Abstracts in English, Afrikaans and Xhosa / Consumers are an important part of business and understanding their behaviour, wants, and needs plays a vital role in the success of any business. This study focussed on the health and fitness industry in South Africa and the consumers making use of their services, as well as the non-users of these services. The primary objective of this study is to develop a consumer typology for health and fitness centres, based on the consumer behaviour of its members. Non-gym member responses were also solicited. A questionnaire was developed and sent out via email and Facebook, using convenience and snowball sampling to gather quantitative data. In total, 209 responses were received of which 98 were gym members and 111 not. Various statistical analyses were conducted on the data. A factor analysis was done to create a more manageable number of variables, while a cluster analysis was done to indicate whether certain profiles existed within the data. Cross-tabulations were carried out on the profiles to identify any significant differences in terms of their consumer behaviour. A T-test was performed to determine whether any differences existed regarding the choice of a specific health and fitness centre, while two binary logistical regressions were done to identify which factors could predict gym membership. The results indicated that two distinct gym member profiles, and two non-gym member profiles, could be identified. / Verbruikers is ʼn belangrike deel van besigheid en ʼn deeglike begrip van hul gedrag, begeertes en behoeftes speel ʼn deurslaggewende rol in die sukses van enige sakeonderneming. Hierdie studie fokus op die gesondheid- en fiksheidbedryf in Suid-Afrika, die verbruikers wat van hierdie dienste gebruik maak, asook dié wat nie daarvan gebruik maak nie. Die hoofoogmerk van hierdie studie is om ʼn verbruikertipologie vir gesondheid- en fiksheidsentrums te ontwikkel op grond van die verbruikersgedrag van die lede. Niegimnasiumlede is ook aangemoedig om deel te neem. ʼn Vraelys is ontwikkel en via e-pos en Facebook versprei. Gerieflikheid- en sneeubalsteekproefneming is gebruik om kwantitatiewe data in te samel. Altesaam 209 response is ontvang, waarvan 98 gimnasiumlede is en 111 nie gimnasiumlede is nie. Verskeie statistiese ontledings van die data is uitgevoer. ʼn Faktorontleding is gedoen om ʼn meer hanteerbare aantal veranderlikes te kry, terwyl trosontleding gebruik is om te bepaal of daar sekere profiele in die data bestaan. Kruistabellerings is op die profiele uitgevoer om enige noemenswaardige verskille ten opsigte van hul verbruikersgedrag te identifiseer. ʼn T-toets is gedoen om te bepaal of daar enige verskille rakende die keuse van ʼn spesifieke gesondheid- en fiksheidsentrum is, terwyl twee binêre logistieke regressies gedoen is om te identifiseer watter faktore gimansiumlidmaatskap kan voorspel. Die resultate het getoon dat twee afsonderlike gimnasiumlidprofiele, en twee nielidprofiele, geïdentifiseer kan word. / Badiriši ke karolo ye bohlokwa ya kgwebo gomme go kwešiša maitshwaro a bona, dihlokwa le dinyakwa go bapala karolo ye bohlokwa katlegong ya kgwebo efe le efe. Nyakišišo ye e lebantše go intasteri ya maphelo le tša boitekanelo ka Afrika Borwa, badiriši bao ba šomišago ditirelo tša yona, le bona bao ba sa šomišego ditirelo tše. Maikemišetšomagolo a nyakišišo ye ke go bopa thaepolotši ya badiriši ba disenthara tša maphelo le tša boitekanelo, go ya ka maitshwaro a badiriši ba maloko a tšona. Dikarabo tša maloko a go se šomiše lefelo la boithobollelo le tšona di kgopetšwe. Lenaneopotšišo le dirilwe gomme le rometšwe ka imeili le Facebook, go šomišwa sešupo sa boiketlo le sa koketšo go kgoboketša datha ya khwalitheithifi. Ka moka, go amogetšwe dikarabo tše 209 tšeo 98 ya tšona e lego ya maloko a lefelo la boithobollelo gomme tše 111 ga se tša maloko. Ditshekatsheko tša go fapana tša dipalopalo di dirilwe godimo ga datha. Tshekatsheko ya dintlha e dirilwe go bopa palo ye e laolegago bonolo ya dintlha, mola tshekatsheko ya sehlopha e dirilwe go laetša ge eba diprofaele tše itšeng di gona ka gare ga datha. Mekgwatshekatsheko ya go fapana e dirilwe godimo ga diprofaele go hlaola diphapano dife le dife tše bohlokwa go ya ka maitshwaro a bona a bodiriši. Teko-T e dirilwe go laetša ge eba go bile le phapano efe le efe mabapi le kgetho ye itšeng ya senthara ya maphelo le boitekanelo, mola dikakanyo tša lotšistiki tša go menagana gabedi di dirilwe go hlaola ntlha yeo e kago bonelapele boleloko bja lefelo la boithobollelo. Dipoelo di laeditše gore diprofaele tše pedi tša go fapana tša maloko a lefelo la boithobollelo, le diprofaele tše pedi tše e sego tša maloko a lefelo la boithobollelo, di ka hlaolwago. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

There is a student loan debt problem in the United States. Seven million student borrowers are in default and another 14 million are delinquent on their loans. A high level of college loan debt leaves students with insurmountable payments and holds them back from starting a family, buying a home, or saving for retirement. The problem is that financial managers may not understand the student loan decision process well enough to help students make a loan decision that prevents an unmanageable level of debt. The purpose of this study was to explore and understand the student's loan decision process using a conceptual framework that contrasts rational choice theory and behavioral economics within the Blackwell, Miniard, and Engel's consumer decision model. This exploratory study was designed to answer research questions about how students perceived the forces that might influence the decision. A qualitative case study was conducted and purposeful sampling was used to identify 28 undergraduate students who had a student loan at a university in the Rocky Mountain region. The students were interviewed, the data coded, and the coded data were analyzed to identify themes. The data were used to diagram the decision process and identify decision variables. The findings indicated that students were pragmatic in their loan decisions, but they were not rational actors. The research highlighted 3 behavioral economic themes: the power of intention, herding, and complexity resulting in the use of the satisficing and default heuristics. The contributions of this study could be of interest to financial managers, parents of students, and students planning to enter college. Preventing unmanageable student debt could bring positive social change to the students and their families.

Denna studie undersöker användarrecensioners påverkan på konsumenters beslutsprocess vid köp av produkter eller tjänster och faktorer som påverkar förtroendet för dessa recensioner. Studien visar att användarrecensioner har en betydande inverkan på konsumenters köpbeslut, med subjektiva normer och upplevd beteendekontroll som viktiga faktorer i beslutsprocessen. Det finns signifikanta skillnader i preferenser och beteende mellan olika åldersgrupper. Studien bidrar till ökad förståelse för konsumenters beteende och preferenser vid online-shopping och ger vägledning för framtida forskning inom detta område. Företag och e-handelsplattformar kan använda studiens insikter för att förbättra sina produkter, tjänster och marknadsföringsstrategier, genom att ta hänsyn till användarrecensioners betydelse och de faktorer som påverkar konsumenters förtroende för dessa recensioner. / This study examines the impact of user reviews on consumers decision-making process when purchasing products or services and factors that influence trust in these reviews. The study shows that user reviews have a significant influence on consumers purchasing decisions, with subjective norms and perceived behavioral control as important factors in the decision-making process. There are significant differences in preferences and behavior among different age groups. The study contributes to a better understanding of consumer behavior and preferences in online shopping and provides guidance for future research in this area. Companies and e-commerce platforms can use the insights from the study to improve their products, services, and marketing strategies by considering the importance of user reviews and the factors that influence consumers trust in these reviews.

Syftet med denna studie är att genom en kombinerad metod undersöka vilka faktorer som påverkar konsumenters beslutsprocesser samt vad konsumenter upplever som inträngande på den personliga integriteten, i kontexten av personaliserad marknadsföring. För att uppnå studiens syfte har ett visst antal konsumenter undersökts genom semistrukturerade intervjuer samt via en enkät. Resultaten visar att tillförlitlighet, diverse betalningsalternativ, leverans- och returpolicyer samt olika förmåner är faktorer som påverkar konsumenters beslutsprocesser. Ännu en slutsats är att konsumenter upplever marknadsföring och erbjudanden om produkter och/eller tjänster de endast talat om som inträngande på den personliga integriteten. Dessa slutsatser baseras på respondenternas egna åsikter och tidigare upplevelser. / The purpose of this study is to, by using a combined method, investigate which factors influence consumers' decision-making processes and what consumers perceive as intrusive on personal integrity, in the context of personalized marketing. To achieve the purpose of the study, a certain number of consumers were surveyed through semi structured interviews and via a questionnaire. The results show that reliability, various payment options, delivery- and return policies and various benefits, are factors that affect consumers' decision-making processes. Another conclusion is that consumers experience marketing and offers of products and/or services they have only talked about as intrusive on personal privacy. These conclusions are based on the respondents' own opinions and previous experiences.

The foundation for this study is based on prior research (Sproles & Sproles, 1990) that determined that learning styles are significantly related to consumer decision-making styles. Decision making involves a process of cognitive learning. Since the study was published, other studies have investigated these consumer decision-making styles. However, no additional studies have further investigated the relationship between learning styles and consumer decision-making styles for college students, especially first-year, first semester college students. Numerous studies have documented that students enter college as consumers but may lack basic knowledge and skills to make consumer decisions and avoid potential debt. The focus of the current study was to determine whether a relationship exists between beginning college students' self-reported mind styles, consumer decision-making styles, and shopping habits. To investigate this relationship, a purposive sample was targeted consisting of first-year, first semester college students. Three instruments were administered: the Gregorc Style Delineator, the Consumer Styles Inventory, and a Demographic Survey. A Chi-Square Test of Independence showed that there is a significant relationship between gender and self-reported shopping habits. Females tend to self-report purchases of clothing more frequently than males. Males tend to self-report purchases of food away from home and gas/auto expenses more frequently than females. No significant relationship was found between students' perception of family income and self-reported shopping habits, suggesting that these students purchase consumer goods frequently regardless of their perceived family income. A Chi-Square Test of Independence also revealed a significant relationship between gender and self-reported, dominant, Gregorc mind styles. Females were more likely than males to self-report their dominant mind styles as Abstract Random. Males were more likely than females to self-report their dominant mind style as Concrete Random. Although the current study's results did not support multiple consumer decision-making styles from previous studies using the Consumer Styles Inventory, an exploratory factor analysis revealed one, overall consumer decision-making style, Recreational/Hedonistic. A Mann-Whitney Rank Sum Test showed that there is a significant relationship between gender and the Recreational/Hedonistic consumer decision-making style. Females tend to be more recreational shoppers than males. A summary, discussion of the results, and recommendations for further research, practice, policy, and families are proposed. / Ph. D.

Historically, consumer perceptions towards dairy products have been measured using a rational cognitive approach. However, recent consumer insights suggest that emotions play a dominant role in consumer decision making. The South African dairy industry therefore identified a need to determine emotive reactions to educational messages in addition to the reasons underpinning dairy consumption. Using a mixed method research approach, reactions from 81 South African dairy consumers were obtained, using three different, but interrelated measuring instruments. Descriptive statistics, hierarchical ladder maps and correlation analyses were used to examine emotive and cognitive consumer reaction to a number of generic dairy messages and products. The findings indicate that certain communication messages appear to have a stronger impact on consumers due to specific emotions that these messages elicit. Personal values underpinning dairy consumption decisions were also identified within the context of emotive reactions to the selected dairy products. / Business Management / M. Com. (Business Management)

Implementation av ett CSR-engagemang innebär stora ekonomiska påfrestelser på ett företag vilket kan visa sig vara problematiskt för företag då konsumenterna uppger att de är villiga att överväga CSR men när det gäller verklig konsumtion är det få konsumenter som tar hänsyn till CSR. Syftet med denna uppsats är därför att kartlägga åsikterna om företags CSR inom mejeribranschen och klädbranschen hos konsumenter i Stockholm län. Frågeställningarna för denna uppsats är “anser svenska konsumenter att det är viktigt med CSR inom mejeribranschen respektive klädbranschen??” samt “vilka CSR-faktorer anser svenska konsumenter påverkar deras köp mest inom mejeribranschen respektive klädbranschen?”. Arbetet i studien är grundat i en kvantitativ undersökning där 307 respondenter deltog i en enkätundersökning. För att studera resultatet av enkätundersökningen har arbetet utgått ifrån teorier inom CSR och konsumentbeteende. Utifrån resultatet kan man konstatera att respondenterna anser att det är viktigare med CSR inom mejeribranschen än inom klädbranschen samt att de faktorer som respondenterna anser påverkar deras köp mest är smak eller utseende, beroende på branschen. En slutsats som kan dras utifrån resultatet är att CSR är viktigare för kvinnor än för män inom respektive bransch, samt att konsumenterna inte anser att CSR faktorer är det som har störst påverkan på deras köp inom respektive bransch. Slutligen kan slutsatsen om att respondenterna anser att CSR faktorer har större påverkan på deras köp inom mejeribranschen än i klädbranschen, bortsett från arbetsförhållanden som anses påverka mer inom klädbranschen. / Implementation of a CSR engagement involves major financial strain on a company, which may prove problematic for companies, as consumers state that they are willing to consider CSR, but when it comes to real consumption, few consumers take CSR into consideration. The purpose of this paper is therefore to map out the opinions about the corporate social responsibility regarding the industries of both clothing and dairy products for the consumers in the Stockholm area. The research questions that were examined was “do Swedish consumers consider CSR to be important in the dairy industry and the clothing industry?” and "which CSR factors do Swedish consumers consider to affect their purchases most in the dairy industry and the clothing industry?". The research has a quantitative base with a survey with 307 respondents. In order to study the result of the survey the use of different theories has been implemented for example CSR, Green Marketing and Consumer Behaviour. The result shows that the respondents think that CSR is more important in the dairy industry than the clothing industry, as well as the most important factor in their purchase is the taste or looks of the product, depending on the industry. Another conclusion is that CSR is more important for women than for men in both industries. Furthermore, consumers don't think that CSR factors is what has the greatest impact on their purchases within each industry. Lastly is that the respondents consider CSR factors to have a greater impact on their purchases in the dairy industry than in the clothing industry, apart from working conditions which are considered to affect more in the clothing industry.

Die Dissertation thematisiert die kontextbezogene Präferenzbildung von Konsumenten. Aufsatz 1 untersucht das Substitutionsverhalten von Konsumenten in Out-of-Stock Situationen unter Berücksichtigung des Einflusses von Promotions. Die Ergebnisse zweier Online-Studien zeigen, dass sowohl Phantome als auch Promotions die Dominanzstruktur eines Choicesets verändern und somit zu systematischen Verschiebungen der relativen Präferenzen führen. Aufsatz 2 diskutiert, ob Kontexteffekte in einem hypothetischen Entscheidungsumfeld mit rein imaginären Kaufentscheidungen im Vergleich zu verbindlichen Entscheidungen mit realen Zahlungen systematisch überschätzt werden. Die empirischen Resultate belegen, dass der Ähnlichkeitseffekt in hypothetischen Studien signifikant höher ist als in Erhebungen unter Verwendung von realen Marken und verbindlichen Kaufentscheidungen inklusive tatsächlicher Zahlungsverpflichtungen für die gewählten Produkte. Aufsatz 3 untersucht, ob der „reversed similarity effect“, als die Tendenz von Konsumenten bei der Nichtverfügbarkeit von bevorzugten Produkten solche Substitute zu wählen, die der nichtverfügbaren Wahloption ähnlich sind, auch in realen Entscheidungsgegebenheiten Gültigkeit besitzt und bestätigt dies anhand von zwei empirischen Studien. Aufsatz 4 analysiert den interaktiven Effekt von Phantomen und Händlerempfehlungen auf die Präferenzbildung bei Onlinekäufen. Es zeigt sich, dass der separate Einfluss beider Faktoren nicht zwangsläufig positiv interagiert. Vielmehr bedingen sich Richtung und Stärke der gemeinsamen Wirkung durch die jeweilige Produktkategorie sowie die empfundene Wichtigkeit der enthaltenen Produktattribute. Aufsatz 5 beschäftigt sich mit Präferenzdeterminanten für biologische Produkte. Mithilfe eines Strukturgleichungsmodells kann belegt werden, dass Gesundheits- sowie Umweltmotive keinen direkten Einfluss auf die Bio-Präferenzen eines Haushalts haben, sondern durch die jeweilige Einstellung zu Bioartikeln moderiert werden. / The doctoral dissertation analyzes context-dependent preference formation of customers with regard to the influence of product- and situation-specific as well as experimental factors. Essay 1 studies preference formation of customers in out-of-stock situations by coevally considering the specific influence of promotions. The results of two online studies reveal that both phantoms and promotions induce changes in the dominance structure of a choice set, thereby systematically affecting customers’ substitution decisions. Essay 2 discusses if context effects are significantly overestimated in binding choice settings that include real payments for test products. The attained results confirm that the similarity effect is significantly higher in purely hypothetical decision environments in contrast to realistic choice setting inclusive of payment obligations for the selected products. Essay 3 attends to the question if the reversed similarity effect – as a customers’ tendency to preferably select very similar substitutes when a desired item is temporarily unavailable – also holds true in market-like choice scenarios. The results of a comprehensive online study confirm the existence of the effect in all tested product categories. Essay 4 studies the interactive effect of phantoms, i.e. unavailable choice options, and recommendations on directing customers’ choice in online purchase decisions. It can be demonstrated that the factors’ separate influence does not necessarily add up when appearing within the same choice scenario. Instead boundary conditions of the factors’ interaction are identified. Essay 5 seeks to identify determinants of customers’ preference for organic products. The results of PLS structural equation modelling show that health- as well as environmental motives do not have a direct effect on relative preferences for organic items but that their influence is fully mediated by one’s attitude towards organically produced articles.

Les politiques publiques environnementales cherchent à impacter des comportements de consommation. Néanmoins, la relation causale entre l’action publique mise en œuvre et le changement de comportement se caractérise par des discontinuités. Elle doit donc être approfondie en combinant l’angle d’analyse des politiques publiques et du processus de décision du consommateur. En effet, ce dernier dépend également d’autres déterminants psychosociaux et d’autres facteurs contextuels. L’impact spécifique des instruments des politiques publiques doit cependant pouvoir y être distingué. Notre étude sur la politique publique environnementale française visant à l’acquisition de voitures à faibles émissions de carbone permet de comprendre l’impact des instruments des politiques publiques sur le processus de décision d’achat du consommateur. En effet, l’attitude envers les instruments de l’action publique produit des effets sur le processus de décision du consommateur. Cet impact n’est pas direct, mais il modère les relations causales entre les principaux déterminants du comportement. Ces effets modérateurs dépendent de la nature psychologique ou structurelle des instruments des politiques publiques qui impactent des relations spécifiques du processus de décision du consommateur / Environmental public policy tools aim to impact consumer behavior. Nevertheless, the causal relationship system between the implementation of a public policy and behavior is full of disconnections. Thus, it should be deepen with the combined analysis of public policies and consumer decision process. Indeed, this latter also depends on others psychosocial determinants towards behavior and other contextual forces. The impact of public policy tools need to be distinguished among them.Our study on the French environmental public policy aimed at acquiring low-carbon emission cars focuses on understanding the impact of public policy tools on consumer buying decision process. Indeed, the attitude towards public policy tools affects consumer decision process. It results that the impact is not so direct but it moderates the relationship between the main determinants of behavior. These moderation effects depend on the psychological or structural nature of the public policy tools which impacts specific relationships of the consumer decision process

Word of mouth (WOM) communication has been a form of additional information for consumers wishing to make a purchase decision where there was uncertainty, lack of knowledge or just a general desire for more information. The increased access and use of social media as well as anonymous opportunities for consumers to provide their reviews on products or services is changing how WOM is used and sought. There is little research on the impact and use of WOM with respect to consumer decision making in a recreation and leisure context. Much research has been focussed on retail experiences and more tangible outcomes. The purpose of this study was to explore the process consumers undertake to seek out, listen and engage in WOM communication when making service purchase decisions. This study took place in a municipality in York Region that offered swimming lessons to the public. Participants were chosen using convenience sampling methodology. 500 surveys were distributed with 301 returned surveys completed to some degree. Study participants were recruited from observers watching a swim class offered by a municipal recreation provider. The survey instrument asked participants to describe themselves in terms of their experience level with municipal recreation programs. It also included three scales relating to susceptibility to influence, self confidence and need for cognition. Participants were exposed to one of five scenarios – one control message contained no treatment information and four scenarios with treatment messages relating to self-confidence and perceived risk. Treatment group members received information suggesting either high and low levels of perceived risk with purchase and high and low levels of self-confidence with knowledge (regarding the purchase decision). Respondents in this study possessed a very high level of self confidence in their program selections; they knew where to find the information and also how to explore program options. Overall this seemed a very well informed and confident group. Results suggest that susceptibility to influence (t = 5.889, p = .000) and self confidence (t = -2.174, p = .037) influenced their search for WOM communication. Need for cognition did not influence the likelihood they would seek WOM communication (t = -1.098, p = .280). Together all three variables explained 50% of the variance (adjusted R2 = .505) in the dependent variable (likelihood they would seek out WOM to make the purchase). These results indicate that participants were more likely to seek WOM when they were susceptible to influence and when their self confidence levels were low. Results also suggest that consumers were open to on line sources of word of mouth communication. More than that, study participants were generally willing to trust online reviews from people who were not necessarily known to them. As a result, online reviews could greatly influence the program registration numbers. A key question for future research could focus on the role shared experience plays in the evolution of trust between strangers. Many of these respondents would trust the advice of others simply because they reported having shared experience. How far does this trust go? How much risk must be present before they hesitate to take advice from unknown individuals? What are the characteristics or traits that consumers look for when assessing the validity of the reviews. Word of mouth seems a very pervasive and resilient concept. This may be particularly important in situations characterized by risk. Additional research could further explore the concept of word of finger and its influence on the traditional concept of WOM communication.