Abstract also in Chinese. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1979. / Includes bibliographical references (leaf 119). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iii / LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS --- p.v / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS --- p.vii / Chapter Chapter I --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Background --- p.1 / Aim of Study --- p.3 / Scope of Study --- p.3 / Chapter Chapter II --- THE RISE OF CONSUMERISM --- p.6 / What is Consumerism --- p.6 / Cause of Consumerism --- p.10 / The Future of Consumerism --- p.12 / Chapter Chapter III --- CONSUMER MOVEMENT IN HONG KONG --- p.15 / The Hong Kong Consumer Council --- p.16 / Limitations Faced by HongKong Consumer Council --- p.27 / The Future of Hong Kong Consumer Council --- p.30 / Chapter Chapter IV --- A SURVEYOF CONSUMER OPINIONS ABOUT THE HONG KONG CONSUMER COUNCIL --- p.32 / Objectives of the Survey --- p.32 / Research Design --- p.33 / Method of Data Collection --- p.33 / Questionnaire Design --- p.34 / Sample Design --- p.35 / Sampling Procedures --- p.37 / Sample Size --- p.37 / Data Analysis --- p.40 / Limitation of the Survey --- p.43 / Findings --- p.43 / Validity of the Hypotheses --- p.51 / Chapter Chapter V --- CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION --- p.54 / Conclusion --- p.54 / Recommendation --- p.55 / APPENDIX --- p.59 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.119

Wong King Yin. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2006. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 79-83). / Abstracts in English and Chinese; questionnaires in Chinese. / Abstract (English) --- p.2 / Abstract (Chinese) --- p.3 / Dedication --- p.4 / Acknowledgements --- p.5 / Table of Contents --- p.6 / Chapter Chapter 1 --- Introduction --- p.8 / Chapter 1.0 --- Overview --- p.8 / Chapter 1.1 --- Background --- p.8 / Chapter 1.2 --- Research Objectives --- p.11 / Chapter 1.3 --- Expected Contributions --- p.11 / Chapter 1.4 --- Organization of the Thesis --- p.12 / Chapter Chapter 2 --- Literature Review & Research Model --- p.14 / Chapter 2.0 --- Overview --- p.14 / Chapter 2.1 --- Literature Review on Embarrassment --- p.14 / Chapter 2.1.1 --- Embarrassment and Its Antecedent --- p.14 / Chapter 2.1.2 --- Embarrassment and Its Subsequent Behavioral Tendency --- p.24 / Chapter 2.2 --- Conceptual Definitions --- p.35 / Chapter 2.2.1 --- Consumer Embarrassment --- p.36 / Chapter 2.2.2 --- Cross-selling --- p.37 / Chapter 2.2.3 --- Helping Behavior --- p.38 / Chapter 2.3 --- Hypothesis --- p.40 / Chapter Chapter 3 --- Research Methodology --- p.44 / Chapter 3.0 --- Overview --- p.44 / Chapter 3.1 --- Research Design --- p.44 / Chapter 3.2 --- Pretest --- p.45 / Chapter 3.2.1 --- Embarrassing Product --- p.46 / Chapter 3.2.2 --- Scenario Development --- p.47 / Chapter 3.2.3 --- Questionnaire Development --- p.48 / Chapter 3.2.4 --- Experimental Setting --- p.51 / Chapter 3.3 --- Main Study --- p.52 / Chapter 3.3.1 --- Participants --- p.52 / Chapter 3.3.2 --- Materials --- p.52 / Chapter 3.3.3 --- Scenarios --- p.53 / Chapter 3.3.4 --- Manipulation Checks --- p.54 / Chapter 3.3.5 --- Dependent Measures --- p.56 / Chapter 3.3.6 --- Procedures --- p.56 / Chapter Chapter 4 --- Results And Discussion --- p.58 / Chapter 4.0 --- Overview --- p.58 / Chapter 4.1 --- Reliability of Scales --- p.58 / Chapter 4.2 --- Manipulation Checks --- p.59 / Chapter 4.3 --- Hypotheses Testing --- p.60 / Chapter 4.4 --- Discussion --- p.62 / Chapter Chapter 5 --- Conclusion --- p.64 / Chapter 5.0 --- Overview --- p.64 / Chapter 5.1 --- Contributions --- p.64 / Chapter 5.1.1 --- Theoretical Contribution --- p.64 / Chapter 5.1.2 --- Managerial Contribution --- p.66 / Chapter 5.2 --- Limitations --- p.67 / Chapter 5.3 --- Future Research Directions --- p.68 / Chapter 5.3.1 --- Embarrassing Product Typology --- p.68 / Chapter 5.3.2 --- Coping Strategies to Embarrassment and Fear of Embarrassment --- p.69 / Chapter 5.3.3 --- Coping Strategic Inclinations to Embarrassment --- p.70 / Chapter 5.4 --- Conclusion --- p.71 / Appendices --- p.73 / Appendix I - Booklet for Main Study --- p.73 / Appendix II - Booklet For Manipulation Checks --- p.76 / References --- p.79

According to Engel, Blackwell, and Miniard (1993), evaluative criteria refer to "the standards and specifications used by consumers to compare different products and brands" (p. 51). Many studies have examined the importance of clothing evaluative criteria used by consumers in their decision making. However, few studies have compared the clothing evaluative criteria used by consumers in different countries. Therefore, the purpose of the study was to compare the influence of culture on the importance placed on clothing evaluative criteria between Taiwanese and United States college women. Self-administered questionnaires were used for data collection. Seven-point scales were used to measure the importance of 12 clothing criteria: fabric, comfortable to wear, size/fit, quality, country of origin, color, pleasing to others, suitability, price, style, and coordination. The questionnaire also measured respondent's demographic characteristics. The questionnaire was first developed in English, translated into Chinese, and then back-translated into English. Questionnaires were handed out in classes at Oregon State University in the United States and at Fu-Jen Catholic University in Taiwan. A convenience sample of 233 female students received questionnaires (102 U.S. and 131 Taiwanese). Overall, 119 Taiwanese and 84 U.S. college women, who were qualified and completed the questionnaires, served as subjects. Data from the questionnaires were analyzed using t-tests. The findings indicated that the importance placed on clothing evaluative criteria was partially influenced by the nationality of the respondents. No significant differences were found between the two groups in the importance of style, coordination, color, fabric, price, pleasing to others, and brand name (p>.05). However, significant differences were found between the two groups in the importance of comfortable to wear, size/fit, quality, country of origin, and suitability (p<.05). Despite the significant differences found for these evaluative criteria, the mean importance scores were very similar between the two groups. Based upon mean importance scores, the evaluative criterion, size/fit (mean: U.S.=6.69, Taiwan=6.29) was the most important criterion for both groups. Based on the results from this study, consumer decision making of U.S. and Taiwanese college females may be very similar for purchasing apparel. International marketers and retailers may use cross-national comparison studies related to Taiwan market that deal with the consumer decision process such as the present study for their international marketing strategies. / Graduation date: 1995

The children's apparel industry is a fast-growing industry in the United States. It is important to determine what factors are considered as the most important when parents purchase their pre-school children's clothing. To gain a better understanding of parent-consumers' purchasing behavior of pre-school children's apparel, this study focused on parent-consumers' evaluative criteria used in purchasing pre-school children's apparel both in Taiwan and in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to compare the evaluative criteria used by Taiwan and U.S. parent-consumers in their decisions to purchase children's apparel. The importance of intrinsic criteria directly related to the product itself and some selected extrinsic criteria were examined. The theoretical framework used for the present study was the EKB consumer behavior model; with focus on the alternative evaluation stage of the consumer decision making process. Previous research has examined evaluative criteria used in purchasing women's and men's apparel, but only limited research has investigated evaluative criteria used in purchasing children's apparel. Survey methodology was used to collect data. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to two non-probability, purposive samples to collect quantitative data. Data were collected through two selected pre-schools at Oregon State University in the U.S. and at Fu Jen Catholic University in Taiwan. The samples consisted of 200 parent-consumers with a child or children, ages 3 to 6. Subjects were given questionnaires through teachers or researcher, resulting in a 84.1% response rate. Collected data were analyzed using two sample t-tests. Significant differences were found between the two groups in the importance of aesthetic and extrinsic criteria but not in the importance of usefulness and performance criteria. Among all 22 criteria, significant differences were found between Taiwan and U.S. respondents in the importance of: fiber content, type of fabric, fabric print, having character/logo, color fastness, price, on sale, brand name, and country of origin. The most important criteria for both groups were comfort and size/fit. By identifying the evaluative criteria used by parent-consumers of pre-school children's apparel in two countries, the results partially supported the EKB consumer behavior model. In addition, the findings about the importance of purchase criteria used by parent-consumers may also benefit children's apparel manufacturers and retailers in revising or improving their competitive ability in global marketing. / Graduation date: 1995

ABSTRACT While in the developed countries, flowers are living necessity and enjoy a sizable market, the Council of Agriculture Executive Yuan R.O.C points out that cultivation and sales of flowers are important items in the prospecting dedicated agriculture industries of Taiwan. Besides the enjoyment and appreciation the beauty of blooming by oneself , in social life flowers can perform the instrumental function of expressing wishes in the occasion of marriage, birthday, promotion, house moving, and consolation in the sickness or sadness. The study of flower preference schemata is one of the importance concepts for flower product design and development. The current research figured out different patterns of flower preference among people¡¦s mind ,through pictures of moth orchid and rose designed by the three factors of flower beauty: color, volume, and package. The distinctive flower buying behaviors of the different groups were studied consequently. In our valid sample are 696 teachers from senior high and junior high schools and elementary schools in the Kaohsiung area in Taiwan. In addition to the description and analysis on people¡¦s flower buying behavior about flower type preference, shop choice, purchase frequency, and flower-as-present purchase behavior, the major findings of the current research are as the following: (1) Confirming that there exist distinctive flower preference schemata in people mind; (2) Flower preference affect the purchase behavior; (3) Demographic variables moderate the effect of flower preference on the purchase behavior; (4) Flower attitude and demographic variables affect flower consumption behavior.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Auburn University, 2009. / Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (p. 114-125).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 1988. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 238-247).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Florida State University, 2006. / Advisor: Jeanne Heitmeyer, Florida State University, College of Human Sciences, Dept. of Textiles and Consumer Sciences. Title and description from dissertation home page (viewed June 14, 2006). Document formatted into pages; contains viii, 122 pages. Includes bibliographical references.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2006. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

M.Comm. / The research study has endeavoured to explore adolescent perceived influence on parent purchase decisions more comprehensively, with unique and pioneering research being conducted on the degree to which this influence varies cross-culturally. Several findings were similar to previous research conducted, with adolescents still perceiving to have greater influence than their parents attribute to them. The cross-cultural findings, however, provide a basis for future research due to the significant value of these findings to marketers and researchers alike. The value of researching this cross-cultural impact should therefore not be discarded, as the researcher is of the opinion that knowledge regarding this aspect will dramatically influence the manner in which products are marketed and the ultimate success of long-term customer relationships. Conclusions,