A review of the marketing literature shows that three types of involvement tend to influence a given purchase decision. These are product involvement, situation involvement, and the consumer's involvement with purchasing. Product and situation involvement have previously been measured and shown to influence buying behavior. The purpose of this research is to provide a measure for the third construct, involvement with purchasing. / Domain sampling theory was employed to develop an unidimensional Likert scale for purchasing involvement. The development involved the following steps. (1) Appropriate marketing and social psychology literature was used to define the consumer purchasing involvement concept. (2) A large pool of items (150) was generated using the definition of the construct. (3) The pool of items was reduced to a smaller set (75) by a panel of marketing research students familiar with the involvement literature. (4) The 75 items were administered (with appropriate reliability and validity scales) to a probability sample of 470 adults from Tallahassee, Florida. (5) A sample of 100 students were tested and then retested two weeks later to assess test-retest reliability. (6) Item-to-total correlations were used to choose the best items for the final scale. (7) Appropriate reliability and validity checks were made on the final scale. / The implementation of the scale development procedure produced a scale with acceptable reliability and validity. In addition, purchasing involvement was shown to be related to search effort and to explain variance in shopping behavior which is not accounted for by product or situation involvement. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 43-06, Section: A, page: 2078. / Thesis (D.B.A.)--The Florida State University, 1982.

A private sector consumer satisfaction measurement method and aggregation procedure were validated in the public sector. Generating the index involved the identification of the attributes of local government goods and services. The attributes were then weighted for importance using conjoint analysis and tested for their explanatory power in predicting product satisfaction. Products also were weighted and tested for their ability to explain overall satisfaction with local government goods and services. / The essence of the study was the determination of the validity of the measurements and weighting scheme. Validity testing included test-retest reliability estimation, convergence with a criterion measure, scale discriminability, and determination of nomological validity. / Results of the research supported the validity of the index method and aggregation scheme. Subjects could identify public product attributes, although fewer than in previous private sector product research. Conjoint analysis satisfaction equations explained a statistically significant proportion of variance in overall and product satisfaction (the dependent variables) using weighted product satisfaction and weighted attribute satisfaction as the independent variables. Other findings were: the instrument was acceptably reliable; satisfaction measurements and importance weights converged with a criterion measure; the scale exhibited strong evidence of nomological validity and, therefore, for the generalizability of the study's conceptualization and measurement method. The research provides a starting point for more public/private sector comparative satisfaction research. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: A, page: 2832. / Thesis (D.B.A.)--The Florida State University, 1981.

In marketing research a great deal of reliance is placed upon the acquisition of data through verbal self-reports. Recent research has cast some doubt as to the validity of data provided by verbal self-reports. Counter evidence supporting the use of verbal self-reports has also been provided. This research uses a simple paired comparison test to investigate the validity of verbal self-reports in marketing reasearch. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-04, Section: A, page: 1035. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1985.

The landmark studies on miscomprehension by Jacoby and Hoyer used inadequate operationalizations of the outcomes of the comprehension process. That is, comprehension was operationalized as the percentage of correct response, miscomprehension as the percentage of incorrect response, and noncomprehension as the percentage of "Don't Know" response. These operationalizations are inadequate because every response, whether it is correct or incorrect, contains response biases. / A signal detection method was introduced to separate a subject's true performance from response biases. Under this method, three outcomes of the comprehension process are defined. First, comprehension is operationalized as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve and this index is independent of response biases. Second, pure miscomprehension occurs when a subject responds incorrectly but he is sure that he has responded correctly. The rating scale decision matrix will be utilized to measure the pure miscomprehension rate. Insufficient comprehension occurs when a subject does not have complete understanding for correct response nor complete misunderstanding for incorrect response. If a subject has insufficient comprehension, he responds based on his response tendency. / Using an experimental design, the signal detection method and Jacoby and Hoyer's method were compared. As expected, Jacoby and Hoyer's indices were dependent on response bias such as yea-saying and the signal detection method produced indices which were independent of response biases. This establishes that the signal detection method produces more accurate measures than the Jacoby and Hoyer method. / A new way was proposed to measure comprehension, pure miscomprehension, and insufficient comprehension using the rating scale task, which is one of three data collection methods in the signal detection approach. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-12, Section: A, page: 4202. / Major Professor: J. Dennis White. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

The latent construct of Image has been hypothesized to be an important factor in helping consumers determine where they will shop. Research concerning the construct has advanced with regard to understanding what characteristics of a store may be a part of the store's image. Other image research interests have not produced conclusive findings concerning how an image impacts patronage behavior. / One identifiable problem in image research is a lack of knowledge regarding how an image is formed within consumers' minds. Image formation is hypothesized to be a process that occurs at different levels, or stages, within the mind. The process gradually integrates information about specific store characteristics until an overall image is formed. / The current research is an empirical examination of the image formation process. Using the LISREL VI program an investigation is made of the relationships that exist among many of the individual characteristics that make up a store image. The study is a first step toward identifying image structure. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-12, Section: A, page: 4198. / Major Professor: Persis E. Rockwood. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of the international market environment on international managers' uncertainty of decision making, the internal decision structure of international organizations, and the managers' perceived performance of the organization. The study attempts to determine the effect of eight separate components of the external environment on the uncertainty of decision making of international managers. The components of the external environment which the study utilizes are, Environmental Diversity, Environmental Dynamism, Environmental Concentration, Environmental Capacity, Environmental Complexity, Environmental Interdependence, Understanding of the Environment and Environmental Hostility. The study attempts to determine the effect of each of the components of the environment on decision making uncertainty in order to provide international managers with a guide in developing appropriate marketing strategies. In addition, the research analyzes the effect of decision making uncertainty on the design of the internal decision structure of exporting organizations. Further, the study attempts to determine the effect of decision making uncertainty and the design of the internal decision structure of the organization on the perceived performance of exporting organizations. / Data for the study is gathered from a survey of United States exporting firms. The survey list was provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, and includes U.S. exporting organizations for the year 1987. / A research model is developed to determine the significance of the effects of the external environment on decision making uncertainty, the internal decision structure, and performance of the exporting organizations. The results of the survey are analyzed utilizing confirmatory factor analysis and the LISREL methodology to determine the strength and direction of the effects of the environmental components on the decision making uncertainty of the exporting organizations. In addition, the study analyzes the strength and direction of the effect of decision making uncertainty on the internal decision structure and performance of exporting organizations. / The results of the research suggest that the level of diversity, capacity, complexity, interdependence, understanding, and hostility significantly affect the level of decision making uncertainty. The research also suggests that the level of decision making uncertainty influences the internal decision structure and performance of the organization. In addition, the study suggests that the internal decision structure of the organization affects the performance of international organizations. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-09, Section: A, page: 3141. / Major Professor: J. Joseph Cronin. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

This study started with the premise that the construct of country-of-origin image is separate and distinct from the concept of product image, with which it should not be confused, and theorized that such a construct could be at the root of consumers' biases against foreign products. The study also argued that the past literature on country-of-origin biases focused almost exclusively on product images, thus leaving unanswered at least two important questions: (a) what is the nature of the country-of-origin construct? and (b) how can this construct be accurately measured? / Given the potential explanatory power of this construct to better understand the country-of-origin bias phenomenon, and given the absence of studies devoted to this topic in the present marketing literature, it was decided that the major objective of this dissertation was to develop a psychometrically sound measure of the construct of country-of-origin image. / To accomplish this purpose, Churchill's approach to scale development was adopted, with some modifications. A forty item scale describing a country-of-origin image for three countries (Iran, Canada, and Japan) along four hypothesized dimensions (culture, political system, level of economic development, and level of technological/product superiority) was mailed to respondents as part of a questionnaire. Their answers were submitted to an exploratory and a confirmatory factor analysis procedure. At the same time, the internal consistency of the scale was determined via the computation of coefficient alpha, and its convergent and discriminant validity were also assessed. / Results showed that respondents evaluated a country-of-origin image along two dimensions only (culture/ political system, and level of economic/technological development), and that the original 40 item scale could be reduced to a 13 item scale. This more parsimonious scale exhibited satisfactory levels of internal consistency reliability. In addition, its degree of convergent validity was shown to be acceptable, while its degree of discriminant validity was also acceptable, except in the case of Japan. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 51-12, Section: A, page: 4199. / Major Professor: J. Dennis White. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1990.

A comparative study was conducted of the predictive utility across two psychosocial models of human behavior--the Triandis Theory of Social Behavior and Fishbein's Theory of Behavioral Intentions--as they focus on professionals' intentions to market and advertise their services. Each component in these two models was critically examined to determine its significance in predicting professionals' intentions to use marketing and advertising practices. / The dependent variable measured was the "behavioral intention" of professionals to market and advertise their services. In order to effectively compare the Fishbein and Triandis models, only the "behavioral intention" portion of the Triandis model was used. Therefore, with this modification, each of the dependent variables of the two models were comparable. / In an attempt to enhance the models, several diffusion factors were tested to see if they were related to the dependent variable, behavioral intention. Diffusion factors that were tested include: (1) risk and uncertainty, (2) cost, (3) compatibility, (4) observability, and (5) trialability-reversibility. / The results provided an increased understanding of the intrapersonal determinants of marketing actions that could possibly aid in the prediction of other business-related behaviors. The expectations that both models would prove to be accurate in predicting intentions relative to dentist's marketing and advertising their services were supported. The Triandis model fared better than the Fishbein model. Multiple correlations for the Fishbein model ranged from.717 to.782. The multiple correlations for the Triandis model ranged from.782 to.854. The average correlation for the Triandis model was.821, while the average for the Fishbein model was.752. / Three out of the five diffusion factors proved to be significantly correlated with the dependent variable. These three factors were compatibility, observability, and trialability-reversibility. There is an obvious implication for marketing and advertising professionals that dentists are concerned about the compatibility of marketing and advertising messages with their practices. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-03, Section: A, page: 0739. / Major Professor: Gary R. Heald. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1989.

Coupons have been recognized as a viable sales promotion tool. Prior empirical research has focused primarily on the use of coupons for the promotion of frequently purchased consumer packaged goods. Evidence suggests that this promotional tool is also quite effective for the promotion of services. To begin to understand the effectiveness of coupons in service industries, an exploratory study examining the effects of coupon usage in a fast food environment was conducted. / Through the use of a self-contained fast food mini-market, this study examined the effects of a direct mail coupon on individual consumer behavior, brand purchases, category purchases, and repeat purchases. The differential effects of the relationship of prior purchase frequency and consumer response to sales promotion were also explored. / Data was gathered from an unobtrusive consumer panel to capture subjects' behavior over time. Results of the study indicated that a coupon had no effect on the number of brand or category purchases made by subjects who were mailed a coupon for the test establishment. The coupon did not affect the number of items purchased per transaction or the amount of time between transactions. Purchase frequency was positively related to coupon redemption and subjects who redeemed a coupon had a higher proportion of repeat visits after the conclusion of the promotion. Finally, the coupon was not effective at inducing trial in the test establishment. The findings of this study suggest the coupon may have functioned as a reward for high frequency patrons. / This study has important implications for future research on the use of sales promotions in service industries. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 56-10, Section: A, page: 4050. / Major Professor: Richard Mizerski. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1995.

A multi-billion dollar industry is built around the consumption of recorded music. To date, the field of marketing has done very little research to explain the phenomenon. The purpose of this study is to explore the responses that music creates in an individual and how those responses impact the individual's intention to purchase the music. / Seven constructs were defined as being a part of the music consumption experience. These constructs were the Sensorial Response, the Emotional Response, the Imaginal Response, the Analytical Response, the Overall Affective Response, the Experiential Response, the Need to Reexperience the music, and Purchase Intention. Findings from the study showed that the Sensorial, Emotional, Imaginal and Analytical Responses had significant direct effects on both the Overall Affective Response and the Experiential Response. The Need to Reexperience the music had the greatest affect on an individual's Purchase Intention. / The study demonstrated the importance of the imaginal and sensorial responses in an hedonic consumption experience (e.g., listening to music). To date, the marketing literature has only addressed the emotional and analytical components of overall affect. Another important finding is the impact of the Need to Reexperience the music on Purchase Intention. Liking the music (Overall Affect) was not a strong indicator of Purchase Intention. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 52-02, Section: A, page: 0612. / Major Professor: Richard Mizerski. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1991.