Market Research Agency Research Articles

Mobile word of mouth (m-WOM): analysing its negative impact on webrooming in omnichannel retailing

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to analyse the influence of mobile word of mouth (m-WOM), received at the physical store, which “challenges” the consumer's preferences in a webrooming experience. The impacts of the social relationship between the sender and the receiver of the m-WOM and product category (electronics versus fashion accessories) are examined.Design/methodology/approachAn online experiment was carried out which manipulated the presence and type of challenging m-WOM, and product category, in a 3 × 2 between-subjects factorial design. The participants were 204 consumers recruited through a market research agency. Their perceptions about the helpfulness of the m-WOM, and their product preferences and choices, were analysed.FindingsReceiving in-store m-WOM was perceived as helpful by webroomers and affected their preferences and choices. For electronics online reviews posted by anonymous customers were more influential than friends' opinions, whereas the opposite was the case with fashion accessories. The trustworthiness and expertise of the m-WOM source may explain the effects of m-WOM.Practical implicationsm-WOM entails challenges and opportunities for retailers in the omnichannel era. The findings suggest that allowing customers to access m-WOM may be beneficial; however, retailers must consider the type of m-WOM that may be most suitable for their businesses. Recommendations for referral and review sites are also offered.Originality/valueThis study examines the impact of challenging m-WOM on shopping experiences, combining online, mobile and physical channels. The results revealed the importance of the information source and product category in the determination of consumers' perceptions of helpfulness, preferences and choice.

Understanding Research Culture: What researchers think about the culture they work in

Background: The current performance of UK research can be presented as highly successful, but evidence has emerged about issues with working culture in research and the impact this may have on people and their work. Wellcome commissioned market research agency Shift Learning to investigate current perceptions and experiences of research culture among the research community. Methods: This article presents key findings from two phases of this project: 94 qualitative interviews and a quantitative e-survey with 4267 usable responses. Interview invitations were sent out to UK-based research staff at various career stages. The survey was open to international respondents, but the majority of responses came from the UK. Respondents came predominantly from academia and the sample was intentionally skewed towards biological and biomedical sciences. Results: While participants considered the quality of research outputs to have generally remained high, many felt that issues impacting research culture were becoming more apparent and there was real concern about the future of research professions and the high personal cost for individuals. Factors identified as disruptive to research culture included chasing impact, increased competition, proliferation of metrics, job insecurity and rigid career pathways. Poor research culture manifested in workplace behaviours and practices, including problems with management and leadership and unhealthy power dynamics, such as patronage, bullying and harassment, discrimination and exploitation. These conditions were linked to a range of negative impacts on the researchers and the research outputs. Conclusions: The research ecosystem is characterised by increased levels of competition, lack of job security and insufficient career flexibility. A key takeaway is that the conditions in which research takes place are not inclusive and lack sufficient support mechanisms, which is negatively affecting researchers’ wellbeing, and work-life balance. Such research culture was perceived as unsustainable.

Impact of health warning labels communicating the risk of cancer on alcohol selection: an online experimental study.

Evidence from tobacco research suggests that health warning labels (HWLs) depicting the adverse consequences of consumption change smoking behaviours, with image-and-text (also known as 'pictorial' or 'graphic') HWLs most effective. There is an absence of evidence concerning the potential impact of HWLs placed on alcohol products on selection of those products. This study aimed to obtain a preliminary assessment of the possible impact of (i) image-and-text, (ii) text-only, and (iii) image-only HWLs on selection of alcoholic versus non-alcoholic drinks. A between-subjects randomised experiment with a 2 (image: present versus absent) × 2 (text: present versus absent) factorial design. The study was conducted on the online survey platform Qualtrics. Participants (n=6024) were adults over the age of 18 who consumed beer or wine regularly (i.e. at least once a week), recruited through a market research agency. Participants were randomised to one of four groups varying in the HWL displayed on the packaging of alcoholic drinks: (i) image-and-text HWL; (ii) text-only HWL; (iii) image-only HWL; and (iv) no HWL. HWLs depicted bowel cancer, breast cancer and liver cancer, which were each displayed twice across six alcoholic drinks. Each group viewed six alcoholic and six non-alcoholic drinks and selected one drink that they would like to consume. The primary outcome was the proportion of participants selecting an alcoholic versus a non-alcoholic drink. Alcoholic drink selection was lower for all HWL types compared with no HWL (image-and-text: 56%; image-only: 49%; text-only: 61%; no HWL: 77%), with selection lowest for HWLs that included an image. Image-and-text HWLs reduced the odds of selecting an alcoholic drink compared with text-only HWLs (OR=0.80, 95% CI=0.69, 0.92), but increased the odds of selecting an alcoholic drink compared with image-only HWLs (OR=1.34, 95% CI=1.16, 1.55). Health warning labels communicating the increased risk of cancers associated with alcohol consumption reduced selection of alcoholic versus non-alcoholic drinks in a hypothetical choice task in an online setting; labels displaying images had the largest effect. Their impact in laboratory and real-world field settings using physical products awaits investigation.

소비자의 노후 간병비 관련 인식과 노후 간병비 준비에 관한 연구(Study on the Consumer's Perception and Financial Preparation for Care Costs for the Elderly)

Korean Abstract:본 연구는 소비자의 노후 간병비 관련 인식과 노후 간병비 준비현황을 살펴보고, 노후 간병비 준비에 영향을 미치는 요인을 살펴보고자 하였다. 이를 위하여 30대 이상의 직장인 613명을 대상으로 설문조사를 실시하였으며, 연구결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 노후 간병비 관련 인식의 경우, 소비자들은 본인이 노후 간병비의 주된 책임자라고 인식하지만 실제 노후 간병비 지불은 국가의 보조나 지원을 기대하는 것으로 나타났다. 소비자들의 간병비 관련 지식을 분석한 결과 단순 지식 점수는 높았으나 관련 제도나 지원에 관한 지식은 낮았다. 노후 간병비 관련 시간적 거리감과 확률적 거리감을 분석한 결과 시간적 거리감은 비교적 간병비 지출시점을 가까운 미래로 인식하였고, 확률적 거리감은 높게 인식하고 있었다. 마지막으로 소비자들의 간병비에 대한 경제적 부담감 수준은 높게 나타나 간병비가 은퇴자금을 고갈시키는 부담되는 비용으로 인식하고 있는 것으로 나타났다. 더불어 전체 대상자 중 약 21.7%만 노후 간병비를 준비하고 있었고, 한 달에 평균 81만원씩 저축 또는 투자하고 있었다. 둘째, 소비자 특성에 따른 노후 간병비 관련 인식과 간병비 준비를 살펴본 결과, 소비자 특성에 따른 노후 간병비 준비의 차이는 성별, 연령, 총 가계소득, 총 자산에서 통계적으로 유의미한 차이를 보였고 노후 간병비 관련 인식에 따른 노후 간병비 준비의 차이는 지출범위, 책임범위, 시간적 거리감, 확률적 거리감에 따라 유의한 차이가 나타났다. 셋째, 소비자의 노후 간병비 준비에 영향을 미치는 요인에는 지출범위, 책임범위, 시간적 거리감, 성별, 총 가계소득이 통계적으로 유의미한 변수임을 알 수 있었다. 이를 통해 노후 간병비 준비를 증진시키기 위해서 소비자의 간병비 관련 인식, 심리적 거리감, 소비자의 사회․인구학적 특성, 재무적 특성을 종합적으로 고려하는 재무설계 또는 재무상담이 필요함을 알 수 있었다. English Abstract: This study analyzed the consumers’ perception of the care costs for the elderly and their financial preparation, and identify what affects their financial preparations for care costs for the elderly. The data were collected from businessmen over 30 years of age by EMBRAIN, a market research agency. The analysis results and conclusions are as follows. First, with respect to the perception on the care costs for the elderly, the consumers generally did not perceive the fact they should pay for the patient share even if they received the benefit of the senile long-term care insurance system. An analysis of the care costs for the elderly related knowledge revealed a high simple knowledge score but poor scores for the related systems or supports. For the analysis of time and probability distances on the care costs for the elderly in the study subjects, they perceived the higher probability distance than the time distance. Lastly, the level of economic burden on the consumers’ care costs for the elderly was high, demonstrating the expense perceived as a burden. Regarding the financial preparation for care costs for the elderly, only 21.7% of the subjects prepared the care costs for the elderly by saving or investing W810,000 per month on average. Second, regarding the difference of the financial preparation for care costs for the elderly by the consumers’ characteristics, they showed significant differences in terms of gender, age, total household income, and the total asset amount for the difference as to whether to prepare the care costs for the elderly. In addition, an analysis of the financial preparation for care costs for the elderly by the consumer's perception on care costs for the elderly showed significant differences in the recognition of the expenditure scope, responsible scope, and psychological distances. Lastly, the results of the influential elements in the consumers’ financial preparation for care costs for the elderly showed that the elements that influence the preparation of their costs care for the elderly were recognition of the expenditure scope, responsible scope, time distance, gender, and total asset amount.

Mediating Effect of Work-Life Balance between Motivation and Job Satisfaction and Its Impact on Emotional Intelligence of Mystery Shopping Professionals

Purpose- Enhancing job satisfaction through motivation and Work-Life Balance (WLB) and checking the overall impact on Emotional Intelligence of mystery shopping professionals is the aim of this research. The work depends on factors such as sudden demand, high workload, on-time submission of assignments, a new area for exploration and fluctuation in pay scale. Design- The data were collected from mystery shopping professionals through social media platform using a questionnaire link (N=338). The sampling technique employed in this study was a convenient sampling technique. CFA (Confirmatory Factor Analysis) using AMOS software was performed. The questionnaire instrument SSREI, GJSS, WEIMS and (Tasdelen’s WLB) were adopted for this study. Findings- The study revealed that motivation has a positive impact on Work-life balance and intern enhances the job satisfaction of mystery shoppers. However, the overall impact on EI is negative. The Goodness of Fit Index such as (AGFI, NFI, TLI, CFI, RMSEA, RMR, and AVE) indicates a good fit of the Structural Equation Model. Originality/Value: The study reflected on the four essential concepts, which has evolved in the domain of HRM and OB for many years. In the context of mystery-shopping professional, it has been used and the recommendations will help the market research agencies and the mystery shoppers. Exploring Work-Life Balance (WLB) as a mediating variable between motivation and Job satisfaction and the overall impact on EI of mystery shopping professionals is a new insight.

Assessing consumer preferences for organic vs eco-labelled olive oils

In this study, a choice experiment was performed to investigate consumer preferences and willingness to pay for a set of eco-labels on extra-virgin olive oil. Specifically, we tested three types of eco-labels indicating that the olive oil was (i) obtained from ancient trees, (ii) produced in mountainous areas, and (iii) obtained with sustainable water use. These three different eco-labels were analyzed in combination with the well-known organic label and other relevant attributes of extra-virgin olive oil. The choice experiment was based on a consumer survey carried out in Italy, the largest olive oil consuming country in the world, in January–February 2017. A market research agency recruited a nationally-representative total sample of 1061 participants who were involved in a web-based interview. Consumer choices were analyzed using a Random Parameter Logit model. The main result of the study is that, on average, Italian consumers are willing to pay a significant premium price for all the tested eco-labels on extra-virgin olive oil with the organic label being the most preferred eco-label. However, high heterogeneity in consumer preferences was also detected.

Psychometric properties and norm scores of the sleep self report in Dutch children

BackgroundPsychometrically robust questionnaires to assess self-reported sleep problems in children are important since sleep problems can have a major impact on child development. The Sleep Self Report (SSR) is a 26-item self-report tool measuring different sleep domains in children aged 7–12 years. This study aims to evaluate the psychometric properties of the SSR and to provide Dutch norm scores.MethodsChildren aged 7–12 years from the general population were recruited through a professional market research agency. In this population, structural validity was assessed with confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses, internal consistency was assessed with the Cronbach’s alpha coefficient and norm scores were provided. Additionally, children attending outpatient sleep clinics (clinical population) were invited to participate. SSR scores of the general population and the clinical population were compared to establish discriminative validity.ResultsIn total, 619 children (mean age: 9.94 ± 1.72 years) from the general population and 34 children (mean age: 9.21 ± 1.63 years) from sleep clinics participated. The 1-factor structure of the SSR was not confirmed with factor analysis. Exploratory analyses did also not yield an appropriate multidimensional structure. Internal consistency of the total score was adequate (Cronbach’s alpha: 0.76). The total score distinguished the clinical population from the general population (39.07 ± 5.31 versus 31.61 ± 5.31; P < 0.01).ConclusionsAn appropriate structure of the SSR was not found with factor analyses in this Dutch population. The adequate internal consistency indicates that the total score can be interpreted as a measure of overall sleep problems. The SSR also shows good discriminative validity. We recommend the total score to assess overall sleep problems and item scores to evaluate specific sleep issues and to follow up children’s sleep longitudinally, as opposite changes in different item scores may not reflect in the total score. Further research on the development of multidimensional psychometrically sound pediatric sleep self-reports is of major importance.

The Acceptance of Innovation in the Form of Internet Media by Consumers in the Republic of Serbia

The acceptance and adoption of Internet media of direct marketing by consumers in the Republic of Serbia as marketing innovations, both in terms of communication between bidders and consumers as well as contemporary purchasing methods, has been presented in this paper. The research in the field of marketing innovations mainly relates to their application by the bidders, and if there is any research on this topic from the perspective of consumers, it is not sufficiently detailed and useful to be of importance for the formulation of marketing strategies in the field of internet marketing. The methodological approach to studying this topic involves the application of a descriptive-analytical method in order to explain marketing innovations and diffusion of knowledge and technologies in internet marketing. The basis for the conducted research, which is empirical by character and has been performed in the period June-July 2017 on the territory of the Republic of Serbia by using the questionnaire survey method, was taken from the research from 2016 - the Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia (SORS) and the Market Research Agency MASMI. The target group are Serbian citizens - consumers aged 15 to 64 (the categories of labor-efficient population) in order to examine what their habits and preferences regarding the use of the direct marketing media are with the aim of being informed about products/services, companies and ordering/purchasing via the Internet. The sample is simple and random. The sample consists of 1532 respondents, and the statistical error is 2.5% (confidence interval 95%). When processing data and interpreting the results, SPSS was used as well as descriptive and comparative statistics (X2-test - chi-squared test, t-test, ANOVA, regression and correlation). There is a statistically significant correlation between the variables - the consumer's age and dependent variables: the frequency of web site visits on the Internet for obtaining information, the frequency of ordering products/services on the web and the frequency of visits and orders via social networks. The number of consumers in Serbia who buy online is increasing from year to year and thus companies need to focus on Internet marketing.

Attitudes of the general population towards preconception expanded carrier screening for autosomal recessive disorders including inborn errors of metabolism

BackgroundA substantial number of severely debilitating and often ultimately fatal inborn errors of metabolism (IEMs) still lack an effective disease-modifying treatment. Informing couples before a pregnancy about an increased risk of having a child with an inherited disorder is now feasible by preconception expanded carrier screening (ECS). While knowledge about carrier status enhances reproductive autonomy, it may also result in ethical dilemmas. The purpose of this study was to assess the attitudes of the general Dutch population towards preconception ECS and to investigate which factors influence these attitudes. MethodsData collection was carried out in collaboration with a market research agency. In total, 1188 Dutch individuals of reproductive age (18–45 years) were invited by email to complete an online ECS questionnaire in 2016. Prior to the start of the questionnaire, a written explanation of the concepts of autosomal recessive (AR) inheritance, carrier status and ECS was presented. ResultsThe questionnaire was completed by 781 individuals (65.7%), of whom 31% indicated they would take an ECS test themselves. In addition, 55% agreed that ECS should be offered to all prospective parents. The most frequently selected argument in favor of ECS (47.2%) was that participants want to spare a child from a life with a severe hereditary disorder. The reason most often mentioned not to participate in ECS (48%) was that participants reported not having a hereditary disorder in the family. The majority preferred receiving individual test results above a couple-based disclosure method in which participants receive the carrier status results only when they are a carrier couple of the same disorder. Participants with religious beliefs were less likely to participate in ECS, whereas participants who were considering a (future) pregnancy were more likely to participate. ConclusionOur study demonstrates an overall positive attitude among participants of reproductive age in the general Dutch population towards preconception ECS. A striking misconception is that many of the participants believe that ECS is of interest only for those with a positive family history of one of the hereditary disorders. This finding emphasizes the importance of providing understandable, balanced information and education to the general public regarding the concepts of inheritance when presenting the option of carrier screening. Our results provide valuable insights that can be used in the debate about the responsible implementation of preconception ECS for AR disorders, including IEMs.

Determination of the Representative Socioeconomic Level by BSA in the Mexican Republic

The aim of this article is to determine the socioeconomic level (SEL) with disaggregation of the Basic Statistical Area (BSA) in the Mexican Republic. The methodology used is the one established by the Mexican Association of Market Research Agencies (AMAI) along with the National Institute of Statistics and Geography (INEGI). The Clustering of the BSAs was carried out according to variables contained in the Population and Housing Census of 2010, through Gaussian mixture models, learning neural networks and finally, by defining the labels corresponding to each SEL. We found the existence of a representative SEL for each BSA. In addition, the definition of each socioeconomic level shows good results with an average of 90.86% of correctly labeled elements.

Engaging Men in Prenatal Health via eHealth: Findings From a National Survey.

BackgroundPregnancy outcomes in the United States rank among the worst of countries with a developed health care system. Although traditional prenatal health primarily focuses on women, promising findings have emerged in international research that suggest the potential of including men in prenatal health interventions in the United States. eHealth apps present a promising avenue to reach new and expectant fathers with crucial parenting knowledge and healthy, supportive behaviors.ObjectiveThe aim was to explore the perceived role of men in prenatal health, acceptability of eHealth to positively engage men during pregnancy, and participant-suggested ways of improving a prenatal health app designed for new and expectant fathers.MethodsA nationally representative sample of adult males (N=962) was recruited through an online survey panel. A third-party market research and digital data collection agency managed the recruitment. The sample had a mean age of 30.2 (SD 6.3) years and included both fathers (413/962, 42.9%) and non-fathers (549/962, 57.1%). Nearly 12.0% (115/962) of participants had a partner who was pregnant at the time of the survey.ResultsDespite perceived barriers, such as time constraints, financial burdens, and an unclear role, men believe it is important to be involved in pregnancy health. The majority of participants (770/944, 81.6%) found the site to contain useful and interesting information. Most substantially, more than three-quarters (738/962, 76.7%) of the sample said they would share the site with others who would benefit from the information. Participants recommended the addition of interactive modules, such as a financial planning tool and videos, to make the site stronger.ConclusionsWe explored the use of targeted eHealth to introduce men to prenatal education. Results indicate men are favorable to this intervention. Additional refinement should include interactive tools to further engage men in this important issue. Reaching men at the prenatal phase is an early “teachable moment”—where new/expectant fathers are open to information on how to help their partners have a healthy pregnancy and promote the health of their unborn children. Findings will further inform best practices for engaging men in pregnancy, which is crucial for improving maternal and child health outcomes in the United States.

Capturing marketing information and marketing intelligence: ethical issues and concerns

Companies require information and intelligence about customers to understand them, formulate strategies for them, and serve them better. Companies collect this information either by themselves or by appointing marketing research agencies who collect information on behalf of the companies. Collection of information sometimes becomes a challenge because customers hesitate to share personal information with companies. Also, customers worry about the way the shared information is used by companies. Customers are concerned about the safety, security, and the privacy of information. Companies should consider the above issues during data collection from customers and also during the usage of information. The paper discusses about the sensitive issue of intrusion on privacy of customers, ethics involved, responsibilities of marketing researchers regarding sensitive information shared by customers, possible misuse of the shared information, preventive measures against misuse of research findings, and the initiatives taken by companies and authorities to protect the privacy of customers.

Car resale price forecasting: The impact of regression method, private information, and heterogeneity on forecast accuracy

The paper investigates statistical models for forecasting the resale prices of used cars. An empirical study is performed to explore the contributions of different degrees of freedom in the modeling process to the forecast accuracy. First, a comparative analysis of alternative prediction methods provides evidence that random forest regression is particularly effective for resale price forecasting. It is also shown that the use of linear regression, the prevailing method in previous work, should be avoided. Second, the empirical results demonstrate the presence of heterogeneity in resale price forecasting and identify methods that can automatically overcome its detrimental effect on the forecast accuracy. Finally, the study confirms that the sellers of used cars possess informational advantages over market research agencies, which enable them to forecast resale prices more accurately. This implies that sellers have an incentive to invest in in-house forecasting solutions, instead of basing their pricing decisions on externally generated residual value estimates.

Awareness of and satisfaction with available treatment options in schizophrenia: Results from a survey of patients and caregivers in Europe

IntroductionUnderstanding beliefs and concerns of patients with schizophrenia and their caregivers, regarding treatment options, is key to improving their care. Perceived fears can impact adherence to therapy and represent a barrier to prescribers when discussing treatment decisions.ObjectivesExplore patient and caregiver awareness of and satisfaction with available treatment options.MethodsIndependent market research agency commissioned by Janssen, performed an online European survey in 2016 to capture demographics, awareness of available therapies, current treatment satisfaction and adherence from patients with schizophrenia and caregivers.ResultsResults from 166 patients with schizophrenia and 468 caregivers from 12 European countries (France, Germany, UK, Italy, Spain, Denmark, Russia, Sweden, Austria, Belgium, Switzerland, and the Netherlands). One-fifth of patients reported they have not discussed alternative treatment options with their healthcare professional (HCP) despite 37% of patients being dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with their current therapy. HCPs were considered as the primary information source for the majority of patients (73%), although 27% of patients and 25% of caregivers believed that HCPs were not fully aware of all available treatment options. Moreover, 68% of patients treated with oral antipsychotics confirmed they would consider switching to a long-acting antipsychotic treatment, though 32% reported they have not been made aware of it as an option. Many caregivers (46%) reported dissatisfaction with their level of involvement in treatment decisions.ConclusionsThis survey underlines the critical role HCPs play in providing relevant information on treatment alternatives and emphasize the need for an open dialogue on available treatment options between HCPs, patients and caregivers.Disclosure of interestPierre Cherubin is a full-time Janssen employee working within the Medical Affairs Department.The other authors have not supplied their declaration of competing interest.

Psychometric properties and Dutch norm values of the Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire in toddlers

ObjectiveThe Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ) was developed in the USA for children aged 4–10 years. The Dutch CSHQ has been validated for this age group, but not yet for toddlers. Furthermore, Dutch norm values for toddlers are unavailable. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties and collect norm values of the Dutch CSHQ in toddlers. MethodsData collection was conducted by Taylor Nelson Sofres Netherlands Institute for Public Opinion (TNS-NIPO), a Dutch market research agency. The TNS-NIPO provided access to the TNS-NIPO base, which comprises a panel of respondents who have indicated that they are willing to regularly participate in research. Parents of children aged 2–3 years were invited to complete the CSHQ. The CSHQ is a multidimensional questionnaire to detect sleep problems in children. It is a 33-item, one-week retrospective (parent-)proxy survey. A higher score indicates more sleep problems. ResultsThe response rate was 61% (n = 201). The original eight-factor structure did not fit well in this population and a more appropriate structure could not be achieved with explorative factor analyses. The mean total score was 41.9 (SD 5.6), and was higher (indicating more sleep problems) compared to Dutch school-aged children. ConclusionsThe one-dimensionality of the subscales of the CSHQ could not be confirmed in Dutch toddlers. Clinicians and researcher should be aware of the difficulty of reliably measuring sleep in this age group when using the CSHQ. For research purposes, it is therefore recommended to only use the total score.

Consumer Preference for Status Symbolism of Clothing: The Case of the Czech Republic

ABSTRACTDuring the past three decades, consumer demand for luxury goods has been growing on a global scale. The luxury and status market base has expanded beyond the traditional affluent consumer segment to include an increasingly heterogeneous group of consumers. Despite the substantial size, greater reach, and significant growth of the luxury goods market, status consumption has been treated as an atypical and peripheral subject in consumer research. The authors develop a conceptual model of psychological determinants of status seeking through consumption. The model considers the effects of three general traits (namely, status concern (SC), public self‐consciousness (PSC), and self‐esteem (SE)) and one consumption‐related consumer trait (namely, susceptibility to normative social influence (SNSI)) on preference for status meaning, which in turn influences consumer interest in the product. The conceptual model is tested with data from a survey of 1000+ respondents drawn from the Czech Republic, a country where the recent market liberalization has unleashed an inflow of luxury goods from marketers from the West. Face‐to‐face home‐based structured interviews were conducted by an international market research agency. The hypothesized causal relationships are all supported. The effects of SC, PSC, and SE on SNSI and preference for status meaning (PSM) are significant and in the expected direction. Additionally, SNSI is found to exert a significant positive influence on PSM, and these two constructs, in turn, have significant positive effects on consumer interest in clothing. The conceptual model and empirical evidence enhance the existing knowledge of the antecedents and outcomes of status consumption. The study advances a better understanding of the psychology of consumer adoption of status consumption; equally important, it also highlights the value of extending consumer theories from established to emerging market economies and back again from still‐evolving to long‐standing marketplaces.

Health related quality of life in Dutch infants, toddlers, and young children

BackgroundThe purpose of this study is to provide Dutch normative data and to assess internal consistency and known-groups validity for the TNO AZL Preschool Children Quality of Life (TAPQOL) and the acute version of the generic Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL 4.0) in Dutch young children aged 0–7 years.MethodsParticipants were selected from a panel of a large Dutch market research agency. A sample of 794 parents (response rate 61%, 39% fathers) of children (53% boys) from the general Dutch population, completed an electronic version of the TAPQOL (N = 227 infants aged 0–1 years) or PedsQL 4.0 (N = 293 toddlers aged 2–4 years and N = 274 young children aged 5–7 years).ResultsExcept for the ‘stomach’ scale (α = .39), the TAPQOL showed acceptable to excellent internal consistency (α = .60-.88). The PedsQL 4.0 showed acceptable to excellent reliability in children aged 2–4 years (α = .60–.88) and in children aged 5–7 years (α = .76–.90). Children with a chronic health condition had lower scores than healthy children on 3 out of 12 domains of the TAPQOL (p = .001–.013) and on 2 out of 6 domains of the PedsQL 4.0 for children aged 2–4 years (p = .016–.04). The PedsQL 4.0 differentiated on all domains (p < .05) between children aged 5–7 years with and without a chronic health condition.ConclusionIn Dutch children aged 0–7 years old, HRQoL can be reliably measured with the TAPQOL and the PedsQL 4.0. However, it remains unclear whether these HRQoL instruments can distinguish between healthy children and children with a chronic health condition under the age of 5.

A new design and a weighting strategy of a survey on tourist activity of the Croatian population

Abstract Until 2014, the sample for the statistical survey Tourist Activity of the Population of the Republic of Croatia, shortly named as TADS, was a quota sample. The sample selection and the data collection for the survey in the Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing (CATI) mode were conducted by a hired marketing research agency. In the summer of 2014, the Croatian Bureau of Statistics (CBS) set up its own call centre for CATI surveys. At the beginning of 2015, the CBS started developing a new probability sample design and a weighting strategy of TADS. The surveys of all the four quarters of 2015, fully conducted by the CBS, were treated as test surveys. The purpose of this paper is to describe and evaluate the finally accepted overlapping dual-frame survey design and a weighting procedure based on the sample data collected in all the quarters of 2015. The paper shows how the new design is incorporated in the existing circumstances in which surveys are conducted. The overlapping dual-frame survey design of TADS produces survey estimates related to the whole survey population based on two independent samples from two overlapping sampling frames (the first sampling frame consists of landline phone numbers from the phone book and the second one consists of mobile phone numbers from the phone book). In spite of a large undercoverage of the survey population in the phone book, using both phone types in TADS improves the total coverage of the survey population and relieves a problem of coverage and response bias. The applied weighting procedure is described systematically. The probability sampling allows calculating quality indicators such as standard errors of survey estimates and helps optimizing the survey process.

Quality of life of residents living in a city hosting mega-sport events: a longitudinal study.

BackgroundIt remains unknown whether and when the hosting of mega-sport events increases quality of life of host city residents. The aim of this study is to assess the changes in quality of life of host city residents over the course of hosting a mega-sport event until three months after the event, depending on residents’ perception of the atmosphere during the event.MethodsThe study was conducted in Rio de Janeiro, one of the host cities of the 2014 FIFA World Cup in soccer. Participants were recruited from a Brazilian market research agency’s panel and surveyed online. The WHOQOL-BREF was used to measure quality of life of residents of Rio de Janeiro (n = 281) in three waves in the context of the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Perceived atmosphere at the event was measured via an established scale. Piecewise latent growth models were used to analyze individual changes in the four domains of quality of life per se and depending on perceived atmosphere.ResultsThere was no change in quality of life with respect to physical, social, psychological, and environmental health for all participants during the course of the event. However, residents who perceived a positive atmosphere rated the social and environmental domains of quality of life more positively right after the end (vs. at the beginning) of the World Cup. This increase sustained until three months after the event. Physical health (particularly at high levels of perceived atmosphere) and psychological health decreased from right after the event until three months after.ConclusionsThere was no positive effect of the hosting of the mega-sport event on the four quality of life domains of the panel members (who were residents of a city hosting a mega-sport event) per se. The individual changes in quality of life vary by perception of atmosphere and by domain of quality of life.

The calibrated sigma method: An efficient remedy for between-group differences in response category use on Likert scales

The authors propose a procedure, labeled the calibrated sigma method, which is designed to correct for between-group differences in endorsement likelihood of response categories that are unrelated to the content of the items. The method is especially useful in cross-cultural research where group differences may reflect variation in scale usage rather than substantive differences. However, the procedure is also relevant in other situations, for example, when different data collection modes or different experimental manipulations affect respondents' perception of the meaning of the scale labels. The calibrated sigma method uses information derived from heterogeneous control items (calibration items) to reweight the responses to substantive items in a group-specific way. The advantages of the calibrated sigma method are that it avoids the arbitrariness in the assignment of particular numerical values to response categories; that it is compatible with the linear model, which is used by most marketing researchers; and that it does not require the use of complex nonlinear models involving the estimation of many additional measurement model parameters. The authors validate the calibrated sigma method on a simulated cross-linguistic data set pertaining to 12 different languages; an empirical data set collected from respondents of the same nationality but from two different language groups; and an experimental data set consisting of responses to two different response scale formats. The findings demonstrate that the proposed procedure controls for artefactual scale use differences across groups but does not eliminate substantive differences. It is particularly efficient for marketing research agencies, panel providers and other marketing researchers who analyze surveys involving multiple language groups, different scale formats, multiple modes of data collection, or different manipulations affecting the meaning of the response category labels.