Private Konsumenten stehen häufig vor dem Problem, Vertrauensgüter wie Gebrauchtwagen, Wohnungen oder Pauschalreisen erwerben zu wollen. Als Vertrauensgüter werden Produkte und Dienstleistungen bezeichnet, über deren relevante Eigenschaften der Käufer erst nach dem Kauf durch den Gebrauch Informationen erhält. Im Mittelpunkt dieses Projekts steht die These, dass sich das Vertrauensproblem zwischen Käufer und Verkäufer außer durch den Rückgriff auf formelle Regelungen, wie sie z.B. durch die Gesetzgebung zur Verfügung stehen, auch durch die Nutzung sozialer Netzwerke lösen läßt. Die Einbettung der wirtschaftlichen Transaktion in einen sozialen Kontext ermöglicht dem Käufer, auf Erfahrungen Dritter mit diesem Produkt und/oder diesem Verkäufer zurückzugreifen. Zudem muß der Verkäufer im Falle falscher Versprechungen damit rechnen, einen schlechten Ruf zu erhalten. Die Wirksamkeit dieser Mechanismen ist unter anderem abhängig von den Eigenschaften des sozialen Netzwerkes wie Größe, Dichte oder Heterogenität. Handlungs- und netzwerktheoretische Konzepte erlauben die Ausarbeitung entsprechender Hypothesen, die im Rahmen einer regional begrenzten Pilotstudie getestet wurden. Die ersten Analysen mit den vorliegenden Daten bestätigen vor allem die Bedeutung von persönlichen Netzwerken bei der Wohnungssuche, der Auswahl einer Versicherung sowie der Suche nach einem Zahnarzt oder einem Reisebüro für Pauschalreisen. So geben beispielsweise 73,1% der Befragten an, dass Freunde, Bekannte oder die eigene Familie hilfreich oder sogar sehr hilfreich bei der Suche nach einer Wohnung waren. 45,2% gaben an, vor ihrem letzten Versicherungsabschluß als erstes Rat innerhalb ihres sozialen Netzwerkes gesucht zu haben, während sich nur 24,7% als erstes direkt an die Versicherungsgesellschaft wandten. Das Vorhandensein von Netzwerken, die aufgrund theoretischer Erwägungen für die Suche nach einem Vertrauensgut günstige Eigenschaften aufweisen, erleichtert oder verkürzt die Suche jedoch nicht generell. Für die Frage nach den Effekten der Nutzung von persönlichen Netzwerken für die Suche und Auswahl von Vertrauensgüter sind detailliertere Auswertungen sowie eine umfangreichere Datenbasis notwendig.

Individualisation and digitalisation are increasing in importance which leads to a change in the society, affecting consumers’ behaviour and needs. This change results in consumers desiring an individualised consumption experience with additional services that fashion companies should consider in order to stay relevant. This development opens up for new opportunities regarding business models such as the business model of subscription services. The identified gap in the academic literature of subscription services lies in the application of this business model to the fashion industry. Non-academic articles about fashion subscription services were found but often from the industries’ point of view rather than from the consumers’ point of view. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate the consumers’ perspective on fashion subscription services and what underlying reasons there might be for these perspectives. The study is of quantitative nature with theories regarding subscription services, consumer behaviour and fashion forming the research questions and thus the research. Data was collected by an online questionnaire to gain insight on respondents’ perspectives on fashion subscription services which was used as descriptive empiricism, tested for correlations and discussed in line with the theories. The study shows that there are correlations between the theories and the respondents’ interest in fashion subscription services, but the interest cannot be explained by each of the theories separately. However, by looking into different affecting factors, suggestions of underlying reasons are offered by this study.

This thesis aims to provide a comprehensive analysis of the Chinese marketing environment, which would enable companies to understand the fundamental characteristics of Chinese market. The thesis is divided into five chapters. The first chapter serves as an introduction to theoretical basis, the second chapter is devoted to modern history and the basic characteristics of Chinese culture. PEST Analysis of China's marketing environment is a key part of the thesis. The fifth chapter focuses on Chinese consumer behavior, including predictions of changes which can be occured as a result of specific demographic trends, increasing disposable income of Chinese households, the actual consumer preferences, etc. Trough the analysis of marketing environment and consumer behaviour the thesis provides the recommendation for the marketing mix creation.

Buyer decision process is an important mechanism in the heads of consumers which leads them through purchase decisions. To understand behaviour of consumers, this process has to be analyzed and explained. Aim of this thesis is to analyze market of electric shavers in the Czech Republic and to determine key factors influencing purchase behaviour. Secondary and primary research are undertaken to reach the goal of the paper. In addition, five hypotheses are evaluated to verify author's expectations about the market of electric shavers for men in the Czech Republic. Analysis shows that consumers base their decisions about shavers mostly on performance and price. Though, majority of consumers do not buy shavers themselves, but receive it as a present from close family or relatives.

The thesis focuses on the product modification in a wine hotel. Its aim is to suggest recommendations leading to greater consumer satisfaction and higher profitability of the hotel. The theoretical part explains the specifics of hotel services and their marketing. It also characterizes the wine tourism, as well as wine consumers and wine tourists as potential customers of the hotel. The practical part is oriented on the wine hotel Merlot in Prague. The main part of the thesis includes own survey of consumer behaviour conducted in the hotel. The competition analysis, SWOT analysis and analysis of meeting the requirements for official classification are presented as well.

This Ph.D. thesis focuses on how priming perception influence the development of brand personality in perspecitve of Consumer Behaviour. Three main deep empirical studies has been made in order to show the relationship and common interaction amnog the listed variables. ANOVA analysis was used during the research as the main analytical tool.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing Johannesburg, April 2016 / The study hypothesized a relationship between the dependent variable, consumers’ intention not to purchase, with four independent constructs, namely, health concerns, perceived price, restricted availability and subjective norms, as de-marketing indicators. The study targeted just over two hundred consumers, aged eighteen and above, who had consumed alcohol in the last seven days, in the greater Gaborone area. The respondents were chosen using random simple sampling and quota sampling. Because of this and the fact that the greater Gaborone area makes up about fifty percent of alcohol sales, the results of the quantitative study are reasonably representative. The data was collected using structured questionnaire. The hypotheses and models were tested, and structural equation modelling performed, using SPSS and AMOS software. The study aims to address the gap of body of knowledge on alcohol policy in Botswana and other developing countries. The undertaken literature review revealed that it is only the developed countries that have implemented and evaluated their policies. The developing countries recently followed suit because their economic growth has increased consumers’ buying power and appetite for aspirational brands. The liquor industry’s advertising, promotion and sponsorships grew consumption significantly, along with socio-economic costs, such as absenteeism, alcohol abuse, car accidents, alcohol-related diseases, and the spread of HIV. Botswana’s alcohol policy has been in effect since 2011, under the Ministry of Health. Among others, legislature was revised, government imposed a tax, liquor trading days and hours amended, health-related alcohol public campaigns rolled out, and the legal blood alcohol level lowered. The study has found that the four independent constructs all influence consumer’s intention not to purchase. The biggest opportunity revealed is the effect of subjective norms, which should be exploited going forward. It is hoped by the researcher that this study, not only adds to the body of knowledge, but stimulates more research on the same. / MT2017

Thesis(M.B.A.)--University of the Witwatersrand, 1991 / The research investigated the evaluation of common goods and services by white and black consumers, and to determine where similarities and dissimilarities between these two segments existed. A review of the literature on consumer behaviour, with specific reference to decision making models, and a series of in depth interviews enabled the expansion of the Zeithaml (1981) set of constructs by a factor of two. A questionnaire was developed and administered to white and black employees of well known local firms in a variety of industries. Hypothesis testing enabled validation of the expanded set of constructs, and the comparison of white and black evaluative differences, while correspondence ;analysis determined the key evaluative dimensions. Important new dimensions discovered included Convenience, Loyalty and Reception. An invaluable method of clustering was found in the /chi squared trees technique. The results indicated that black consumers are significantly less experienced in the use and evaluation of common services compared to their white counterparts. As a result of this inexperience, a much less sophisticated set of key evaluative constructs are relied upon in the decision process. Both segments appear to be /ciware of generally higher risks associated with services, but are less prone to invest effort in information gathering prior to purchase. The white segment purchases services based on their convenience, whilst the black segment faces equal inconvenience for any purchase. The most significant marketing implications drawn were firstly, the need to appreciate consumer perceptual similarities across, and differences within, goods and services categories. Secondly, marketers need very different strategies for the black segment.

A research report submitted to the Faculty of Commerce, Law and Management, University of the Witwatersrand, in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Management in Strategic Marketing / The cosmetic industry over the years has proven to be one of the fastest growing and most profitable industries globally. In the male cosmetic industry, male grooming, metrosexual and dapper trends have rapidly expanded across global communities and, in recent years, have become a leading trend amongst South African men. These emerging trends subsequently shaped the way businesses and companies expanded product lines and developed marketing strategies. It is imperative that we understand what marketing capabilities companies require to stay abreast of local trends in order to gain a market share and strong brand presence in these expanding categories. Companies invest significant financial resources on marketing in order to have a compelling value proposition against competitors. Understanding the customer and what aspects of brand equity resonate with customers would ensure that companies have a streamlined customer centric marketing plan that meets the customers’ needs and addresses the accurate emotional touch points to capture the customer and encourage resilient repurchase intention. Four hypotheses are posited and in order to empirically test them a sample data set of 208 was collected in South Africa. The results indicate that brand loyalty, brand awareness, perceived quality and brand association positively influences repurchase intention of male branded cosmetic products in South Africa in a significant way. Drawing from the study’s findings, managerial implications are discussed and limitations and future research directions are suggested. / MT2017

Background. The production of food requires great amounts of natural resources. Although, not all the food produced is consumed. Food waste is a global issue with the potential to create resource scarcity for future generations. Preventing food waste is an effective approach to avoid this outcome. Moreover, the prevention of food waste could decrease the environmental human print and balance the access to food around the world. In developed countries, the households contribute in a significant amount to the food waste problem.. It is mainly attributed to the behaviours that the consumers develop consciously and unconsciously. Therefore, it is significant to research further in the implications of awareness in the behaviours linked to food waste. Aspiration. The following research aims to find the effect of awareness in the consumer behaviours linked to food waste in the household through an experiment.    Method. A survey with 52 respondents was used to sample the participants of the experiment. From the respondents, 12 young adults aged between 18 to 29 years old, living by themselves in Visby, Sweden participated in the experimental study. The participants of the experiment were divided in two groups, the experimental and the control group. A treatment, consisting of an educational video regarding prevention of household food waste, was provided to the experimental group. The experiment measures how the participants were affected by the treatment.  Key findings. Regarding the awareness of household food waste, the experimental group had a significant improvement compared to the control group after the treatment. This proves that the consumers whose awareness of household food waste is increased present a higher potential to have their behaviours changed thus reducing household food waste. The hypothesis was proven, while the main finding indicates that as consumer advanced in the experiment the reported behaviours change considerably. While it was expected that the self-reporting of household food waste in the participants would be reduced, in fact, this incremented in some cases.