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Do Values Or Goals Better Explain Intent? A Cross-National Comparison, Marianela Fornerino, Alain Jolibert, Carol M. Sanchez, Mengxia Zhang

Peer Reviewed Articles

Among six major lines of inquiry on motivations, two theories are especially pertinent to consumer behavior studies: values and goals. Several studies show that consumer behavior can be predicted on the basis of values or goals; this study examines which are the stronger predictors by presenting a cross-cultural comparison of the values and goals that may influence the behavioral intentions of U.S., Chinese, and French students to study abroad. As a service, study abroad has financial implications, represents a choice, and competes with other educational products. Therefore, goals appear to explain behavioral intentions better than do values, except among U.S. …