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Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Wisconsin--Madison, 1982. / Typescript. Vita. eContent provider-neutral record in process. Description based on print version record. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 104-109).

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

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The following premise is based on the ideas of social theorists who have contributed to understanding the importance of image in society. This proposal argues that political participation is susceptible to exploitation in the form of conspicuous consumption as defined by Thorstein Veblen. The analyses that follow will test the degree to which Americans who demonstrate more traditional forms of conspicuous consumption also tend to show more activity in political venues. While the correlation of these two variables is not sufficient to demonstrate cause and effect, it may be significant enough to attract more researchers to this question: are Americans using political involvement to positively influence the way that their social status is perceived by others?

This study was designed (1) to empirically distinguish between buyers and non-buyers of an extended service contract according to eight groups of variables, and (2) to develop a profile of consumers most likely to purchase extended service contracts. A mail survey was conducted from April 1993 through May 1993 with a randomly selected sample of consumers (N = 991) who had during of October, November, and December 1992 purchased a new television set from a seven-store retail chain. After an initial mailing and two follow-up mailings, 440 questionnaires were returned of the 957 that were received by respondents (34 were returned as undeliverable). This represented a total response rate of 46% (440/957). Thirty-one of the questionnaires were returned blank or less than half complete by respondents unable or unwilling to participate. The final usable return rate was 42.7% (409/957). Regarding distinguishing between buyers and non-buyers of the extended service contract, Chi-Square analysis revealed that demographically and psychographically the two groups are similar. Buyers were more likely to be employed in less prestigious jobs and less likely to read the daily newspaper. Buyers and non-buyers differed considerably regarding motivations, perceptions, and future buying intentions, however. Regarding a profile of consumers most likely to buy an extended service contract in the future (the dependent variable), six independent variables produced an R² of -4470, meaning that 44.7% of the variance in buying an extended service contract in the future could be explained by the linear combination of these predictor variables. The best predictor of the dependent variable was previous experience with extended service contracts. The other Significant variables were "Extended service contracts offer peace of mind," "I know of people who did not buy the extended service contract and later wished they had," "T would advise my friends not to buy extended service contracts," "Extended service contracts are worth the money people pay for them," and "People who take care of their products do not need to buy extended service contracts." / Ph. D.

This thesis is a collection of papers investigating micro economic issues concerning household behavior by means of econometric methods. Each of the chapters is self-contained. / Ph. D.

The problem of this study was to measure older and younger consumers' knowledge or awareness of selected consumer rights and legal protections, and their perceptions of and experience with unfair and deceptive business practices. A 34-item instrument was developed and administered by telephone to a random sample of 1,305 consumers nationwide. The data were examined by analysis of frequencies, Chi-square, and analysis of variance. The findings revealed (p<.01) that consumer knowledge was related to the age and marital status of the respondent. Married consumers and consumers aged 25-49 were the most knowledgeable about the eight consumer laws and legal protections. Consumer experiences with unfair and deceptive business practices were related to age, marital status, and gender. Younger, married, and female consumers had experienced three or more of the unfair and deceptive business practices. Married consumers and consumers aged 25-74 are more perceptive than consumers aged 75 and over in correctly identifying a business practice as unfair or illegal. The gender of the respondent does not always influence their perceptions of whether or not a particular business practice is fair. Significant differences existed between the knowledge score means and the age and marital status of the respondent. Significant differences existed between the experience score means and the age, marital status, and gender of the respondent. / Master of Science

Environmental deterioration has been and continues to be a serious problem in our consumer-oriented society. The ecologically detrimental effects of clothing waste are often unappreciated even by those who attempt to practice social responsibility in other areas of consumption. The purpose of this research was to examine the degree of social responsibility exhibited by individuals in their consumption of clothing. The specific clothing acquisition and discard (CAD) behaviors studied were garment recycling. purchase of secondhand clothing purchase of classic style apparel, and general clothing conservation. A 26-item instrument (CAD scale) was developed to measure attitudes toward these behaviors. The scale was subjected to two pretests using student samples from VPI&SU and was analyzed by means of a computer program (PACKAGE) designed to assess reliability and dimensionality. Construct validity was evaluated by correlating the CAD scale with an established measure of attitudes toward socially responsible consumption. Correlation with a behavior measure was used to investigate the scale's predictive validity. Data were obtained through the distribution of a questionnaire to a sample of 405 shoppers at a Roanoke, Virginia, mall. Only questionnaires with complete CAD scales (282) were used for analysis. This group of respondents was divided into three parts. the top third was considered to have favorable attitudes toward responsible clothing consumption and the bottom third to have less favorable attitudes. Chi-square tests compared the scores of both groups on clothing consumption behaviors. sociodemographic variables, and media usage variables. Stepwise discriminant analysis and correlation coefficients were also used to examine the relationship between attitudes and sociodemographic variables. The CAD scale was found to be a reasonably reliable and valid measure of attitudes toward socially responsible clothing consumption as conceptualized. Respondents with favorable attitudes were older and had lower incomes and higher education levels than those with less favorable attitudes. They were also less inclined to be politically conservative and more likely to be married and living with their spouses. They watched more news and nature/wildlife television programs and fewer game shows. They also read more literary and educational magazines. / Ph. D. / incomplete_metadata