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В работе проведён комплексный анализ информационного сопровождения процесса принятия решения о покупке образовательных онлайн-продуктов дополнительного профессионального образования (ДПО) в интернет-среде. Рассмотрены существующие модели принятия решения о покупке и их развитие, определена сущность информационного сопровождения и факторы цифровой среды, влияющие на процесс покупки. Методом экономико-статистического анализа определены характеристики онлайн-рынка образовательных продуктов и тенденции его развития. С помощью информативно-целевого анализа изучен опыт информационного сопровождения лидеров рынка, а так же определены потребительские предпочтения в организации информационного сопровождения методом глубинных интервью. Результатом работы является усовершенствованная модель принятия решения о покупке образовательного продукта уровня ДПО с учётом особенностей информационного сопровождения в современной интернет-среде, проверенная методом A/B-тестирования. Результаты исследования могут широко применяться при построении маркетинговых и коммуникационных стратегий создателями образовательных продуктов и рекламными агентствами. / The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of the informational support of the decision-making process on the purchase in EdTech market. The author considered existing models of customer decision-making process, the definition of informational support and digital era factors that influence a decision-making process. The economic and statistical analysis was held to measure the EdTech market. The author applied an informative and targeted analysis to define how market leaders organize informational support. In addition, in-depth interviews were conducted to determine consumer preferences. The result of the work is an improved model of decision-making on the purchase of an educational product on the EdTech market. The model was tested with the A/B-testing method. The results of the study can be widely used in the development of marketing and communication strategies both by EdTech product owners, and advertising agencies.

The study addresses the limited and fragmented approaches of consumer behaviour studies in the existing literature and a lack of comprehensive integrated theoretical models of online consumer behaviour. The aim of the study is to propose a conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour which suggests a deviation from the existing purchasing approaches to consumer behaviour - hence a move towards an understanding of consumer behaviour in terms of two new approaches, namely the web-based communication exposure and internal psychological behavioural processes approaches, is proposed. The study addresses two main research problems, namely that inadequate knowledge and information exist on online consumers’ behavioural processes, especially their internal psychological behavioural processes during their exposure to web-based communication messages and their progression through the complete web-based communication experience; and that there is no conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour in the literature. This study, firstly, allows for systematic theoretical exploration, description, interpretation and integration of existing literature and theory on offline and online consumer behaviour including the following: theoretical perspectives and approaches; determinants; decision making; consumer information processing and response; and theoretical foundations. This systematic theoretical exploration and description of consumer behaviour literature and theory commences with the contextualisation and proposal of a new definition, perspective and theoretical approaches to online consumer behaviour; the discussion and analysis of the theory of the determinants of consumer behaviour; the discussion and analysis of decision-making theory; the proposition of a new online information decision-making perspective and model; the discussion and analysis of consumer information-processing and response theory and models; the discussion and analysis of the theoretical foundations of consumer behaviour; and the identification of theoretical criteria for online consumer behaviour. Declaration – acknowledgements - abstract Secondly, the study develops a conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour, thereby theoretically grounding online consumer behavioural processes in the context of internal psychological behavioural processes and exposure to web-based communication messages. It is hence posited that the study provides a more precise understanding of online consumers’ complicated internal cognitive and psychological behavioural processes in their interactive search for and experience of online web-based communication and information, which can be seen as a major contribution to the field of study. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

因應Web 2.0 的關鍵技術及應用發展，傳統行之多年的行銷思維及作法開始面臨極大挑戰。過去沒有人可以想像消費者能在網站上公開評價商品，或直接發表對特定品牌的體驗；也無法想像主題式社群網站能集結社群、部落格的心得文可以影響消費者行為；品牌的行銷活動比過去更多元且富創意，為的就是吸引消費者的眼球注意力；企業甚至願意花時間經營網站社群，為這群利基消費者發展新品牌及產品線。這些現象的背後，反映出我們所處的行銷環境已大不如前，而消費者、企業與品牌之間的關係改變，無疑地，Web 2.0是促成改變的關鍵原因之一。企業面臨網路科技所帶來的思維轉型，該如何有效因應，並調整其行銷思維及作法，是本研究欲探討的重點。 由於現有文獻或研究多半以Web 2.0 對企業單一構面的影響，或是針對特定產業的深入研究，缺乏全面性且多元的比較研究。因此本研究採用探索性研究法的個案研究法，以文獻探討內容為本，並透過深度訪談法獲取第一手資訊，以發展出行銷 2.0 與傳統行銷的比較命題。 經過文獻探討與個案分析後，本研究歸納出九個命題： 1、Web 2.0 平台有助企業體現市場導向思維。 2、Web 2.0 時代的消費者握有行銷研究的主導權，並由他們決定如何建立關係。 3、Web 2.0 時代下，網路使用者因應共同的興趣及目標聚集形成社群，而企業也開始將主題式社群作為市場區隔的依據。 4、Web 2.0 網站平台較能幫助企業有效評估區隔。 5、Web 2.0 網站平台有助廠商蒐集並了解消費者意見，共同打造符合需求的市場定位。 6、Web 2.0 增加企業與消費者的接觸點，也增加 7P 行銷組合的內涵及作法。 7、行銷2.0 不再是企業單方面由上而下決定品牌內涵，而是由企業與消費者共同打造品牌體驗與價值。 8、Web 2.0 平台強化消費者角色本質的轉變，由孤立變為聯合、由無知變為資訊靈通、由被動變為主動。 9、Web 2.0 平台將傳統單向線性的消費者決策模式，轉變為完整迴圈式的流程。 研究發現，Web 2.0 平台賦予消費者十足的空間及舞台，在商業體系中扮演更積極主動的角色，他們不再一味接受企業透過大眾傳媒所傳遞的訊息，反而開始握有行銷研究的主導權，主動調查有興趣的產業及品牌。而消費流程也不再是單次決策，其購後評價及心得也透過Web 2.0 平台反饋，繼續影響其他消費者的購物行為。Web 2.0 在企業與消費者之間扮演的中介角色，不僅讓雙方在對等的平台上良性互動外，也化解過去因為資訊不對稱所造成的誤解及無效率。而消費者行為的種種轉變，對於企業未來在決定市場區隔、目標市場以及行銷組合7P 等均有決定性的影響。 企業不只要妥善經營實體環境的公共關係，虛擬網絡世界的關係也得花心思好好打理，尤其必須掌握科技及網絡世界的溝通經驗，讓網路使用者中的意見領袖發揮其影響力和說服力，為品牌發言也為品牌形象加值，在每個接觸點都不能放過與消費者互動的機會，因為他們也是共同打造品牌體驗的重要角色。未來的行銷是接觸點戰爭，能夠在與消費者的接觸點出奇制勝、良性互動並獲得有利情報的企業，才有機會扭轉劣勢，力創新局。 / In recent years traditional marketing concepts have been evolving and encountering great challenges due to the online applications commonly described as Web 2.0 or social community websites. No one had foreseen that consumers would evaluate products or services directly after purchase on the thematic social media and publish their brand experience openly through Internet. No one had expected that the thematic social media or Blogs could appeal and gather so many members and opinions towards specific topics, which might influence consumers’ decision. Nowadays, marketers are rushing to integrate various forms of social media into marketing planning and are highly motivated to initiate more attractive and creative events to appeal the consumer's eyes. Some enterprises are even willing to develop new product line or sub-brand to fulfill the customer’s needs. Therefore, due to the emergence of Web 2.0, the current marketing environment is quite different than what we are accustomed to. The relations and power structure between customers and brands have been changing. This research focused on how the enterprises reacted to the Web 2.0 technology and changed their mindset, especially marketing concepts and practices. Since there exists no generally accepted definition and demarcation of the term Web 2.0, the majority of studies have been focusing only on changes in certain industries or specific effects that Web 2.0 has brought to marketing. Therefore, we adopted a more general perspective based on previous results and conducted case studies to gather first-hand information and real practice from the industry. Further, we developed and concluded 9 points and made a comparison table (traditional marketing concept versus marketing concepts in Web 2.0 era) to clarify the differences of marketing concepts between traditional and Web 2.0-driven marketing. The key results of the research are: 1. Web2.0 helps enterprises to better form their marketing strategy and because all the departments within the organization can gather valuable information from each interaction point with the customers. Therefore, the consensus and responsiveness is achieved more easily, which means the Market Orientation concept could be realized. 2. Consumers in Web 2.0 era are capable of initiating market research and it is the consumer, rather than the enterprise, that decides how and with which company relations are built up. 3. Web users form communities due to common interests and objectives in Web 2.0 era, and the industries have begun to segment the market based on the different communities. 4. Web 2.0 applications help the enterprises efficiently evaluate if the market segmentation is effective and worthy of investment. 5. Web 2.0 mechanism support the enterprises to gather information and know more about the consumer insights, and also enables the two parties (enterprise and consumers) to collaborate and create the right market positions. 6. Web 2.0 not only increases the interacting points for enterprises and consumers, but also enriches the insights and possibilities of marketing-mix 7Ps (Product/Price/Place/Promotion/People/Physical environment/Process). 7. In Marketing 2.0 era the enterprise could not decide the essence of brands top down, but have to co-create the value and experiences of brands with the customers. 8. Web 2.0 platform enhance the change of the consumer inner character and behavior, from isolation to union, from ignorant to well-informed, from passive to proactive. 9. Web 2.0 platform transformed the traditional consumer decision-making from one way process to completed circles, where individual experience as valuable feedback influences the decisions of other consumers via Web 2.0 applications. As a consequence, the Web 2.0 is affecting not only the field of technology development but also the domains of business strategy and marketing practice. The Web 2.0 platform empowers the consumer and enables them to play more proactive and aggressive roles in the business system. The consumers do not just accept the message from mass media any more, but initiate marketing research themselves, investigating the brands and industries which they are interested with. The purchase decision making is not single and one way process as the personal comments that are disseminated and discussed on the Web 2.0 platforms keep on influencing other consumers’ behavior. The intermediate role that Web 2.0 plays between enterprises and consumers enables new and equal interactions, diminishing the misunderstanding and inefficiency resulted from the past asymmetric information that was mostly dictated by the enterprises. What comes along with the changing consumer behavior is a revolution in market segmentation, target, position and marketing-mix (7Ps). As Web 2.0 is not a clear-cut concept, some researchers have been regarding it as a mere temporary phenomenon that has emerged with new technology. However, its effects on marketing and wide public acceptance suggest that Web 2.0 is here to stay. Indeed, Web 2.0 has a substantial effect on consumer behavior and has contributed to an unprecedented customer empowerment. Therefore in the future, marketers have to pay more attention and put more effort to co-exist and communicate with a powerful customer instead of old-fashioned pushing marketing. Especially the enterprise should capitalize on the experience gained from the Web 2.0 platforms, utilizing the influences and convictions that web opinion leader possess to advocate for the brand. They should not disregard the many interaction points that could build up the brand experience with the consumers. Only those who could capitalize on Web 2.0 applications to gain more insight on consumer behavior, could win the ultimate victory and survive in the extremely competitive marketing war.

Title: How does the buying decision process really function within e-commerce? - A qualitative study of consumer behavior when they consume on Internet. Institution: School of Economics, Linnaeus University, Växjö. Course code: 2FE16E. <img src="file:///page3image2784" />Authors: Sara Hjärne, Mathilda Perem, Ewelina Wallin. Tutor: Dan Halvarsson. Examiner: Åsa Devine. Key words: Buying decision process, purchase decision process need recognition, information search, evaluation, purchase decision, postpurchase behavior, consumer decision making, E-commerce, E- commerce channels, online shopping, online purchase, e-retail, internet shopping, electronic shopping, consumer behavior, online appereal shopping, social media, decision making, online retailing, website design, customer satisfaction, webshopping, perceived risk, convinience, price, online consumption behavior. Background: Buying decision process is a model that marketers use to get a better understanding of their customers and their behavior when purchasing a product. This process consists of five different steps; need recognition, information search, evaluation of alternatives, purchase decision and evaluation. Buying decision process has for a long time been an accepted model but scientists argue that the introduction of Internet as a channel for consumption has changed this process. The Internet has also led to a change of power in which customers today have greater influence, which greatly affects the buying decision process in e-commerce Purpose: The purpose is to explore how consumers perceive their behavior when they consume through e-commerce. Research questions:How do consumers perceive the buying decision process they experience when they consume through e-commerce?How do consumers perceive different factors that are important to them when they consume through e-commerce? Methodology: Qualitative study, cross-sectional design, semi-structured interviews. Conclusion: This thesis shows that the traditional model of the buying decision process is not consistent with consumers' perception of how they are undergoing the process when applied to an e-commerce context. This process is influenced by different factors, which is influence, convenience, webpage's atmosphere, risk, price, supply, consumption occasions, expectations, delivery and return. / Titel: Hur fungerar egentligen köpbeslutsprocessen inom e-handel?- En kvalitativ studie om konsumenternas beteende vid konsumtion på Internet. Institution: Ekonomihögskolan, Linnéuniversitetet, Växjö. Kurskod: 2FE16E. Författare: Sara Hjärne, Mathilda Perem, Ewelina Wallin.<img src="file:///page5image4008" /> Handledare: Dan Halvarsson. Examinator: Åsa Devine. Nyckelord: Buying decision process, purchase decision process need recognition, information search, evaluation, purchase decision, postpurchase behavior, consumer decision making, E-commerce, E- commerce channels, online shopping, online purchase, e-retail, internet shopping, electronic shopping, consumer behavior, online appereal shopping, social media, decision making, online retailing, website design, customer satisfaction, webshopping, perceived risk, convinience, price, online consumption behavior. Bakgrund: Köpbeslutsprocessen är en modell som marknadsförare använder för att få en bättre förståelse för sina kunder och deras beteende vid köp av en produkt. Denna process består av fem olika steg; behov, informationssökning, värdering av alternativ, köpbeslut och utvärdering. Köpbeslutsprocessen har länge varit en accepterad modell men forskare menar att introduktionen av Internet som en kanal för konsumtion har även förändrat denna process. Internet har även lett till ett maktskifte där kunderna idag har större inflytande, vilket i hög grad påverkar köpbeslutsprocessen inom e-handel Syfte: Syftet är att utforska hur konsumenterna uppfattar sitt beteende när de konsumerar genom e-handel. Forskningsfrågor: Hur uppfattar konsumenter den köpbeslutsprocess de går igenom när de konsumerar genom e-handel?Hur uppfattar konsumenterna olika faktorer som är betydelsefulla för dem när de konsumerar genom e-handel? Metod: Kvalitativ studie, Tvärsnittsdesign, Semi-strukturerade intervjuer. Slutsats: Studien visar att den traditionella modellen för köpbeslutsprocessen inte stämmer överens med konsumenternas uppfattning om hur de genomgår processen i en e-handel kontext. Denna process påverkas av faktorerna inflytande, bekvämlighet, webbsidans atmosfär, risk, pris, utbud, konsumtionstillfällen, förväntningar, leverans och retur.

Although South African consumers are reflecting increased green purchasing intentions, the factors that will lead to their intended behaviour to select green hotels have yet to be researched. Accordingly, the research proposes to explore the predictive ability of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and then further modify and develop extended model structures surrounding the TPB, to identify and confirm an independent theoretical model that will effectively and comprehensively be able to predict South African consumers’ intended behaviour towards selecting green hotels. To answer the aim and objectives set, the research positioned itself within a non-experimental quantitative paradigm. An online questionnaire was distributed to South African consumers that stayed at a hotel at least once within a 12-month period. A total of 402 completed and error-free responses were used for statistical analysis. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to assess, derive and understand the demographic profile of the respondents and determine the respondent’s characteristics as South Africans who intend to stay at or visit hotels. Structural equation modelling (SEM) revealed that Azjen (1991)’s original TPB is a strong predictor of behavioural intention, indicating its applicability to the domain of South African consumers’ behavioural intention towards selecting green hotels. In addition, it was found that South African consumers’ intended behaviour towards selecting green hotels can statistically be best explained by expanding on the original TPB model to include emotive and non-cognitive predictor variables, namely anticipated regret (AR) and perceived moral obligation (PMO), as direct constructs to behavioural intention as well as by including environmental knowledge (EK) as a direct predictor variable to attitude (ATT). Furthermore, it found that the relationship between behavioural intention and perceived behavioural control (PBC) was the strongest and most significant, followed by subjective norm (SN), ATT, PMO and AR. Lastly, the findings revealed that PBC, ATT, SN, PMO and AR can all act as positive and highly significant intermediaries between EK and behavioural intention. The study contributed towards theory by identifying and assessing the psychographic factors that will best explain the consumer decision-making processes leading to behavioural intention in context to green hotel selection. The study further extends its contribution by adding value to environmental sustainable literature in context to an emerging economy, namely South Africa. Although South African consumers are reflecting increased green purchasing intentions, the psychological factors that will lead to the intended behaviour towards selecting green hotels have not received much attention in research. It was, therefore, important and theoretically valuable to not only investigate the predictive ability of the original TPB, but to also modify, develop and extend model variations surrounding the TPB to thoroughly explore the predictive ability for South African consumers’ intention to select green hotels. / Life and Consumer Sciences / M. Sc.

The study addresses the limited and fragmented approaches of consumer behaviour studies in the existing literature and a lack of comprehensive integrated theoretical models of online consumer behaviour. The aim of the study is to propose a conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour which suggests a deviation from the existing purchasing approaches to consumer behaviour - hence a move towards an understanding of consumer behaviour in terms of two new approaches, namely the web-based communication exposure and internal psychological behavioural processes approaches, is proposed. The study addresses two main research problems, namely that inadequate knowledge and information exist on online consumers’ behavioural processes, especially their internal psychological behavioural processes during their exposure to web-based communication messages and their progression through the complete web-based communication experience; and that there is no conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour in the literature. This study, firstly, allows for systematic theoretical exploration, description, interpretation and integration of existing literature and theory on offline and online consumer behaviour including the following: theoretical perspectives and approaches; determinants; decision making; consumer information processing and response; and theoretical foundations. This systematic theoretical exploration and description of consumer behaviour literature and theory commences with the contextualisation and proposal of a new definition, perspective and theoretical approaches to online consumer behaviour; the discussion and analysis of the theory of the determinants of consumer behaviour; the discussion and analysis of decision-making theory; the proposition of a new online information decision-making perspective and model; the discussion and analysis of consumer information-processing and response theory and models; the discussion and analysis of the theoretical foundations of consumer behaviour; and the identification of theoretical criteria for online consumer behaviour. Declaration – acknowledgements - abstract Secondly, the study develops a conceptual integrated theoretical model for online consumer behaviour, thereby theoretically grounding online consumer behavioural processes in the context of internal psychological behavioural processes and exposure to web-based communication messages. It is hence posited that the study provides a more precise understanding of online consumers’ complicated internal cognitive and psychological behavioural processes in their interactive search for and experience of online web-based communication and information, which can be seen as a major contribution to the field of study. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication)

Increased consumer expectations and diverse consumer needs have led to consumers turning to the internet as a communication medium to share their positive and negative experiences, feelings, and level of satisfaction with others. The primary objective of this study was to explore the nature of user-generated content, in terms of consumer complaint and compliment behaviour related to the seven OEM brands in South Africa. The study focused on the South African automotive industry, and the consumer behaviour associated with post-purchase responses on an online consumer advocacy platform, called Hellopeter.com. A qualitative research design, making use of a content analysis, was employed. In total, 185 user-generated content items were collected from Hellopeter.com for the data-collection period, and 176 complaints and 9 compliments were analysed. The results of this study indicated that the nature of user-generated content related to the seven OEM brands in South Africa could be categorised according to eight broad themes: seven themes were specifically related to consumer complaint behaviour, while one theme was associated with consumer compliment behaviour. The top consumer complaints and compliments related to the OEM brands on Hellopeter.com were also determined. The nature of the user-generated content showed various similarities to that of the general services industry but proved to be unique to the automotive industry. Specific recommendations were made and included that open communication channels and proper feedback systems should be put in place to satisfy consumer needs, and that the findings of the study should be used as a benchmark to monitor and improve consumer complaint and compliment behaviour, as a means to create loyal consumers / Business Management / M. Com (Business Management)