Black consumers’ preference for black professional service providers

Abstract

The central aim of this research was the investigation of the preference that South Africa’s black consumers have for black professional service providers in the legal, medical, accounting and auditing professions. This research was carried out in the context of a country struggling with racial inequality. In light of the failure of the private and public sectors to bring the objectives of broad-based black economic empowerment to fruition, the researcher examined the contribution of individual consumers to economic transformation. The preference of black people was conceptualised by using the social identity theory. The researcher also drew on elements of consumer ethnocentrism. The researcher looked at the ingroup affection, cognitive bias and behavioural preference of South Africa’s black consumers in relation to the purchase of professional advisory services from black service providers. A reflective conceptual model was developed and tested through the partial least squares structural equation modelling approach. The findings reported that black consumers have a (i) strong positive affective reaction, (ii) cognitive bias, and (iii) strong behavioural preference, for black service providers. The results of this research provide insights into the consumer decision-making approach of South Africa’s black consumers