Abstract:

According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM) the estimated number of international migrants has increased globally from about 150 million people in the year 2000 to 214 million people today. This phenomenon makes societies across the world more culturally dynamic every day - Asia included. Looking at the latest census from Singapore, only 60% of the population is Singaporean - 2 million people are foreigners. If we conduct research amongst the country's population, who is looking after the 2 million? A phenomenon we are facing across Asia motivates us to ask the following questions: who are these 'modern nomads' and what do they have in common? This presentation proposes a fresh consumer model that works with concepts of acculturation to capture cultural dynamics of this 'forgotten' consumer in the region.