviour factors. These were used to develop a conceptual model that formed the basis of the research. Guided by the positivist research philosophy, this research adopted the mono-method quantitative approach that conducted a cross-sectional field survey with 443 respondents in four key consumption areas of Accra, Kumasi, Takoradi, and Tamale in Ghana. The study used factor analysis to identify the relevant factors for hypothesis testing. Structural equation modelling, t-test and ordinary least squares regression were also employed in the study.
The study’s findings supported some of the hypothesized constructs and rejected others. It revealed that the Ghanaian African print textile consumers’ attitudess is positive. The consumers’ industry knowledge anchors these attitudes, beliefs, especially in the Africaness of the product and positive perceptions of the industry, among others. Consumers’ motivation was also positive and is anchored by their self-gratification, appealing product design, colours, limited editions and supplies. These research findings fill the knowledge gap in the study area.
The study contributed to knowledge by developing a model for the attitude of the Ghanaian African print textile consumer. It established that the Ghanaian African print textile consumers’ attitudes is positive, which ironed out controversies among academics on the subject. The study integrated the five key constructs that determine African print textile consumers’ attitudes, motivation, and purchase behaviour. The study established their interrelationship and proposed a model that broadens knowledge on the subject area, among other pertinent findings to academic literature. Finally, it draws out many managerial and policy implications that direct industry and future research.
Imboni yezindwangu yase-Ghana ibhekene nezimo zengqondo zabathengi ezintengantengayo ezivuna izinhlobo zezindwangu eziphrintiwe zase-Asian Kanye nase- European African. Isimo sangempela kanye nezizathu zezimo zengqondo zabathengi bendwangu yase-Ghana yase-Afrika azaziwa. Izifundo ezihlole indawo yesifundo zivame ukuba yi-Eurocentric. Ucwaningo olumbalwa oluye lwenziwa e-Afrika eseningizimu ye-Saharan Africa nase- Ghana lunikeze ukunakwa okulinganiselwe ezicini zengqondo nezidingo ezithinta ukukhetha kwabathengi bendwangu yokuphrintha yase-Ghana yase-Afrika. Kungenxa yalesi sizinda lapho lolu cwaningo luhlole izimo zengqondo zabathengi mayelana nemboni yendwangu yokuphrintha yase-Afrika. Lolu cwaningo belufuna ukuhlonza izici ezidingekayo ezikhuthaza abathengi ukuthi bathenge izindwangu zokuphrintha zase-Ghana zase-Afrika, izibaluli zomkhiqizo ezakha umbono womkhiqizo wabo, kanye nezici zezinkolelo ezivamile ezinomthelela ekuthengeni kwabo izindwangu zokuphrintha zase-Ghana nezangaphandle zase-Afrika.
Ukubuyekezwa kwezifundo zangaphambili namamodeli wethiyori, njengethiyori yezomnotho Kanye nethiyori yokuziphatha okuhleliwe, kuhlonze izakhiwo ezinhlanu ezifanele: izici zomnotho, izici zemvelo zokuthengisa, izici ezikhuthazayo, izici zengqondo, nezici zokuziphatha zokuthenga. Lezi zakhiwo zasetshenziswa ukuthuthukisa imodeli yomqondo eyakha isisekelo socwaningo. Elawulwa ifilosofi yocwaningo lwe-positivist, umcwaningi wasebenzisa indlela ye-quantitative ye-mono-method quantitative futhi wenza inhlolovo yensimu ehlukene nabaphenduli ababeyinxenye yocwaningo abangu-443 ezindaweni ezine ezibalulekile zokusetshenziswa e-Ghana, amagama azo yilawa,i- Accra, i-Kumasi, i-Takoradi, kanye nase-Tamale. Umcwaningi usebenzise i-factor analysis ukuze abone izici ezifanele zokuhlolwa kwe-hypothesis. Ukumodela kwezibalo zesakhiwo, ukuhlola kuka- t-kanye nokuhlehla kwezikwele ezincane ezijwayelekile nakho kusetshenzisiwe ocwaningweni.
Okutholwe kulolu cwaningo kusekele ezinye zezakhiwo ezicatshangelwe futhi zanqaba ezinye. Ucwaningo luveze ukuthi izimo zengqondo zabathengi bendwangu yase-Afrika yase-Ghana zazilungile. Ulwazi lwemboni yabathengi lwagxilisa izimo zengqondo zezinkolelo zabo,ikakhulukazi inkolelo yabo ebu-Afrika bomkhiqizo kanye nombono wabo omuhle ngemboni, phakathi kokunye. Ngokwalokho okutholwe kulolu cwaningo, ukugqugquzelwa kwabathengi nakho bekukuhle futhi bekusekelwe ekuzaneliseni kwabo, ukwakheka kwemikhiqizo ekhangayo, imibalo, izinhlelo ezinomkhawulo, kanye nezinsiza. Imiphumela yocwaningo igcwalise igebe lolwazi endaweni yocwaningo.
Ucwaningo lube nomthelela olwazini ngokwakhiwa kwemodeli yezimo zengqondo zabathengi bendwangu yase-Afrika ephrinthwe e-Ghana. Ithole ukuthi izimo zengqondo zabathengi bendwangu yase-Ghana yase-Afrika zazilungile, ngaleyo ndlela isusa impikiswano ngale ndaba phakathi kwezifundiswa. Ucwaningo luhlanganise izinto ezinhlanu ezibalulekile ezinquma izimo zengqondo zabathengi bendwangu ephrinthiwe yase-Afrika, ugqozi, kanye nokuziphatha kokuthenga. Ucwaningo lwasungulwa ukuhlobana kwalezi zakhiwo futhi lwaphakamisa imodeli eyandisa ulwazi endaweni yesifundo, phakathi kokunye ukubamba iqhaza elifanelekile ezincwadini zezemfundo. Ekugcineni, iveze imithelela eminingi yokuphatha nenqubomgomo engaqondisa ucwaningo lwangomuso.
