An investigation into how individual and organisational consumption is affected when dealing with SME organisations from emerging economies

Purpose – The present study seeks to investigate how individual and organisational consumption is affected when dealing with small and medium‐sized enterprise (SME) organisations from emerging economies.Design/methodology/approach – Using ethnographic in‐depth interviews, data were collected from 20 Indian UK‐based “buyers” who have either previously bought or are currently buying from organisations based in India. Investigates the perceptions surrounding challenges and/or benefits held by these 20 SMEs. Identified areas such as inter‐cultural blending, community support, country‐of‐origin effects, generational shifts and finally, attitudes towards quality, price, consistency, and branding.Findings – Findings indicate that the respondents did not vary at all on their collective perceptions about buying from emerging economies, specifically, India. The over‐riding issue that was highlighted many times over was one of “trust in the relationship” between buyer and seller. Findings also suggest the need to ta...