Search Results

The Effect of Online Consumer Reviews and Brand Equity on the Consumer Decision Making Process

Description: This research aims to investigate the (1) review effects on consumer decision making process, (2) effects of negative reviews on brand equity, and (3) consumers' likely response to a brand's request for reviews. The objective of the first essay is to investigate the nature of the relationship between skepticism and consumer decision making in an online behavior context. Its second objective is to know whether people's belief on their abilities or their hedonic principle moderates the relationsh… more
Date: December 2021
Creator: Ahmad, Fayez
open access

An Empirical Investigation of the Structural Form and Measurement Validity of the Hill Inventory

Description: This research began with the Hill Inventory. Cognitive style preference variables were classified as one of following four types: Theoretical Codes, Qualitative Codes, Social-Cultural Codes or Reasoning Modalities. A consumer behavior perspective was then used to form an alternative structure for the Hill Inventory variables. The following three constructs were proposed: Evaluation Codes, Perceptual Codes, and Reasoning Modalities. The purpose of this research was to assess the structural form … more
Date: August 1988
Creator: Blake, Faye W.
open access

An Exploratory Analysis of the Food Consumption Behavior of Up-scale Asian-American Consumers

Description: The first objective of this research was to identify whether Asian-Americans having higher than average levels of income and education represent an appropriate target market for four food product categories. Second, the impact of national origin membership, demographic variables, and level of acculturation on food consumption was determined. In addition, perceptions related to sensory and nutritional factors and the cultural acceptability of the products were identified and interpreted to deter… more
Date: August 1993
Creator: Boykin, Nancy J. (Nancy Jo)
open access

An Examination of the Nature of a Problematic Consumer Behavior : Compulsive Purchasing as a Learned Adaptive Response, Addiction, and Personality Disorder

Description: The problem examined in this study was the nature of compulsive purchasing behavior. Three proposed models depicting this behavior as a learned adaptive response to anxiety and/or depression, an addiction, and a personality disorder were introduced and discussed in Chapter I. Background information concerning the areas examined in the models was presented in Chapter II. The research methodology was discussed in Chapter III and the findings of the research presented in Chapter IV. A summary, con… more
Date: August 1989
Creator: Briney, Alicia L. (Alicia Lyn)
open access

A Descriptive Study of Offended Responses to Nudity in Print Advertising Targeted to Women

Description: A discussion of offensiveness in advertising is the initial focus of this research. A review of the offensiveness, irritation, nudity, and sexual suggestiveness in advertising literature suggested that females report somewhat high arousal scores when viewing nudity but that the arousal may not necessarily be positive. The measure of contributing variables to offendedness responses was proposed using various degrees of nudity in existing advertising as the primary stimuli.
Date: August 1992
Creator: Dishman, Paul Lake, III
open access

The Industrial Representative's Perception of the Impact of Managerial Control Systems on Performance

Description: The objective of this study was to examine whether the factors which constitute the manufacturer/industrial-representative relationship, influence performance as predicted by control theory. In addition, the study evaluated the contribution of selected demographic factors such as size of the firm, and the representative's experience, on performance.
Date: August 1995
Creator: Dunipace, Richard A. (Richard Alan)
open access

Antecedents of Power in the Distribution Channel : A Transaction-cost Perspective

Description: A discussion of reward, coercive, expert, legitimate, and referent power bases was the initial focus of this research. A review of the power sources literature suggested that vertical integration within a channel of distribution was a crucial precursor to develop a structure to facilitate the use of power without creating a significant conflict among channel participants. Elements of transaction cost analysis (TCA) were offered as being suitable for determining the existing level of vertical in… more
Date: August 1991
Creator: Erdem, S. Altan (Selim Altan)
open access

An Exploratory Empirical Investigation of Information Processing among Incubator-Housed Manufacturers during Channel Member Selection

Description: The purpose of this research was to conduct an exploratory study of the information processing utilized by incubator-housed manufacturers during channel member selection. The study included the evaluation of the decision models used by the manufacturers as well as criteria used in the selection process. The study was specifically designed to achieve the following objectives. First, the research was to identify the evaluation modes used by the manufacturers as either compensatory or noncompensat… more
Date: December 1988
Creator: Fontenot, Gwen F.
open access

Exploring the Complex Exchange Relationships in Direct Selling Channels

Description: This dissertation research explores the factors that influence direct selling agents' sales performance and job satisfaction. In the direct selling channels, the agents not only sell the products to customers. They may concurrently perform a "distributor" role as a stand-alone entity composed of their own sales network. This dissertation research features two essays. The first essay investigates how direct selling agents' perceptions of control and sense of belonging relate to PO. This ess… more
Date: December 2021
Creator: Geng, Guanyu
open access

An Investigation of the Perception of Delivered Quality at Different Levels of Organizational Hierarchy in Services

Description: The overall purpose of this research was to add to existing theory of quality pertaining to the service provider's perception of quality. Quality in the service industry is difficult to assess because of the intangible, heterogeneous and labor intensive nature of services. In addition, personnel have varying perceptions of delivered quality based on their position within the organizational hierarchy. This study enhanced the Service Quality Model developed by Zeithaml, Berry, and Parasuraman (19… more
Date: December 1993
Creator: Getty, Juliet M. (Juliet Margolin)
open access

An Empirical Study on the Use of Promotion in Hospitals

Description: The role of marketing and marketing communication in hospitals has grown in the last decade. The need for hospitals to make careful decisions about their marketing communication efforts is mandated, given the changes taking place in the hospital industry. The purpose of this dissertation was to conduct empirical research to determine whether for-profit and non-profit hospitals perceive and utilize promotion as a marketing strategy element. The two steps taken included: identifying important fac… more
Date: December 1988
Creator: Gopalakrishna, Pradeep
open access

The Role and Contributions of Independent Sales Representatives in the Relationship Between Merchandise Suppliers and Small Retailers: Dynamic Interactions in the Channel

Description: Small retailers are searching for a basis of competitive advantage to compete against larger retailers. The independent sales representative (rep) may represent such a basis. Little is known about how the role of reps and their performance is perceived by suppliers and retailers. We do not know what is expected from reps, if the reps' performance meets suppliers and retailers expectations, or whether met expectations lead to a basis of competitive advantage. Primarily, the study was designed to… more
Date: May 1998
Creator: Gruben, Kathleen H. (Kathleen Hall)
open access

Perceptions of Work Group and Managerial Behaviors as Antecedents of a Salesperson's Commitment, Performance, and Turnover

Description: Theoretically grounded and empirically testable conceptualizations that offer alternative explanations regarding sales force performance and turnover can: (a) enhance understanding regarding these pivotal outcomes, and (b) augment an organization's capability to increase sales and decrease turnover. The study advances one such explanation by conceptualizing and testing a perceptual model that links a salesperson's psychological climate dimensions to organizational commitment, performance, and t… more
Date: August 1999
Creator: Gulati, Rajesh, 1964-
open access

An Exploratory Field Study of Adolescent Consumer Behavior: The Family Purchasing Agent

Description: An exploratory field study was conducted to examine internal and external factors that influence adolescents' consumer behavior when serving as the family purchasing agents. Demographic, lifestyle, and marketing activities were examined to determine the influences that affect whether the adolescent will purchase the preferred family brands or other brands. Participating adolescents were sent by their parents to the grocery store on two separate occasions to purchase four preselected grocery ite… more
Date: August 1989
Creator: Hardy, Jane P.
open access

An Exploratory Study of the Information Search Stage of the Consumer Decision Process: Based on Elderly Consumers' Selection of a New Housing Bundle

Description: This dissertation deals with the decision-to-move process of elderly persons—from a marketer's perspective. The central problem addressed is the lack of empirical knowledge concerning the factors and influences associated with the information search process of elderly persons in making a residential move decision. The purpose was to investigate and understand the key factors and influences which are viewed as important by elderly individuals in their search for and use of information.
Date: May 1993
Creator: Judd, Vaughan C. (Vaughan Charles)
open access

Determinants of the Magnitude of Foreign Direct Investment: An Analysis of Korean Manufacturing MNCs

Description: The purpose of this study is, therefore, to investigate empirically the firm- and location-specific determinants of the magnitude of FDI by Korean manufacturing MNCs--one of the leading Third World MNCs. This study also examines firm-specific characteristics that distinguish Korean MNCs investing in developing countries from those investing in developed countries.
Date: December 1993
Creator: Kim, Seong-Soo
open access

Toward a Theory of Consumer Attitudes Regarding Products of Foreign Origin: a Multiattitude Expectancy-Value Approach

Description: This dissertation focuses generally on consumer behavior, and particularly on consumer attitudes toward products of foreign origin for the purpose of developing a theory that will assist in explaining and predicting this phenomenon. Existing research in the area of country of origin effects upon consumer attitudes toward foreign-made products demonstrates significant methodological limitations such as single cue approaches., The major objective of this dissertation is to contribute to the devel… more
Date: May 1988
Creator: Landeck, Michael
open access

Effects of Perceived Quality, Product Category Similarity, and Brand Breadth on Consumers' Perceptions of Brand Extensions: Tests of Categorization Theory and Cognitive Response Theory

Description: Various constructs are related to predicting consumers' perceptions of brand extensions. Among these, three constructs, perceptions of perceived quality (PQ) associated with the parent brand, product category similarity (PCS) of an extension to its parent brand, and brand breadth (BB) of the parent, are central to many brand extension studies. The purpose of this study is to clarify the roles of these three constructs and to pit predictions from an alternative theoretical perspective — cognitiv… more
Date: August 1994
Creator: Lee, Dongdae
open access

The Eclectic Paradigm of Salesperson Compensation: a New Framework for Investigating the Role of Salary versus Commission

Description: Numerous researchers, employing theories from either psychology or economics, have investigated the circumstances under which firms are likely to adopt salary-based versus commission-based compensation plans. This study integrates the most common theoretical bases of salesperson compensation literature into a broad framework labeled the Eclectic Paradigm of Salesperson Compensation (EPSC). The EPSC proposes that there is a positive association between a firm's salary orientation and resource co… more
Date: December 1995
Creator: Massad, Victor J. (Victor James)
open access

The Effect of Comparative Well-Being on the Perceived Risk Construct: a Study of the Purchase of Apparel

Description: The purpose of this research was to examine how the intervening variable of comparative well-being (which is how persons view their age, financial resources, and health compared to others of their own age) will enhance the significance of the relationship between selected demographic and psychographic variables and perceived risk. Specifically, the research investigated the structural relationship between comparative well-being in four different statistical models: (1) as an independent predict… more
Date: December 1987
Creator: McConkey, C. William (Charles William)
open access

Continuity Expectations in Vertical Marketing Systems: a Dyadic Perspective of Domestic and International Franchising

Description: An emerging paradigm shift in the marketing discipline has prompted renewed research interest in the nature and scope of exchange. A common theme in the research to date is a departure from the traditional transactional orientation to a relational perspective of exchange. The relational emphasis is particularly germane to contractual Vertical Marketing Systems (VMS) where the emphasis is on long-term, mutually beneficial interaction between various channel members. The franchisor-franchisee rel… more
Date: May 1999
Creator: Mehta, Sanjay S. (Sanjay Subhash)
open access

Innovation Teams: an Empirical Examination of the Relationship of Team Climate and Development Strategies in Consumer Packaged Goods Industries

Description: Companies’ new primary source for sustainable revenue growth comes from creating new innovations, rather than from mergers and acquisitions. Companies are finding it difficult to align internal support for the innovative creativity of teams with standard operating procedures. This research aims to discover how innovative teams contribute to forming development strategies that CPG firms use to create new products. Dimensions of the Theory of Team Climate in Innovation (TTCI) offer insight on th… more
Date: August 2013
Creator: Mims, Tina C.
open access

Threat to Health or Exuberant Well-Being: Which Best Explains Wellness Behavior?

Description: Because of the high and rapidly increasing cost of health care, wellness has become a significant issue for both health care practitioners and the general public. This research examines the issue of wellness and seeks to develop a model that identifies the factors that are most significant in explaining why people engage in wellness activities. A questionnaire was mailed to a sample (n = 499) randomly selected from the general population of the United States. Predictor variables are the demogra… more
Date: August 1996
Creator: Murrow, Jimmie L. (Jimmie Lorraine)
open access

Factors Associated with Salespersons' Use of Influence Tactics and Their Outcomes : An Exploratory Study

Description: The use of influence tactics by sales representatives appears to be related to a number of latent constructs and factors such as, manifest needs, role conflict and role ambiguity, and perception of sales managers' power bases. However, such relationships have not been examined by researchers. These relationships were examined in this study in an effort to improve the current level of understanding of causes and results of the use of influence tactics in a sales environment. The contention of th… more
Date: May 1992
Creator: Nonis, Sarath A. (Sarath Alban)
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