Business Commons^™

Differences In Eco-Friendly Attitudes And Behaviors Among Consumers In The United States Across An Array Of Demographics, Sam Fullerton, Tammy Mccullough

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2023

A sample of 938 consumers residing in the United States responded, by invitation, to an online survey on anti-consumption attitudes and behaviors. Drawing from one aspect of that survey, the primary focus of this study is sustainability. The relationship between four of the measured sustainability-related variables and five commonly examined demographics was evaluated using a t-test, ANOVA, and the Scheffé Method of Multiple Comparisons. Age was the most common variable to be associated with attitudes and behavior regarding sustainability. The most common dependent variable to be associated with the five demographic variables was the frequency in which the respondent chose …

Anti-Consumption: A Preliminary Examination Of A Set Of Social Considerations That Impact A Consumer’S Decision To ‘Punish’ Marketers Deemed To Be Engaging In Irresponsible Behavior, Tammy Mccullough, Ania Izabela Rynarzewska, Sam Fullerton

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2022

A sample of 175 students from two universities provided insight regarding the rationale for engaging in anti-consumption behavior. A review of the literature identified myriad reasons why consumers engage in personal boycotts. This study examines 12 of these reasons: environmental concerns, political stance, religious orientation/affiliation, country-of-origin (COO), attitudes towards the LGBTQ community, the size of the marketer, the use of disliked celebrity endorsers, the use of offensive marketing tactics (e.g. advertising), animal cruelty including the use of live animal testing, perceived violations of basic human rights, employing a nonunionized workforce, and employment-related discrimination based on the gender, age, race, religion, …

Factors Impacting One’S Self-Classification Into One Of The Five Categories Of A Typology Delineating Green (And Not So Green) Consumers, Sam Fullerton, Tammy Mccullough, Estelle Van Tonder

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2020

A sample of 1,243 adult residents of the United States provided insight into an array of issues germane to sustainability. Upon completing a 65-question survey on sustainability, each respondent placed themselves in an eco-group that they felt best corresponded to their own behavior and attitudes towards the task of keeping the planet green for ourselves, and perhaps more importantly, for our posterity. The five groups ranged from the eco-destroyer to the eco-warrior. Within the survey, each respondent provided their opinions regarding seven multi-item scales that primarily addressed green issues; some scales addressed business behavior while others addressed issues such as …

Race Ethnicity And In-Store Mobile-Assisted Shopping In The Us, Kristine Johnson, Manuel C. Pontes

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2017

This research primarily investigates the relationship between race ethnicity and consumer use of mobile phones in-store to facilitate purchase decisions. Data were collected by a telephone survey of a nationally representative sample of US adults between January 5 and January 8, 2012. The data collection was sponsored by the Pew Foundation and made available for this research. The data were analyzed with the software R and its survey package that allow researchers to incorporate the sampling weights to estimate population statistics, standard errors, and confidence intervals.

The independent variables were demographic variables (race ethnicity, gender, and household income) and behavioral …

Online Survey Respondents’ Reactions To Required Questions, Jeffrey S. Gutenberg, Seongbae Lim

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2017

One of the most common errors committed by “amateur” online survey questionnaire designers is the improper use of “required” questions, where the survey respondent is not allowed to continue in the survey unless the question is answered. The problem with this design feature is that if a valid choice is not offered, the survey respondent must either give an incorrect answer to proceed, or terminate the survey. In order to get an empirical sense of how survey-takers respond to such situations, two studies were conducted, both employing 600+ members of a commercial online panel. Respondents were asked their opinion of …

For One Or Many? Recommendation Targeting And Consumer Advice Integration, Michael Sciandra

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2017

As consumers, many of our most important decisions are not made in isolation. Rather, it is common for individuals to pursue, evaluate, and rely on advice from other individuals. While research on advice usage from multiple or individual advisors has been investigated, no research has looked at advice integration when the advice is offered to an individual or group. This is an important consideration of advice as online review sites (e.g. Yelp, Expedia, and Foursquare) and social media platforms (e.g. Twitter and Facebook) now make it easy for consumers to make general recommendations targeted at a large number of individuals. …

Consuming Digital Technologies And Enacting Identities: Mothers In Mundane Daily Life, Meera Venkatraman

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2017

This manuscript examines mothers’ consumption of digital technologies to enact their individual, relational, and familial identities. Using phemenological interviews it finds mothers purposefully consume digital technologies to negotiate, construct, and enact identities. Specifically, mothers use a repertoire of four appropriation strategies: mastering, partnering, domesticating, and avoiding. Mastery is a multi-year project in which mothers enroll in digital educational programs, qualify, and create new professional identities. In domestication, mothers assert themselves on technology managing their inclusion/exclusion in the time and spaces of family life, thereby enacting parental identities. In contrast, partnering is collaborative; mothers consume those functionalities of technologies that help …

The Role Of Consumption In The Communication Of Family Identity In Multiracial Adoptive Families, Elise Johansen Harvey

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2017

In the past four decades, family structure has shifted away from the traditional family of a same race family complete with a married mother and father and biological. Some disciplines have incorporated these changes into their research, but the marketing discipline has consistently assumed a relatively stable, traditional family structure. Family structures associated with social stigma have seen a rise in prevalence including those characterized by racial diversity, sexual orintation, and adoption. Families facing a stigmatized status in society are the population of interest this paper; specifically we examine the experiences of transracial adoptive families. There are over 2 million …

A Cit Investigation Of Patient Deception Using Self-Discrepancy Theory, Gary Daniel Futrell

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2017

It is widely accepted that patients knowingly lie, mislead, and deceive health care professionals working in their favor. While physicians do their best to provide patients with quality care, patient deception can not only affect service quality and patient satisfaction, but also physician effectiveness and medical outcomes. The current research consists of a qualitative investigation of this phenomenon and seeks to lay the foundation for a self-discrepancy theory perspective of patient deception.

Self-discrepancy theory (SDT) seeks to explain how emotional discomfort can be caused by conflicting beliefs about one’s self. That is, a discrepancy arises and there is emotional discomfort …

Compromise And Attraction Effects Under Interdependent And Independent Self-Construal, Ramin Bagherzadeh, Monika Rawal, Jose Luis Saavedra

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2017

When a new alternative introduces to a choice set, the preferences for the original alternatives will be effected (Mourali, Böckenholt and Laroche 2007). Consumers often feel uncertainty about the true values of options when they want to purchase products (Simonson 1989). Huber, Payne, and Puto (1982) defined the attraction effect as “when adding an alternative that is inferior to another alternative in the choice set increases the share of the relatively superior alternative.” Compromise effect is defined as “when adding an extreme option to the choice set shifts the choice preferences in favor of the compromise option” (Simonson 1989). The …

Segmentation Of The Aruban Tourism Market: Classification Of Visitors’ On-Island Activities, Deborah J.C. Brosdahl, Roasalind C. Paige

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2017

Travel and tourism offices in destinations throughout the world are keenly aware of the importance of attracting visitors to their locale. This is especially true in places where tourism is an important component of the local economy. Nowhere is tourism more important than for the island nations of the Caribbean, an area that has been called one of the most tourism dependent regions in the world. With approximately 1.22 million people visiting each year, the Caribbean island of Aruba “The World Tourism Council (WTTC) reports Aruba’s GDP is more reliant on travel and tourism than any other nation, relative to …

An Exploratory Investigation Of Green Behaviors And Attitudes Towards Green Marketing Initiatives, Sam Fullerton, Tammy Mccullough, Lewis Hershey

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2017

A sample of 205 university students provided input regarding an array of 32 issues germane to both green marketing and green consumption. A diverse array of behaviors and opinions were articulated. Respondents reported a high propensity to engage in recycling, donating used goods, and purchasing products with a longer life expectancy. They favored environmentally-friendly actions such as focusing on cleaner and more efficient energy alternatives. There was a strong belief that individuals can make a difference. A comparison of business and nonbusiness students documented significant differences on two of the 32 issues under investigation with nonbusiness students expressing greater concern …

Utilitarian And Hedonic Shopping Behavior In The Face Of Natural Disaster, Lindsay R.L. Larson, Hyunju Shin

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2017

Terror management theory suggests that events which make one’s mortality salient also lead to compensatory processes and behaviors meant to alleviate existential anxiety. Applications within the field of consumer behavior have led to the proposal that any such event may also impact materialism and consumption decisions as a protectant from such anxiety. With this in mind, the current study sets out to investigate the personal experiences and subsequent shopping behavior of those impacted by Hurricane Matthew in the coastal southeastern region of the United States. While Hurricane Matthew had nowhere near the destructive impact of Katrina within the continental United …

Share Of Wallet In Loyalty Research: Issues And A Methodology To Address Them, Arthur W. Allaway, Kyoungmi Kim, David Berkowitz

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2016

In a competitive market environment, share of wallet is a key measure for customer relationship management. Share of wallet analysis enables the firm to be more proactive in their ability to target customers to increase additional spending. Although share of wallet is important as a measure of customer loyalty, there is a dearth of research which focuses on share of wallet per se. In this paper, we briefly review the share of wallet literature in the context of its value to loyalty researchers. We illustrate some issues regarding share of wallet in identifying loyalty and then discuss the development of …

Do Houses Have Brands?, Melanie Eva Bruce

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2016

Brands have been shown to create identity, and theories of branding are used to explain purchase decisions. The importance of consumers’ creation of identity through consumption has important implications for housing. While traditionally reflected as a rational economic decision, the real estate purchase decision has been shown to incorporate much more (Marsh & Gibb, 2011). Research, by Beer et al. (2007), showed that housing is increasingly being used both as a location for, and object of, higher level consumption.

Self-congruity theory proposes that consumers attempt to preserve or enhance their self-image by selecting brands with ‘images’ they believe are congruent …

“Money Worlds” And Well-Being: An Empirical Test Of Tatzel’S Model Of Consumer Styles Based On Money Dispositions And Materialism With Extension To Other Consumer Behavior Variables, Leisa Reinecke Flynn, Ronald E. Goldsmith, Michael Brusco

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2016

Miriam Tatzel (2002) has proposed a comprehensive theory of “money worlds and well-being” comprised of four prototypes of consumer behaviors based on whether consumers are high or low on materialism and simultaneously tight or loose with money. These four prototypes (Value Seekers, Non-Spenders, Big Spenders, and Experiencers) are proposed to differ strikingly along a variety of values, attitudes, and behaviors. Three earlier studies have reported tests or the model, but none specifically tried to confirm empirically the four types of consumers. The present study uses data from 1016 U.S. student consumers to test empirically the proposed typology and the proposed …

Marketing Research For Mission-Based Thrift Suggests Relationship Marketing Strategy, Jon M. Martin

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2016

In order to alleviate the risks associated with a lack of objective marketing research data and to apply marketing research in a unique niche, the author, in collaboration with a local mission-based thrift (“Thrift XYZ”), conducts marketing research regarding the motivations and preferences of shoppers and donators for one primary thrift location in North Carolina as a gratis community service. The findings are that XYZ’s shoppers and donators routinely and regularly shop and donate (respectively) with XYZ and that the nature of this target market is ideal for developing and applying a relationship marketing strategy with each/both groups.

Flirting Online And The Connection Between The Use Of Dating Websites And Dating Applications, Kristine Johnson, Olguta Vilceanu, Manuel C. Pontes

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2016

For this research, we used data collected by the Pew Foundation's "Internet and American Life Project Tracking Survey," conducted in Spring 2013. The data was adjusted through the use of sampling weights to estimate for general population parameters. The collected data examined online flirting, use of dating websites, and the use of dating apps. Findings suggest women between the ages of 18-34 years are just as likely as men to signal their romantic interest by engaging in online flirtation. In addition, women ages 50 years or older are less likely than men to signal their romantic interest by engaging in …

A Content Analysis: The Relationship Between Sentiment, Gender And Time Of Day In Ewom, Katie Bass, Laicelis Haro, Xiaotong Liu, Jaejin Liu

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2016

This content analysis looks at several trends regarding electronic Word of Mouth (eWOM) and how consumers engage in eWOM. 304 tweets were analyzed and numerous correlations regarding gender and time-of-day. This research will be beneficial to brands and companies seeking to launch new products or services using social media as a promotional avenue.

Online And In-Store Compulsive Buying Among Metrosexuals And Other Male Consumers, Michael Lee Thomas, Luther Trey Denton Iii, Lindsay R. Larson, Kathleen Gruben

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2016

This paper presents an exploratory study of compulsive buying behavior among males, specifically metrosexual consumers. These men represent significant purchasing power, but to date they have not been studied in both online and in-store environments. The current research has significant importance for public policy, consumer behavior and marketing. The literature has largely ignored male compulsive shopping behavior, especially how this behavior manifests itself in different shopping environments and among different subsets of male consumers. For the current research, data was gathered via an online survey of 193 males. The study discusses both online and in-store compulsive buying by various product …

Perceived Believability Of Televised Green Advertising, Linda Jo Warren

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2016

Consumers are typically skeptical and cynical of advertising claims for products and generally disbelieve most advertised information. Believability of advertisers’ claims is crucial for consumer adoption of products, but consumers’ environmental imagination should be assessed to enhance believability of green marketing claims. Consumer belief in an advertised product is nearly essential to prompt the consumer to purchase. This paper examines the perceptions of consumers and their believability of specifically green versus non-green televised advertisements. The FTC considers not only a product in its rulings, but also the packaging, formulations and disposal of the product. Consumer belief of advertising relating demographic, …

Television Viewership Among Millennials: An Analysis Of Millennials Usage And Preferences Of On-Demand & Broadcast Television Services, Summer Shelton, Nicholas Mckaig, Cristian Gonzalez Mendez

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2016

The purpose of this study is to identify the usage and preferences of millennials viewing television content on broadcast or on-demand television subscriptions. The study focuses on those aged 18-35, but also provides results for those falling outside of this age demographic. This study seeks to provide marketers with information regarding consumer preferences so they may adapt their offerings to meet the desires of customers which will in turn provide consumers with better quality television viewing experiences. An online survey was conducted which included 118 respondents and gauged their current use of, satisfaction with, and preferences for viewing television content. …

From Ethical To Sustainable Consumption: An Exploratory Study Of Students' Familiarity With Mindful Consumption, Julie M. Pharr

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2016

This paper seeks to further the marketer's understanding of ethical consumption by exploring differences in the way people perceive ethical consumption, mindful consumption, and overconsumption. The results support the idea that neither ethical nor mindful consumption designate a clearly defined set of practices. Researchers cannot count on even better- informed consumers to understand the full extent of ethical consumption possibilities or correctly apply more encompassing terms such as mindful consumption or overconsumption. As the construct of ethical consumption broadens to sustainable consumption, researchers will need to carefully operationalize the construct.

Investigating Consumer Perceptions Of Purchase Shares For Private-Label Brands And Demographics: A Study Of The Great Value Brand, Musa Pinar, Paul Trapp, Tulay Girard

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2014

Over the past several decades, private-label brands have emerged to have a strong presence on retailer shelves around the world, being especially prevalent in Europe (Queck 2009) and also becoming increasingly common in the United States (Gerlock 2013). For both retailers and consumers, the reasons behind the success of private-label brands are quite compelling. For retailers, private-label brands offer better margins than national manufacturer brands, greater negotiating power with manufacturer brands, and higher customer loyalty for the retailer (Ailawadi, Pauwels, & Steenkamp 2008). For consumers, these brands offer high quality at very competitive pricing relative to national manufacturer brands. The …

Introducing The Super Consumer, Leisa Reinecke Flynn, Ronald E. Goldsmith

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2014

Who are our best consumers? One can imagine all sorts of businesses asking this question on a regular basis. The 80/20 rule, the heavy half, the high frequency and high spending consumers are traditionally the backbone of many successful brands or companies. Relationship marketing, a key element of modern marketing strategy, is the outgrowth of the interest in heavy users because of their importance in terms of revenue and potential word-of-mouth. However, who are these best consumers? The present study is motivated by a body of research on a constellation of consumer characteristics that reflect a unique consumption pattern we …

A Survey Of Employer Needs And Expectations From Business Programs At Higher Education Institutions, Tulay Girard, Krissa Weyant

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2014

The recent economic slowdown and changing nature of business environments have made it increasingly challenging and competitive for recent graduates to qualify for higher level positions. Higher education institutions continuously ask what employers are looking for in a newly graduated candidate. However, most do not exactly know the answers. Understanding the changing needs and expectations of employers has become a priority for higher education institutions to remain competitive in their markets. Academics also have to respond to these changes by understanding whether they prepare their students to meet the needs and expectations of employers. This exploratory study aims to understand …

Price Bundling Opportunities For The Charleston (Sc) Tourism Market, Mark Mitchell, Michael Collins, Gregory Turner, Jordan Smith

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

The Charleston area offers a rich mix of historical, cultural, educational, social, and natural entertainment options for visitors. This paper examines the possibility of price bundling of area attractions to offer a lower price to area visitors. Two options are advanced: Targeted Selections and Broader Selections. Finally, market-specific factor influencing implementation are discussed.

Online Vs. Face-To-Face Learners: An Exploratory Segmentation Of The Student Market, Renée J. Fontenot, Richard Mathisen, Susan Carley, Randy Stuart

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

This study compares the characteristics and motivational factors influencing educational decisions of online vs. face-to-face learners. Using a survey of undergraduate marketing students from colleges in the Southeastern U.S., demographic, attitudinal and learning style differences are examined to determine the roles they play in student selection of online vs. traditional classroom modes of educational delivery. Alternative approaches to segmentation of the student market are explored, as are implications for marketing education. Likert scales and open ended questions were used to determine student perspectives on various dimensions of online versus face-to-face courses. A cross section of students were surveyed including those …

Cognitive Dissonance And Online World Of Mouth, Kungpo Tao, Yan Jin

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

A growing number of customers use online consumer review as a means to express their opinions about the purchasing experience or the products through online feedback forums. The online forum not only provides customers with a powerful communicative tool but also impacts potential customers’ intention to patronize a brand or its association by publishing compliments or complaints. It seems to be appropriate to explain the motivation of word of mouth (WOM) when customers tend to reduce post-purchase dissonance by engaging in selective exposure, attitude change, and spreading WOM. Online word of mouth (eWOM) is basically WOM communication through the Internet; …

The Effect Of Antecedent Mood On Customer Loyalty Intentions: A Mood-By-Gender Interaction, Michael L. Thomas, Lindsay Larson, Linda G. Mullen

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

This study suggests that induced antecedent moods may, in a systematic manner, influence subsequent levels of loyalty intention within consumer scenarios. Furthermore, this research finds that there exists differential responses to induced mood states by gender, which fall in line with research on the underlying gender differences in cognitive processing, levels of risk aversion, motivation, and the experience of emotion while shopping. Past studies in this area have shown only a mild connection between induced antecedent mood state and loyalty intentions, which may be due in part to the issue of an emotion by gender interaction. This paper reinforces previous …