Measuring National Identity for the UAE National and Resident Consumers - Essay Example

The literature review will focus on addressing this gap by reviewing theories on both self-identity and national identity and concluding on the relationship that exists between these two. This research study will therefore build on the literature relative to self-identity and national identity and later link these with consumer preferences using the (national identity) NATID scale. This literature review is divided into four main parts. The first part of the literature review examines applicable theories and forms the basis of the theoretical framework for conducting this study.

The second part of this chapter reviews the literature on both self-identity and national identity and their roles in consumer decision-making. The third part of the literature review will then be narrowed to the main research topic on national identity by describing the NATID including its history and development as a valid scale for measuring national identity. The chapter closes with a summary and conclusion on all the major themes and aspects of the review that have been performed. This section of the chapter is dedicated to reviewing theories on self-identity and national identity.

Theories on self-identity and national identity are selected given the gap already referred to, where most existing works of literature have failed to acknowledge the impact of self-identity on the construction of national identity. As far as self-identity is concerned, the performativity theory shall be reviewed whilst the social identity theory and evolutionary theory of nationality shall be reviewed under national identity. Each of the three theories will pave way for constructing a hypothesis which will later be tested through the collection of primary data from respondents in the UAE.

Judith Butler’s theory developed in 1990 of performativity has long been used in the analysis of the categorization of national dimensions. Butler’s theory of performativity was devised as a critical feminist theory and holds that individuals are entirely subjective and influenced by their daily social interactions and experiences (Jackson, 2004).