Desenvolvimento de uma tecnologia de produção de iogurtes funcionais com leite de cabra contendo fibra Beta vulgaris e frutos de Vaccinium cylindraceum

Dissertação de Mestrado, Tecnologia e Segurança Alimentar, 02 de Junho de 2014, Universidade dos Açores.

The influence of sports events endorsement on children’s perceptions of healthy food products and brands

Field lab in marketing: Children consumer behaviour

Unveiling the Influence of Consumer Wine Appreciation Dimension on Purchasing Behavior

Consumption values and different usage situations have received extensive interest from scholars; however, there is a lack of understanding regarding how these two constructs interact when it comes to the purchase decisions of consumers. This study examines the relationship between consumption values, consumption situations, and consumers’ purchasing decisions in terms of their willingness to pay and the purchase quantity. First of all, my model proposes that all four consumption values and different situations have a positive effect on consumers’ willingness to pay as well as the quantity they purchase. It also proposes that varying usage situations moderate the effect of consumption values on consumers’ purchasing decisions. In my conceptual model, I have also integrated the epistemic and conditional values where there is a gap in the existing literature. Prior literature has isolated the consumption values when studying how they affect consumer behavior and has not examined how consumption situations moderate the relationship between consumption values and purchasing decisions. Also, the existing literature has mostly focused on how consumption values affect purchase intentions, brand loyalty, or satisfaction, whereas my study focuses on purchasing decisions. For my study, the participants were randomly chosen from the general wine consumer population and the age range was between 20 and 75, which included 83 male respondents and 119 female respondents. The data received from my respondents support my hypotheses for the model. In my final chapter, I discuss the theoretical and managerial implications as well as suggestions for future research.

Anticipated Guilt and Ethical Consumption: The Moderating Role of Consumers’ Socially Responsible Consumption Behaviour

Recent research in the marketing literature has indicated that, while consumers’ interests in ethical products are growing, demand for such products still remains weak. Previous research has indicated that anticipated guilt can have a positive effect on ethical consumption. Thus, the objective of the current study is to investigate the moderating role of consumers’ socially responsible consumption behaviour (SRCB) on the relationship between anticipated guilt and ethical consumption. Specifically, the current study hypothesizes that, when viewing a guilt ad, high (vs. low) SRCB individuals will generate higher, ethical purchase intentions, willingness to pay an ethical premium, and attitudes toward an ethical brand. The findings from the two experimental studies indicate that, when viewing a guilt ad for an ethical product, high SRCB individuals are willing to pay a higher ethical premium and generate more favourable brand attitudes than low SRCB individuals. However, when viewing a non-guilt ad, high SRCB individuals did not differ from low SRCB individuals in their willingness to pay an ethical premium or brand attitudes. Further, consumers’ socially conscious self-identity was explored as a mediator of these effects. By understanding the moderating role that SRCB plays in the relationship between anticipated guilt and ethical consumption, this paper intends to assist marketers in understanding for which consumers a guilt appeal is an appropriate strategy in marketing ethical products.

How different are GM food accepters and rejecters really? A means-end chains application to yogurt in Germany

The purpose of the paper is to identify and describe differences in cognitive structures between consumer segments with differing levels of acceptance of genetically modified (GM) food. Among a sample of 60 mothers three segments are distinguished with respect to purchase intentions for GM yogurt: non-buyers, maybe-buyers and likely-buyers. A homogeneity test for the elicited laddering data suggests merging maybe- and likely-buyers, yielding two segments termed accepters and rejecters. Still, overlap between the segments’ cognitive structures is considerable, in particular with respect to a health focus in the evaluation of perceived consequences and ambivalence in technology assessment. Distinct differences are found in the assessment of benefits offered by GM food and the importance of values driving product evaluation and thus purchase decisions.

Cross-national differences in E-WOM influence

Purpose: This is a cross-national study which investigates changes in purchase intentions of UK versus Chinese consumers following exposure to successive e-WOM comments in the form of positive and negative user reviews for experience versus search products. Design/methodology/approach: A 2(e-WOM valence and order: negative vs. positive most recent) X 2(product type: experience vs. search) X 3(purchase intentions at t1, t2, t3) repeated measures factorial design is used to test a set of hypotheses developed from the literature. Findings: Chinese consumers are susceptible to recent e-WOM comments regardless of their valence, while UK consumers anchor on negative information regardless of the order in which it is acquired. This holds particularly for experience products. Originality/value: This cross-national study contributes to the scarce literature on the impact of e-WOM on consumer purchase decisions by comparing UK and Chinese consumers. We suggest that culture moderates the development of product evaluations following exposure to e-WOM.

Negative online consumer reviews: effects of different responses

Purpose When consumers buy online, they are often confronted with consumer reviews. A negative consumer review on an online shopping website may keep consumers from buying the product. Therefore, negative online consumer reviews are a serious problem for brands. This paper aims to investigate the effects of different response options to a negative consumer review. Design/methodology/approach In an online experiment of 446 participants different response options towards a negative consumer review on an online shopping website are examined. The experimental data is analysed with simple linear regression models using product purchase intentions as the outcome variable. Findings The results indicate that a positive customer review counteracts a negative consumer review more effectively than a positive brand response, whereas brand strength moderates this relationship. Including a reference to an independent, trusted source in a brand or a customer response is only a limited strategy for increasing the effectiveness of a response. Research limitations/implications Additional research in other product categories and with other subjects than students is suggested to validate the findings. In future research, multiple degrees of the phrasing’s strength of the reference could be used. Practical implications Assuming high quality products, brands should encourage their customers to write reviews. Strong brands can also reassure consumers by responding whereas weak brands cannot. Originality/value This research contributes to the online consumer reviews literature with new insights about the role of brand strength and referencing to an independent, trusted source.

Using the juster scale to predict adoption of an innovative product

The Juster scale - a simple, self-reported measure of purchase probability, has been shown to be effective in predicting consumers' future purchasing behaviours. Purchase probability scales have often been shown to be better predictors of future behaviour than purchase intentions measures, the more widely used method. The vast majority of studies though have used the scale to predict the purchase of products or services the consumer is already familiar with. This research looks at how accurately the Juster scale can predict early adoption of an innovative new product prior to its’ launch. In a longitudinal study of market behaviour, these predictions are compared to actual adoption rates. The results show that there is only a moderate level of correlation between purchase probability scores and actual adoption behaviour, in both the short and long term, but they are better than intention measures. The main difficulty in predicting adoption behaviour seems to stem from consumers inability to foresee intervening situational factors, rather than inaccuracies in the probability scale itself.

An empirical investigation of high relational orientation sport club members

Relationships between businesses, businesses and end customers, as well as between customers are an important area of practical and scientific interest. In the present era, largely due to digital technologies such as the database, public and private networks, and data collection and information distribution via TCP/IP (Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol) interface tools such as the World Wide Web (Web), the interest in relationships and related aspects such as trust as it relates to Web interactivity continues. An important antecedent empirical study established that arts patrons (customers) of a New York theatre company could be segmented according to their relational orientation, and that this orientation mediated between component attitudes and future purchase intentions. The study reported in this paper employs Web-based data collection and postal data collection methods in an investigation of the mediation effects of these data collection methods used with the same population of a premier football club in Australia. While a future aim is to more closely compare the outcomes established in the arts study with those from a similarly constructed study in the sporting arena, the focus of this initial paper is the differences in response exhibited by online respondents relative to postal survey respondents. The paper reports findings which do not support those of the antecedent arts and entertainment study concerning the weakness of overall satisfaction on the purchase intentions of high relational orientation customers. The paper also reports findings which give confidence to users of online surveys that despite differences in demographic profiles of these respondents and postal survey respondents, there is a degree of similarity in the responses of the two groups on the measures used in this study. The paper also suggests the need for further research into these data collection effects as they relate to relationship marketing.

An empirical study on the influence of environmental labels on consumers

Purpose - Despite research studies indicating strong support for labelling information, uncertainty remains with respect to how labels influence consumers. This paper attempts to empirically investigate how consumers who differ in terms of environmentalism respond to labels.

Design/methodology/approach - The data were collected on an Australian sample using a structured questionnaire administered on the phone using quantum research (CATI) data collection services. A total of 155 questionnaires were completed and used for data analysis. The data were analysed using both descriptive measures and correlations between variables.

Findings - There appears to be a proportion of consumers that find product labels hard to understand. The research found that there are consumers who will buy green products even if they are lower in quality in comparison to alternative products, but would look for environmental information on labels. With respect to price sensitive green consumers, there appears to be a relationship between price sensitivity and 'always' reading labels as well as indicating that there is 'sufficient' information on product labels to make informed purchase decisions.

Research limitations/implications - It was beyond the scope of the research to account for some of the utilitarian approaches to interpretation or in-depth comprehension of label information. The sample size of 155, although selected using a probability method, may, to some extent, limit the overall accuracy of the results.

Practical implications - Offers some important information on different green consumer segments that would alert managers on how best to position environmental labels. Findings such as 'Satisfied with labels' correlates with 'Labels are accurate', which suggests that businesses need to provide a clear, accurate and easily legible label design to encourage satisfaction with the accuracy of content and the communication aspects of a label.

Originality/value - Contributes to better understanding of green customers purchase intentions and the usefulness of ecological product labels. It offers some insights and assistance to businesses in planning their green product/labelling strategies.

The impact of consumer ethnocentrism and country of origin sub-components for high involvement products on young Chinese consumers' product assessments

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of country of origin (COO) sub-components (i.e. design, assembly and parts), as well as the extent to which consumer ethnocentrism tendencies interact with these COO sub-components for young Chinese consumers with regards to product quality assessments and purchase intentions.

Design/methodology/approach – A 2?×?2?×?2 factorial experimental design was used to examine the effects of the three sub-components of COO with two levels of sourcing location – Home (China) and Foreign (Germany), for two high involvement products (an automobile and a digital camera). Chinese students in China represented the sample of 272 respondents. MANOVA was used to examine the direct effects and interactions of the three COO components, as well as ethnocentrism, measured using the CETSCALE.

Findings – It was found that the three COO sub-components did not influence young Chinese consumers’ evaluation of product quality or purchase intentions. In addition, consumers’ level of ethnocentrism also did not have a direct effect on perceived product quality or purchase intentions. There was only one statistically significant interaction effect between ethnocentrism and country of parts for one of the two products. As such, COO dimensions and young Chinese consumers’ ethnocentrism appears to have limited influence on their assessments of product quality or purchase intentions. This may occur because young Chinese consumers perceive that hybrid products are the norm for high involvement products in China as these products are all these consumers have experienced.

Originality/value – The findings of this research dispute the commonly held belief and evidence that sub-components of COO have an impact on the perceptions of product quality and purchase intentions. Young Chinese consumers may be different to consumers from western countries because they have been extensively exposed to hybrid products. Given the size and growth potential of China, young Chinese are an important, under-researched segment within the Chinese market.

Reasons why dissatisfied customers exhibit behavioral loyalty

The development of supplier loyalty and its potential application to the business-to-business settings has not been widely explored. Day (1969) cautions that loyalty viewed in terms of purchase decisions may not distinguish between loyalty and spurious loyalty. This study follows the composite loyalty approach providing both behavioral aspects (purchase intentions) and attitudinal loyalty in order to fully explain the concept of supplier loyalty. This framework has not been previously applied in the B2B literature.The objective of this research is to identify reasons why B2B customers do not show consistency between attitudinal and behavioral loyalty and why dissatisfied customers do not switch suppliers. A survey was conducted during 2006 with a sample of executives from 240 SME companies in a large Asian city. A range of measures was obtained including attitudinal loyalty, behavioral loyalty, satisfaction and open ended responses on nature of current problems. Following Dick and Basu (1994), customers are classified into loyalty groups. Customers having high and low attitudinal loyalty are compared on satisfaction, switching attitudes and problems within the relationship. Constraints to switching by the dissatisfied customers are discussed. A profile of the "Spurious Loyal" customer is provided. This study seeks to better understand the nature of dissatisfaction and loyalty within these long term focal relationships.

An empirical analysis of Australian and Portuguese consumers within the context of CSR and environmentalism

This cross country study examines the potential environmental predictors of consumers' green behaviour. It uses consumer’s self reported environmental behavioural intentions and examines its potential influence on corporate practice of social responsibility (CSR). A conceptual model was developed and was subjected to empirical verification using survey research design. It was hypothesised that CSR improves green behavioural purchase intension. PLS was used to estimate the measure of respondents’ overall perception of green products and their intention to purchase. It was found that in both countries, Australia and Portugal, CSR influenced purchase intentions. In both cases there was evidence of association between CSR and the consumers’ intention to purchase environmentally safe products.

Consumer decision making in telecommunications

The data analyses consumers' decision making processes in the telecommunications market. The dataset includes both autoethnographic videographies and experimental quantitative data.

The data comprises an extended autoethnographic methodology with 22 participants. Participants recorded video diaries, written diaries and extended interviews about their experiences looking for a mobile phone service. It also includes a quantitative experiment with 517 participants to examine, under close to real conditions, how consumers make decisions. This involved advertising and sales scenarios looking at the effect of bundling and limited time offers in advertising on consumer perceptions and purchase intentions; the effect of unit pricing and the presentation of terms and conditions information in advertising on consumer perceptions and purchase intentions; and the effect of information and the mode of its presentation in personal selling on consumers’ perceptions.

O impacto do argumento ecológico nas atitudes dos consumidores - um estudo experimental

An increasing interest in society towards environmental and ecological issues have beaconed consumer¿s behavior research, particularly the ones related to the identification of the impact of environmental agendas on consumer habits. The objective of the present study is to attitudes related to brands, advertising and purchase intention. The study was based on data gathered through a ¿between subjects¿ experimental research, with three levels of manipulation. One hundred and sixty eight students from the city of Rio de Janeiro were selected for the experiment. The hypothesis suggested that subjects who were exposed to ecological cues demonstrate a more favorable behavior towards advertising attitude (H1A), brand attitude (H1B) and purchase intentions (H1C) than the ones who were not. In addition, an intrinsic health cue called ¿Omega 3¿ was introduced to the experiment to enhance the results of the research. The results have shown that subjects are indifferent to ecological cues regarding their attitudes towards the advertising and purchase intention. However, the study determined a more favorable attitude towards the brand by subjects exposed to the ecological cue. Therefore, it is possible to conclude that although ecological cues exposed in advertisements do not result on an increase of a positive of the product label is enhanced positively due to the relation of the brand with environmentally sound practices.