Use Of Conjoint Analysis Research Articles

Steel industry environmental objectives: stakeholder preference assessment using conjoint analysis

The Swedish steel industry has combined traditional methods such as life cycle analysis with less traditional methods such as preference analysis in order to move towards a closed steel eco cycle. The paper describes the use of conjoint analysis to study preferences of six different stakeholder groups regarding four environmental objectives (reduction in carbon dioxide emissions, reduced use of non-renewable resources, reduced use of non-renewable energy and weight reduction in products) and to identify gaps in preferences between the stakeholder groups. Our results suggested that there was a difference in preference between the stakeholder groups: respondents that were closer to the steel industry favoured all four environmental objectives, while members of public and political decision makers preferred a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions. One of the conclusions of our study is that there is a need of improved information to clients and public on the environmental benefits of product weight reduction.

Segmentação a partir das bases específicas não observáveis do produto e o emprego conjunto de técnicas multivariadas: o estudo de caso do veículo multiuso

Este estudo exploratório e descritivo pesquisou uma base de dados primários, potenciais consumidores de um veículo multiuso, com posterior emprego de Análise Conjunta (CA) e Análise de Conglomerado (AC), conforme proposta de Green e Krieger (1991). A abrangência da pesquisa teve caráter nacional, em que se investigou o emprego das utilidades parciais para conforto, capacidade de carga e preço como recursos de entrada para uma base de segmentação, constatando-se um alinhamento entre os métodos e coerência entre os resultados obtidos. Os ganhos observados nesse estudo estão relacionados a três aspectos: [1] execução da pesquisa: partindo de um questionário complexo e aplicado para a diversificada população alvo brasileira, obteve-se êxito na pesquisa nessas condições singulares; [2] Manipulação das variáveis: contando com variáveis não observáveis - de difícil manipulação em contraste com as empregadas no estudo original - obtendo êxito sem perdas observadas; [3] Validação: empregando o método proposto, ambas as técnicas (CA e AC) apresentaram resultados semelhantes, o que confere precisão ao método sugerido. A geração de resultados similares, a partir do emprego conjunto de ambas as técnicas, sugere alinhamento metodológico e validação da teoria. Considera-se ao final do estudo que empregar metodologia de identificação de atributos voltada para a segmentação de mercado pode atenuar a questão de reposicionamento do conceito. Como limitação do estudo destaca-se a questão da falta de estudos correlatos, em outras áreas que efetivamente coloquem em prática a robustez da técnica. Sugestiona-se para trabalhos futuros, um estudo de maior amplitude em situação comprobatória. Como principal contribuição do estudo, constatou-se a facilidade de replicar os estudos dos autores.

A conjoint analysis framework for evaluating user preferences in machine translation

Despite much research on machine translation (MT) evaluation, there is surprisingly little work that directly measures users' intuitive or emotional preferences regarding different types of MT errors. However, the elicitation and modeling of user preferences is an important prerequisite for research on user adaptation and customization of MT engines. In this paper we explore the use of conjoint analysis as a formal quantitative framework to assess users' relative preferences for different types of translation errors. We apply our approach to the analysis of MT output from translating public health documents from English into Spanish. Our results indicate that word order errors are clearly the most dispreferred error type, followed by word sense, morphological, and function word errors. The conjoint analysis-based model is able to predict user preferences more accurately than a baseline model that chooses the translation with the fewest errors overall. Additionally we analyze the effect of using a crowd-sourced respondent population versus a sample of domain experts and observe that main preference effects are remarkably stable across the two samples.

Evaluation of New Packaging Formats for Dry‐Cured Meat Products Using Conjoint Analysis: An Application to Dry‐Cured Iberian Ham

AbstractDry‐cured Iberian pork products have long been a traditional and highly appreciated delicacy in Spain, and because of their excellent sensorial and nutritional qualities, their market is now growing rapidly worldwide. They are usually marketed in a whole‐piece format or sliced in vacuum‐packed trays, but both of these formats present problems for the consumer (difficulty of slicing the whole piece, loss of sensory properties once the vacuum‐packed tray is opened …). This paper uses conjoint analysis to examine a new packaging format (called “slice slab”) for dry‐cured meat products that aims to overcome these problems. The product selected for analysis was Iberian dry‐cured ham, as it is the most frequently consumed Iberian pork product. Data were collected by means of a survey conducted with 320 Spanish consumers from January to May 2010. Overall, the consumers preferred Iberian mast‐fed ham, conventionally sliced and at the lowest price (5 €/100 g). Three well‐defined preference‐based clusters were identified: traditional consumers (n = 114), price‐insensitive consumers (n = 113) and innovative consumers (n = 93). Analysis of the clusters indicated that sliced slab ham may be an interesting alternative for the most innovative consumers, who are willing to pay a premium for this packaging format.Practical ApplicationsThis study has presented a methodological guideline to analyze the importance of packaging in shaping consumers' preferences. In this context, the use of conjoint analysis may have a great potential for testing and evaluating both the acceptance and the economic feasibility of new packaging formats in the food market. Its results can also be used for a preference‐based segmentation, which would allow target markets to be identified in which consumers' willingness‐to‐pay can be evaluated beforehand.The present work may therefore constitute a starting point in the search for new forms of presentation for both cured meat products and other foodstuffs that will be well accepted by the consumer. In particular, it opens the way for further research into sensory analysis in the context of testing and improving in the presentation of new foodstuff formats.

Conjoint Analysis and Discrete Choice Experiments for Quality Improvement

Conjoint analysis and discrete choice experiments, which were developed in fields such as marketing and economics, are useful for understanding the voice of the customer to guide quality-improvement efforts. Unfortunately, these methods have received relatively little attention in the quality area. In this article, we provide some guidelines for the use of conjoint analysis and discrete choice experiments. We discuss what they are, why they are useful methodologies for quality improvement, and how a discrete choice experiment can be carried out. We demonstrate the methodology by discussing a real case study in quality improvement in detail. We then introduce a new class of designs for discrete choice experiments that are robust for a class of possible models. We provide several examples in which an optimal design based on the main-effects only models is shown to have limited capability for estimation of two-factor interactions, whereas the proposed robust designs perform well in the presence of two-factor interactions. We conclude with a summary of key points and directions for future research.

The visually impaired and consumption in restaurants

PurposeThe objective of this study is to determine the relative importance that the visually impaired give to restaurant service attributes during leisure outings, and the relative utility they allocate to the various levels of these attributes.Design/methodology/approachThe study was conducted in two stages. The first stage consisted of exploratory research using focus groups; the second consisted of a survey using a structured questionnaire administered to 203 visually impaired consumers; conjoint analysis was used.FindingsThe ideal restaurant profile for survey respondents is one in which: the menu is read by the server; service is provided by empathetic servers; low‐intensity light and sound are used; round tables are preferred over rectangular tables; and the server can be summoned using a button.Research limitations/implicationsThe use of a non‐probabilistic sample may limit the generalizability of findings.Practical implicationsThis study's results can be useful to restaurant managers by improving their understanding of the needs of visually‐impaired consumers.Social implicationsThe study contributes to the inclusion in society of the visually impaired as consumers by giving them a voice to express their needs and wants.Originality/valuePrevious studies have not considered the relative utility conferred to restaurant attributes by consumers. The use of conjoint analysis allows the evaluation of the relative importance of these attributes and their levels, while at the same time shedding light on tradeoffs made by the visually impaired consumer in selecting restaurant attributes.

Use of conjoint analysis to assess HIV vaccine acceptability: feasibility of an innovation in the assessment of consumer health-care preferences

Engaging consumers in prospectively shaping strategies for dissemination of health-care innovations may help to ensure acceptability. We examined the feasibility of using conjoint analysis to assess future HIV vaccine acceptability among three diverse communities: a multiethnic sample in Los Angeles, CA, USA (n = 143); a Thai resident sample in Los Angeles (three groups; n = 27) and an Aboriginal peoples sample in Toronto (n = 13). Efficacy had the greatest impact on acceptability for all three groups, followed by cross-clade protection, side-effects and duration of protection in the Los Angeles sample; side-effects and duration of protection in the Thai-Los Angeles sample; and number of doses and duration of protection in the Aboriginal peoples-Toronto sample. Conjoint analysis provided insights into universal and population-specific preferences among diverse end users of future HIV vaccines, with implications for evidence-informed targeting of dissemination efforts to optimize vaccine uptake.

Identifying customer value in emerging markets via conjoint analysis: a case study of an Estonian packaging company

The current paper considers the use of conjoint analysis in emerging economies, specifically considering the customer values and consumer segments of a leading plastic packaging material producer in Estonia. In doing so, the paper builds upon and extends the customer needs identification and conjoint analysis literature. The analysis successfully identified the most important attributes and revealed four customer segments that seek fundamentally different needs: delivery speed, flexibility of offering, quality for money and product appearance. Managerial implications for using conjoint analysis in emerging markets to better understand consumer needs for the purpose of value creation and segmentation are discussed.

The use of conjoint analysis in the design of bicycle-related clothing

Product design is a creative decision-making process that aims to satisfy human needs by releasing good products that can appropriately meet the preferential requirements of customers. In the development of new products, the designer must identify the preference and attitudes of customers toward certain products, ascertain the factors that make products popular in the market, and devise optimum design plans for those products. Biking has become a popular activity due to its contribution to maintaining health. Bicycle-related clothing is known to play an important role in comfort level and safety. Unfortunately, there is hardly any research or designs that consider customer preferences in the bicycle-related clothing design process. Many manufacturers mainly focus on the improvement of the material properties of clothes instead of clothing design to meet the customer requirements. This study uses conjoint analysis in bicycle-related clothing design to provide designers with an efficient approach to identify customer preferences. The lifestyles of users are examined through a massive amount of collected data used to design an attitude measurement chart/questionnaire. Customer requirements are subsequently categorized through factor analysis, and critical requirement attributes are identified for conjoint analysis. Finally, conjoint analysis is used to obtain the optimal design combination for bicycle-related clothing that adheres to the preferences of customers.

Conjoint Analysis and MDS Approach to Brand Improvement of an Aerosol Product

Consumers decide which aerosol product to purchase depending upon its different features or attributes. The importance that consumers give to each attribute, however, differs from one consumer to another. The ability to identify the importance of different attributes of aerosols from the consumers’ perspective is essential for improving an existing brand or launching a completely new brand of aerosol. The purpose of this study is to identify feasible offerings of aerosols from a company’s point of view and the positioning of a comparatively new brand of room air freshener among all other existing brands in the capital city of Bihar (Patna) in India. The study makes use of conjoint analysis and the multidimensional scaling technique to identify (a) the attributes of the room air freshener and their corresponding levels from the consumers’ perspective, (b) the importance of each attribute of the room air freshener and its contribution in influencing the consumers’ purchase decision, (c) the best and the worst combinations of attributes and their levels from the consumers’ point of view, and (d) the potential opportunities for the new brand of room air freshener in the perceptual map of the consumers’ mind.

The use of conjoint analysis to determine the relative importance of specific traits as selection criteria for the improvement of perennial pasture species in Australia

Despite the large number of active programs breeding improved forage plants, relatively little is known about the weightings that breeders consciously or subconsciously give to specific traits when selecting individual plants or that agronomists and producers use when assessing the relative merits of contrasting cultivars. This is in contrast to most modern animal breeding programs where the relative merits of novel genetics may be assessed against an index-based breeding objective. These technologies have not been widely used in crop or forage plant breeding but their use in forest tree breeding is relatively common. We have assessed the usefulness of discrete choice experiment techniques in the development of weightings for specific traits in forage plant improvement based on the views of an expert panel (plant breeders and non-breeders – agronomists, nutritionists, senior managers in breeding companies and consultants) asked to consider the requirements in four species (white clover, lucerne, perennial ryegrass and tall fescue). The results indicate that criteria related to abiotic stress tolerance, adaptation or the costs of pasture (root growth, drought tolerance, persistence, resistance to invertebrate pests, tolerance of hostile soil conditions) were deemed to be particularly important for white clover, while the highest-rated criteria for lucerne were not dissimilar, being tolerance of hostile soil conditions, persistence and tolerance of transient water-logging. For perennial ryegrass, three of the five highest-weighted criteria (drought tolerance, root growth, rate of recovery of pasture after water) are related to yield in environments where too much or too little water is a problem, highlighting the importance that the experts placed on the ability of the plant to withstand this important abiotic stress. For tall fescue, the highest-rated criteria were seedling vigour, drought tolerance, and persistence. Overall the preference weightings tended to reflect the perceived limitations of the various species, such as the priority of seedling vigour in tall fescue. This focus on the importance of abiotic stress is especially interesting as previous attempts to identify priorities have focused on the forage quality traits rather than analysing their importance relative to traits related to herbage yield or stress tolerance. This study highlights the importance of further work to help determine the focus of breeding objectives and selection criteria for different pasture species across production systems.

Marketing a consumer durable brand in Malaysia: a conjoint analysis and market simulation

PurposeThis paper aims to use conjoint analysis to examine how Malaysian consumers make decisions regarding a consumer durable product – namely room air conditioners – under multi‐cue situations.Design/methodology/approachThis study first assesses the impact of a priori perceived differences between brand names, country of manufacture, price, quality, technological advancement, and warranty on product evaluation. Second, the relative importance of the attributes as evaluative criteria is determined by performing part worth analysis. Six pertinent hypotheses are developed and tested. Conjoint analysis is used to develop product profiles that respondents could evaluate via a survey. This is followed by a market simulation to suggest marketing strategies for Malaysian and Japanese products (the latter dominate the Malaysian market).FindingsThe findings indicate the importance of capitalising upon consumer durables' intrinsic qualities, and the need to carefully consider the relationship between price and quality. Ways to take advantage of the strength of foreign brand names need to be understood and operationalised. The simulation exercise also indicates ways in which indigenous and external competitors could take advantage of market opportunities.Research limitations/implicationsThe study does place in a Malaysian context, and moreover used a convenience sampling approach. The need is demonstrable for more representative probabilistic sampling. While country of origin effects are understood, other criteria (i.e. design, assembly, and source) need to be considered in future studies.Practical implicationsIt is felt that the approach utilised and the simulations developed can be applied in other geographic and cultural contexts and have implications for marketing strategies for branded consumer durable typologies.Originality/valueThe paper identifies and evaluates strategies for more effective competition in the Malaysian room air conditioner market. The use of conjoint analysis and market simulation provides a basis for competitive advantage in a tightly focused market sector.

CONSUMER ACCEPTANCE OF FOOD BARS

ABSTRACT Increased use of conjoint analysis during the concept testing stage of food product development raises the question of whether conjoint analysis results translate into successful product development. Five food bar concepts from a previous conjoint analysis study targeted for the “Overall” panel, “Female” segment, “Male” segment, “Label Readers” segment and “Calorie Health Nuts” segment, were used for consumer testing. Standardized packaging was also developed to test elements not easily perceived from the product itself, i.e., low fat, low calorie and other nutritional information. The “Female #1 – commercial (Fiber One)” bar had the highest overall acceptance, 6.9 on a 9‐point hedonic scale. Packaging significantly increased all ratings. Cluster analysis results were compared with segmentation from conjoint analysis. Similar results were found, showing there were clusters of consumers specifically interested in prototypes developed for specific conjoint analysis segments, which supports that conjoint analysis results translate into actual products.

Using Conjoint Analysis to Estimate Healthy-Year Equivalents for Acute Conditions: An Application to Vasomotor Symptoms

Objective Conventional standard gamble and time trade-off methods may be inappropriate for eliciting preferences for some health states because both require subjects to make trade-offs between a morbid health state and death. Thus, the objective of this study is to demonstrate the use of conjoint analysis to obtain time trade-off estimates of healthy-year equivalents (HYEs) for clinically relevant durations and severities of acute, self-limiting, or nonfatal conditions such as vasomotor symptoms. Methods A self-administered, web-enabled, graded-pairs conjoint-analysis survey was developed to elicit women's preferences for reducing the frequency and severity of vasomotor symptoms (daytime hot flushes and night sweats). Observed trade-offs between symptom duration and symptom relief were used to calculate HYEs for different severities and durations of vasomotor symptoms. Results A total of 523 women with a mean age of 52 years completed the survey. For these women, an improvement from severe to moderate vasomotor symptoms yields a gain of 4.44 HYEs, and an improvement from moderate to mild vasomotor symptoms over 1 year yields a gain of 4.62 HYEs over a period of 7 years. HYE gains for symptom relief are larger for younger women than for older women. Conclusions Conjoint analysis is a feasible method for estimating HYEs for acute, self-limiting, or nonfatal conditions. This approach may provide an alternative utility-elicitation method when conventional standard gamble and time trade-off methods are inappropriate to the decision context.

Authenticity in mature seaside resorts

The article discusses the role of authenticity in the seaside destination choice and introduces the weight attributed to authenticity as a psychographic segmentation variable. Importance ascribed to authenticity of different destination attractions was acquired by use of conjoint analysis in a study carried out in Slovenia. The results show that considerable differences in terms of the quest for authenticity exist among tourists and suggest that resort product transformation by means of inclusion and promotion of authentic features should be oriented towards carefully chosen segments. Additionally, there are some indications that social changes will influence the demand structure so that an increased search for authenticity is expected in the future.

Facilitating and understanding the family’s choice of injection device for growth hormone therapy by using conjoint analysis

Background:Conjoint analysis involves the measurement of consumer preferences between choice alternatives.Aims and objectives:To investigate the use of conjoint analysis in facilitating and understanding choice of growth hormone injection devices.Method and...

Organic Consumers' Profile and Their Willingness to Pay (WTP) for Selected Organic Food Products in Greece

The adoption of different food quality assurance schemes by the EU, such as the organic label, has been a response to the growing demand for certified quality food products among the European consumers. Several useful benefits have been claimed for these schemes, including their value as marketing strategies. The present study develops at a two-fold level: first, it attempts to offer more insights into the Greek organic consumer profile, using a nationally representative sample of 1,612 households. Second, the study examines the effectiveness of the organic label as a marketing strategic orientation, given that addressing the highly motivated, quality conscious consumer is the core objective of any food quality assurance policy. The use of conjoint analysis in exploring organic buyers' Willingness to Pay (WTP) for a variety of organic products (olive oil, raisins, bread, oranges and wine from organic grapes) is selected as the most appropriate approach to that target.

Evolving consumer preferences for residential decking materials

Major changes are taking place in the residential decking market driven by concerns over wood preservatives and the resulting phase-out of chromated copper arsenic (CCA)-treated wood and recent entry into the marketplace by wood-plastic composites. Using conjoint analysis, this study explores consumer perceptions regarding residential decking materials over two time periods, 2000 and 2003. Type of material and lifetime were the most important decking attributes. Of lesser importance were annual maintenance and price. Major changes took place over the three-year study period with respect to opinions towards treated wood and wood-plastic composites. Consumers became much more negative towards treated wood and wood-plastic composites received nearly equivalent gains. The CCA controversy clearly had an impact in the marketplace and we demonstrate the usefulness of conjoint analysis in capturing this change. Key words: decking, consumer, conjoint analysis, plastic lumber, treated wood, cedar, substitution

Evaluation Method on Perception of Quality of Life in Terms of Urban Transportation System Improvement

The increase of automobile traffic has always caused traffic congestion of downtown areas. This simultaneously generates environmental problems caused by automotive exhausts and an increase in traffic accidents. We should build a new comprehensive scheme of urban transportation based on the quality of life of the inhabitant to solve this problem. To this end, we propose the phased evaluation system for finding an appropriate plan in terms of quality of life. Firstly, we introduce the method of Conjoint Analysis to build the basic planning concept. In the next stage we design the outline of a downtown transportation plan using the obtained concept. By demonstrating this to the inhabitants we examine its acceptability. Finally the improvement in transportation conditions is analyzed by AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) and examined for the possibility of visiting in downtown area. Actually, we applied these methods to the transportation plan for Sapporo, which is located in Hokkaido, Japan. As a result, inhabitants assessed some sustainable transportation measures. The differences and the tendencies in each district are clarified by use of Conjoint Analysis. Consequently, the residents do not all have consistent opinions towards the attributes on the sustainable transportation scheme. However, they preferred the step by step improvement over the drastic one. Thus, we proposed the new basic plan which we would execute over the period of ten years. Next, we evaluated the acceptability of the inhabitants to the plan in view of quality of life. As a result, the proposed new plan possesses a higher acceptability. In particular, residents accept the plan in terms of safety against traffic accidents. From this, we estimated that there would be a 34% increase in frequency for visits downtown after the scheme is completed.JEL classification: R4 Transportation StudiesR41 Transportation: Demand, Supply and Congestion, Safety and Accidents, Transportation Noise

Usefulness of Conjoint Analysis of Resident Preference for Teaching Hospitals Offering Postgraduate Training Programs

Usefulness of Conjoint Analysis of Resident Preference for Teaching Hospitals Offering Postgraduate Training Programs