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Since economic reforms began in 1978, China has experienced rapid economic growth and is now arguably the world???s largest consumer market. However, despite the size and potential of the Chinese market, there is a serious lack of formal understanding of Chinese buyer behaviour. The broad aim of this research is to understand patterns of buyer behaviour through a systematic analysis of the purchasing of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs) by urban Chinese consumers. Several specific research questions are addressed: ??? What patterns of brand purchasing and brand loyalty do urban Chinese consumers exhibit? ??? Do these patterns generalise across content, spatial and temporal dimensions? ??? Are there any systematic significant bases of segmentation within the FMCG markets that are studied? ??? What key implications are to be drawn by academics and practitioners? ??? More generally, what is the value of adopting a systematic approach to research in this area of enquiry? ??? Also, what is the value of applying and extending models developed in the West to the Chinese consumer context? The research is divided into two main studies. The first involves secondary consumer panel data and focuses on brand purchasing and loyalty behaviour. Analysis is conducted using the Dirichlet model, which provides theoretical predictions for a range of brand performance measures. The second study involves primary consumer panel data and examines potential bases of segmentation. Analysis is based on the Generalised Dirichlet Model, which enables the impact of covariates on buyer behaviour to be assessed. It is found that the patterns of Chinese buyer behaviour for FMCGs are generally similar to those in the West. Results unique to the Chinese market are also identified. Importantly, the results and patterns generalise across all dimensions of analysis (that is, for brands within product categories, store types and store chains, and in different regions and cities, and in different time periods). Also, there is a lack of consumer segmentation among directly competing brands within the product categories that are studied. The findings not only make a strong empirical contribution but also have important academic and managerial implications.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1934. / Typescript. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 348-350).

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1942. / Typescript. Includes abstract and vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references.

This dissertation explores individuals' approaches to information search and use in consumer decision making in two dissimilar cultures: China and North America. The research consists of two exploratory studies designed to develop a deep description of information search and use in each of the two cultures studied. Since the two cultures are so different, the research also examined cultural dimensionality and the specific dimensions that appear to impact information search and use in each culture. In addition, the studies probed the implications of these findings for other stages of consumer decision making in Chinese and North American culture. / The dissertation utilizes primarily qualitative approaches to investigate the topic in an interpretive fashion. Throughout the research, an emphasis is placed on a multi-method approach in an attempt to develop descriptions and theories of information search and use for the two cultures being investigated. The Chinese study was directed from a base in Beijing, China, and the North American study was directed from two bases in Montreal, Canada, and Boston, Massachusetts. The two studies each utilize three product categories chosen to maximize understanding of information search and use characteristics of each culture. The methods employed include focus groups and interviews, observation, content analysis, and store layout and product availability analyses. / The contributions of this research are both theoretical and practical. The dissertation provides a deeply descriptive study of information search and use for two disparate cultures. In addition, the insights gained from the two separate studies should lead to a better understanding of the role culture plays in information search and use more generally. Moreover, the research should help managers to adapt their promotional efforts to the differing cultural needs of two disparate cultures, and to understand how differences in information search and use between cultures can impact other phases of the decision making process, such as the evaluation of alternatives and post-purchase satisfaction.

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Thesis (M.B.A.)--Boston University

Ong Wai Shan Joanna. / Thesis (M.Phil.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 2004. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-69). / Abstracts in English and Chinese. / Chapter Chapter 1: --- Introduction --- p.1 / Customer Loyalty: A Review --- p.3 / Conceptual Development --- p.3 / Empirical Studies: Customer Loyalty in Terms of Behavior and Attitude --- p.5 / Commitment: A Composite of Cognition and Affect --- p.6 / Cognitive Commitment --- p.8 / Affective Commitment Towards the Restaurant as an Entity --- p.9 / Affective Commitment Towards Service Staff --- p.9 / Attitudes Towards the Restaurant: Perceived Service Quality --- p.10 / The Disconfirmation Gap Model of Service Quality --- p.10 / The Service Quality Indicators for the Restaurant Industry --- p.11 / Linking Service Quality and Commitment with Behavioral Intention --- p.13 / Service Quality and Behavioral Intention --- p.13 / The Effect of Commitment --- p.14 / The Behavioral Aspect of Loyalty: Behavioral Loyalty/Past Patronage Behavior --- p.17 / Customer Loyalty: Commitment (Cognitive and Affective) and Past Patronage Behavior --- p.18 / Variety-Seeking Behavior --- p.18 / Need for Variety --- p.19 / "Relating Past Patronage Behavior, Behavioral Intention and Repatronage Behavior" --- p.21 / Overview --- p.22 / Chapter Chapter 2: --- Method --- p.25 / Participants and Procedure --- p.25 / Instruments --- p.28 / Chapter Chapter 3: --- Results --- p.32 / Descriptive Analysis --- p.32 / Confirmatory Factor Analysis --- p.36 / Evaluation of the Structural Model --- p.37 / Chapter Chapter 4: --- Discussion --- p.43 / Commitment in Restaurant: Affective and Cognitive --- p.43 / The Service Quality Indicators in Restaurants --- p.44 / Service Quality's Direct Effect on Behavioral Intention --- p.45 / Service Quality's Indirect Effect on Behavioral Intention through Commitment --- p.46 / Variety-Seeking Behavior: Need for Variety --- p.49 / "Past Patronage, Behavioral Intention and Repatronage Behavior" --- p.51 / From Behavioral Intention to Repatronage Behavior --- p.51 / From Past Patronage Behavior to Future Repatronage Behavior --- p.52 / From Past Patronage Behavior to Behavioral Intention --- p.54 / Conclusion: Two Routes to Repatronage --- p.56 / Limitations --- p.56 / Implication --- p.58 / Managerial Implication --- p.58 / References --- p.60 / Appendix A: Theories Explaining The Cognitive Mechanisms Behind Variety Seeking Behavior --- p.70

One of the most important trends in today’s marketplace is consumers’ increased reliance on smartphones not only as a communication device but also as a central platform for accessing information, entertainment and other consumption activities—the so-called “mobile revolution” (Ackley 2015). While the marketing implications of mobile platforms are receiving emerging attention in the marketing modeling literature (e.g., Danaher et al. 2015; Ghose and Han 2011; Sultan et al. 2009), still very little is known about the consumption psychology of smartphone usage. The purpose of my dissertation is to address this void by examining what is fundamentally different about the psychology of smartphone use. The dissertation consists of two essays examining two complementary components of mobile consumer behavior. In the first essay I focus on clarifying the particular type of relationship that consumers form with their smartphones. Specifically, I advance the hypothesis that smartphones often fulfill the role of “attachment objects” for consumers. That is, smartphones are now used by many consumers in much the same way as pacifiers or security blankets are used by children—which I refer to as the Adult Pacifier Hypothesis. Consistent with this hypothesis, results from two controlled lab experiments show that relative to a comparable device such as one’s personal computer, engaging with one’s smartphone provides greater comfort as well as faster recovery from a stressful situation, both of which are defining characteristics of attachment objects. A third lab study reveals that, under feelings of stress, people actively seek out and engage with the device over other objects in much the same way that a child would seek out and engage with his or her pacifier. Also consistent with this hypothesis, a fourth study shows that the drive to use one’s smartphone becomes especially pronounced among consumers who have recently quit smoking—that is, consumers who are particularly susceptible to anxiety and stress. In the second essay I document an important consequence of consumers’ increased reliance on their smartphones: its impact on user-generated content. Across three field studies and six controlled lab experiments, I find that smartphone usage drives the creation of content that is more emotional, specifically more positively emotional, and potentially more impactful than content generated on PCs. Overall, these findings provide insight into the psychology of the mobile consumer and its downstream marketing implications.

“Mobile phones as a communication technology fits into culture rather than imposes on a culture” (Xin, 2006).Therefore, the main purpose of this research was to investigate and to understand the impact national culture has on mobile phone buyer behaviour of Thai and Swedish consumers. The research was also conducted to identify whether there was a significant cultural difference of buying behaviour for these two cultures when purchasing mobile phones.  Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (individualism/collectivism and power distance) was addressed in order to examine if culture influences Thai and Swedish consumers when purchasing a mobile phone.  In order to examine the difference between Thai and Swedish consumers, a data analysis was conducted through the SPSS statistical program using an Independent Sample T-test and Pearson Correlations. The questionnaires were distributes to both Thai (70 sets) and Swedish (70sets) students in the University of Malardalen. The findings indicated that there is a significant difference between Thai and Swedish consumers in term of mobile phone purchasing behaviour as far as Hofstede’s cultural dimensions. A major contribution to this study is that it will provide an insight into the differences in culture between Swedish and Thai consumers, the Eastern and Western cultural divide and how culture influences mobile phone purchasing behaviour.   The findings will also assist managers in mobile phone organizations to manage the dynamics of culture through time as well as to enhance their communications and promotional strategies within an overall marketing strategy. Incorporating culture into their overall marketing and communications strategies will enable organizations to meet customer needs and expectations, sustain and increase growth along with market share and to maximize profitability.