Revisiting the voter as consumer analogy: an examination of Ghanaian voters decision-making process

The political marketing literature likens voters to consumers. It suggests some commonalities between consumers and voters such as their emotions, thought processes, and behavioural responses to marketing stimuli. What is yet to be examined is whether or not the voter decision-making process can als...

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Main Authors: Sayibu Ibrahim Nnindini, Kobby Mensah, Justice Boateng Dankwah, Paul Adjei Kwakwa
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2025-12-01
Series:Cogent Social Sciences
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2025.2488123
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author Sayibu Ibrahim Nnindini
Kobby Mensah
Justice Boateng Dankwah
Paul Adjei Kwakwa
author_facet Sayibu Ibrahim Nnindini
Kobby Mensah
Justice Boateng Dankwah
Paul Adjei Kwakwa
author_sort Sayibu Ibrahim Nnindini
collection DOAJ
description The political marketing literature likens voters to consumers. It suggests some commonalities between consumers and voters such as their emotions, thought processes, and behavioural responses to marketing stimuli. What is yet to be examined is whether or not the voter decision-making process can also be likened to the consumer purchase decision-making process in a commercial setting. Thus, this study sought to examine Ghanaian voters’ decision-making process using a consumer decision-making model (The EKB model). A cross-sectional survey was carried out involving 500 respondents drawn from the Greater Accra, Bono and Central regions of Ghana. Hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The findings indicate that all the five variables of the model—voter needs, information seeking, availability of alternatives, reference groups, and performance of candidates/party have a significant positive influence on voter decision making leading to voting choices. The application of the EKB model to examine the voter decision-making process adds fresh knowledge to the existing literature on political marketing and consumer behaviour.
format Article
id doaj-art-0f1e3d7c9a3d415bab34afa0a4c00ec3
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issn 2331-1886
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publishDate 2025-12-01
publisher Taylor & Francis Group
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series Cogent Social Sciences
spelling doaj-art-0f1e3d7c9a3d415bab34afa0a4c00ec32025-08-20T03:05:30ZengTaylor & Francis GroupCogent Social Sciences2331-18862025-12-0111110.1080/23311886.2025.2488123Revisiting the voter as consumer analogy: an examination of Ghanaian voters decision-making processSayibu Ibrahim Nnindini0Kobby Mensah1Justice Boateng Dankwah2Paul Adjei Kwakwa3Department of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, University of Ghana Business School, Accra, GhanaDepartment of Marketing and Entrepreneurship, University of Ghana, Accra, GhanaDepartment of Entrepreneurship and Business Science, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, GhanaDepartment of entrepreneurship and Business sciences, School of arts and social sciences, University of Energy and Natural Resources, Sunyani, GhanaThe political marketing literature likens voters to consumers. It suggests some commonalities between consumers and voters such as their emotions, thought processes, and behavioural responses to marketing stimuli. What is yet to be examined is whether or not the voter decision-making process can also be likened to the consumer purchase decision-making process in a commercial setting. Thus, this study sought to examine Ghanaian voters’ decision-making process using a consumer decision-making model (The EKB model). A cross-sectional survey was carried out involving 500 respondents drawn from the Greater Accra, Bono and Central regions of Ghana. Hypotheses were tested using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The findings indicate that all the five variables of the model—voter needs, information seeking, availability of alternatives, reference groups, and performance of candidates/party have a significant positive influence on voter decision making leading to voting choices. The application of the EKB model to examine the voter decision-making process adds fresh knowledge to the existing literature on political marketing and consumer behaviour.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2025.2488123Consumer behaviourvoter behaviourvoter decision-makingvoter choicepolitical marketingBusiness, management and accounting
spellingShingle Sayibu Ibrahim Nnindini
Kobby Mensah
Justice Boateng Dankwah
Paul Adjei Kwakwa
Revisiting the voter as consumer analogy: an examination of Ghanaian voters decision-making process
Cogent Social Sciences
Consumer behaviour
voter behaviour
voter decision-making
voter choice
political marketing
Business, management and accounting
title Revisiting the voter as consumer analogy: an examination of Ghanaian voters decision-making process
title_full Revisiting the voter as consumer analogy: an examination of Ghanaian voters decision-making process
title_fullStr Revisiting the voter as consumer analogy: an examination of Ghanaian voters decision-making process
title_full_unstemmed Revisiting the voter as consumer analogy: an examination of Ghanaian voters decision-making process
title_short Revisiting the voter as consumer analogy: an examination of Ghanaian voters decision-making process
title_sort revisiting the voter as consumer analogy an examination of ghanaian voters decision making process
topic Consumer behaviour
voter behaviour
voter decision-making
voter choice
political marketing
Business, management and accounting
url https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/23311886.2025.2488123
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AT justiceboatengdankwah revisitingthevoterasconsumeranalogyanexaminationofghanaianvotersdecisionmakingprocess
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