The primary objective of this research was to explore the icewine package design by conducting two experiments. In experiment 1, there was not congruity effect between label images and bottle forms for icewine. Additionally, in terms of natural label image, opaque Bordeaux bottle form was perceived to be more luxurious and more expensive than transparent Bordeaux bottle form for icewine; these results were only found for natural label image rather than delicate label images. Furthermore, opaque Bordeaux bottle form with maple leaf label image was found to be the optimal design for Canadian icewine. In experiment 2, there was no significant difference on consumers’ evaluations for congruent and moderately incongruent designs under the moderating effect of purchase context (i.e., buying for others and buying for self). The findings not only contribute to the icewine packaging literature but also contribute to Canadian icewine manufacturers, and the industry as a whole, with a competitive advantage.

Darbe aiškinamasi, kokiais teisės aktais ir kokiais juose įtvirtintais kokybės kriterijais remiantis nustatoma ar konkreti vartojimo prekė (paslauga) atitinka kokybės reikalavimus arba atvirkščiai jų neatitinka. Nekokybiškumo samprata atkleidžiama tiek Lietuvos, tiek Europos Sąjungos lygmenyje; išryškinamos problemos, susijusios su ES teisėje numatyto prekės atitikties sutarčiai principo perkėlimu į nacionalines teisės sistemas. Antrojoje darbo dalyje tiriami konkretūs probleminiai klausimai vartotojams įrodinėjant prekės (paslaugos) nekokybiškumą, o būtent: pareigos pranešti apie kokybės trūkumus įtaka vartotojo teisių gynimui, komercinės/teisinės garantijos, šešių mėnesių nekokybiškumo prezumpcijos taikymo problemos ir perspektyvos. Trečiojoje darbo dalyje kiekvienas teisės gynimo būdas aptariamas atskirai, atliekant išsamią Lietuvos ir ES teisinio reguliavimo, teisės doktrinos ir teismų praktikos analizę; atskleidžiama konkretaus vartotojo teisių gynimo būdo problematika, pateikiami galimi sprendimo variantai. Atkreiptinas dėmesys, kad kiekvienoje darbo dalyje, remiantis dabartiniu teisiniu reguliavimu pirmiausia pateikiamos konkretaus nagrinėjamo klausimo teorinės nuostatos, vėliau jos susiejamos su teismų praktika, teisės doktrinoje išsakytomis pozicijomis, atliktų tyrimų duomenimis, ir galiausiai pereinama prie konkrečių praktinių problemų analizės, pateikiami galimi jų sprendimo variantai ir įvertinamos teisinio reguliavimo perspektyvos. Kadangi šiuo darbu reaguojama... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / The object of the academic master work is to analyze the problems faced by the consumers in case of defective goods (services) and the court’s practice on this matter. The academic master work begins with the examination of the legislation and of the special quality criteria that are laid down for determining whether a particular consumer good (service) meets the quality requirements or vice versa, they do not. The conception of defectiveness is revealed in the two levels: Lithuanian and European Union; the problems associated with the transposition of the principle of conformity with the contract to the national law systems are pointed out. In the second part of academic master work the particular problematic issues that arises while consumers prove the defectiveness of goods (services) are examined, namely: the duty of the consumer to notify the trader of quality deficiencies and it’s impact on consumer rights; the legal and commercial guarantees, six-month presumption’s of non-conformity application problems and perspectives. In the third part of work each of the possible remedies in the case of defective goods (services) is separately considered; by the analysis of Lithuanian and EU’s comprehensive regulatory, case law and legal doctrine, the problems associated with each remedy is revealed and the possible solutions are given. The point worth mentioning is that in each part of the academic master work first of all the theoretical provisions are pointed out, after they... [to full text]

This research focuses on dining experience as an example of experience marketing. In this study, the qualitative research method has been used to derive particular concepts involved in the dining experience from the bodies of reviews. Similarly, quantitative content analysis method has been used to provide rich and valuable information about the concepts explored from the qualitative data. Inferential statistics has been used in the study to test hypotheses about the relationships between elements in the dining experience context. The results indicate that food quality is the most important predictor of the dining satisfaction while service quality may not be an effective factor to create satisfaction. Moreover, social needs in dining experience are more evident in dinners than in lunches. The results of the study reveal the effectiveness and applicability of the online review analysis in bringing new insights from dining experience to contribute to the field of experience economy. / viii, 127 leaves ; 29 cm

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International trade activity is becoming an increasingly more important part of the world economy, and it is recognized that there is a greater necessity to gauge consumers' attitude toward both domestic and foreign products (Netermeyer, Durvasula, and Lichtenstein, 1991). Research in this area has focused on what is termed the country of origin effect, that is, investigating how consumers perceive products sourced from a particular country (Roth and Romeo, 1992). Substantial portions of country of origin studies so far have focused on the consumer behavior of people in developed countries. However, because multinational companies around the world have expanded their operations in various developing countries, it is now relevant to examine this phenomenon in the developing world. This dissertation examines the importance that South African consumers place on country of origin information and how they perceive the quality of products made in various countries, namely the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, China, India, and South Africa. Further more, this study examines the ethnocentric tendencies of South African consumers and the influence of demographical factors on consumer perception as well as the evaluation of domestic versus foreign products in South Africa. One hundred and seventy-six questionnaires were distributed to employees of the University of Natal both Durban and Westville campuses and of this total, one hundred and thirty-three questionnaires were returned. This represents a response rate of seventy-six percent. Data was analyzed using SPSS software. Statistics analysis of the results showed that South African consumers do indeed attach importance to country of origin information and that their evaluation of products is influenced by their perception and image of different countries. In line with previous research, the results indicated that consumers perceived products from developed countries as being of higher quality than products from developing countries. But they also exhibited a positive attitude towards South African products. This contradicts previous research findings whereby consumers in developing country perceive local products negatively. The result also revealed that price, country of origin, and brand are important to South African consumers before they consider purchasing decisions. Furthermore, the result indicated that South African consumers tended to be ethnocentric. Ethnocentrism scores, however, couldn't be generalized for all segments of the population. Differences were found based on sex, education and age. Young, educated, female consumers demonstrated less ethnocentric tendencies than other segments implying that this segment represents the best target groups for overseas manufacturers and marketers. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Self-medication is a practice that can contribute significantly towards reducing total healthcare expenditure in South Africa. It empowers people to treat themselves in a responsible and cost effective manner. Pharmacists are in an ideal position to implement, monitor and contribute to the success of the concept of self-medication in South Africa. This study will attempt to analyse the acceptance and success of this concept in South Africa. The study will examine the impact of demographic variables, attitudes of both pharmacists and consumers towards self-medication, and views of the government and pharmaceutical organisations. An attempt will be made to obtain viewpoints of other healthcare workers, such as doctors, on the implementation and acceptance of self-medication. The information obtained from structured questionnaires to both pharmacists and consumers will be analysed to arrive at conclusions and recommendations on the concept of self-medication. These conclusions and recommendations will be used to create a conceptual framework for consumers and pharmacists. It is hoped that findings from this empirical study will contribute to the body of knowledge and shed new insights into responsible self-medication in South Africa. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Advances in technology have changed the way business is conducted. In particular, the advent of internet/online banking in the financial sector, has revolutionised the banking industry. Despite the introduction of online banking in the 90's, the number of consumers converting to the offering has progressed slowly. There are numerous reasons for this, one of them being lack of infrastructure, high Internet costs and more importantly the mindset of the customer. Banks are competing on the basis of technology and service offering to win a sizeable share of the online market. However very little is known about the factors influencing consumer behaviour in the South African online banking market. This study aims to investigate the psychological and cultural factors influencing consumer behaviour in the online banking sector. It will also investigate the process of decision making that result in consumer behaviour outcomes in the online banking sector. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2002.

The exact nature of the point of sale can vary considerably, from huge hypermarkets to roadside stalls and cafes. At each of these, the consumer is faced with a dizzy array of products to choose from. In all of these instances, packaging can provide the trigger for differentiating the product and hence to purchase it. In the Fast Moving Consumer Goods industry, almost 70% of the purchase decision are taken at the point of sale. Effective packaging at the point of sale can render huge opportunities for a company, as this can allow the product to stand out against competitors, evoking emotions from the consumer to purchase their product. Unilever is the second largest consumer goods company in the world. Predominate product categories include the food and home care businesses. In South Africa they dominate the laundry market with well-known brands such as OMO, Skip, Sunlight, Surf etc. As part of their growth strategy, much focus is placed on harmonisation of product and packaging development. Apart from aligning product formulations, this strategy also includes aligning pack designs. It is therefore critical that before any decision is made on changing pack designs to conform to global standards, that an in-depth study be undertaken in order to assess how changes in packaging elements affect the South African consumer. It is also important that all involved in the local packaging value chain, ie artwork agencies, packaging suppliers, company brand development members, are in tune with what the local consumers want. The objective of this research is to establish which (combination of) packaging elements (ie colour, shape, materials and design) in laundry products are most effective in influencing consumers purchasing decision. The study focussed specifically on Surf LSM 7-8 consumers in Durban. The research further looked at which packaging elements associated with the Surf brand influence purchase decision as perceived by members of the packaging value chain (artwork agencies, packaging suppliers and company's brand development) and compared this to findings in the consumer segment. This was done to evaluate how effective the packaging value chain is in delivering an effective package to the target consumer. The research was carried out as follows: 1. A literature review to gather knowledge about packaging elements and its communicating capability of messages in order to identify which elements have these capabilities. 2. A quantitative study to gain insight into which attributes of packaging elements are most effective in communicating specific product attributes associated with the Surf platform. 3. A semi-quantitative study to gain insight into which attributes of packaging elements are effective in influencing a consumers purchasing decision It was found that respondents from brand development had a good understanding of Surf consumers' current image of the brand. Artwork agencies and packaging suppliers need to become more involved with consumer research and immersions in order to bridge the gap in better understanding what the brand stands for. The colour blue still remains the main visual cue linked to the Surf brand. There could be an opportunity for the colour red to be used effectively in order to depict brightness. There is also a possibility that flexible packaging would be more appealing provided that opening/closing could be improved. Holographic designs should definitely be incorporated onto a Surf pack. / Thesis (MBA)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Two studies, based on the prototype approach to emotions, examined individual level (appraisals, expressions/action readiness and coping) and interpersonal components (provider response to consumer emotions) of consumer anger and anxiety during air travel, and the impact of these components on service evaluation. It is proposed that the nature of provider response to the overall emotion experience determines consumer evaluation of the service. / A survey of recalled experiences of these emotions (Study 1) found that, consistent with the hypotheses, anger experiences comprised appraisals of provider blame for the negative event, problem focused coping (e.g., confronting the provider), and support withholding provider response (i.e., not assisting the consumer through the negative experience). Anxiety experiences, as hypothesized, had greater appraisals of uncontrollable circumstances, but emotion-focused coping (i.e., attempts to manage the affective reaction) was only marginally more than problem-focused coping, and there was no difference in support providing (i.e., assisting the consumer though the negative event) and support withholding provider responses. The survey could not elicit details of the physical expressions accompanying either emotion. Analysis of structured questions show that while support withholding responses decrease evaluations, support providing responses can increase evaluations despite the negativity of the emotions. / Study 2 sequentially manipulated emotions (anger, anxiety) and provider response---emotion support (reassuring consumers), instrumental support (attempting to resolve the problem), mixed support (doing both), and no support. Structured questions that followed the emotion manipulation measured coping and action readiness underlying expressions. Coping patterns replicated the results of Study 1. Expressions of anger conveyed action readiness modes of approach and antagonism while anxiety expressions conveyed approach and helplessness. Measures of consumer evaluation followed the provider response manipulation and confirmed that support providing responses lead to higher evaluations. The social support literature indicates that support strategies closely aligned with the components of consumer emotions will be the most effective. Results confirm, that this occurs at high levels of emotion intensity. Instrumental support that matched the well-defined problem oriented components of anger experiences tended to be more effective than emotion support. Instrumental support was also effective for anxious consumers, but a mixed support strategy that matched the occurrence of both emotion-focused and problem-focused coping in anxiety, tended to be more efficacious. Results are discussed in terms of the context specific nature of the components of emotion experience, and of the need to be cognizant of these components when designing provider response strategies.

Ambitionen med uppsatsen är att medvetandegöra läsare om konsumtionskulturen och hur den kan påverka individers identitet. Forskning visar på att vi lever i en konsumtionskultur som påverkar människors identitet och vilka sociala konsekvenser detta kan skapa. Syftet är således att öka förståelse för hur studenter upplever konsumtionskulturen. Studien är av en kvalitativ art med hermeneutik som metodansats och har genomförts med stöd av åtta intervjuer av studenteter på Högskolan i Halmstad. Empirin har tolkats utifrån teorier om konsumtionssamhället (Bauman), interaktion (Goffman) samt respektabilitet och kapital (Skeggs & Bourdieu). Resultatet visar att konsumtionskulturen har ett inflytande på studenter på Högskolan i Halmstad. Dem sociala konsekvenser konsumtionskulturen har bidragit med är att upprätthålla identiteter som grundar sig på den bild som individen försöker upprätthålla med sin konsumtion. Studenterna använder varor till sin intrycksstyrning för att de anser att varor presenterar deras identitet. De visar sig att konsumtion ger en identitet en tillhörighet till sociala grupper som studenterna vill tillhöra samt ett medlemskap i konsumtionssamhället, som ska ange respektabilitet. / The aim of this paper is to sensitize readers about consumer culture and how it can affect the identity of individuals. Research shows us that we live in a consumer culture that affects people's identity and what social consequences this can create. Therefore the aim is to increase understanding of how students experience the culture of consumption. The study is of a qualitative nature of hermeneutics as a method approach and has been implemented with the support of eight interviews of students at Halmstad University. The empirical data is interpreted based on theories of consumers’ society (Bauman), interaction (Goffman) and respectability and capital (Skeggs & Bourdieu). The result shows that consumer culture has an influence on the students at Halmstad University. The social impacts consumer culture has contributed to is, maintaining the identities that are based on the picture the individuals are trying to maintain trough consumption. Students use the products for their impression management because they believe that their identity is presented by this. Students wants to belong to social groups and it is shown that consumption provides an identity of belonging and a membership in a consumer society, which should indicate respectability.