Poh Kiat  Ng, Jian Ai  Yeow, Kian Siong  Jee, Li Wah  Thong, Chai Har  Lee, 
    Consumer Buying Decisions on Japanese Automobiles in
Malaysia: An Empirical Study,
    Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences,
    Volume 12,Issue 17,
    2017,
    Pages 4390-4395,
    ISSN 1816-949x,
    jeasci.2017.4390.4395,
    (https://makhillpublications.co/view-article.php?doi=jeasci.2017.4390.4395)
    Abstract: The automobile plays a significant role in the daily life of a Malaysian and this has spurred
automotive companies to look for an edge wherever they can find it in order to keep up with the competitive
pressures of satisfying consumers. More often than not, factors such as branding and price of the automobiles
would be the dominant factors that affect the buying decisions of consumers when it comes to buying a
Japanese car in Malaysia. However, this proposition requires further substantiation alongside other variables
such as ergonomic features, innovation and recreation awareness. Hence, this study aims to determine the
relationship between those variables and consumer decision-making with regard to the purchase of Japanese
automobiles. To facilitate this objective, researchers collected a total of 150 usable survey responses and
analysed them using reliability, correlations and multiple regression analyses. It was found that 23.9% of
variance in consumer decision-making was significantly explained by brand name, ergonomic features and
innovation. Price and recreational consciousness was found to insignificantly affect Malaysian consumer
decision-making in buying Japanese automobiles. This finding was perhaps due to consumers being price
cautious during times of uncertainty and rising cost of living.
    Keywords: Japanese automobile;consumers;decision-making;survey;dominant factors;ergonomic