Showing papers on "Psychographic published in 2014"

Profiling the Potential “Green” Hotel Guest: Who Are They and What Do They Want?

Abstract: Environmental factors are increasingly important in the hospitality industry, with “green” operations receiving more attention from the hotel industry. As a result, major hotel brands, such as Starwood, have started environmental initiatives with far-reaching effects on the development and operation of their properties. But are consumers ready for these changes, who are they, and what benefits do they perceive as important? To answer these questions, hoteliers must understand how to position their hotel and attract the right customer. Following prior research, and adapting a psychographic segmentation approach, this study segmented respondents into shades of green, then determined their preferences for hotel offerings of products and services and the perceived benefits they seek. The results highlight the importance of environmental attitudes in the prediction of green consumer behavior. The results show that the shades of green consumers are reasonably distinct and different in terms of identifiable char...

Values, Lifestyles, and Psychographics

Abstract: Contents: Preface. Part I: Theoretical and Conceptual Perspectives. T.J. Reynolds, S.J. Westberg, J.C. Olson, A Strategic Framework for Developing and Assessing Political, Social Issue, and Corporate Image Advertising. B.G. Englis, M.R. Solomon, Where Perception Meets Reality: The Social Constructions of Lifestyles. J.P. Murry, Jr., J.L. Lastovicka, J.R. Austin, The Value of Understanding Trait Motivations on Consumption Beliefs. D. Prensky, C. Wright-Isak, Advertising, Values, and the Consumption Community. G. Fennell, Value and Values: What Is the Relevance for Advertisers? L.R. Kahle, P.M. Homer, R.M. O'Brien, D.M. Boush, Maslow's Hierarchy and Social Adaption as Alternative Accounts of Value Structures. Part II: Methodological Approaches. L.J. Shrum, J.A. McCarty, Issues Involving the Relationship Between Personal Values and Consumer Behavior: Theory, Methodology, and Application. S.C. Grunert-Beckmann, S. Askegaard, "Seeing With the Mind's Eye": On the Use of Pictorial Stimuli in Values and Lifestyle Research. B. Wansink, Developing Useful and Accurate Customer Profiles. P. Valette-Florence, A Causal Analysis of Means-End Hierarchies: Implications in Advertising Strategies. S.J. Gould, The Use of Psychographics by Advertising Agencies: An Issue of Value and Knowledge. I.J. O'Connor, Using Attitudinal Segmentation to Target the Consumer. Part III: Social Trends. P. Cafferata, M.I. Horn, W.D. Wells, Gender Role Changes in the United States. L. Chiagouris, L.E. Mitchell, The New Materialists. B. MacEvoy, Change Leaders and the New Media. T.E. Muller, The Benevolent Society: Value and Lifestyle Changes Among Middle-Aged Baby Boomers. L.R. Lepisto, The Adult Longitudinal Panel: A Research Program to Study the Aging Process and Its Effect on Consumers Across the Life Span. Part IV: International Applications. K.G. Grunert, K. Brunso, S. Bisp, Food-Related Lifestyle: Development of a Cross-Culturally Valid Instrument for Market Surveillance. D. Weber, B. Dubois, The Edge of Dream: Managing Brand Equity in the European Luxury Market. A.H. Zins, Transferability of the Concept of Environmental Awareness Within the EUROSTYLES System Into Tourism Marketing. G.M. Rose, Cross-Cultural Values Research: Implications for International Advertising.

What explains usage of mobile physician-rating apps? Results from a web-based questionnaire.

Abstract: Background: Consumers are increasingly accessing health-related information via mobile devices. Recently, several apps to rate and locate physicians have been released in the United States and Germany. However, knowledge about what kinds of variables explain usage of mobile physician-rating apps is still lacking. Objective: This study analyzes factors influencing the adoption of and willingness to pay for mobile physician-rating apps. A structural equation model was developed based on the Technology Acceptance Model and the literature on health-related information searches and usage of mobile apps. Relationships in the model were analyzed for moderating effects of physician-rating website (PRW) usage. Methods: A total of 1006 randomly selected German patients who had visited a general practitioner at least once in the 3 months before the beginning of the survey were randomly selected and surveyed. A total of 958 usable questionnaires were analyzed by partial least squares path modeling and moderator analyses. Results: The suggested model yielded a high model fit. We found that perceived ease of use (PEOU) of the Internet to gain health-related information, the sociodemographic variables age and gender, and the psychographic variables digital literacy, feelings about the Internet and other Web-based applications in general, patients’ value of health-related knowledgeability, as well as the information-seeking behavior variables regarding the amount of daily private Internet use for health-related information, frequency of using apps for health-related information in the past, and attitude toward PRWs significantly affected the adoption of mobile physician-rating apps. The sociodemographic variable age, but not gender, and the psychographic variables feelings about the Internet and other Web-based applications in general and patients’ value of health-related knowledgeability, but not digital literacy, were significant predictors of willingness to pay. Frequency of using apps for health-related information in the past and attitude toward PRWs, but not the amount of daily Internet use for health-related information, were significant predictors of willingness to pay. The perceived usefulness of the Internet to gain health-related information and the amount of daily Internet use in general did not have any significant effect on both of the endogenous variables. The moderation analysis with the group comparisons for users and nonusers of PRWs revealed that the attitude toward PRWs had significantly more impact on the adoption and willingness to pay for mobile physician-rating apps in the nonuser group. Conclusions: Important variables that contribute to the adoption of a mobile physician-rating app and the willingness to pay for it were identified. The results of this study are important for researchers because they can provide important insights about the variables that influence the acceptance of apps that allow for ratings of physicians. They are also useful for creators of mobile physician-rating apps because they can help tailor mobile physician-rating apps to the consumers’ characteristics and needs. [J Med Internet Res 2014;16(6):e148]

New Product Adoption in Social Networks: Why Direction Matters

Abstract: Marketing managers and researchers generally agree that analyzing data from social networks and using them to influence consumers' purchase decisions are useful strategies. However, not all social network data may identify the most influential customers. This empirical study of more than 300 students reveals the low explanatory power of friendship networks (e.g., Facebook) and undirected-advice networks (e.g., LinkedIn). Only directed-advice networks (e.g., Google +) clearly identify influential consumers. In addition, the results challenge conventional wisdom that firms should target advisers assuming that they have the strongest influence on new product adoption. This study contradicts this common assumption and reveals that structural equivalence drives product adoption more than cohesion because advisees' adoption pressures advisers to purchase the product as well. Finally, the study shows the value of social network data beyond the traditional ego-centric psychographic metrics, such as innovativeness or opinion leadership.

The Influence of Consumers’ Cognitive and Psychographic Traits on Perceived Deception: A Comparison Between Online and Offline Retailing Contexts

Abstract: In this article, we examine the role of several consumers’ cognitive and psychographic traits in their perceptions of retailers’ deceptive practices (perceived deception) and the different effects on perceived deception associated with online vis-a-vis in-store shopping. Building on theoretical models of persuasion in consumer behavior, we hypothesize that the antecedents of perceived deception in traditional settings are the same as those on the Internet, while the intensity of the impact of these antecedents differs between the online and the offline environment. Results suggest that the effects of individual’s cognitive traits (Internet-based information search and perceived Internet usefulness) and risk aversion on perceived deception are more relevant when consumers shop online than when they purchase from traditional stores. Conversely, psychographic traits (shopping enjoyment and materialism) play a more important role in explaining perceived deception in the traditional shopping context as compared to the online channel. Several theoretical and managerial implications are derived from these findings.

Personalized online learning management system and method

Abstract: A system and method for adaptive online learning management for creating and/or publishing customized, personalized, adaptive, and student-specific online course content to enable and provide an efficient learning environment to each student based on the dynamically changing self-evolving student's profile. A student's profile can be created based on factors such as demographic profile, psychographic profile, learning style, personality traits, interests, social networking profile, social media interactions, online interaction characteristics, social networking circle attributes, prerequisite knowledge assessments, social profile, skill, and performance of the student, wherein the student's profile can be processed with respect to a learning object repository to generate a defined set of student-specific learning objects that best suit the profile of the student. A online course content can accordingly be generated based on the defined set of student-specific learning objects.

Upper echelons theory revisited: The need for a change from causal description to casual explanation

Abstract: This paper presents a review of the past and present upper echelons research with the intention of drawing attention to the need for a change of direction from causal descriptive studies to causal explanatory studies. Review of the extant literature indicates that many of the organizational researchers have shown greater interest in studying relationships between top management characteristics (in the form of demographics) and organizational outcomes. This has continued despite the effort by Priem, Douglas and Gregory to draw attention to the limitations of demographic proxies of psychographic variables of top management teams and the caution that the role of the entire top management team in strategy development may be over-exaggerated. Since many of the studies failed to show empirically how or why top management demographics related to organizational outcomes, implications for theory and research are discussed. 1. BACKGROUND There is some reason to believe that organizations parallel the profile of the dominant individuals who manage the affairs of the organization and that some organizational pathologies may reflect pathologies in the personality of these dominant individuals. Their perceptions of the corporate environment can be said to determine to a large extent how organizations or business units act in response to their environment. Thus, the organizations are what their leaders think, feel, perceive, and believe. This was the thesis of the seminal paper by Hambrick and Mason (1984), known as the Upper Echelons (UE) perspective.

A case study of a southern food festival: using a cluster analysis approach

Abstract: As one of the most frequently held types of event across the world, festivals take place at many destinations in the world. Consequently, research on festivals becomes critical for their successful management. This study examines the segmentation of one of the famous food festival attendees using cluster analysis approach. Results indicated that there were three homogenous clusters: Apathetic Attendees, Satisfied Spenders, and Tentative Tag-a-longs and there were significant differences in their satisfactions and perceived values. It is important for marketers of local festivals each resultant segment. Implications and recommendations for planners and organizers of future events are suggested to consider these psychographic differences and to craft unique marketing agendas to target.

Visitor segmentation for a park system using research and managerial judgement.

Abstract: Visitors to parks and protected areas are not a homogeneous group. Therefore, it is important for managers of such areas to have an understanding of the diversity of these visitors. One technique applied to understanding the diversity of visitors is segmentation whereby visitors are clustered based on variables of interest. Through a partnership of university-based and protected area agency researchers, this study segmented visitors to 33 parks across the Western Australian protected area estate. Using both psychographic and behavioural variables, four clusters were identified and these were subsequently discussed and validated with agency staff. These discussions identified opportunities for using the segmentation results to inform park and site planning and for marketing and potential re-distribution of supply and demand across the park system to better match visitor needs and the management resources available. Collaborative research efforts such as these, including validation by managers, can contribu...

The Importance of Recycling to U.S. Festival Visitors: A Preliminary Study

Abstract: Understanding visitors’ perceptions, motivations, and values in attending festivals is vital to creating an effective marketing strategy. Visitors often take part in festivals with special motivations and interests in the festivals’ purpose. Despite a level of disparity in their motivations, visitors’ involvement may be strongly linked to common values and events of the festival with the other visitors. Because of festivals’ unique and effective settings (e.g., education, experience, and participation, etc.), they represent distinctive opportunities to understand visitors’ pro-environmental behavior and attitudes. The objective of this study was to measure visitor recycling behavior, attitude and intentions as the basis for selective marketing classification and festival management. The results suggest that those with high recycling intention have strong attitudes toward festivals providing recycling stations and the use of renewable energy. These results would assist in improving festival attendance and ...

Method for providing personalized energy use information

Abstract: Techniques for providing personalized energy use information are described herein. An energy information system can obtain one or more of demographic, psychographic, behavioral, or consumption data for each of a plurality of utility customers, and segment the plurality of utility customers into a plurality of categories based on the demographic, psychographic, behavioral, or consumption data. The energy information system can select a target category from the plurality of categories based on a predetermined achievement goal and generate communications content based on historic energy consumption data for the target category. The energy information system can select an outbound communication channel for communicating with the target category. The energy information system can deliver one or more communications to the target category through the outbound communication channel at a specified time, where the one or more communications include at least a portion of the communications content.

The Role of Psychographic Factors in Nature-Based Tourist Expenditure

Abstract: Numerous studies have examined the relationship between tourist expenditure and observable characteristics of the individual and the trip. We add latent variables based on psychographic factors into a model of expenditure by nature-based tourists. This study models the log of per person trip expenditure by domestic and international visitors in a Norwegian alpine national park region as a function of psychographic factors as well as traditional measures of trip and demographic characteristics. In the regression models, factor scores were utilized from nature orientation, recreation experience preference (REP), a new ecological paradigm (NEP) and wilderness preference (WPS) scales. Higher scores on a NEP environmentalism factor were associated with higher expenditure, while higher scores on a REP risk seeking factor were associated with lower expenditure. Higher scores on a risk seeking, or challenge factor, from the nature orientation scale was associated with lower expenditure, while higher scores on an ...

The attractiveness of emerging market MNCs as employers of European and American talent workers: A multicultural study

Abstract: Purpose – Upon entering developed markets, emerging market multinational corporations (EMNCs) from China and India must compete with both host companies and other developed nation MNCs to attract and recruit necessary local talent. The purpose of this paper is to examine to what extent EMNC firms will be perceived as less attractive employers than their developed nation counterparts due to a perceived liability of origin bias. Major demographic and psychographic factors that may affect this bias will also be identified. Design/methodology/approach – Seven hypotheses were tested on a total of 626 German, French and American respondents. Participants were randomly presented identical job descriptions from four hypothetical MNCs (American, European, Indian and Chinese) and were asked to evaluate the perceived attractiveness of working for, as well as their intent to pursue employment with, the offering firm. Findings – Using hierarchical linear regression testing, combined with analysis of variance testing, ...

Psychographics: Static or Dynamic?

Abstract: Plog has suggested that psychographics are determinants of travel patterns and preferences. However, given that satisfaction is an important factor determining revisit intention, this study questioned Plog's static model of psychographics. We proposed that allocentrics could have high revisit intentions if they are satisfied. Thus, this study attempted to verify whether Plog's psychographics are static or dynamic. Revisit intentions were compared among psychographics at different satisfaction levels, and the results showed that the revisit intention of allocentrics did not differ from psychocentrics when satisfied. The results provide evidence that psychographic segmentation may not be static, especially when satisfaction is considered. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Role of children in family purchase across Indian parental clusters

Abstract: Purpose – The study aims to explore the evolving status of children as active consumers in the emerging Indian market by assessing their impact on family buying practices across distinct parental clusters. Design/methodology/approach – The study uses a structured questionnaire to draw a quota sample of 136 urban Indian parents across four child segments from two Indian metropolitan cities to understand their attitudes towards parenting and the consequent empowerment of their children for actively participating in family purchase decisions around varied children’s product categories. Findings – Exploratory factor analysis reveals five well-defined parental attitudes towards child rearing. The attitudinal factors are used to define three discrete parental clusters, namely, time-pressed parents, child-centric parents and socially influenced parents. The demographic and psychographic profiles of the clusters expose the significant influence of the educated and affluent parents in empowering their children as ...

Do apparel store formats matter to Indian shoppers

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore store choice behaviour of Indian apparel shoppers and analyses the factors influencing their choice of retail formats from an emerging market perspective. Design/methodology/approach – The research draws on a data set of 336 structured questionnaires with adult urban Indian respondents to understand their perceptions about organised and unorganised apparel store formats. The exploratory study uses a comprehensive list of demographics, shopping situations and format stimuli parameters along with two established psychographic scales to assess the extent of their effect on the store choice of apparel shoppers. Findings – Factor analysis revealed five well defined store attributes influencing the apparel shoppers’ decision. The growing market for organised retail with a preference for multi brand stores is highlighted. The study establishes that the shoppers’ perception of single-brand stores is still going through a formative phase. Further at the micro level...

Analysing Chinese citizens' intentions of outbound travel: a machine learning approach

Abstract: Due to the tremendous expansion of Chinese outbound travel market, it is of great significance to identify the characteristics of potential Chinese outbound tourists so as to develop targeted marketing strategies. As both extrinsic and intrinsic characteristics of individuals are important in influencing their decision-making process, this study explores potential Chinese outbound tourists from these two aspects. Demographic and psychographic factors, as the proxy of extrinsic and intrinsic characteristics, respectively, are incorporated into this study to construct the relationship between tourists' characteristics and their intentions of outbound travel. An advanced machine learning approach, called twice-learning, is employed for modelling in this study. As an intelligent data analysis tool, this method is able to construct models that can provide insight into the ground-truth relationships hidden beneath the data in an essentially comprehensible way, without being limited by the typical assumptions he...

A psychographic framework for online user identification

Abstract: The borderline separating users on the Internet is limited to the classical object-system identifiers such as users-login-ID, and network parameters, which is assumed to belong to a benign user. These assumptions provide subtle platform for malicious action in addition to exploitation of the vulnerability in online anonymity. The study proposes a human-system identifier framework based on the integration of psychosocial attributes of human into Internet traffic classification process, such that sufficient unique psychographics demography of users can be extracted. Such user psychographic characterization can be complementary method in user identification process. The implication of this paradigm can be adapted for insider investigation process, online transaction authentication process, e-commerce modeling. Further, it finds relevance in network management, especially in a mono-demographical culture.

Values and Lifestyles in the Adoption of New Technologies Applying VALS Scale

Abstract: This study examines the influence of individuals' values and lifestyles on the use of information and communication technologies. In particular, an adaptation of the VALS scale to the Spanish case is carried out and the influence of the identified values in the acceptance of information and communication technologies that are in different stages of their life cycle (mobile telephone system, Internet and e-commerce) is examined. The application of the VALS scale to Spain allows six dimensions to be identified: the search for innovation, tendencies, manual skills, intellectualism, conservatism and leadership. The empirical evidence obtained reveals that the search for innovation, interest in tendencies, intellectualism and leadership have a positive influence on the acceptance of the studied innovations. However, conservatism has a negative influence on the use of these technologies.INTRODUCTIONThe current competitive context is characterized by an acceleration of the innovation adoption and diffusion processes that as a result causes a reduction of the life cycle of products (Bayus, 1994; LaBahn, Ali & Krapfel, 1996). Thus, the launch rate of new products grows exponentially, particularly in the field of information and communication technologies, where new technical standards are constantly emerging. This phenomenon is particularly obvious in the sector of communications, which has undergone a continuous revolution over the last ten years with the introduction of Internet and the spread of the mobile phone system. Likewise, the rate of technological development seems to indicate that this process will continue, even more intensively, for the next decades.In this context, very diverse approaches have tried to identify the factors that determine the adoption of new information and communication technologies by final consumers. Regarding this subject, it is worth mentioning the research venue focused on the study of demographic characteristics of the most prone group to use this type of innovations (Korgaonkar & Wolin, 1999; Bhatnagar, Misra & Rao, 2000; Kau, Tang & Ghose, 2003). Likewise, in literature about the adoption of new technologies, the study of the influence of psychographic variables, such as the individuals' personality features (Pratt & Chudoba, 2006; Nov & Ye, 2008) or their attitudes and beliefs with regard to diverse information and communication systems, acquires special relevance (Lee, Kozar & Larsen, 2003; Rodriguez del Bosque & Herrero, 2005). However, there are very few studies inside this research venue that have dealt with the effect of consumers' values and lifestyles in the adoption of information and communication technologies (DuttaBergman, 2002; Chan & Leung, 2005). Therefore, although the influence of values and lifestyles is included in the main models of consumer behavior (Engel, Kollat & Blackwell, 1986; Kotier & Keller, 2006), there is an outstanding lack of empirical evidence with respect to its impact on the acceptance and diffusion of new technologies.On the other hand, research on the psychographic factors that determine the use of new technologies hasn't paid enough attention to the behaviour differences derived from their level of novelty or innovation. However, traditional models of innovation diffusion reveal that an early acceptance of a new product by consumers is determined by these characteristics (Bass, 1969; Rogers, 1983, 1995; Mahajan, Muller & Bass, 1990). So, literature about innovation diffusion has identified diverse psychological variables that determine the acceptance or use of a new product or technology such as personal innovativeness (Gatignon & Robertson, 1985; Goldsmith & Hofacker, 1991) or the search for novelty (Hirschman, 1980). Likewise, the literature about consumer behavior has identified different values and lifestyles that are very similar to these ones (e.g. experimentalism or novelty seeking) and that affect consumers' consumption habits (Steenkamp, Hofstede & Wedel, 1999). …

Staying afloat: A history of maritime passenger industry marketing

Abstract: Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to recount the history of the marketing of the maritime passenger industry (known today as the cruise industry). This is a unique industry that has survived and thrived for almost 175 years despite dramatic environmental changes. This history focuses on passenger shipping in and out of the USA first from/to European ports, later focusing on cruises from the USA to the Caribbean, today’s most popular cruise destination. Design/methodology/approach – This study adapts the Hollander et al. (2005) approach and incorporates primary data such as fare lists, advertisements and promotional materials, as well as secondary data from a variety of expert works and government reports. Findings – This study finds that the industry’s marketing history can be divided into six periods or phases: immigration and luxury (mid-nineteenth century to 1914); World War I (1914-1918); tourism, alcohol and luxury (1918-1939); World War II (1939-1946); jet age emergence (1946-1970); and cruising for all (1970 to the present day). Continuing industry growth; increasing focus on new geographic, and every-smaller demographic and psychographic markets; promotional emphasis on cuisine and activities; and positioning as a mass-consumed luxury are trends for the future. Research limitations/implications – Space constraints limit the information mostly to Europe-to-North America sailings of British and German transatlantic lines early in the paper, and to USA-to-Caribbean cruises in later phases. Practical implications – This study illustrates how an industry can completely reinvent all elements of its marketing strategy in response to changing social and technological forces. It adds to a growing body of industry marketing histories. Originality/value – Although much has been written about maritime history, no known work has examined the history of the marketing of the maritime passenger industry. It augments the growing body of industry-specific marketing histories.

The interplay between prior knowledge, perceived risk and the tourism consumer decision process: a conceptual framework

Abstract: When potential tourists engage in the decision-making process, there are a range of factors that can play a role in influencing their destination choice and the final travel outcome. This paper proposes a framework on how tourists' cognitive/ psychological factors play a role in their behavioural decision process. More specifically, this paper incorporates tourist risk perceptions, their prior knowledge and sensation seeking propensity as important psychographic attributes, and explains their possible interplay in various stages of the tourist decision-making model. This paper proposes a relationship between tourist prior knowledge, risk perceptions and subsequent information search behaviour, which has been overlooked in previous tourist decision-making models. Theoretical and practical implications are presented.

Segmenting B2B Technology Markets via Psychographics: An Exploratory Study

Abstract: This article examines how marketing executives employ psychographics as part of their target marketing strategy in business technology markets. In spite of the increased attention in the recent business-to-business segmentation literature, psychographics is not used as a major segmentation dimension (only one in five companies used this base). Psychographic thinking without formal analysis, however, was a commonly used strategy evidenced by 59% of the companies. While there was no difference in target marketing success found between formal and informal psychographics, both approaches fared significantly better than firms not bringing a psychographic mindset to their segmentation strategy. Firmographic and demographic variables did not impact the use of organizational psychographics. Motivation, relationship and risk variables were used by marketing managers as psychographic inputs. Implications for management practice and a research agenda for segmentation scholars are presented.

Psychographic Characteristics Influencing Customer Behaviour on Online Purchase Intention

Abstract: Article history: Received 25 January 2014 Received in revised form 12 March 2014 Accepted 14 April 2014 Available online 25 April 2014

Informing program design for connectivity conservation in the New South Wales Southern Highlands, Australia

Abstract: Connectivity initiatives typically require conservation action on private lands as a complement to public reserve systems, so they are more likely to succeed if underpinned by knowledge of the social factors influencing landholders' participation. Using a combination of social survey and market research techniques, we identify spatially referenced landholder segments. Using a number of behavioral and attitudinal constructs, including three psychographic constructs not previously used for identifying segments—sense of place, lifestyle motives, and nature values—we identify three lifestyler and two farmer segments, and show that the characteristics of lifestyler segments are more nuanced than previously thought. Preferences for four corridor connectivity initiatives are found to differ across landholder segments, which indicates the importance using a targeted approach for designing connectivity conservation programs. The results highlight the importance for achieving corridor connectivity of the Blue Colla...