It is well known from cognitive dissonance theory that one of the means by which cognitive dissonance may be reduced is by an exposure to congruent information (example, Festinger & Carl smith, 1959; Van Overwalle & Jordens, 2002). There is also ample research evidence showing that individuals are more responsive to persuasive attempts framed to contain information congruent with their self- image or that are relevant their life events at a particular point in time (example, Chang, 2005; Lin, Z007). However, the dissonance theory literature is silent regarding how the frame of congruent information to which an individual experiencing dissonance is exposed will influence the degree to which dissonance reduction will take place. The premise behind the research is that simply saying that consonant information will reduce dissonance. as stated in the dissonance theory literature. may not have sufficient dept. The research therefore examines whether dissonance reduction that will be based on the use of consonant information, will depend on whether the frame of the information is aligned with the regulatory orientation of the individual experiencing dissonance. An examination of the regulatory orientation of an individual experiencing dissonance, and who is exposed to consonant information that may aid dissonance reduction, is not currently mentioned in either dissonance theory or regulatory fit theory literatures. Thus, the research extends these two theoretical streams by proposing a new approach to dissonance reduction that takes .into account a dissonance sufferer's regulatory orientation.

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This research brings together, into one powerful analytical tool, two methodologies, Laddering Technique (L.T.) and Choice Experiment (C.E.), which complement each other nicely, in an 'attempt to examine consumers buying motives in relation to bread. The incentive to explore consumers' "black box" was given by the fact that changes in relation to nutritional issues have become apparent. The case of bread, particularly, attracts the attention of research as a product widely consumed that, however, has not been given much attention by researchers. L.T. approaches the subject from the psychological point of view and explores how people relate products with their personal values. L.T. was implemented so as to gain richer understanding as to how people translate product's characteristics into indicative connotation with respect to themselves. It has also created the basis for the second part of research by informing the attributes used in the C.E. The data was generated with the use of questionnaire that was completed by a small sample of individuals. The results revealed that bread type and the perceived bread healthiness are among the most important aspects consumers consider when buying bread. C.E. was used to examine how the inclusion of a functional ingredient affects consumer attitudes towards bread. An important feature of the C;E. design was the inclusion of the Dutch Eating Behavioural Ouestionnaire (D.E.B.O.) to collect information on participants underlying eating behaviours. The survey instrument employed a single postal mail shot. The results showed - again - that bread type is a major factor in determining choice and that the inclusion of a functional ingredient returned relatively small measures of value. The estimation of a Latent Class Model (L.C.M.) revealed differences in W.T.P. between segments. Also, segment membership can be partly explained by the D.E.B.O. Finally, an important finding is that respondents hold a stronger preference for a simple health statement compared or in addition to the benefits resulting from consuming a product that includes functional ingredients. ii

The most widely used marketing concept to explain consumers' reluctance to patronise foreign retail stores and to purchase imported products is consumer ethnocentrism (CET). To date, however, research has mostly concentrated on the antecedents and consequences of CET, whilst little is known about variables that may offset the impact of CET. This study represents the first step in addressing this gap by examining shopping orientation, specifically utilitarian value, as a moderator of the relationship between CET and the consumers' willingness to shop in foreign grocery retail stores (WTS). Other important research gaps addressed in this study are context specific (i.e., consumers and grocery retailers in China), which includes an investigation of the impact of country-of-origin cue, store brand cue, CET and shopping orientation on WTS, the causal relationships between CET, WTS and customer loyalty (i.e., attitudinal and behavioural loyalty) as well as between shopping orientation and customer loyalty, and the robustness of the CETSCALE (i.e., CET measurement instrument) in relation to socially desirable response bias. Building on an extensive literature review, a consumer ethnocentrism model of foreign grocery retail store patronage was conceptualised and examined for its theoretical applicability in Beijing via an initial qualitative study. The conclusive quantitative phase was store-intercept surveys conducted in four Beijing hypermarkets owned by two established domestic and foreign grocery retailers in China; this achieved a total sample of 500 questionnaires. Rigorous statistical assessment of the collected questionnaires was undertaken, where the raw data was verified for data entry accuracy, missing values in the raw datasets were resolved via the multiple imputation method, and the multiple imputed datasets were assessed for outliers and non-normality. The conceptual model was then tested using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). Based on conventional SEM procedures, the main results revealed that utilitarian value was a significant moderator of the relationship between CET and WTS, whilst the country-of- origin cue and store brand cue returned non-significant effects. In addition, store origin was a significant moderator of the relationship between WTS and loyalty intention towards foreign grocery retailers, i. e., this relationship was positively related for Beijing consumers who shop in foreign grocery stores but non-significant for those who shop in domestic grocery stores. The findings, theoretical and managerial implications, limitations and directions for future research are discussed.

Selon Caplin and Leahy (1997), le suspense est défini comme un plaisir ressenti immédiatement avant la résolution anticipée de l'incertitude, et ils font le postulat qu'il est positivement en rapport (jusqu'à un certain point) avec le montant des enjeux sur le résultat d'un événement. En marketing, le suspense est défini comme une excitation globale anticipative associée à l'espoir, la peur et l'incertitude ressentis par un consommateur et évalué(s) selon la probabilité de réalisation d'une consommation ou d'un événement important et imminent (Moulard, Kroff et Folse 2012).Dans ce contexte, le marketing expérientiel intègre certaines émotions afin de créer un lien hédonique avec les consommateurs. Les émotions ont un rôle crucial dans le marketing moderne et post-moderne. Ce rôle n'est pas assez grand en soi pour déterminer l'achat d'un produit/service, mais il est essentiel de s'interroger et de comprendre la manière dont les consommateurs produisent des émotions en cours de consommation.Cependant, le suspense n'est pas seulement utilisé afin de développer cet état affectif. En théorie, tout d'abord, un stimulus a besoin d'être suscité par quatre inducteurs que sont l'incertitude, la nouveauté, la complexité et le conflit. Ces inducteurs ont été identifiés comme les principales variables d'un objet ou d'un événement afin de créer un effet de curiosité (Berlyne 1960). En parallèle, l'espoir et la peur sont définis aussi bien que les antécédents de suspense avec l'incertitude (Madrigal and Bee 2005; Moulard, Kroff and Folse 2012). L'important lien entre suspense et incertitude amène cette recherche à traiter de la curiosité spécifique. / By Caplin and Leahy (1997), suspense is defined as a pleasure felt immediately prior to early resolution of uncertainty, and the assumption is that it is positively correlated with the amount of issues about the outcome of an event. In marketing, suspense is defined as an anticipatory global excitement associated with hope, fear and uncertainty which are felt and evaluated by a consumer according to probability of occurence of a significant and imminent consumption or event (Moulard, Kroff and Folse 2012). In this context, experiential marketing incorporates some emotions to create a hedonic connection with consumers. Emotions have a crucial role in modern and post-modern marketing. This role is not big enough in itself to determine the purchase of a product/service, but it's essential to question and to understand how consumers produce emotions during consumption. Nevertheless, suspense is not only used to build an emotional state. In theory, first of all, a stimulus needs to be aroused by four drivers which are uncertainty, novelty, complexity and conflict. These drivers have been identified as key variables of an object or an event to create an effect of curiosity (Berlyne 1960). In parallel, hope and fear are defined as well as the antecedents of suspense with uncertainty (Madrigal and Bee 2005; Moulard, Kroff and Folse 2012). The strong link between suspense and uncertainty leads this research to discuss about specific curiosity.

Cette recherche pose ainsi la problématique de l’usage du luxe vestimentaire comme discours militant et objet de captation. Plus précisément, ce travail investigue les mécanismes de la consommation du luxe vestimentaire par la communauté des Sapeurs. Ces derniers sont Africains, Noirs et leur consommation de luxe vestimentaire répond à des enjeux de Survalorisation de soi, de Surconformité et de tentatives de confiscation du luxe européen. Conséquemment, pour ces Sapeurs, le vêtement de luxe se transforme en un discours militant qui formule une motivation forte à recoloniser ou à basculer la perspective coloniale au profit du Noir. De fait, tel un processus de déconstruction sociologique et idéologique, le Sapeur manifeste une volonté de « jouer » sur le luxe Européen pour enfin le métamorphoser en un luxe par et pour l’Africain tout en gardant, bien entendu, les symboles et les vertus originelles. / The aim of this research is to study the use of luxury clothing consumption as an activist discourse and capturing object. More specifically, we investigate the mechanisms of luxury clothing consumption as used by the “Sapeur” community. This movement is composed of black Africans and their luxury clothing consumption meets such challenges as Overvalorization of the self, Overconformity and an attempted confiscation of European luxury. Consequently, for these Sapeurs, luxury clothing turns into an activist discourse, which shows their strong motivation to recolonize or to switch the colonial perspective in favor of the Blacks. In fact, such a process of sociological and ideological deconstruction shows how Sapeurs manifest a desire to "play" with European luxury to finally turn it into a luxury made by and for Africans while keeping, of course, its original symbols and virtues.

L'industrie du tourisme se caractérise dans le monde par une courbe de croissance exponentielle entraînant ainsi un boom économique et un grand nombre de prestations sociales pour les villes et pays. Les retombées économiques ont conduit de nombreux endroits à devenir des destinations touristiques. L'un des rôles les plus importants de la croissance du tourisme sont les résidents des villes (Butler, 1980 ; Murphy, 1985). Aujourd'hui, de nombreux chercheurs ont ajouté que lorsque les planificateurs et les développeurs créent une stratégie de marketing, ils doivent prendre en considération les perceptions, les opinions et les attitudes de la population locale, donc les responsables du marketing devraient se concentrer sur les habitants pour élaborer la stratégie de campagne de marketing et de promotion dédiée au tourisme (Liu et Wall, 2006). Le Liban dans les années 60 et 70 était connu pour être l'une des destinations touristiques les plus en vogue dans le monde, après les années 70 la guerre civile a dévasté le pays et son économie, ce qui est loin d'être terminé en 2014. Cette thèse portera sur la participation des résidents dans la campagne de marketing et de promotion touristique et pas comme les autres recherches qui soulignent la participation des habitants à l'égard du développement du tourisme. / The tourism industry has been on an exponential curve of growth worldwide, which resulted in an economic boom and a lot of social benefits for the cities and countries. This economic fallout has led many places to become tourism destinations. One of the most important roles of tourism growth are the residents (Butler, 1980; Murphy, 1985). Nowadays researchers added that when planners and developers are creating a marketing strategy, they have to take into consideration the perceptions, opinions and attitude of local residents, therefore marketers should concentrate on the residents to develop the strategy of marketing and promotion campaign dedicated to tourism (Liu & Wall, 2006). Lebanon during the 60’s and 70’s was known to be one of the best touristic destination in the world, after the 70’s the civil war has devastated the country and its economy and this is far from over in 2014. This thesis will focus on the involvement of the residents toward the tourism marketing and promotion campaign and not like other research that stress its study on the involvement of residents toward tourism development.

La recherche en comportement du consommateur a examiné de façon extensive les réponses des consommateurs aux stimuli écologiques du produit. Cette recherche doctorale vise à analyser l’influence du design écologique d’un attribut extrinsèque du produit, le packaging, sur les réponses attitudinales et comportementales des consommateurs envers des offres de grande consommation. La première partie de la thèse expose la littérature existante sur les comportements de consommation écologique d’une part, et sur les réponses des consommateurs aux stimuli du packaging d’autre part. Ensuite, une étude exploratoire a été réalisée, elle consiste en une étude qualitative composée d’entretiens semi-directifs et d’entretiens suivant une adaptation de la méthode ZMET. Les résultats de cette étude ont permis de réaliser une taxinomie des signaux écologiques du packaging, de définir le concept de design écologique du packaging et de déterminer les réponses des consommateurs à ses signaux. La partie quantitative de la thèse est composée de trois études expérimentales testant l’influence du design écologique du packaging dans différents contextes. La première étude teste les influences combinées de signaux écologiques visuels et verbaux sur l’évaluation esthétique du packaging, la valeur émotionnelle, l’attitude envers le produit et l’intention d’achat, en fonction de la préoccupation pour l’environnement (PPE) des individus. Les résultats révèlent notamment que la la PPE modère les relations entre l’interaction de la condition visuelle et de la condition verbale et les variables dépendantes. La deuxième étude teste les influences combinées de signaux écologiques structurels, graphiques et informationnels du packaging sur la perception de l’éthique de la marque, la perception de bénéfices individuels et pro-sociaux et l’intention d’achat. Les résultats suggèrent entre autres, que chacun des signaux influence la perception de l’éthique de la marque, mais que seule la condition structurelle exerce un effet d’ordre zéro sur les autres variables dépendantes. La troisième étude compare l’influence d’un signal écologique relatif à un attribut intrinsèque du produit versus un signal écologique relatif à un attribut extrinsèque du produit- le packaging - sur la perception écologique de l’offre, la perception de l’éthique de la marque, de bénéfices individuels et pro-sociaux et l’intention d’achat. Les résultats suggèrent notamment que les signaux écologiques relatifs à un attribut écologique intrinsèque et à un attribut écologique extrinsèque influencent tous deux la perception écologique de l’offre et la perception de l’éthique de la marque. La condition intrinsèque influence les bénéfices individuels et pro-sociaux, tandis que la condition extrinsèque n’influence que partiellement la perception de bénéfices individuels, elle influence néanmoins positivement la perception de bénéfices pro-sociaux. Finalement, l’ensemble des résultats est discuté, les apports théoriques, méthodologiques et managériaux sont soulevés et les limites et perspectives de recherches futures sont proposées. / Research in consumer behavior has extensively examined consumers’ responses to product ecological stimuli. This dissertation focuses on the influence of an eco-designed extrinsic attribute of the product – packaging - on attitudinal and behavioral responses. The first part of this dissertation draws on literature on ecological consumption behaviors on the one hand, and consumers’ responses to packaging on the other hand. Next, an exploratory study has been undertook ; it consists of a qualitative study composed of semi-structured and ZMET interviews. Results enabled us to build a taxonomy of packaging ecological cues, to define the concept of eco-designed packaging and to ascertain consumers’ range of responses to these cues. The quantitative part of the dissertation is composed of three experimental studies which test the influence of eco-designed packaging in different contexts. The first study tests the combined influences of packaging visual and verbal ecological signals on consumer’s aesthetic evaluation, emotional value, attitude towards the product and purchase intention as a function of environmental concern (EC). Results reveal that EC moderates the relationships between the interaction of the visual and the verbal conditions and the dependant variables. The second study tests the combined influences of packaging structural, graphical and informational ecological cues on perception of brand ethicality, perception of individual and prosocial benefits, and purchase intention. Results suggest that, amongst other things, the three signals influence the perceived ethicality of the brand but that only the structural signal exerts a zero-order effect on the other dependent variables. The third study compares the influences of an ecological signal related to an intrinsic attribute of the product versus an extrinsic attribute (packaging) on eco-friendliness perception of the offer, and the variables used in the previous study. Results suggest that both product and packaging ecological design positively influence the perception of global eco-friendliness and perceived ethicality. While the “product ecodesign” condition influences both the individual and the prosocial benefits, the “packaging ecodesign” condition influences only partially the individual benefits. However, it also exerts a positive effect on prosocial benefits. Eventually, results are discussed; theoretical, managerial and methodological implications are highlighted and limitations and directions for future research are proposed.

L'apprentissage est un processus fondamental et sous-jacent au comportement du consommateur. Ceci est particulièrement vrai lorsque des (nouveaux) produits ou services sont achetés et utilisés pour la première fois. La recherche actuelle en psychologie et marketing a mis l'accent sur des principes pédagogiques pour expliquer comment les consommateurs apprennent à utiliser des produits hors ligne. Cette recherche vise à élargir ce concept en explorant les processus d'apprentissage dans des contextes en ligne et en se basant sur une approche andragogique, à savoir l’apprentissage des adultes, et d’un point de vue cognitif. En utilisant une approche multi-méthodes basée sur une approche qualitative, à savoir des entretiens semi-structurés et des observations non-participantes, et une approche quantitative, à savoir une enquête et des expérimentations, nos résultats contribuent à la compréhension du "consumer e-learning". Tout d'abord, nous identifions comment et par quels processus les consommateurs adultes apprennent dans un environnement en ligne. Deuxièmement, nous déterminons les facteurs andragogiques et online qui aident à réduire les efforts cognitifs des consommateurs dans l’apprentissage d’un nouveau produit, et par conséquent, améliorent leur appropriation d'un produit. Dans un contexte où l'inefficacité des modes d’emploi traditionnels conduit à un manque d’apprentissage et l’utilisation moindre d’un produit, cette recherche contribue au niveau théorique au champ de l'apprentissage des consommateurs en abordant la question de l'apprentissage des consommateurs d’un point de vue andragogique et cognitif, et en abordant des questions critiques telles que le désapprentissage de pratiques antérieures. / Learning is a fundamental process underlying consumer behavior. This is especially true when (new) products or services are purchased and used for the first time. Existing research in psychology and marketing has focused on pedagogical principles to explain how consumers learn to use products in offline settings. This research aims to broaden this scope by exploring learning processes in online contexts and by drawing on an andragogical, i.e. adult learning, and cognitive perspective. Using a multi-method approach based on a qualitative study including semi-structured interviews and non-participant observations, and a quantitative part involving a survey and experiments, our results contribute to the understanding of consumer e-learning. First, we identify how and by which processes adult consumers learn in an online environment. Second, we determine andragogical and online factors that help reducing consumers’ cognitive effort in new product learning, and consequently improve their appropriation of the product usage. In a context in which the ineffectiveness of traditional step-by-step instructions leads to reduced insight-based learning and product usage intention, this research contributes theoretically to the field of consumer learning by investigating consumer learning from an andragogical and cognitive perspective, and addressing critical issues such as product unlearning.