Use Of Conjoint Analysis Research Articles

Optimization of an online shared freight transportation service platform with the use of Conjoint Analysis

The purpose of this paper is the optimization of an online shared freight transportation service platform with the use of Conjoint Analysis for the region of Balkan – Mediterranean. A Choice-Based Conjoint analysis was performed amongst the partners of the INTERREG Balkan-Med SCOPE project in order to optimize such a platform which is under development in the frame of the project. The results show that the best possible configuration of the platform should be offered at least in the local language, on a website, in the form of an auction platform, the charging should be done per shipment, and its range should be European / international. Moreover, selecting the right levels for each attribute is of crucial importance for the success of a freight transportation service platform, as the best configuration has a market share that is above 100% of the second-best configuration, according to the market simulation that was performed. Therefore, tools as Conjoint Analysis should be incorporated in the planning and design of such products in order to have the best marketable results for shippers, carriers, and consumers; a product that is customized according to their needs and preferences.

Systematic Review of Studies Using Conjoint Analysis Techniques to Investigate Patients' Preferences Regarding Osteoarthritis Treatment.

BackgroundThe use of conjoint analysis (CA) to elicit patients’ preferences for osteoarthritis (OA) treatment has the potential to contribute to tailoring treatments and enhancing patients’ compliance and adherence. This review's main aim was to identify and summarise the evidence that used conjoint analysis techniques to quantify patient preferences for OA treatments.MethodsA comprehensive search strategy was conducted using electronic databases and hand reference checks. Databases were searched from their inception until 10th June 2019. All OA and CA related terms were used to conduct the search. The authors reviewed the papers and used the International Society of Pharmacoeconomics and Outcomes Research (ISPOR) checklist to assess the quality of the included studies.ResultsThe search identified 534 records. Sixteen records were selected for full-text review and quality assessment and all were included in the narrative data synthesis. All included studies suggested that the severity of symptoms influenced the patients’ preference for OA treatment. All included studies recognised CA as a useful method to investigate patients’ preferences concerning OA treatment.ConclusionPatients preference for OA treatment is driven by the severity of patients’ symptoms and the desire to avoid treatment side effects and CA is a useful tool to investigate patients’ preferences for OA treatment.

An Integrative Model for Complex Conjoint Analysis

Product complexity can challenge the use of conjoint analysis when the number of product features under study becomes large. A complex product exists whenever a marketplace offering is made up of simpler, component products. Tables and chairs make up dining room sets, and hotels offer rooms (size, layout, location) with beds, bathrooms, restaurants, exercise rooms and parking options. The challenge in modeling demand for complex products lies in simultaneously studying the major drivers of a purchase decision and also the components that comprise the offering. Demands on data increases as more product features are included in an analysis, and at some point, it becomes necessary to study some component product features separately. This paper proposes an integrative model for studying product features for a complex product utilizing multiple conjoint exercises within a single structure. We show that the integration of a focused analysis with an aggregate analysis of marketplace offerings requires adjustment beyond that expected from simple changes due to the scale of random utility error or estimates of price sensitivity. Our model is illustrated with data from the automobile industry where various option packages are available.

Entrepreneurship education as an arena for career reflection: the shift of students' career preferences after a business planning course

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of entrepreneurship education (EE) in the form of a business planning course on students' career intentions and preferences. While there is extensive research in which traditional survey scales have been applied to study students' entrepreneurial intentions, this study takes a novel approach by extending the construct of entrepreneurial intention to include preferences for intrapreneurship and team entrepreneurship. Furthermore, the use of conjoint analysis captures students' unconscious decision-making processes when presented with different career opportunity scenarios, thereby overcoming many of the limitations of self-reported survey measures.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses a quasi-experimental design with a novel application of conjoint analysis in EE research. A two-part survey combining a traditional questionnaire with conjoint analysis was distributed to students enrolled in a business planning course at two campuses of a Norwegian university, resulting in 99 matched pre- and post-test responses.FindingsTwo main findings arise from the study. First, there is a significant decrease in entrepreneurial intention among students in the EE course. Second, the conjoint analysis contributes to a better understanding of this decrease by illustrating how students shift their career preferences from entrepreneurship to employment during the EE course. This suggests that EE provides a space for students' career reflections where they can explore, commit to and reconsider entrepreneurship as a career.Research limitations/implicationsA limitation of the study is that it focuses on a small sample of undergraduate students from two campus locations in Norway. Thus, further investigation is still necessary to establish whether the findings are valid in other contexts. The research has implications for higher educational institutions, policymakers and researchers in the field of EE.Practical implicationsThe study contributes with a novel perspective on EE as a trigger for career reflection, a perspective that is important for educators teaching EE courses, as well as for higher education institutions who decide to implement EE in study programmes.Originality/valueBy focusing on the development of students' career preferences through conjoint analysis, the study expands knowledge on the impact of EE on students' careers, while also accentuating the value of the application of conjoint analysis in research on EE.

The use of conjoint analysis in determining preferred attributes of salary loans among employees

When viewed by industries, knowing how clients behave leads to better business decisions. Specific tools are utilized to determine how market behaves – one of such is conjoint model. This tool was utilized in this study to model preferences for salary loans and explore utilities of attributes and their levels. A quantitative non-experimental causal method was used and involved N=200 respondents. Results showed interest rate is the most important attribute with regards to relative importance. Individually and aggregately, interest rate remains as the most important attribute for existing clients. Conjoint analysis’ additive model revealed a salary loan provided by a bank with one-month payslip required, processes loan application within the day, charges 0.5 to 1% interest rate and payable within 24 months is the most preferred. The least preferred combination for existing clients is a salary loan offered by a government fiduciary institution that requires three months of payslip, processes loan application within 10 to 15 working days, charges 2% interest rate and payable within 24 months, while the least preferred combination is a salary loan provided by a bank, with one-month payslip required, processes loans within a week, charges 2% interest rate and can be paid within six months. Implications are discussed.

Conjoint analysis of consumer preferences for dress design

Purpose In the process of designing new clothes, designers should identify specific user groups’ preferences and attitudes toward certain types of design, ascertain the design elements that make clothes popular in the market, and combine these elements to devise the best clothing design scheme. The purpose of this paper is to discover which design elements influence dress purchases and how age affects consumers’ choices in regard to these elements. Design/methodology/approach This study uses conjoint analysis in dress design to provide an effective method for designers to identify consumers’ preferences. First, the important attributes and attribute levels of dress design were determined. Next, the experimental samples for the attitude measurement chart were generated by orthogonal design. Finally, the data of 318 samples were analyzed by conjoint analysis to determine consumers’ preferences. Findings The results revealed that the “silhouette” attribute is the most important decision criterion for dress purchase, followed by the “dress length” attribute. In contrast, the “waistline height” attribute is perceived as least important. The study also identified the dress design features’ preferences of consumers of different ages. According to the results of the analysis, user groups’ preferences and acceptability regarding different design features were revealed, and the favorite dress design portfolio for age-specific consumers was obtained. Originality/value Currently, there is little information in the literature about consumers’ preferences regarding dress design. In this study, the use of conjoint analysis reveals and visualizes complex statistical results. This research approach is also applicable to the design and decision-making processes used for other apparel, and it can help designers better incorporate different users’ needs into clothing design.

RELATIONSHIP AMONG STUDENTS’ FACING PROBLEM RELATED MATHEMATICS LEARNING AND LESSON

Purpose: The objective of this study is to examine the Japanese junior high school students’ feelings of difficulty in learning mathematics and discuss a possible solution on the ‘Lesson Study’ framework.
 Methodology: A survey was performed on 616 students of a public junior high school regarding their feelings towards learning mathematics. The survey was carried out at the end of the academic year 2016 in March, and 182 students (44 first-year, 75 second-year, 63 third-year) participated in the study. In this investigation, only those who answered “No Problem” were further scrutinized by means of conjoint analysis for their anxieties towards the specific learning modules following the education system guidelines and classified as ‘Algebra calculations’, ‘Functions’ and ‘Geometrical figures’. Basically, the analysis consisted of assessing these students’ awareness of ‘being good at’ and ‘being not good at’ one specific module relative to the other modules. Data processing and conjoint analysis were performed with Microsoft Excel.
 Main Findings: Roughly 68% of first year students, 77% of second year female students, and 72% of third year female students felt ‘Not Good At’ towards ‘Algebra calculation’ and ‘Functions’, whereas about 95% of second year male students self-assessed themselves as ‘Not Good At’ towards ‘Functions’, and 79% of third year males as ‘Good At’ towards ‘Algebra calculation’. Thus, even though some students declared “No Problem”, they were actually ‘Not Good At’.
 Implications: These findings suggest that a class division according to the students’ feelings with ‘Lesson Study’ at the teachers’ level would help struggling students to learn mathematics. In addition, we showed that the use of conjoint analysis-based assessment may help educators and teachers to figure out students’ feelings towards learning mathematics.
 Novelty: The use of conjoint analysis to analyze the students’ implicit feelings towards learning mathematics is followed by a discussion on the grounds of ‘Lesson Study’, for which a cycle at the individual level is presented.

A influência dos tipos de marca sobre a escolha e a precificação de uma camiseta

Apparel brands communicate social identity and membership of the person that consume it. Knowing this, many brands were developed, some exploring their relationship with fashion, whereas others use a cause association. In order to increase knowledge about the brand influence, this study aimed to analyze the impact of tag types (social, generic and manufacturer), on the choice and the price of a shirt. It was developed a quantitative survey with a accidental sample of the 248 people with high degree of education. Through the use of conjoint analysis, it was obtained a model that ranked three attributes according their importance to the choice of a T-shirt and the most relevant characteristics of each attribute. Also, it was analyzed the relationship of the three brand types and the T-shirt price. The study revealed that the quality in this segment is more important than the brand, and that different brands can add value to a product at varying levels, depending on the consumer segment.

Healthcare Satisfaction among Older Adults.

This study seeks to examine how older adults rate and identify the importance of attributes associated with healthcare seeking and utilization (eg, affordability, type of facility, and accessibility) in the United States. The empirical work of this cross-sectional study is based on the 2014 Health and Retirement Study. Conjoint analysis and cluster analysis are used to assess the objective. There is a pressing need for sound policies that seek to reduce the cost of treatment and consultation and to improve the accessibility of care facility for older adults even though satisfaction pertaining to these attributes (ie, affordability, type of facility, and accessibility) differs across clusters. The use of conjoint analysis in conjunction with cluster analysis can serve as a needs assessment tool to help policymakers and practitio- ners gauge older adults' expectations and priorities with respect to healthcare seeking and utilization. By taking the priorities of older adults into account, policymakers and practitioners can allocate healthcare resources more efficiently within budgetary constraints as they redesign and customize their program delivery approaches to meet the specific and relative healthcare needs of older adults in different clusters.

Use of conjoint analysis to determine the impact of logotype colour, and the type, duration and price of a street performance on consumer purchase decisions

The aim of our research was to determine how colour impacts the effectiveness of a logotype for a particular activity and which colour used is strong, stable, associative and “playful”, and thus the most appropriate for presenting a selected activity. For the purpose of this research, a logotype for a circus artist was designed using four colour variations, while conjoint analysis was used to identify the colour preference of a specific logotype. Besides colour, three additional attributes were chosen: the type, duration and price of a performance. Three or four levels were specified for every attribute. The results of the survey showed that colour is the not the most important of the four attributes, but that it does have a certain effect on a customer’s decision. In the analysis, most respondents choose the red logotype, an outdoor performance, and the longest duration and the lowest price of a performance. The most important of the four attributes for respondents was the price of a performance, followed by the duration of a performance, the content/type of a performance and finally the colour of the associated logotype. The preference of respondents was improved by testing combinations of the four attributes and levels, where the colour blue was replaced with red. The research opens possibilities for further research regarding the impact of colours on subconscious decisions.

Millennial Voterss Preference for the 2016 Philippine Presidential Elections: A Simulation Using Conjoint Analysis

The purpose of the study was to determine the most ideal 2016 Philippine presidential candidate based from preferences of millennial voters. The use of conjoint analysis warrants this intention by providing overall and individual utility models of preference. A total of n=900 millennial voters participated in the study. It was found out that political experience of the presidential candidate is the most important attribute, while occupation/profession is the least important. Overall, the millennial voters prefer a Philippine president who is an economist, with experience as elected official, liberal-thinker, prioritizes economic growth, and holds a doctoral degree. Individual preferences of voters were also discussed.

Survey of Preferences in Patients Scheduled for Carpal Tunnel Release Using Conjoint Analysis.

BackgroundThis study aimed to investigate the preferences of patients scheduled for carpal tunnel release using conjoint analysis and also introduce an example of how to apply a conjoint analysis to the medical field. The use of conjoint analysis in this study is new to the field of orthopedic surgery.MethodsA total of 97 patients scheduled for carpal tunnel release completed the survey. The following four attributes were predefined: board certification status, distance from the patient's residency, medical costs, and waiting time for surgery. Two plausible levels for each attribute were assigned. Based on these attributes and levels, 16 scenarios were generated (2 × 2 × 2 × 2). We employed 8 scenarios using a fractional factorial design (orthogonal plan). Preferences for scenarios were then evaluated by ranking: patients were asked to list the 8 scenarios in their order of preference. Outcomes consisted of two results: the average importance of each attribute and the utility score.ResultsThe most important attribute was the physician's board certificate, followed by distance from the patient's residency to the hospital, waiting time, and costs. Utility estimate findings revealed that patients had a greater preference for a hand specialist than a general orthopedic surgeon.ConclusionsPatients considered the physician's expertise as the most important factor when choosing a hospital for carpal tunnel release. This suggests that patients are increasingly seeking safety without complications as interest in medical malpractice has increased.

How e-tailing attributes affect perceived quality

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report results from an experimental study in which participants rank e-tailer quality on the basis of descriptions involving five attributes (reputation of retailer, site usability, security, delivery and customer support). The paper further explores how the relative importance of these attributes to perceived e-tailer quality is impacted by customer demographic and behavioral characteristics (such as gender, age, frequency of online purchasing and use of online reviews). Design/methodology/approach – Individual-level conjoint models are estimated to determine the relative importance of these five attributes to perceptions of e-tailer quality. Findings – The relative importance of these five attributes to perceived e-tailer quality are impacted by customer specific characteristics and online behaviors, namely, age, the frequency of prior online purchasing, the frequency of use of online reviews and the importance attached to the availability of a large number of online product reviews. Research limitations/implications – Managerial implications that help e-tailers develop more effective, targeted strategies for enhancing the quality of their websites and increasing customer loyalty are presented. Originality/value – The use of conjoint analysis for decomposing overall judgments of e-tailer quality to derive the relative importance of specific e-tailing attributes offers a realistic way to understand how online customers perceive and evaluate e-tailer quality.

Pros and cons of conjoint analysis of discrete choice experiments to define classification and response criteria in rheumatology.

Conjoint analysis of choice or preference data has been used in marketing for over 40 years but has appeared in healthcare settings much more recently. It may be a useful technique for applications within the rheumatology field. Conjoint analysis in rheumatology contexts has mainly used the approaches implemented in 1000Minds Ltd, Dunedin, New Zealand, Sawtooth Software, Orem UT, USA. Examples include classification criteria, composite response criteria, service prioritization tools and utilities assessment. Limitations imposed by very many attributes can be managed using new techniques. Conjoint analysis studies of classification and response criteria suggest that the assumption of equal weighting of attributes cannot be met, which challenges traditional approaches to composite criteria construction. Weights elicited through choice experiments with experts can derive more accurate classification criteria, than unweighted criteria. Studies that find significant variation in attribute weights for composite response criteria for gout make construction of such criteria problematic. Better understanding of various multiattribute phenomena is likely to increase with increased use of conjoint analysis, especially when the attributes concern individual perceptions or opinions. In addition to classification criteria, some applications for conjoint analysis that are emerging in rheumatology include prioritization tools, remission criteria, and utilities for life areas.

Determinants of intravaginal practices among HIV-infected women in Zambia using conjoint analysis.

Intravaginal practices (IVPs) are associated with an increased risk of bacterial vaginosis and may play a role in HIV transmission. The objective of this study was to identify the importance of factors underlying the decision to engage in IVP using conjoint analysis; a novel statistical technique used to quantify health-related decisions. This study was a cross-sectional study. HIV-infected women in Zambia completed audio computer-administered self-interview questionnaires assessing demographic, risk factors and IVPs. Reasons for engaging in IVPs were explored using conjoint questionnaires. Conjoint analysis was used to identify the relative importance of factors for engaging in IVPs. Results of the conjoint analysis demonstrated that hygiene was the most important reason for engaging in IVPs (mean importance score = 61, SD = 24.3) followed by partner's preference (mean importance score = 20, SD = 14.4) and health (mean importance score = 17, SD = 13.5). When making the decision to engage in IVPs, women rank the importance of hygiene, partner preference and health differently, according to their personal characteristics. The use of conjoint analysis to define the characteristics of women more likely to engage in specific practices should be used to develop tailored rather than standardised IVP interventions, and such interventions should be incorporated into clinical practice and women's health programmes.

Psychological influences on customer willingness to pay and choice in automated retail settings

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of price attribute framing and factors such as urgency and perceived price fairness on customer willingness to pay (WTP) in automated retail settings. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted two sets of quasi-experimental scenarios surrounding vending-machine purchase decisions. The first set was analyzed with MANOVA, the second set with choice-based conjoint (CBC) analysis. Findings – When prices are framed positively (as a discount), customer WTP is higher at high published price levels than it is for unframed or negatively framed prices. The effect on WTP holds whether the reference price range is broad (few large increments) or narrow (numerous small increments). In the CBC scenarios, immediate availability of the product was most influential on choice, followed by price and brand effects. These findings held under conditions invoking both urgency and price fairness. Providing an explanation for higher prices increases perceived price fairness. Research limitations/implications – Further study might assess the presence or absence of interaction effects in the conjoint scenarios. Practical implications – Managers should consider transparency in dynamic pricing, particularly when the price change is outside the control of the firm. The conjoint scenario results also offer evidence that dynamic pricing will not impact other marketing-mix decisions for fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) dramatically (availability at point of purchase and presence in the consumer consideration set remain strong influences on choice). Social implications – Understanding these effects on WTP could help managers manage perceptions of unfairness and optimize WTP. Originality/value – A theoretical contribution from this study is that the immediate loss/gain consideration under theories of decision making under uncertainty outweigh considerations such as scarcity urgency or perceived unfairness. Use of conjoint analysis in WTP research, study of dynamic pricing in FMCG setting.

Explicating Physical Activity Preferences of Community-Dwelling Filipino Elderly in Urban and Rural Settings: A Conjoint Analysis

The elderly have special health needs and nutritional requirements that can be managed and compensated with the help of physical activity (PA). Despite the benefits accruing from physical activity in the literature, a number of people still do not engage in physical activity. The need to know about physical activity preference of the elderly still remains a research imperative, hence this conjoint analysis investigation. The objective of this study is to identify the physical activity preferences of a select group of community-dwelling Filipino elderly. With the use of conjoint analysis, a total of 300 respondents were chosen purposively. Data were gathered through orthogonal cards, which were then descriptively and inferentially analyzed with the use of SPSS Software version 18. The most important attribute in terms of physical activity is its type. Elderly clients tend to perform light PA every day, in the outdoors, in the morning, for more than 30 minutes, and with a companion. Results suggest that there are related factors that may impede or promote PA in the elderly, of which are age, duration, and chronic illness. These preferences, if integrated into formulating PA programs, can facilitate the promotion of the latter and meet the special health needs of the elderly. Moreover, future research may utilize this study to investigate why such differences in physical activity preferences were noted in terms of gender and place of residence and how these preferences reflect the reasoning and mental well-being of elderly.

Can setting hotel rate restrictions help balance the interest of hotels and customers?

Purpose– The purpose of this study is to assist hoteliers to design hotel rate restrictions that are in the interest of hotels and of customers, under the joint influence of room rates and rate fences.Design/methodology/approach– This study used a questionnaire as the data collection instrument. Conjoint analysis was applied to examine customers’ preferences regarding hotel rate fences.Findings– The results indicate that refundability, price and advance requirement, in that order, are identified as the most important attributes in the overall decision-making process of customers. Changes allowed and rule type are comparatively less important attributes.Research limitations/implications– This study extends the hotel revenue management literature by examining customer preferences for hotel rate restrictions based on their socio-demographic characteristics and travel behavior. This study also illustrates the usefulness of conjoint analysis in determining the utility values of hotel-room rates and rate fences.Practical implications– The findings of this study may help professional hoteliers to better understand customers’ decision-making process and underlying needs, thus helping them to design attractive rate fences that are in the interests of both hotels and customers.Originality/value– This study is the first to investigate customer preferences regarding hotel rate restrictions based on demographic and travel behavior information. The identification of these preference values should help hoteliers to identify the decision-making processes and needs of customers.

Patient centered decision making: Use of conjoint analysis to determine risk–benefit trade-offs for preference sensitive treatment choices

Understanding patient preferences facilitates shared decision-making and focuses on patient-centered outcomes. Little is known about relapsing–remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS) patient preferences for disease modifying therapies (DMTs). We use choice based conjoint (CBC) analysis to calculate patient preferences for risk/benefit trade-offs for hypothetical DMTs. MethodsPatients with RRMS were surveyed between 2012 and 2013. Our CBC survey mimicked the decision-making process and trade-offs of patients choosing DMTs, based on all possible DMT attributes. Mixed-effects logistic regression analyzed preferences. We estimated maximum acceptable risk trade-offs for various DMT benefits. ResultsSevere side-effect risks had the biggest impact on patient preference with a 1% risk, decreasing patient preference five-fold compared to no risk. (OR=0.22, p<0.001). Symptom improvement was the most preferred benefit (OR=3.68, p<0.001), followed by prevention of progression of 10years (OR=2.4, p<0.001). Daily oral administration had the third highest DMT preference rating (OR=2.08, p<0.001). Patients were willing to accept 0.08% severe risk for a year delayed relapse, and 0.22% for 4 vs 2year prevented progression. ConclusionWe provided patient preferences and risk–benefit trade-offs for attributes of all available DMTs. Evaluation of patient preferences is a key step in shared decision making and may significantly impact early drug initiation and compliance.

A comparison of academia and industry perceptions of an ideal hospitality management programme

With the rapid growth of hospitality and tourism industry, the hospitality management programme has become an increasingly important issue in higher education sector in order to reinforce service sector and strengthen national economy. The design of a well thought out curriculum must satisfy programme as well as the need of academia and industry. This empirical study compared academia and industry practitioner perceptions of an ideal hospitality management programme by use of conjoint analysis. Results indicated that both academia and industry prefer a course that covers the thematic content; incorporate global exposure; assigns more practical training; and emphasises on both theories and lectures. The results also revealed significant differences in perceptions of the hospitality management curriculum among academia and industry professionals. Results are valuable and informative for academic institutions, to help them develop courses to satisfy students’ need, industry requirements and enhance teaching effectiveness. Implications of the results for the academic community and industrial sectors are discussed.