After the gold rush that was the recorded music business in the twentieth century, the industry finds itself in a difficult time of severely reduced revenues from recorded works distributed on physical media. As the industry searches for a solution to its problems, this research investigates the potential additional revenues from live music events as an element of the revenue replacement engine. The core objective governing this research was to gain a clearer understanding of concert service and product attributes that are valued by customers and to gauge their willingness to pay for these attributes. Also key to the brief was the goal of understanding the consumer decision-making and buying process with reference to the rules applied in the buying process. The questionnaire used in this research was structured by design and sought to gauge from concert audiences what they were willing to pay for preferred product or service attributes.The findings show that there is a willingness to pay for some concert related product and service attributes and that there are distinct clusters within the respondent population that are distinctly different from each other across a variety of demographic and other metrics. Other than on a single sub-attribute, premium bar facilities, there was no evidence found for using ticket class as an indicator for willingness to pay for service or product attributes or subattributes. There was evidence found, however, that demographic and other metrics could be indicators for willingness to spend on each attribute and subattribute. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Consumer behaviour and spending habits have changed drastically post-recession. This has affected how retailers conduct their business, driving retailers’ focus towards providing customers with the value they require. One way in which retailers can offer such value is through the implementation of advanced product assortment. Product assortments influence consumers’ purchasing decisions and their preferences for particular retailers, thereby making it an important factor in retailers’ strategy to maintain their success. Retailers’ product assortments which focus on male apparel consumers, such as speciality stores, are of particular importance as men represent a lucrative segment of the apparel industry. Speciality stores specialise in specific merchandise such as menswear and develop their apparel assortment to concentrate on certain customers such as male consumers. Although men are becoming more prevalent in retail venues and have taken responsibility for their own apparel shopping, research regarding male apparel consumers and their purchasing behaviour, particularly within the context of South Africa, is scarce. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the product attributes used by male consumers when evaluating apparel product assortment of South African speciality stores. The evaluation stage of the decision making process formed the basis of this study. Therefore, it was decided that the consumer decision making framework would be best suited as the theoretical framework. Namely, the consumer behaviour model of Hawkins and Mothersbaugh (2013) was used to guide the study. During the evaluation stage of the consumer decision making process, male consumers will use product attributes they consider important when evaluating the product assortment of speciality stores. Product attributes include intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes and male apparel consumers will employ the use of compensatory decision rules, allowing them to make trade-offs among these attributes. The study employed an exploratory survey research design which was quantitative in nature. Non-probability sampling methods were used to collect the necessary data for the study. This included convenience and snowball sampling. Respondents completed a structured questionnaire which was developed according to the constructs implemented in the study and administered in a paper based and online electronic form. The sample included 204 male consumers, located in the greater Tshwane area, Gauteng. The majority of the sample were between the ages of 20-29, representing a relatively young sample. Conjoint analysis and exploratory factor analysis was applied to gain insight regarding the product attributes South African male apparel consumers apply when evaluating speciality stores’ product assortment. The conjoint analysis technique allows consumers to make trade-offs among attributes as they compare one attribute to another while evaluating assortments, thereby providing an indication of their actual preference structure. Cluster analysis was also performed on the conjoint data to provide additional information regarding male consumers’ preferences when evaluating speciality stores’ product assortment. By combining conjoint analysis with cluster analyses, the findings provided valuable information regarding the segmentation and socio-economic factors that may affect consumers’ preferences. The results of the study indicated that South African male consumers employed both intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes when evaluating speciality stores’ product assortment. During the conjoint analysis, brand (extrinsic attribute) was the most important attribute among male consumers when making trade-offs between intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes. Male consumers’ preference for brand is an indication of brand consciousness. Style (intrinsic attribute) was the second most preferred attribute, followed by store image (extrinsic attribute). The exploratory factor analysis rendered three factors, labelled “Prestige sensitivity”, “Added value” and “Importance of fit”. These factors were a further indication of the evaluative criteria male consumers consider important when evaluating and selecting speciality stores’ product assortment. The results from the cluster analysis identified a four cluster solution, namely: style guys, cluster origin guys, brand loyalist and colour guys. This demonstrates that different consumer groups have distinct preferences when evaluating speciality stores’ product assortment. The study adds value and insight to current literature regarding male consumer behaviour and their preferences for certain intrinsic and extrinsic product attributes when evaluating speciality stores’ product assortment. This research can be beneficial to manufacturers, retailers and marketers who seek to enhance their merchandise mix by offering customised product assortments, improve advertising campaigns and ensure well trained sales staff. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Consumer Science / MConsumer Science / Unrestricted

By applying the Kano Model on mobile payment, the paper aims at giving an overview on thebasic, performance and excitement requirements that affect customer satisfaction. In this paper,mobile payment customer requirements are compared to former research conducted onpayment methods in general. Furthermore, each requirement is divided into two parts focusingon Business-to-Customer and Business-to-Business aspects. The findings of the paper werethat while there is still some overlapping between general payment method and mobile paymentmethod requirements, some requirements such as security, fake-proof nature, reputation andreliability of the method has transformed and became more important. Furthermore, due totechnological advancements new customer requirements occur.

Abstract Following the increase in living standard and manufacturing techniques and capacity in Taiwan in recent years, the production and the demands for special alloy materials are expanding from their industrial application into living uses. Among innovative merchandise of Titanium techniques application in daily life uses, the one with highest level of techniques and innovative value is aquatitan techniques. Modern technology and process techniques are renewing in extremely fast speed and the speed of developing new merchandise is much faster than the acceptance of consumers, however, many of the new products may be very creative, but not always meeting he needs of consumers and end up with supply of seemingly good products find no demand at all and failed the manufacturers¡¦ expectation of big sales. Further, with rapid change of market demand of new products, it resulted in greatly shortened life cycle of new products. Hence, when the needs of consumers is not understood properly and effectively, the market will wipe such product out mercilessly. If the factors affecting the willingness of consumer in purchasing aquatitan is clearly and correctly understood and incorporate the viewpoints of consumers into the process of research and development, there will certainly marketing strategies proposed effectively for the new products to increase the purchasing inclination of consumers. In the research, we have 2 motives: one is to find out factors affecting consumers¡¦ willingness in purchasing aquatitan products and the other one is to find out the difference among types of consumers adopting aquatitan products for making up effective marketing strategies to channel the aquatitan products effectively to the whole market. The purpose of this research is to find out the consumers characteristics of different product, the effect of new product attributes in the decision of consumers in purchasing aquatitan products, and in the meantime, finding out the difference of different consumer groups in consumers characteristics and new products attributed to provide assistance to companies in marketing practices and product research and development. This research takes aquatitan neck rings as the subject of practical research and 300 questionnaires were distributed among consumers who have purchased the products of subject company. It is found that each type of adopter and store-wise consumers are having different consumer characteristics, which may be provided for the reference of subject company in deciding their future marketing strategies. Key Words: Innovative Diffusion, Consumer Characteristics, New Product Attribute, Aquatitan, Marketing Strategy

This research aims to investigate three issues :(1) how the consumer needs of pop music and the product attributes of records affect consumer satisfaction, (2) this research also focuses on how the match between the consumer needs of pop music and the product attributes of records affect consumer satisfaction, and (3) how the consumer satisfaction contributes to the repurchase intention is also discussed. Our study shows that listening to music, acquiring the information about music and adoring idols are main consumer needs. When the CD products satisfy these consumer needs, the consumer satisfaction will be high. In addition, consumers identify three major product attributes: function, idolatry and fashion. The interaction between listening to music, acquiring music information and functional attributes will affect consumer satisfaction positively. Similarly, the interaction between the idolatry and symbol of idol will affect consumer satisfaction positively. Consumer satisfaction has also been found to affect the repurchase intention. Compare to consumer needs, the perceived value of CDs has a stronger effect on consumer satisfaction. Therefore, if business models may need to be developed to reform the compact discs industry.

Master of Science / Department of Agricultural Economics / Amanor-Boadu, Vincent / Beans play a major role in addressing malnutrition and poverty in Africa. Hence, several studies have been conducted over the last two decades on beans attributes in various African countries, including Zambia. The similarity of these studies is their emphasis on the importance of including consumer preferences in the beans supply chain. This study attempts to contribute to informing the bean supply chain about bean attributes and consumer characteristics influencing beans consumption so that downstream stakeholders can effectively seize the embedded opportunities in the bean supply chain. Data used in this study were obtained from 900 surveyed households in Lusaka, Zambia and analyzed using a logit model. The study evaluated three attributes of beans: gravy quality; cooking time; and grain size. In addition, it assessed the price of beans associated with these attributes. The study sought to determine how these attributes influenced consumer preference for specific color beans. Results show that gravy quality, cooking time and price are important bean attributes influencing consumer preference for purple, mixed yellow and yellow bean while grain size has no statistically significant effect. The study also found that gender, education, and employment status of the household head or person purchasing food for the household, as well as the household’s child dependency ratio, dual household income, residential area and perception of the bean food group’s importance to consumers’ nutritional security were statistically significant in their effect on preference for purple, mixed yellow and yellow beans. The study’s results contribute to downstream stakeholders’ efforts to improve their own decisions in identifying the market segments to engage in. For example, bean breeders, producers, and traders might optimize limited resources available for their activities by investing in products that promise large markets to use volume to overcome any price disadvantage regarding profitability. Similarly, they may also invest in high-value low volume products that could also provide them with acceptable profitability. The option used would depend on their location and their own resource situation.

Please read the abstract (Synopsis) in the section 00front of this document / Dissertation (MCom)--University of Pretoria, 2009. / Marketing Management / MCom / Unrestricted

Este estudo tem por objetivo identificar quais são os atributos de produto mais importantes – e seu grau de importância relativa – na compra ou recomendação de interruptores a consumidores finais, eletricistas e arquitetos. O método foi dividido em fases, com abordagem qualitativa e quantitativa. Inicialmente, foram conduzidas entrevistas em profundidade com consumidores e especialistas, com o objetivo de levantar o máximo de atributos salientes, bem como seus níveis. Em seguida, uma survey online, com 558 consumidores, identificou quais desses atributos são mais importantes no processo decisório de compra e uma validação com executivos da área foi conduzida. Os cinco atributos definidos como mais importantes foram: Marca, Acabamento, Garantia, Material Amarelar e Preço. Para identificar o grau de importância relativa de cada atributo, foi utilizado o método conjoint analysis. A pesquisa foi desenvolvida com 116 pessoas, sendo 60 consumidores finais, 28 arquitetos e 28 eletricistas, de cinco regiões do Brasil. Os resultados foram segmentados e analisados de forma agregada, por região, por atuação profissional e por clusters, grupos com preferências de atributo em comum. A análise conjunta revelou que Marca e Material Amarelar obtiveram a maior importância relativa para a amostra total. Pretende-se que este estudo contribua para que executivos da área possam aplicar estratégias de marketing em seus negócios, a fim de obter melhores resultados. / This study aims to identify what are the most important product attributes - and its degree of relative importance – in the purchase or recommendation of interrupters by end users, electricians and architects. The method was divided into phases of qualitative and quantitative approach. Initially, interviews in depth were conducted with consumers and experts in order to enumerate the maximum salient attributes and their levels. Then an online survey with 558 consumers identified which of those attributes are most important in the decision buying process and a validation with area executives was conducted. The five attributes defined as most important were: Brand, Finishing, Warranty, Material Yellowing and Price. To identify the degree of relative importance of each attribute, conjoint analysis method was used. The survey was conducted with 116 people, 60 end users, 28 architects and 28 electricians on five different regions of Brazil. The results were segmented and analyzed in aggregate way, by region, by professional role and by clusters, group with attribute preferences in common. The analysis revealed that the Brand and the Material Yellowing obtained the greater relative importance for the total sample. It is intended that this study will contribute to that area executives can apply marketing strategies in their business in order to get better results.

Over the past two decades, research in both the management accounting and marketing disciplines has reported insightful developments, theoretically and empirically, in which both are implicated, yet research into the interface between the two disciplines remains relatively unexplored. In the management accounting literature, a strategically-orientated approach has evolved in which customers, customer satisfaction, customer value and competitive positioning have developed as key management themes requiring a re-evaluation of the existing management accounting information for decision-making. In marketing, research on �market orientation�, has emphasised similar and interrelated themes of customers, competitors, and the interfunctional coordination of organisational activities in the creation of customer value and the ascertainment and calculation of profits. Taking market orientation as a point of departure, in this thesis a conceptual framework is developed which reflects the theoretical links between management accounting and market orientation at a product decision-making level. The undertaking of two in-depth organisational case studies is reported in which market orientation and management accounting for each functional area is analysed and discussed. A greater functional and organisational emphasis on customers� vis-�-vis competitors was found as was an emphasis on informal means of information communication and coordination between functional areas. Despite consistent cross-functional understanding of customers� product-attribute needs in both case studies, the findings indicate the use of �traditional� accounting information for product-level decision-making and an absence of market-orientated accounting information. Exploration and description of the industry and organisational context in both case studies provides an insight into several factors - formality, strategic orientation, organisational structural costs and resource capability � that appear to influence market orientation and the adoption of market-orientated accounting for product decision-making.

There is a particular class of products where people must visit the point of production in order to be consumers, and these products are normally lifestyle, tourism or leisure services. Examples include environmentally-based leisure facilities, housing, and tourist accommodation. Frequently the assertion is made that location makes one product 'superior' to another, in terms of both its production and consumption. This study enquires into the asserted significance of location in product differentiation, with special reference to hospitality and tourism products. The study is particularly concerned with commercially tradeable products offered to a consumer market by a number of competitive firms, rather than being concerned with one-off markets for assets for exclusive use, such as houses. By the use of characteristics theory, this study shows that the role of geographic location within a product such as hotel accommodation is that of a product-differentiating characteristic, or set of characteristics. However, the location of such a product is an example of a fixed, or unalterable, characteristic, once a supplier has entered a market. With most product-differentiating characteristics, a supplier can attain an optimal business position by enhancing the differentiation for as long as customers' willingness to pay 'the extra' (marginal revenue) exceeds or equals the cost (marginal cost) of product enhancement. However, a supplier cannot easily do this for a fixed characteristic. So what is the value of a particular location to a supplier of this type of product? This study develops a model to identify the specific elements of a location that are important to consumers, and then to estimate their values. It is argued that the values of each specific element (locational characteristics) should contribute in a predictable way to the overall price of each product in the market place. It is also shown in this study that individual suppliers who cannot identify, or who incorrectly set, prices based on locational characteristics face a measurable variation in demand from the mean in the market place. The model and methodology are tested empirically in the market for international-standard hotel accommodation on the Gold Coast, Queensland. It is shown that this constitutes a single, coherent market as a tourist destination, where a limited number of producers compete with differentiated products. Those product characteristics that are important to the market are identified, and it is shown that elements of location and other characteristics can be valued accurately across the market. The relationship between suppliers' 'overpricing' or 'underpricing' of their product characteristics and variations in demand from the market average is explored. This study therefore has implications for pricing strategy, as well as for land valuation and planning. The study can be seen as contributing primarily to the economics literature, in the area of industrial economics, but also to the marketing, and hospitality and tourism literature.