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This paper aims to examine the causes and consequences of animosity that Sunni Arabs may harbor against Iran and Turkey – two regional powers and key players in the Middle East.

Using Jordanians as proxy for Sunni Arab consumers, data were collected from 218 respondents by means of an intercept survey. A systematic random sampling was used in selecting the respondents. Structural equation modeling was used to examine the role of religious/sectarian commitment (Sunni Islamic), ethnic identification (Arab), nationalism, patriotism and internationalism as potential sources of animosity of Sunni Arabs toward Iran and Turkey.

The findings show integrative/multiplicative impact of various social attributes on Sunni Arabs’ animosity toward Iran and Turkey and indicate a higher prevalence of animosity toward Iran than toward Turkey among the respondents. The findings also show how animosity decreases the likelihood of buying Iranian and Turkish products by Jordanian consumers.

This paper, while unearthing interesting relationships among five antecedent variables, consumer animosity and purchase intentions, calls for further research to examine how the relationships between feelings of animosity and willingness to purchase products could be moderated by variables such as world-mindedness and foreign travel. Future researchers should also study how consumer animosity can be reduced.

The findings provide insights as to how foreign marketers can adjust their marketing strategies in the lucrative Arab market.

The findings call for a more nuanced understanding of the role of religious/sectarian commitment, ethnicity, nationalism, patriotism and internationalism in causing and/or exacerbating animosity and consequently affecting purchase decisions of consumers.

The study contributes to the existing literature by measuring the hitherto unexamined role of intra-religious sectarian feelings in consumer animosity and purchase decisions and by analyzing the mediating role of consumer animosity between the five antecedent variables and willingness to purchase products from “enemy” countries.

The purpose of this article is to present a biographical sketch of Lee C. Nehrt, who, in 1962, became the first person to obtain a PhD in International Business.

This study is mainly based on an in‐depth interview of Lee Nehrt followed up by several telephone and e‐mail interviews as well as e‐mail interviews of a number of Nehrt's former colleagues and students. In addition, Nehrt's published works were extensively reviewed and utilized.

The findings are reported in the form of a biography. In particular, the paper documents Nehrt's contribution to the emergence of international business as an important field of study, his role in internationalizing business curricula within the USA and in popularizing the American model of business education across the world. The paper also reflects on Nehrt's contribution to the Academy of International Business and his efforts in forging closer ties between international business academics and practitioners.

The dearth of biographical research in the international business discipline points to a need that has yet to be fulfilled. This is the first published article on Nehrt's life and career as a pioneering international business scholar.