Examine Consumer Attitudes Research Articles

소비자의 사회 경제적 위치가 쇠고기 구매 태도에 미치는 영향

This current survey was conducted to examine consumer attitudes toward factors determining beef purchasing and improving distribution systems. The frequency of beef purchasing was shown to reflect social and economic status, where inhabitants in large cities, such as Seoul, with higher salaries showed a higher frequency. In addition, consumers that were in their forties bought beef more frequently than consumers that were in their twenties. Consumers in Seoul and the megalopolis with a monthly income of higher than 200 million won preferred to purchase meat from department stores and discount markets. In contrast, people in small cities with lower incomes tended to buy meat from butcher shops and brand shops. In a question regarding unsatisfaction factors of retail beef, individuals that were in their thirties with a high income had concerns associated with packaging problems. For people under thirty with low income, the consistency of quality and price were the prime concerns. In regards to the beef grading system, consumer response varied between inhabitants, monthly income and age group, where consumers from small cities that were in their twenties and forties with a low income had a negative viewpoint. For the differential beef distribution system, housewives between the ages of 30 and 40 from a small city with an income higher than 200 million won had a positive response; however, a large number of consumers were not familiar with this system. The most demanding beef cuts were in the following order: loin, flank and rib. In addition, the most important factors determining purchasing beef were as follows: price, breed and portion.

The determinants of consumer attitude toward service innovation – the evidence of ETC system in Taiwan

PurposeInnovation has attracted considerable interest in recent years in improving competitive advantage for both profit and nonprofit organizations. Service innovation offers the potential for substantially improving the performance, but performance gains are often obstructed by users' unwillingness to accept and use available systems. This research aims to use the concept of Reasoned Action Theory to further examine consumer attitudes toward service innovation and its antecedents.Design/methodology/approachBy focus group discussion and literature review, a conceptual model with six postulated hypotheses is proposed. The Electronic Toll Collecting (ETC) system launched by the Taiwanese government is selected as the service innovation to test the model. A structured questionnaire is designed to collect field data. The structural equation model with LISREL VIII program is used to estimate the structural coefficients and to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe results show that perceived ease of use, perceived price fairness, risk averseness and satisfaction with existing service significantly influence consumer attitude, and then influence consumer's intention to adopt service innovation.Practical implicationsBefore introducing a service innovation, the service provider must seriously consider the possible difficulties of usage and risk from the consumer's perspective.Originality/valueCompared with product innovation, research focusing on service innovation is relatively scarce. Services have specific characteristics of intangibility, inseparability, heterogeneity and perishability. Hence, the factors influencing the consumer adoption of service innovation may be different from those of product innovation.

Consumers' perceptions of HPP and PEF food products

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine consumer attitudes towards apple juice produced by means of two new processing technologies, high‐pressure processing (HPP) and pulsed electric field processing (PEF).Design/methodology/approachMeans‐end chain approach is used. Laddering interviews are conducted with consumers in Norway, Denmark, Hungary and Slovakia.FindingsConsumers in this study did recognize and appreciate the benefits that HPP and PEF apple juice have to offer over a juice produced by pasteurization. The respondents in all four countries associated positive consequences with product attributes related to the nutritional value and the taste of the products produced by means of these novel technologies. Also the environmental benefits from processing foods by applying these technologies were seen as highly positive characteristics of the technologies. However, many respondents also expressed some scepticism, especially towards the PEF treated juice and were unsure about if there were risks associated with consuming products processed by this technology.Practical implicationsWhen new processing technologies are introduced, consumer acceptance is one of the key issues for their future success. It is up to food producers and food scientists to provide the evidence that will convince consumers that these new technologies are safe to use.Originality/valueThis research contributes to the limited knowledge on consumer attitudes towards food products produced by HPP and PEF. From a general perspective, the research expands the body of knowledge on consumer perception of food technologies.

Attitudes, behaviors, and perception of consumers’ from northwestern Bosnia and Herzegovina toward food products on the market

Consumers in developed countries, when choosing food products, pay more attention to quality and food safety. A significant trend can be detected in the consumption of “light” products, of organic food or of food without genetically modified ingredients (GM). In contrast to these countries, Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) has been a country in the process of transition, and due to its recent history the state system and administration do not function properly, which also affects food market. The market has been flooded with various food products whose quality and origins can often be questioned. In recent years, as a result of European legislation, food safety has improved in the Union; however no data has been published about consumers’ attitudes and preferences in B&H. This study examined consumer attitudes, behaviors and perception in connection with food products in different markets in the northwestern part of B&H. In the autumn 2009 we examined the factors that affect consumers’ decisions when they choose a trademark or product, as well as their attitudes concerning product origin, quality and “light” or GM labels. The data were collected in several markets in two areas (Bihac and Cazin) using survey methods. The survey included 920 consumers, of which 54.4% were female. The results showed that 81.65% of examinees decided what to purchase on the basis of quality, although 56.32% of consumers didn’t know what the product quality is. 56.44% of examinees selected domestic products while 25% preferred imported products, or checked the country of production. Only 37.71% of consumers were familiar with the meaning of the label “light”, and 45% of the label GM. There were statistically significant differences (ANOVA, Duncan's post-hoc test p < 0.05) in the attitudes and behavior of consumers depending on their gender.

Consumers’ Perceptions About and Use of the Internet for Personal Health Records and Health Information Exchange: Analysis of the 2007 Health Information National Trends Survey

Background Personal health records (PHRs) and the sharing of health information through health information exchange (HIE) have been advocated as key new components in the effective delivery of modern health care. It is important to understand consumer attitudes toward utilization of PHRs and HIE to evaluate the public’s willingness to adopt these new health care tools.Objective The purpose of this study was to examine consumer attitudes toward PHRs and their health care providers’ use of HIE, as well as to evaluate consumer use of the Internet for tracking PHRs.Methods Analysis of data from the 2007 iteration of the Health Information National Trends Study (HINTS, N=7674) was conducted using multivariate logistic regression to identify predictors of consumer (1) appraisal of PHRs, (2) appraisal of health care provider use of HIE, and (3) use of the Internet for tracking PHRs.Results: Approximately 86% of US adults rated electronic access to their PHRs as important. However, only 9% of them used the Internet for tracking PHRs. Those who rated electronic access to their PHRs as important were more likely to be Hispanic (odds ratio [OR] = 1.34, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.04 - 1.72) and Internet users (OR = 1.27, 95% CI = 1.02 - 1.57) and less likely to be age 65 and above (OR = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.38 - 0.67) or individuals whose doctors always ensured their understanding of their health (OR = 0.62, 95% CI = 0.49 – 0.78). Those who rated HIE as important were more likely to be 45 to 54 years of age (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.03 - 2.08), 55 to 64 years of age (OR = 1.83, 95% CI = 1.32 - 2.53), or 65 and above (OR = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.27 - 2.43) and less likely to be women (OR = 0.80, 95% CI = 0.68 - 0.95) or individuals who perceive their health information as not safely guarded by their doctors (OR = 0.53, 95% CI = 0.40 - 0.69). Among Internet users, those who used the Internet to track their PHRs were more likely to be college graduates (OR = 1.84, 95% = 1.32 - 2.59) or to have completed some college courses (OR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.02 - 2.11), to be Hispanic (OR = 1.92, 95% CI = 1.23 - 2.98), or to be individuals with health care provider access (OR = 1.90, 95% CI = 1.21 - 2.97). Women were less likely to use the Internet for tracking PHRs than men (OR = 0.78, 95% CI = 0.61 - 1.00).Conclusions Despite widespread positive appraisal of electronic access to PHRs as important, Internet use for tracking PHRs remains uncommon. To promote PHR adoption, the digital divide associated with the gap in health literacy must be improved, and cultural issues and the doctor-patient relationship need to be studied. Further work also needs to address consumer concerns regarding the security of HIE.

Functional Ingredients and Food Choice: Results from a Choice Experiment

In this paper we present the results of a Choice Experiment (CE) conducted to examine how the inclusion of an attribute for a functional ingredient affects consumer food choice. Specifically, we examine consumer attitudes towards bread and the inclusion of a functional ingredient (eg, inulin), which can be added to bread to increase the quantity and the effectiveness of fibre in the final product A novel feature of the design of this CE was the use of Means-End-Chain analysis via semi-structured interviews to reveal key attributes to be included in the CE. In addition, the CE included the Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire (DEBQ) so as to collect information on all participants underlying eating behaviours. Preliminary analysis of the data reveals that bread type determines choice, and that the inclusion of a functional ingredient yielded relatively small measures of value. Also, the use of a Latent Class Model reveals that there are differences in willingness-to-pay (WTP) between groups of respondents and that group membership can be partly explained by the DEBQ information. The public health implications of these findings are discussed.

The Insight Study of Consumer Life-styles and Purchasing Behaviors in Songkla Province, Thailand

Purposes of the insight study of consumer life-styles and purchasing behaviors in Songkla province, Thailand” were: 1)to understand consumer life-styles and purchasing behaviors; 2) to determine the factors affecting consumer life-stylesand purchasing behaviors; and 3) to examine consumer attitudes among traditional and modern trade channels. The data were collected through self-administered questionnaires among a sample of 300 consumers in Songkla province.Descriptive and inferential statistics, composed of frequency, percentage, t-test, and multiple regression, were used inthe data analysis. The results indicated that consumer life-styles oriented in outgoing, dependent in decision making,economically conscious, necessity and convenience concern. The purchasing behaviors were focus on product variety,facility & service, outlet location, pricing, product quality, refreshment of product and product modernity. At a 0.05statistically significant level, demographic and socio-economic characteristics affecting consumer life-styles andpurchasing behaviors. There were discernable consumers’ attitudinal differences between traditional and modern tradechannels.

Consumers' Environmental Concerns and Behaviors in the Lodging Industry: A Comparison between Greece and the United States

This study utilizes data collected from Greece and the United States to examine consumer attitudes and behavior intentions toward the environmentally responsible practices (ERP) of hotels. Specifically examined is the impact of ERP on consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for such hotel practices. The results indicate that consumers in both countries were more likely to patronize and demonstrate a strong WTP for hotels that provide ERP. Furthermore, the results reveal that consumers in Greece have higher environmental concerns and WTP than those in the United States, confirming that differences in culture and social structure determine a consumer's Green orientation and WTP.

Are US consumers ready to adopt mobile technology for fashion goods?

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of ease of use, usefulness, and enjoyment, and subjective norm regarding the use of mobile phones on US consumers' attitudes toward mobile communication and mobile commerce, and mobile technology use intention for shopping.Design/methodology/approachThis work integrates the technology acceptance model of Davis and Fishbein and Ajzen's theory of reasoned action for its theoretical framework. In total, 341 college students in two large US universities provided usable responses. Structural equation modeling was employed to test the proposed model and research hypotheses.FindingsThe results showed that the perceived ease of use, usefulness, and enjoyment, and subjective norm were the significant predictors of attitudes toward mobile communication and mobile commerce as well as mobile technology use intention for shopping. The findings also suggested that attitude toward mobile communication positively influenced attitude toward mobile commerce, which in turn positively influenced mobile technology use for shopping.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample of this study is slightly biased by gender and age. However, this demographic segment is meaningful to examine consumer attitudes and mobile technology use intentions for fashion goods due to its extensive usage of mobile services.Originality/valueThis study offers an integrated theoretical framework for future studies investigating consumer behavior in a technologically advanced retail environment.

Exploring global consumer attitudes toward nutrition information on food labels

In many parts of the world, food companies, consumers, and governments are re-examining the provision of nutrition information on food labels. It is important that the nutrition information provided be appropriate and understandable to the consumer and that it impact food-choice behaviors. Potentially, food labeling represents a valuable tool to help consumers make informed decisions about their diet and lifestyle. Food information organizations worldwide have been following consumer trends in the use of this information as well as consumer attitudes about food, nutrition, and health. This paper summarizes a workshop that examined consumer attitudes gathered regionally with the aim of establishing commonalities and differences.

Saudi consumers' attitudes towards advertising: a contemporary perspective

The purpose of this paper is to examine Saudi consumers' attitudes towards advertising. While a number of studies have examined consumer attitudes towards advertising, most of them have been confined to Western country settings. This study investigates the consumer attitudes in a developing country. This study is based on a questionnaire survey conducted in Saudi Arabia. Using empirical research, the study examines demographic difference in consumers' attitudes towards advertising and analyses responses on advertising content. The paper discusses the marketing implications of these findings. This study makes a valuable contribution given the fact that there is a dearth of empirical studies covering studies of this nature in Saudi Arabia.

Consumer attitudes and interactive digital advertising

This research examines consumer attitudes towards four sub-types of interactive digital advertising: internet-based e- and email advertising, and mobile-phone-based SMS- and MMS-type advertising. The differences in attitudes among these four sub-types of interactive digital advertising are also compared. Data are collected from three universities in Taiwan. Data analysis extracts three attitudinal forms (common factors) towards interactive digital advertising, namely, ‘informative’, ‘entertaining’ and ‘irritating’. Consumer attitudinal forms towards e-advertising and MMS-type m-advertising are both similar and positive (i.e. informative and less irritating and entertaining). Their attitudinal forms towards email advertising and SMS-type m-advertising are less positive (more irritating and less informative and entertaining). Furthermore, the three attitudinal forms towards the four sub-types of interactive digital advertising are compared. Consumer ‘informative’ and ‘entertaining’ attitudinal forms towards e-advertising and MMS-type m-advertisingare similar, while their attitudinal forms towards email advertising and SMS-type m-advertising are equal and lower than towards the previous two sub-types of interactive digital advertising. As for the ‘irritating’ attitudinal form, consumers feel more ‘irritated’ towards email advertising and SMS-type m-advertising, while their attitudinal forms towards e-advertising and MMS-type m-advertising are equal and less irritated.

Consumer attitudes toward pharmaceutical direct‐to‐consumer advertising

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine consumer attitudes toward direct‐to‐consumer (DTC) advertising and whether consumer attitudes regarding these types of advertisements differ based on income.Design/methodology/approach – A sample of 168 consumers completed the survey on‐site at a pharmacy while waiting for their prescription(s) to be filled.Findings – The findings indicated that low‐income consumers were more likely than higher income customers to: report being persuaded by DTC advertising to ask for an advertised drug; go to the doctor based on symptoms described in DTC advertising; and to prefer branded medication over generic alternatives.Practical implications – The results provide useful information to policy makers and drug companies. The finding that these advertisements appear to impact lower income consumers to a greater extent than their higher‐income counterparts has both positive and negative implications. On the positive side, these ads appear to influence unhealthy, low‐incom...

Extending the view of brand alliance effects

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to broaden the external validity of the “brand alliance” theory, as it is set up by Simonin and Ruth, by analysing transnational brand alliances. It aims to discuss the significance of country of origin in this context.Design/methodology/approachBased on a broad literature review of the brand alliance and country of origin literature the authors conducted an empirical study that examined consumer attitudes towards cross‐national brand alliances.FindingsThe findings demonstrate the role that the relationship between country of origin fit and brand fit plays in predicting consumer attitude towards cross‐border brand alliances; and that when brand familiarity decreases, the positive influence of country of origin fit on attitudes towards the brand alliance increases, and is greater than that of brand fit.Research limitations/implicationsThe degree of importance that consumers place on each product in the brand alliance was not taken into account. Future research could also analyse product categories that have strong country of origin associations (e.g. German beer or French pastries) or that belong to the low involvement category.Practical implicationsAn interesting result for managers when they set up a cross‐national brand alliance, as the study demonstrates the importance of brand familiarity and of country of origin fit.Originality/valueThe findings replicate those of Simonin and Ruth, which is a useful result because their findings might be attributed also to cross‐boarder alliances. The study represents a noteworthy extension of previous research by introducing a new variable, the “country of origin fit.”

Perceived Third‐Person Effects and Consumer Attitudes on Prevetting and Banning DTC Advertising

This study examined consumer attitudes toward two potential direct‐to‐consumer (DTC) advertising regulatory options—prior approval of DTC ads and a total ban—and how those attitudes are influenced by perceived DTC ad effects and receiver‐specific characteristics within the context of the third‐person effect framework. Results suggest that (1) consumers support the prevetting of DTC ads, but not the banning of DTC ads, (2) their support for prior approval is unaffected by demographic, predispositional, and ad‐effect perceptual differences, but (3) their support for a ban is associated with age, attitude toward DTC advertising, and perceptions of negative effects on self and others.

The role of food quality certification on consumers' food choices

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine consumer attitudes and behavior towards organic products and products produced under the system of integrated management (SIM) and to compare the socioeconomic characteristics and attitudes that affect consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) a premium for these two different certification systems.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on cross‐sectional data collected through a questionnaire survey. Respondents' attitudes towards the organic and SIM certification systems are examined. A principal component analysis (PCA) with varimax rotation was primarily applied to provide a more manageable set of variables relevant to attitudes. Those attitudes together with socioeconomic factors and variables relevant to respondents' motivations to food consumption were used for the estimation of the WTP for organic and SIM products.FindingsFindings suggest that consumers' level of awareness and information towards the studied certification systems is rather low especially for SIM products. This can be mainly attributed to the inadequate promotion and the low availability of certified products in the Greek market. The study also reveals that the WTP for organic products is higher among consumers who place much importance on health, consume organic fruits/vegetables and get information about food/nutrition issues from doctors/nutritionists/health institutes and magazines. WTP for SIM products is affected mainly by married consumers, regular buyers of organic products and those who consume frequently fruits/vegetables.Originality/valueThis paper provides an outline of the level of awareness and trust of food quality certification systems by Greek consumers, a topic that has not been widely discussed in Greece. The findings can help all the involved bodies to avoid the impediments and develop an adequate marketing strategy for the effective promotion of certified food products.

Perceptions versus expectations of multimedia messaging service (MMS)

Previously mobile industry has been unsuccessful in predicting services available on mobile phones that consumers would want to use. Short messaging service (SMS), for example, developed as a major service to the surprise of service providers. Wireless application protocol (WAP) despite heavy marketing and high hopes was not successful. The study presented examines consumer attitudes to using multimedia messaging service (MMS). An experiment is reported which tests whether people who had the opportunity to use MMS formed different perceptions of it to those who were only shown an animated PowerPoint presentation. The results demonstrated that the group who used MMS had more positive perceptions. However, the results from both groups suggest there are important barriers to overcome for use to be extensive: for example, the price of the service and of the handsets would be a disincentive and the service would need to be available to use across networks.

A cross‐cultural exploration of attitudes toward product expiration dates

AbstractThis is an exploratory study examining consumer attitudes toward product expiration dates in three different countries, the United States, Canada, and Turkey. In addition, the study investigates the differences in the importance of product expiration dates for three products, yogurt, over‐the‐counter medicine, and camera film, in the three cultures. A total of 687 surveys were gathered in the three countries. The results show that there are, indeed, differences among the consumers in three countries. American and Canadian consumers check product expiration dates before purchasing and before using products more often than Turkish consumers. Although most of the differences observed are between the respondents in Turkey versus the respondents in the United States and Canada, some differences between the U.S. and Canadian respondents are also found, indicating that culture plays an important role in consumer uncertainty avoidance. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Examining the animosity model in a country with a high level of foreign trade

Much research relating to consumer attitudes toward foreign products has been conducted in large industrialized countries, with big internal markets and a wide range of domestic brands. Little attention has been paid to the case of countries with high levels of foreign trade where, in some product markets, no domestic brands or alternatives are available and hence consumers have no choice but to purchase foreign brands in that product category. The lack of domestic brands is, however, likely to affect feelings of ethnocentrism, nationality and animosity as well as attitudes towards the purchase of foreign products. This study examines consumer attitudes towards the purchase of foreign cars and TVs in the Netherlands. The Netherlands is viewed as a prototypical example of a country with high levels of foreign trade, well integrated into the global economy. In one category—cars, there are no domestic brands, while for TVs, Philips, a Dutch multinational, holds major market share. The results show that consumer ethnocentrism and feelings of animosity have an important impact on the evaluation of foreign products, even when no domestic brands are available.

Consumer attitudes toward marketing in a transitional economy: a replication and extension

Burgeoning consumerism in transitional economies has significant implications for both multinational corporations and local companies. Based on a survey of four cities in mainland China, this research examines consumer attitudes toward marketing, and compares the findings with those of previous studies of other economies. The results suggest that consumers in mainland China are less critical of marketing than their counterparts in advanced economies. Furthermore, consumer attitudes toward marketing, beliefs about business, and their interactions have significant effects on consumer satisfaction. The implications for marketing operations in transitional economies and avenues for future research are explored.