Consumer input in standardization: a case study of toy safety

Abstract

Ever since the ‘new approach’ to the achievement of the Internal Market was adopted, the importance of European Standardization has increased. The standardization institutes are now responsible for the technical elaboration of requirements touching upon health and safety of consumers. Therefore, it is of major importance for consumer movements to have an input in the process. In this study, the consumer interest articulation in the ‘new approach’ policy-making process is looked into. The role consumer organizations play in both the pre-standardization and the actual standardization stage are dealt with. Toy safety is taken as a case-study, and the information for the research was mainly gathered from interviews with about 30 representatives of European and national consumer movements, government agencies and industry involved in this field

The study shows that the influence of consumers in the pre-standardization stage, when a directive is drafted and a mandate negotiated between the European Commission and the standardization institutes, is limited

As concerns the standardization stage, consumers have representation in technical committees and working groups of the European standardization institutes. The participation of European and national representatives is compared

The main findings of this research are that consumer input in the actual standardization process is crucial, since their input in the pre-standardization phase is limited. In addition to this, the European and the national consumer representatives are not equally successful in assuring consumer input in this particular policy area. The causes for this difference are considered.     

Consumer change in Japan: A longitudinal study

Japan has been in a recession for the better part of 15 years and has experienced some subtle and less subtle changes. The identification and interpretation of these developments offers challenges and opportunities. The research outlined in this article sets out to identify change and informs on the ever‐changing behavior of the Japanese consumer. It is based on a study of the pre‐ and postbubble changes in Japan at key epochs: 1990, 1995, 1998, and 2003. The study involved 80 personal interviews and meetings drawn from 67 organizations. The analysis, employing Grounded Theory, compares the current status with earlier intervals. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

From grassroots to international markets: A qualitative study of marginalized entrepreneurs in India

Much of the growing literature on international entrepreneurship focuses on how positive circumstances, such as having prior international experience, business networks, or formal institutions lead to international entrepreneurial action and overlooks the role more challenging circumstances might play. In this study, we extend and refine challenge-based entrepreneurship theory to explore what influences international entrepreneurial action undertaken by marginalized entrepreneurs in an emerging economy. Despite widening economic and social disparities in emerging economies, little is known about entrepreneurs who have traditionally been “left behind.” Our findings suggest that these marginalized entrepreneurs have not only a set of liabilities but also advantages, including creative problem solving and perseverance, as well as local knowledge and networks. To spur the first-person international opportunity belief associated with international entrepreneurial action, an intermediary with resources and networks is needed to offset the liabilities. These intermediaries act as gatekeepers, helping some marginalized entrepreneurs but holding back others.     

Consumer behaviour in the credit card market: a banking case study

This paper analysed the demographic, socio‐economic and banking‐specific determinants that influence the choice of credit cards. A multinomial logit model was run on a recent portfolio of banking customers based in Italy. The model incorporates the type of credit cards as the dependent variable and a set of explanatory variables. The empirical results provided useful insight into the structural characteristics of the card payment system and offered a microeconomics perspective to analyse consumers' behaviour and preferences. Overall, women, older people, residents in the centre of Italy and secondary card owners are more likely to acquire a classic card. Gold cards are preferred by older customers, whereas younger clients have a higher probability to choose a revolving card, which is also preferred by the residents in the North‐east. The analysis on the continuous variables highlighted that Italy can be regarded as a ‘conservative’ market with room for credit card upgrading and expansion into more sophisticated products.     

Consumer reactions to food and drug product recalls: A case study of Hawaiian consumers

A telephone survey of 350 consumers found that one-third to one-half used the recalled food and drug products, and the balance threw them away or returned them to the store. A significant percentage, 16–33%, said they now buy less of these products, and 11–32% stated that they switched brands due to these recalls.

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Verbraucherreaktionen auf Rückrufaktionen bei Lebens- und Arzneimitteln: eine Fallstudie bei Verbrauchern in Hawaii

Zusammenfassung Während die bisherige Forschung die Folgen von Rückrufaktionen vorwiegend im Automobilsektor untersucht hat, geht die vorliegende Studie den Verbraucherreaktionen bei Lebensmitteln und Arzneimitteln nach. Sie wurde 1983 auf Insel Oahu durchgeführt und bezog sich auf einen Zeitraum von einem Jahr. Während dieser Zeit hatte es 13 Rückrufaktionen gegeben. Befragt wurde eine Stichprobe von 350 Konsumenten, die alle mindestens ein Jahr auf Oahu gelebt hatten und in ihrem Haushalt für den Einkauf von Lebensmitteln zuständig waren. Die Interviews wurden telefonisch durchgeführt. Die Ergebnisse variieren von Produkt zu Produkt, zeigen aber im wesentlichen, daß ein Drittel bis die Hälfte der Konsumenten ein zurückgerufenes Produkt weiterverwendeten, wogegen die anderen das Produkt wegwarfen oder zum Händler zurückbrachten. Ein Prozentsatz von 16 bis 33% gab an, von den zurückgerufenen Produkten jetzt weniger zu kaufen und zu verwenden, und 11 bis 32% berichteten, wegen der Rückrufaktionen die Marke gewechselt zu haben.

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Charles F. Keown is Associate Professor of Marketing at the University of Hawaii's College of Business Administration, 2404 Maile Way, Honolulu, HI 96822, USA.     

Consumer identity and marketing implications: Indian urban youth

Youth consumption has been an area of research interest as well as societal concern. Globalization and proliferation of media have been cited as the main reasons for rise in consumption, especially among youth. This paper has examined how the Indian Urban youth represent their Consumer Identities through their narratives. In 1991, India opened up to Globalization and its effect on the youth consumption is now wide spread. Studies in other parts of the world have shown youth to be ‘Raving Hedonists’ and ‘Squanderer’ as well as Rational and Economical Consumers. An empirical approach was taken to establish the typology of Indian Youth Consumers. Empirical data for this research was collected by conducting in‐depth interviews in 2013, covering various states of India, with students in the age group of eighteen to twenty three years, who are financially dependent on their parents. Forty in‐depth interviews, representing thirteen distinct linguistic identities were conducted and analysed. Studies done in other parts of the world such as UK, Finland, Norway and Belgium have established typologies of youth consumers such as Hedonist, Squanderer, Rational and Economical Consumer Identities. While these Consumer Identities exist among Indian Urban Youth, the researchers have identified additional Consumer Identity Typologies of Reluctant, Dependent and Aspirant Consumers. The youth in India is somewhat similar to youth elsewhere and yet has its own distinction as consumers. The fact that India has a very high youth population makes this study significant.     

Indian Consumer Attitudes Toward Food Safety: An Exploratory Study

The aim of this research is to segment Indian consumers based on their attitudes toward food safety and to demographically characterize each segment with sound risk communication strategies and outreach program may be developed to target vulnerable groups. This article uses exploratory factor analysis and hierarchical cluster analysis to find the factors that accentuate consumers’ attitude toward food safety and generalizes the heterogeneity of consumer attitudes based on five factors: apprehension, trust, appetence for a high degree of regulation, acknowledgment from foodborne illness, and propensity for the right to purchase foods that are not guaranteed to be safe.     

Career aspirations of older workers: An Australian study

Global challenges associated with the ageing workforce include lower levels of education and negative attitudes of older workers towards learning and covert age discrimination in the workplace. This report discusses initial findings from a survey of older workers employed in regional areas in Australia. The older workers surveyed were predominantly blue collar with low levels of formal education. Contrary to the stereotypical views, there were few attitude differences between older (>40 years) and younger workers (≤40 years). However, gender, education level and job type had a greater impact on attitudes in the older workers when compared to their younger colleagues.     

Consumer quest for embeddedness: a case study of the Brantford Farmers' Market

Farmers' markets (FMs) in the US, Canada and Britain are often held as one key response to the unsustainability of conventional food production systems, as they provide consumers with a potentially more comprehensive valuation venue for their food purchases. This paper categorizes and examines the range of consumer motivations at the Brantford FM in Ontario, Canada using the concept of embeddedness. Though not a simple concept, embeddedness proves useful for framing non‐economic values sought by consumers at FMs in a way that helps to build our understanding of the context‐specific quality of patron motivations at FMs. In the study, values of social embeddedness (social interaction, knowledge of vendors, etc.) and spatial embeddedness (food freshness, supporting the ‘local’, etc.) emerge as core sets of consumer motivations at this FM, while natural embeddedness values (organic production, ‘food‐miles’ concerns, etc.) are less strongly held. This case study helps advance that specific sets of embedded values are expressed at FMs – consumer motivations partly reflect their historic and situated contexts, while contributing to our understanding of the importance of the embeddedness concept to alternative food system arguments for change.     

Consumer participation in virtual communities: The role of personal values and personality

The important role that consumers play in virtual communities as active participants in the value co-creation process has been increasingly acknowledged in recent marketing thought and practice. This study applies and extends the well-established value–attitude–behaviour (VAB) model to investigate how personal values and personality jointly influence consumers' attitude and behaviour towards their participation in virtual communities. The results show that while the resultant conservation value dimension has an indirect influence on consumer participation behaviour in virtual communities through attitude, the extraversion trait has a direct effect. The findings clarify our understanding of how personal values and personality differently predict consumer participation in virtual communities, and confirm the role of personal values and the VAB model in explaining this phenomenon. This study suggests significant implications for virtual community marketing.     

Consumer responsiveness to price differentials: A case for insurance industry deregulation

Proponents of deregulation have suggested that several industries should lose their antitrust exemptions and operate within a competitive atmosphere. An important assumption underlying deregulation arguments is that consumers will respond to price differentials in a manner that encourages price competition among supplier firms. This assumption is of special concern in the regulated fields of property and liability insurance. The intangibility of these products, the relatively long-term purchase commitments, and the intimate relationships between insurance and consumers' perceptions of risk raise substantial questions concerning individuals' reactions to price competition. In this study the amount of annual premium savings required to switch companies and the relationships between consumer characteristics and intended switching behavior were examined. The results suggest that a substantial segment of insurance buyers would change firms given modest price reductions. The size of this segment, along with the attitudinal and demographic characteristics of this group, indicates that price competition is a viable strategy in a deregulated insurance industry.     

Consumer vulnerability and the transformative potential of Internet shopping: An exploratory case study

Abstract

Ten million individuals in the UK who suffer from long-term illness, impairments, or disability can be considered as vulnerable consumers (Office for Disability Issues, 2010 Office for Disability Issues (2010). General Demographics. http://www.officefordisability.gov.uk/disability-statistics-and-research/disability-facts-and-figures.php#gd (http://www.officefordisability.gov.uk/disability-statistics-and-research/disability-facts-and-figures.php#gd) (Accessed: 1 February 2011).  [Google Scholar]). Despite this, there are few studies on the use of the Internet for grocery shopping by the disabled and none which offers an understanding of the multiple facets of consumer vulnerability. The purpose of this study is to contextualise the use of the Internet for grocery shopping using an exploratory case to provide fresh insights into the ‘actual’ vulnerability of ‘Danni’ – a disabled housewife and mother. The consumer-focussed methods used here were combined multiple complementary approaches. The findings illustrate that whilst the use of the Internet reduces the impracticalities of shopping in-store, the normalcy afforded to Danni through shopping in-store (including her sense of self) was not met by the technological offerings. The paradoxes associated with using online provision and the strategies adopted to manage these by Danni demonstrate engagement/disengagement and assimilation/isolation. Policy implications and insights for retailers are provided.     

Consumer acceptance of irradiated food: A study of symbolic adoption

Previous research reveals mixed signals regarding the potential for consumer acceptance of irradiated food. Consumer acceptance seems to depend upon the nature and amount of information provided about irradiation. Survey research finds that only about 20–30% of respondents initially express favourable opinions of irradiation with some cautionary signals concerning consumer suspicion of the process and its benefits to the public. Some laboratory experiments and market tests, on the other hand, indicate a willingness of the consumer to accept a high quality, government-approved product, especially when irradiation is placed within the context of alternative pest and bacteria control treatments. However, these studies fail to provide the consumer with negative information about irradiation. This study examines the relative impact of social persuasion and both favourable and unfavourable information on consumer acceptance of food irradiation. The study takes the approach that consumer acceptance is a social process, wherein acceptance becomes subject to societal approval through word-of-mouth conversations. Previous literature suggests that social persuasion, particularly negative social persuasion, should outweigh favourable information on consumer acceptance of a new technology. This proposition is supported by the results of our study, which indicates that responses that were initially favourable to irradiation, especially those opinions formed in the absence of unfavourable information, should be interpreted with caution. The study supports previous research, therefore, suggesting that industry and governmental agencies would benefit from close inspection of societal attitudes towards the food irradiation process.     

Consumer vulnerability and exclusion: A study of carers in the tourism marketplace

Abstract

Carers – a growing, multidimensional, context-specific, yet transient community (three in five of the population during a lifetime) – have been largely neglected in the marketing literature. Focusing upon the impediments to tourism participation this consumer group faces, the paper explores issues of carer engagement, consumer vulnerability, and societal exclusion from the perspective of two carer groups: senior carers and cancer carers. Conclusions reached demonstrate how challenging many carers find tourism-marketplace engagement and confirm carers can indeed be considered as vulnerable consumers. They introduce us to a range of circumstances that prompt exclusion and call upon policy makers to recognise the existence of multiple categories of vulnerability in accommodating the needs of this consumer. A future research agenda is outlined. This argues for the need to review the wider implications of the findings beyond the geographical constraints of this study, and to explore also their application to other vulnerable consumers.     

Consumer Shopping Styles and Online Shopping: An Empirical Study of Indian Consumers

ABSTRACT

The generalizability and applicability of the Consumer Shopping Inventory (CSI) scale on Indian sample in predicting online shopping behavior was examined. CSI scale has been adapted by researchers to validate its applicability in different countries. Results revealed new factors and different segments of consumers were identified by factor analysis. The findings posit that the original U.S. eight-factor model could not be confirmed completely on Indian sample. However, the study found support for five factors: quality-conscious shopper, fashion-conscious shopper, uninterested shopper, impulsive shopper, and brand-conscious shopper. Online shopping behavior was categorized under convenience, information availability, and cost factors. Demographic factors do not influence consumers' decision to shop online. Consumers shopping online frequently and Impulsive shoppers are likely to look at convenience factor of online shopping. Information availability was important for fashion-conscious shoppers, consumers frequently shopping online, and impulsive shoppers. Brand-conscious shoppers and quality-conscious shoppers were not likely to purchase online.     

Green apparel buying behaviour: A study on Indian youth

Changes in demographics and availability of global clothing brands have brought several changes in Indian apparel industry. Green or organic clothing brands are becoming popular among Indians and likely to contribute to the revenues of apparel sector. Global and national apparel manufacturers have introduced organic clothing lines to cater to ecological conscious consumers. The purpose of this research was to examine the effect of consumer susceptibility to interpersonal influence (CSII), past green behaviour, green peer influence and green apparel knowledge on Indian youth's green apparel buying behaviour. A mix of convenience and random sampling was used for data collection. The sample (n = 981) comprised of youth of age group 18–24 years. Structural equation modelling was used to test the hypothesized relationships. Findings suggest that past green behaviour influenced green apparel buying behaviour. Green peer influence and green apparel knowledge had no impact on green apparel buying behaviour. Moreover, CSII had no influence on green apparel buying behaviour. The findings differ from earlier studies that suggest influence of social norms and peer group had an effect on green buying behaviour. Practical implications of the present study are discussed.     

Competitive communities of practice,knowledge sharing,and Machiavellian participation: a case study

This paper explores the emergence of Machiavellian behaviour in a community of practice (CoP). The CoP was initiated by the top management team (TMT) as a management development initiative. Participants in a manufacturing setting were encouraged to engage in a series of problem‐solving tasks with counterparts from across the organization in a short‐term CoP. A qualitative case study, using in‐depth interviews, was conducted in a large processing plant in the Middle Eastern Kingdom of Bahrain. This is an empirical case study that explores employee participation in a short‐term management development programme which sought to create CoPs to enable knowledge sharing. A competitive element was introduced, and we contend this promoted behaviour which served the individuals rather than the CoP. The findings indicate that TMT intervention changes the dynamics of CoPs, reducing knowledge sharing and collaboration among community members. Recommendations are made to practitioners to be cognizant of the possibility of Machiavellian participation in CoPs.     

Consumer clothing disposal behaviour: a comparative study

Fast fashion retailing is leading consumers towards an increased rate of purchasing and the trend to keep clothing for an ever shorter time with the resulting rise in clothing disposal. The aim of this paper is to empirically explore antecedents of two methods of sustainable clothing disposal behaviour in two countries: donating to charities and giving away to family and friends. Using data from females located in Australia and Chile, the authors test the proposed model with structural equation modelling (SEM). The results of this study show that consumer recycling behaviour is a strong and direct driver of donating to charity. In addition, results find that consumer awareness of the environment and consumer age affect donating behaviour. The findings have value for fast fashion retailers, marketers, environmental activists, ecological researchers, charity institutions and public policy makers.     

Consumer mistakes and advertising: The case of mortgage refinancing

Quantitative Marketing and Economics - Does advertising help consumers to find the products they need or push them to buy products they don’t need? In this paper we study the heterogeneous...