ENHANCING CONSUMER ENGAGEMENT WITH CHINESE NATIONAL ORCHESTRAS: UNVEILING CULTURAL IDENTITY AND CONSUMPTION MOTIVES

Abstract

The Chinese national orchestra stands as a typical example of the country's artistic and cultural heritage within the traditional art forms. This diverse value distinguishes it from other artworks and commodities. Despite its abundance, national orchestras struggle with low audience numbers and low profitability, posing challenges to their sustainable growth. While existing research predominantly focuses on managerial aspects and establishment procedures, scant attention has been given to understand consumer purchase intentions from a market perspective. Prior studies in cultural and artistic consumption highlight the significance of cultural identity and consumption motives in shaping purchase intentions. However, the exploration of these factors within the context of national orchestras remains limited, leaving stakeholders without comprehensive guidelines for policy and brand development. Particularly, validated measures assessing the influence of cultural identity (CI) and consumption motives (CM) on purchase intention (PI) are lacking. This study introduces a novel model for understanding consumer purchase intentions towards national orchestras, drawing on Social Identity Theory and Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs. Employing a sequential explanatory mixed method (EMM), it combines structural equation modeling (SEM) for quantitative analysis with in-depth qualitative interviews for content analysis. By bridging this gap in the literature, the research aims to offer valuable insights and methodological approaches, contributing to the sustainable development of ethnomusicology in China. Moreover, its findings may inform similar studies in other emerging economies with comparable contexts.