Predicting Consumers' Preferences for and Likely Buying of Local and Organic Produce: Results of a Choice Experiment

Data from consumer intercept surveying and a hypothetical choice experiment conducted in 11 Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA grocery stores were used to predict consumers' preferences for and likely buying of local and organic produce. Results indicate that consumers strongly prefer produce with local and/or organic attributes, but are generally less likely to buy produce with these attributes. Consumers' sociodemographic characteristics, knowledge of different produce types, distance traveled for food shopping, and metro-area location affected preferences and likely buying behavior. These results will help local farmers in New Mexico and other states improve their competitiveness, preserve agricultural traditions, and contribute to economic development.     

Learning About Computers: An Analysis of Information Search and Technology Choice

We estimate a dynamic model of how consumers learn about and choose between different brands of personal computers (PCs). To estimate the model, we use a panel data set that contains the search and purchase behavior of a set of consumers who were in the market for a PC. The data includes the information sources visited each period, search durations, as well as measures of price expectations and stated attitudes toward the alternatives during the search process. Our model extends recent work on estimation of Bayesian learning models of consumer choice behavior in environments characterized by uncertainty by estimating a model of active learning—i.e., a model in which consumers make optimal sequential decisions about how much information to gather prior to making a purchase. Also, following the suggestion of Manski (2003), we use our data on price expectations to model consumers’ price expectation process, and, following the suggestion of McFadden (1989a), we incorporate the stated brand quality information into our likelihood function, rather than modeling only revealed preference data.Our analysis sheds light on how consumer forward-looking price expectations and the process of learning about quality influence the consumer choice process. A key finding is that estimates of dynamic price elasticities of demand exceed estimates that ignore the expectations effect by roughly 50%. This occurs because our estimated expectations formation process implies that consumers expect mean reversion in price changes. This enhances the impact of a temporary price cut. Finally, while our work focuses specifically on the PC market, the modeling approach we develop here may be useful for studying a wide range of high-tech, high-involvement durable goods markets where active learning is important.JEL Classification: C15, C33, C35, C42, C51, C52, D83, D84     

选择与选择成本——品牌降低选择成本的机制分析

本文通过对选择爆炸式增长的描述,抽象出一般选择过程模型,并深入分析这一过程中所发生的成本及构成,证明品牌正是通过降低消费者的选择成本提高了选择效率,而企业外部顾客的选择效率决定了处于过剩阶段企业的内部价值的实现和内部效率的高低。本文区分了交易费用与选择成本的差别,进一步深化了对"品牌经济学"分析范式的核心范畴——选择成本的认识。     

Advances in Research on Mental Accounting and Reason-Based Choice

Research extending over twenty years in behavioral decision theory has led to the development of two important research streams—mental accounting and reason-based choice. This paper explores recent research on the role of mental accounting and reason-based choice in the construction of consumer preferences. Evidence suggests that the principles of mental accounting often regulate the purchase and consumption of luxuries and that reasons may play an important part in this process. In particular, buying and consuming luxury goods tends to call for reasons and justification and can evoke intra-personal conflict that might be resolved with the aid of mental accounting. Moreover, reasons can serve as important building blocks in the formation and grouping of mental accounts. The current paper also discusses the construction of preferences as a process where, in certain cases, consumers choose reasons rather than options. Among other things, focusing on reasons can lead to discrepancies between decisions and consumption experiences, preference intransitivity, and unconventional choices. Directions for future research are discussed.     

The Effect of Attribute Variation on Consumer Choice Consistency

We study the effect of shifts in attribute level differences on consumer choice consistency. Choice consistency is measured as the variance of the random error component in the consumer utility function: the smaller this variance, the higher choice consistency. We hypothesize that due to increased choice difficulty, choice consistency decreases if attribute level differences increase while average utility level differences between alternatives remain the same. In our empirical illustration we focus on the impact of price level shifts on choice consistency in conjoint choice experiments. Our results show that choice consistency decreases as price level differences increase and absolute price levels increase.     

基于时间约束的消费者选择理论与模型研究

本文运用效用理论与消费者行为理论,在经典模型基础上加入时间约束参数,从而放宽消费行为不需要时间这一假设,从消费者的商品边际效用和时间边际效用方面对消费者选择的理性行为进行研究,并从工资率的变化出发,对均衡条件进行比较静态分析。基于时间约束条件的分析表明：消费者实现效用最大化时应使花费在各种消费品及休闲上的最后每一元钱所获得的边际效用相等;替代效应的正负取决于商品的相对时间密度,当某商品的时间密度与其他商品相比较小时,替代效应为正,反之为负;工资率收入效应的正负取决于商品的性质,正常品和高档品对应的工资率收入效应为正,低档品对应的工资率收入效应为负。     

Using response behaviour theory to solicit survey participation in consumer research: An empirical study

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to report on research that examines survey participation rates (i.e. response rates) for personal interview surveys where solicitation for participation is based on different theories of survey-response behaviour in two culturally distinct countries. Field experiments were designed to investigate the extent to which the theories of exchange, cognitive dissonance, self-perception, and involvement/commitment can influence potential respondents to participate in a personal interview survey in Australia and Hong Kong. The results show that there were significant differences in Australia with the theory of self-perception having the strongest impact on survey-response behaviour, while cognitive dissonance has the least impact. In contrast, the effects in Hong Kong were not significant. This study adds to the limited empirical research regarding why consumers participate in surveys, particularly personal interview surveys. The theories are applied at the self-introduction and invitation to participate, which is a crucial stage in the potential respondent's decision about participation.     

消费失败后顾客情绪反应及其对投诉渠道选择的影响

顾客投诉作为企业与顾客的一种沟通,得到了很多学者和实践者的重视,但顾客在投诉过程中的心理及行为研究较少。文章将情绪引入顾客投诉行为中,把投诉看作一种特殊的沟通,以媒介丰度理论为基础,探索投诉者的情绪反应及其对投诉渠道选择的影响。旨在充实顾客投诉研究,为企业的投诉管理和渠道建设提供一定的指导和建议。     

Willingness-to-Pay for Multiple Units of Eco-Friendly Wheat-Derived Products: Results From Open-Ended Choice Experiments

A non-hypothetical open-ended choice experiment with a multi-unit elicitation format was conducted to elicit Italian consumer willingness-to-pay (WTP) and demand schedule for new wheat-derived products that were produced by adopting an ecologically friendly post-harvest technique (high heat-treated, HHT). A sample of 270 Italian consumers were surveyed in Bologna, Catania, and Palermo in June 2014. Data were analyzed using a double hurdle model. Results suggest Italian consumers are willing to pay premium prices for HHT flour, while they prefer to pay for HHT packed bread at the same price as a conventional one. Consumers’ WTP for the second, third, and more units are lower than their WTP for the first unit of product. While factors that influence consumers’ decision to buy these two new products are the same, factors that affect their desired product units differ among each products. In conclusion, Italian consumers’ preference for an eco-friendly label depends on the types of products.     

Context Dependence and Aggregation in Disaggregate Choice Analysis

There is an emerging consensus among disciplines dealing with human decision making that the context in which a decision is made is an important determinant of outcomes. This consensus has been slow in the making because much of what is known about context effects has evolved from a desire to demonstrate the untenability of certain common assumptions upon which tractable models of behavior have generally been built. This paper seeks tobring disparate disciplinary perspectives to bear on the relation between context and choice, to formulate (1) recommendations for improvements to the state-of-the-practice of Random Utility Models (RUMs) of choice behavior, and (2) a future research agenda to guide the further incorporation of context into these models of choice behavior.     

Brand Equity, Consumer Learning and Choice

The aim of this paper is to explore the links between brand equity, consumer learning and consumer choice processes in general and considering two recent trends in the market place: store brands and the Internet. We first review the advances that have occurred in brand equity research in marketing in the past decade, with particular emphasis on integrating the separate streams of research emanating from cognitive psychology and information economics. Brand equity has generally been defined as the incremental utility with which a brand endows a product, compared to its non-branded counterpart. We amplify this definition: we propose that brand equity be the incremental effect of the brand on all aspects of the consumer's evaluation and choice process. We propose an agenda of research based on this amplified definition.     

A Cross-Validity Comparison of Conjoint Analysis and Choice Models at Different Levels of Aggregation

Several (ratings-based) conjoint analysis and experimental choice (choice-based conjoint) models are compared on their ability to predict both aggregate choice shares among the sample and individual choices in an availability validation task. While there was a weak relationship between validations at the individual and aggregate levels, several models stand out. In general, models capturing individual differences validated well at both the individual and aggregate level. The hierarchical Bayes choice and conjoint models validated particularly well.Among choice models, the hierarchical Bayes choice model had the highest aggregate and individual level-validations. It was followed by the hybrid and seven segment latent segment choice models. Overall, the highest validating ratings-based conjoint model was the hierarchical Bayes model. However, the seven segment latent segment conjoint model produced better aggregate choice share validations than any other conjoint model. These results indicate that validations can be improved either by using benefit segment models and/or merging different types of data to estimate more individualized models.In most cases, rescaling improved the ratings-based, but not the choice-based choice share validations. This suggests that one might adjust for differences between ratings and choice tasks before making choice share predictions.     

网购食品消费者选择行为的影响因素

利用1 790份网络调查问卷数据,采用相关分析、交叉分析等统计方法,研究网购食品消费者选择行为,分析网购食品市场渗透率不高、用户黏性不足的主要原因,结果表明,消费者个性特征差异会导致对网购食品的不同态度,进而影响消费者对网购食品的选择行为;良好的网购环境、物美价廉的食品、优质的网购服务,是促使消费者选择网购食品的主要因素,对网购食品安全的担忧、习惯于传统购物方式、网购维权难度大,是抑制消费者选择网购食品的主要因素,尤其是网购食品"难维权、维权难"可能会放大消费者对网购食品产生的消极态度。为此,应加强网购食品多主体协同监管,消除消费者怀疑心理和不放心态度;建立以消费者需求为中心的网购食品质量安全供应链管理体系,推动线上市场和线下实体店紧密结合、融合发展;完善网购食品维权制度,畅通维权渠道。     

上市公司会计政策选择分析

随着新企业会计准则的实施,上市公司会计政策有了较大的可选择空间。同时,也必须认识到,上市公司一方面可以根据其生产经营目标和特点选择更适宜的会计政策,以保证会计信息的真实与公允,另一方面,新会计准则增加了上市公司利用会计政策选择进行盈余管理、报表粉饰甚至利润操纵的可能性。应控制会计政策的滥用,使企业会计政策选择剩余权不宜过大;健全上市公司的内部监控机制;完善上市公司会计准则。     

An Analysis of Assortment Choice in Grocery Retailing

Consumers in grocery retailing commonly buy bundles of products to accommodate current and future consumption. When all products in a particular bundle share common attributes (and are selected from the same product category), the consumer is said to assemble an assortment. This research examines the impact of assortment variety on the assortment choice process. In particular, we test the prediction that consumers demand less variety for higher quality items. To investigate this relationship, we employ a flexible choice model, suitable for the analysis of assortment choice. The model, based upon the assumption that the utility of purchase of one item in an assortment depends upon the set of items already selected, allows for a general utility structure across the assortment items. We apply the model to household assortment choice histories from the yogurt product category. Substantively, we show that yogurt choice is affected by brand quality perceptions (quality-tier competition). Moreover, we show that reaction to reductions in variety (number of yogurt flavors) is mediated by brand quality perceptions. Taken together, these empirical facts paint a picture of a consumer who is willing to trade-off variety against product quality in assortment choice.     

我国电子商务时代物流模式的分析与选择

随着电子商务的蓬勃发展 ,物流配送问题成为制约电子商务发展的“瓶颈” ,电子商务企业物流模式的选择成为突出问题 ,为保证电子商务的稳定发展 ,企业必须根据自身的各种情况 ,选择适合本企业发展的物流模式     

物流目标和战略的选择

20世纪90年代,物流在国外已经成为一个重要的经济增长点,而在中国才刚刚起步。物流建设必须了解物流目标的内容,分别为快速响应、最低库存、集中运输、最小变异、质量以及生命周期支持等。并对物流战略进行选择,以不断寻求提高物流管理效率有效途径,降低企业物流成本,提升市场竞争能力。     

中国大型商业银行中间业务的SWOT分析及战略选择

当前,中国大型商业银行既具有自身具有营业网络、客户资源、资金等优势,也存在着资产质量不高、金融创新和风险管理不足、收费标准不规范、专业人才匮乏等劣势;既面临着经济环境、金融混业经营的趋势、相关法律法规的逐步完善以及科学技术进步带来的发展机遇,也面临着人才和客户流失以及外资银行的威胁。中国大型商业银行应该抓住外资银行尚未形成绝对优势地位的有利时机,采用SO战略和WO战略,即扭转型战略和差异化战略,充分利用自身特有的优势,改善经营环境,加快推进金融创新步伐,拓展业务空间,努力提升市场竞争力。     

Reasoned Action and Food Choice in a Transitional Economy

ABSTRACT

This study examines predictive factors of consumer behaviour in food, employing a study of 485 Romanian respondents using the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA). Drawing on a structural equation models approach, causal paths for six products were estimated. Habit emerged as the most significant predictor of behavioral intention. The results of this empirical study support the notion that attitudes and habits influence behavioral intentions toward food consumption. A modification of the TRA, within the context of income constraints, is proposed in the form of willingness to consume. Competing structural models are discussed, and the implications of the study for both marketers and consumers are highlighted.     

连续性统计调查方法及其在我国的应用研究

社会经济研究需要及时获取研究总体不断变化和发展的信息.连续性统计调查是获取研究总体不断变化和发展信息的基本方法,文章研究和比较了各种连续性调查方法,并总结西方发达国家在使用连续性调查方法过程中的成功经验,然后针对我国统计调查体制中存在的问题和不足,提出在我国建立一套连续性抽样调查体系,并进行规范化、制度化管理,以便更好地反映研究总体的不断变化和发展的情况,提高统计调查数据的准确性.