Business Commons^™

Exploring Consumer Behavior Using Student Constructed Photographic Essays And Film Projects, Seth Ellis

Atlantic Marketing Journal

Millennials can be characterized by a preference for classroom discussion rather than lecture, working in small collaborative groups, and a desire for structure and steady feedback. This paper describes an undergraduate course, Visual Methods for Exploring Consumer Behavior, where students examine topics in consumer behavior by constructing photographic essays and films as primary research vehicles. We discuss how the course is operationalized, how to encourage and support students in their endeavors, and how to avoid some of the pitfalls we have encountered.

The Influence Of Mobile Website Quality On Consumer Satisfaction And Behavior, Xiuyuan Gao

Department of Textiles, Merchandising, and Fashion Design: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

Mobile shopping has grown into a huge market and an increasing number of consumers have begun to use mobile websites to shop. Therefore, how mobile shopping websites provide good shopping to customers is significant. The object of this study is to relate factors of website quality to college students’ satisfaction with mobile shopping experiences, which in turn influence their intentions to return to the website and/or to purchase on the website. Five dimensions of website quality, which were information quality, navigation, visual appeal, response time and interactivity, were selected in this study. The model of self-regulatory process (Bagozzi, 1992) has …

The Impact Of Narcissism On Value Evaluations Resulting From Virtual Good Purchases, Nathan Mcdougle

Doctoral Dissertations

Social network sites and virtual worlds have become an intriguing area of study within Marketing. The uncertainty of the effects of marketing efforts within these worlds, especially with add-on purchasable items, has received some research attention, but research has not delved deeply into the factors that affect a consumer's intention to purchase these items online. In order to better understand these actions, the present study attempts to empirically examine the effects of several of these variables—specifically narcissism—on purchase intentions, value, and quality of life. Two competing theories are proposed to explain these relationships—a theory of experiential consumption and a theory …

The Psychological Effects Of Perceived Scarcity On Consumers’ Buying Behavior, Shipra Gupta

College of Business: Dissertations, Theses, and Student Research

This research seeks to provide an understanding of consumers’ psychological responses to the scarcity environments that are strategically created by retailers. A mixed method design provides both qualitative and statistical understanding of this phenomenon. The findings across four studies define a new construct that captures consumers’ understanding of the product shortage that is strategically created by the retailer, differentiates it from scarcity situations where the retailer does not necessary limit the supply of the product, and suggests that consumers react differently in the varied conditions. The study suggests that strategically controlled environments, by creating product uncertainty, are able to motivate …

Empirical Research On The Influence Of Spatial Competition In The Distribution Industry On Consumer Behaviors In South Korea, Su Dong Lee, Woo Hyoung Kim

Asia Marketing Journal

When Korea`s retail industry was liberalized, new store formats such as large discount stores and Super Supermarket(SSMs) have grown. New types of business have borne significant influence on traditional market. Traditional markets have been in gradual decline since they fail to meet to consumer`s purchasing behavior. The South Korean government has been making sustained efforts to revitalize the modernization of traditional markets since 2004. This research is conducted to analyze how changes in the distribution of different types of distributors influence the consumer`s purchasing behaviors depending on the changes in the market environment. The purpose of this research is to …

Revisiting Cognitive Dissonance Theory:Pre-Decisional Influences And The Relationship To The Consumer Decision-Making Model, Paul J. Costanzo Dr.

Atlantic Marketing Journal

This paper examines pre-decisional dissonance as a motivating factor in consumer decisional-making. A review of the marketing literature found the majority of research studies were limited to post-decisional influences. Several studies including measures of pre-decisional activity linked the construct to post-decision situations. The author provides evidence regarding the popularity and resurgence of research on cognitive dissonance theory and asserts that researchers in the field of consumer behavior may gain a better understanding of consumer decision-making when studying pre-decisional consonance and dissonance as separate entities and independent of post-decisions.

Escapist Environments, Restorative Experiences, And Consumer Self-Regulation, G. David Shows

Doctoral Dissertations

The study of atmospherics recognizes shoppers engage in consumption for more than its utilitarian function. The concept of the recreational shopper recognizes the value-producing process of the consumption experience. This research furthers the understanding of consumption by delving into the value-enhancing process of escaping during the experience, as well as measuring the mediating effects of fascination and authenticity. In this study, a test of an individual's self-regulating behavior and the moderating effects on the consumption experience help determine if predetermination affects an escape experience.

Pictured scenes of restaurants were pretested for their ability to produce fascination and represent and authentic …

Extended Consumer-Brand Relationship Theory, May Aung, Kapil Gurbani, Samuel Hip Seng Lei

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

This study examines online communities for two top brands: Apple iPhone and Blackberry smartphones. A number of online brand communities (online forums) such as the iPhone business affiliated website www.apple.com, iPhone consumers’ website www.everythingicafe.com, and the Blackberry consumers’ websites www.blackberry.com and www.crackberry.com were explored. This research extends the conceptual underpinnings of the existing consumer-brand relationship theory by incorporating the concept of sharing. This study offers insights for academia in the marketing and consumer behavior field as well as professionals in the high-technology industry.

Influence Of Atypical Choices By Dissociative And Aspirational Reference Groups On Preferences Of Consumers Varying On Social Comparison Proneness, Magdoleen Ierlan

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Using Festinger and Tesser’s work on social comparison as the theoretical framework, this study investigates how consumer spending is influenced by atypical spending in comparative reference groups. Specifically, two experiments examine how and why consumers, who exhibit either high or low tendencies to compare themselves with others, will alter their spending when they observe their aspirational (i.e., more affluent) and dissociative (i.e., less affluent) reference groups spending money in ways that are atypical. To test the strength of the influence of these comparisons, participants are asked to make consumer decisions with regard to public products (those used in front of …

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; …

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.

Identifying Key Factors Influencing Internet Shopping Behavior For E-Satisfaction, Chris A. Meyers

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

With Internet shopping gaining more attention and momentum, a better understanding of the online consumer is now in the forefront of most retail strategies. The growth of online retailing or Internet shopping has provided the apparel industry with additional avenues to reach the consumer. Previous research has shown that consumers’ intent to purchase online is highly driven by their satisfaction. Studies have touted the growth of on-line shopping and the growing purchases of those with Internet access (Lin & Sun, 2009). In fact, apparel products have been consistently ranked as one of the most frequently purchased items through the Internet …

The Church Of Mac: An Initial Examination On The Loyalty Of Apple Customers, Caroline Pinson, Deborah J. C. Brosdahl

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

The death of Apple’s CEO Steve Jobs left many in the business world wondering if Apple would also face a decline in health. However, the subsequent release and over-whelming demand of the new iPhone and iPad showed the world how much this product brand is loved by consumers. Yet what exactly makes Apple consumers loyal to Apple products with an array of similar, yet less expensive, products on the market? Understanding what makes Apple users loyal is important to all companies striving to replicate the kind of brand loyalty that Apple generates. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to …

The Face Of Fakes: U.S. Consumers And Counterfeit Fashion Products, Karen Edwards, Jason Carpenter

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Counterfeit products pose a serious threat to fashion product brand owners and to the world economy. While research on the demand side of counterfeiting has grown over the past two decades, few extant studies have been conducted among non-student consumers outside Asia and Europe and few studies have focused on product categories other than consumer electronic-related items. Using a sample of U.S. consumers (N=305), the current research investigates consumer attitudes in the context of fashion products. Findings suggest that gender and education are the two variables most frequently related to purchase intention for counterfeits, beliefs about counterfeit products, and ethicality. …

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 …

Relationship Of Demographic Traits And Situational Factor Determinants With The Tech Readiness Of Self-Service Consumers, Jon M. Martin

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Over the past 20 years, self-service technology (SST) has become prevalent as a service delivery option. To ensure that SST options reach full potential, firms need to understand what customer traits and situational factors are related to the propensity to use SSTs. From a subset of data and independent determinants from an original dissertation model on SST adoption, this study uses linear regression to examine: H1) the relationship between: H1) consumers’ tech readiness (TR) and the consumer demographics of age (AG), gender (GN), income (IN), education (ED), and ethnicity (ET) (H1), and H2) the relationship between consumer’s tech readiness and …

Ethnicity’S Effect On Brand Loyalty Among American Consumers, Neelen Leslie, Felipe Korzenny

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

The United States has one of the largest multicultural populations in the world. It is home to millions of people from varying countries, ethnicities and cultures. International migration over the years has established a foundation for what is now a cultural mosaic, comprised mainly of several generations of Americans born to people of varied ethnicities and cultures. This diversity presents a challenge for US marketers. The heterogeneity of this nation requires marketers to do more research and to cultivate an understanding of the various cultures at play in order to connect with their target consumers.

In this research, we attempted …

How A Small Rural University Can Effectively Approach High School Students?, Jianfeng Wang, Liza Jussiaume, Arnaud Jaquier, Yasmine Fofana, Chuck Compton, James Davis, Stephanie Walker

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Nowadays many small rural universities or colleges are faced with the challenge of how to expand schools' student body. Given the limited budget, these schools need to make preliminary decisions on how to better reach high school students in order to achieve optimal enrollment goals. In this study, a survey was conducted to make an attempt at determining how a small rural university can effectively approach its anticipated target market. The objectives of this study are: 1. to determine how the target audiences hear about the university; 2. to determine who makes the final decisions regarding the target audience’s future …

Marketing Research Is Power In Negotiations To Sell A Small Business, Michael Latta

Association of Marketing Theory and Practice Proceedings 2013

Small firms are at a disadvantage in negotiations with larger firms and need to have something on their side of the table to give them power in the process. Primary marketing research can provide proprietary information for the smaller firm that may be used to support a forecasting model to be used in evaluating offers during negotiations. This paper describes such a negotiation supported by a proprietary forecasting simulator that created an advantage for the smaller firm over the larger firm. As a result, the smaller firm had a go-it-alone baseline revenue forecast to determine the incremental value of a …