Purpose – The purpose of this study is to investigate the relative efficacies of intrinsic and extrinsic cues as drivers of customer loyalty to financial institutions between male and female bank customers. Design/methodology/approach – A large-scale survey of 872 customers of a national bank serves as the study setting. Findings – Results showed that extrinsic cues were the more effective correlates of customer loyalty and that gender does not moderate the relationships between image cues and customer loyalty. Research limitations/implications – The cross-sectional nature of the current study does not allow causal inferences. Therefore, future studies should adopt longitudinal designs. Practical implications – Results suggest that, although transmitting a favorable image through extrinsic cues is critical, nevertheless, intrinsic cues (interactions among customers and bank personnel) should not be ignored. To reinforce this not only among current customers but also among potential customers, banks should use advertisements featuring favorable testimonials. Originality/value – Empirical research in the banking services literature pertaining to the efficacies of intrinsic and extrinsic cues in forming customer loyalty is scarce. This study fills in the void. Also, in determining if the relationships between image and customer loyalty vary by gender, the authors not only looked at male versus female differences on the basis of average construct scores but also examined the structural relationships among the constructs.

By exploring determinants of perceived wine quality and seeking possibilities to overcome Chinese wines’ negative COO effect, this paper aims to give insights to current research field about perceived quality and Country of Origin (COO) effect. Adopting an abductive approach, the researchers conducted qualitative semi-structured interviews separately with 11 respondents in different age, nationality and occupation. The results show that consumer perception on wine quality is influenced by four extrinsic cues (Country of Manufacturing, price, credible endorsements, brand) and four intrinsic cues (package, taste, aroma, wine legs). Hence, this paper conclude that it is possible for Chinse wine to improve its overall consumer perception by improving competence in other determinants of perceived wine quality.

The research was undertaken to quantify the power of selected extrinsic (price and country of origin) and intrinsic cues (acid in chardonnay and fat in brie) on consumer evaluations of both experienced and expected product quality, and further, to measure the respective influences of objective knowledge, subjective knowledge and self-confidence on these quality assessments. The study also seeks to determine if a survey conducted measuring expectations of quality would yield comparable results with quality assessments based on actual product experience. The study was comprised of sensory experiments using full profile conjoint analysis experimental design to measure quality perception, followed by a survey where only product description profiles were provided. The analysis from both stages show findings that are remarkably similar in most respects. Results of the sensory experiment for chardonnay show both extrinsic cues tested to be more important than acid levels, while results for the survey show price maintained the strongest influence, with comparable expectations regarding the importance of country of origin and acid. For brie (both stages) consumer opinions were consistent; with price found the most influential; and while country of origin was considered relatively important, fat levels were more influential for both groups. Whilst for chardonnay (both stages) respondents held consistent beliefs regarding each acid level tested, for brie respondents experiencing the highest level of fat held an opposite view to respondents assessing quality based on their expected liking for this type of product. The influence of knowledge (objective and subjective) and self-confidence was found to be sporadic and weak, likely due to respondents’ general lack of objective knowledge in both stages of the survey. In the case of self-confidence, results are surprising given that respondents in both studies exhibited reasonably healthy degrees of self-confidence. The research provides important information to marketers seeking to exploit the most attractive aspects of their products and platform for a number of subsequent studies. / Thesis(PhD)-- School of Commerce, 2007

Despite predictions of Internet shopping reaching 6.9 trillion dollars by the end of 2004, research is now suggesting many online consumers are still very reluctant to complete the online shopping process. A number of authors have attributed consumers' reluctance to purchase online to apparent barriers, however, such barriers have not been fully examined within a theoretical context. While most studies of consumers' decision to shop on the Internet have focussed on key shopping determinants, this thesis builds a conceptual model grounded in consumer behaviour theory. In particular, this thesis explores the application of the perceived risk theoretical framework, specifically looking at one dimension of perceived risk theory - performance risk and the influence it has on the phenomenon of Internet Abandoned Cart Syndrome (ACS). To explore this phenomenon, a number of extrinsic cues are identified as playing a major role in the performance evaluation process of online purchases. The combination of these elements enabled the researcher to develop a conceptual model from which a series of propositions were drawn. To acquire pertinent data and investigate each proposition, this study used a combination of indirect and direct techniques, namely projective techniques in the form of a third-person vignette, a structured tick-box questionnaire and finally semi-structured interviews. The results suggest that collectively the extrinsic cues of brand, reputation, design and price have an overall impact on the performance evaluation process just prior to an online purchase. Varying these cues either positively or negatively had a strong impact on performance evaluation. The conclusion of this study suggests consumers are often unable to measure the full extent of risk-taking directly. In the majority of cases, consumers are guided by numerous factors, some intrinsic, others extrinsic. E-tailers with an established reputation, a well designed web site with known brands and a balanced pricing strategy reduce the perceived performance risks associated with purchasing online, thus reducing the occurrence of ACS.

Purpose: The purpose of this research is to explore how consumers of slow fashion experience value of apparel in relation to price, quality, appearance and style, awareness, and trust.Research questions: How do the extrinsic cues in relation to slow fashion influence the value journey of slow fashion consumers? What is the experienced value journey of slow fashion consumers from pre-purchase to post-purchase of apparel?Methodology: data was collected through semi-structured interviewing with eight participantsFindings: The research identified that slow fashion consumers undergo a value journey based on five components: their knowledge, altruistic concerns, personal investment, expectations, and their emotional connection. Their knowledge is formed by how much the slow fashion consumers know about the production process of the apparel, the material quality of the apparel, and themselves in terms of their personal preferences. Their altruistic concerns involve influences how they consume and use clothes based on their ethics. Their personal investment is determined by how much time, effort, and resources they are willing to spend on pieces of apparel. The slow fashion consumer then set an expectation on how well the piece of apparel satisfies these three components through its usage in a post-purchase context. If the piece of apparel exceeds their expectations, they form an emotional connection. This emotional connection again determines their next line of consumption of apparel in a pre-purchase context. These five components determine therefore the process of slow fashion consumers’ perceived value pre-purchase to the perceived value-in-use post-purchase.

In the context of the world's increasing environmental challenges and the rise of green consumerism, promoting sustainable consumer behavior is more important than ever. This study aims at extending the understanding of consumers' purchase  intention of  environmentally friendly cosmetic products. With a theoretical starting point in theories of green promotion and the theory of planned behavior, a total of ten hypotheses and sub-hypotheses were formulated to answer the research question how green promotional cues can be used to affect consumers' beliefs and increase purchase intention. Central concepts in the study’s constructed conceptual framework are intrinsic cues which represent concrete characteristics of a product such as ingredients and formula, and extrinsic cues which are attributes not present within the product itself such as packaging and brand. A quantitative approach using an online survey in an experimental vignette designed questionnaire generated responses from a sample of 325 participants in three treatment groups, and the data was subsequently examined through statistical analysis. The study’s main findings show that intrinsic cues have a stronger influence on purchase intention than extrinsic cues but that extrinsic cues seem to have a stronger influence on consumers’ subjective beliefs. The study provides implications on how cosmetic companies can use the insights generated by the study when developing promotional strategies for green cosmetics.

La schizophrénie est caractérisée par un ensemble de symptômes positifs et négatifs ainsi que par des déficits cognitifs dont les éléments les plus handicapants sont les troubles mnésiques. La métamémoire, qui est la connaissance sur la mémoire, est un champ d’investigation prometteur pour la compréhension et la remédiation de ce trouble. La métamémoire est composée d’un processus évaluatif et d’un processus de régulation du comportement qui sont en interaction. Les études précédentes ont montré que l’évaluation serait préservée dans la schizophrénie alors que la régulation serait déficitaire. Cependant, les relations entre ces processus n’ont pas été examinées alors qu’elles pourraient permettre decompenser le déficit mnésique. Les objectifs de ce travail étaient donc d’une part, d’observer ces relations entre évaluation et régulation dans la schizophrénie, ainsi que les ressources cognitives liées à ces processus. D’autre part, afin d’étendre les connaissances fondamentales sur la métamémoire, nous souhaitions observer l’utilisation de différents types de matériels etde stratégies d’apprentissage chez des participants sains. Les deux premières expériences ont permis de montrer que les patients schizophrènes étaient capables d’utiliser l’évaluation de leur apprentissage pour adapter leur stratégie de mémorisation et que leurs déficits en mémoire étaient liés à d’autres fonctions cognitives. Les cinq expériences suivantes ont confirmé que les participants sains ne prenaient pas en compte de la même manière les caractéristiques intrinsèques et extrinsèques du matériel dans leurs jugements et leurs stratégies. Ces données sont discutées et indiquent que davantage de recherches sur la métamémoire dans la schizophrénie seraient d’un grand intérêt pour la prise en charge des troubles mnésiques de ces patients. / Schizophrenia is characterized by a range of positive and negative symptoms and bycognitive deficits including the most disabling one, memory. Metamemory, which is knowledge about memory is of particular interest for the understanding and remediation of this trouble. It involves a monitoring and a control process, which would be in interaction.Previous studies have shown that monitoring is spared whereas control is impaired. However,these relations between these processes have not been examined whereas they could compensate for memory deficit. The aims of this work were to observe these relations between monitoring and control in schizophrenia and cognitive resources linked to these processes on the one hand. On the other hand, we wished to observe the use of different kinds of materials and learning strategies in healthy participants to get better fundamental knowledge about metamemory. Two experiments showed that patients were able to use monitoring to adapt their learning strategy and also that their memory deficits were linked too ther cognitive functions. Five following experiments confirmed that healthy participants do not use intrinsic and extrinsic characteristics of the materials in the same way when makin gjudgments and using strategies. These data are discussed and point out that more research about metamemory in schizophrenia is of interest for the remediation of memory deficits inschizophrenia patients.

Made available in DSpace on 2009-11-18T19:01:45Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Marcos-Faco.pdf: 2084909 bytes, checksum: 9c6c6be1e3cc4ca6a8bfed1c8e9be036 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2006 / In the actual competitive scenario the higher education institutions have been forced to become more active in recruiting students due to the reduction in candidates for its courses. Print advertising are important components in the educational services communications campaigns and, thus, they are an important focus of research. The literature on services communication suggests that the use of cues, as the installations picture and testimonial, presents an observable way to tangibilize educational services offers. We relate the cue paradigm theory as evaluative indicators of a product, with two of the four advertising strategies, with the objective to investigate the impact of the cues in the printed educational services ad¿s in relation to the consumers attitudes. More specifically, to investigate the impact of the physical representation strategy (installations picture - an intrinsic cue), and the association strategy (testimonial - an extrinsic cue), in the consumers attitudes toward the advertisement, the brand and the purchase intention. With this purpose an experiment between subjects with 123 students was carried through, with four levels of manipulation. In relation to consumer attitudes, none of the analyzed strategies presented a significative superiority in relation one with another. However, the subjects with low involvement in the value/auto-image dimension had presented more favorable attitudes in relation to the purchase intention in the presence of the advertising using a testimonial (association strategy - an extrinsic cue). / No atual cenário competitivo as instituições de ensino superior têm sido forçadas a tornarem-se mais ativas no recrutamento de alunos devido à redução de candidatos para seus cursos. Anúncios impressos são elementos importantes nas campanhas de comunicação de serviços educacionais e, assim, são um importante foco de pesquisa. A literatura sobre comunicação de serviços sugere que a utilização de pistas, como a fotografia das instalações e testemunhal, fornece um meio observável de tornar tangível uma oferta como a dos serviços educacionais. Relacionamos a teoria que aborda o paradigma das pistas como indicadores avaliativos de um produto, com duas das quatro estratégias de propaganda, com o objetivo de investigar qual é o impacto das pistas nos anúncios impressos de serviços educacionais em relação às atitudes dos consumidores. Mais especificamente, investigar qual o impacto da estratégia da representação física (fotografia das instalações - uma pista intrínseca), e da estratégia da associação (testemunhal - uma pista extrínseca), nas atitudes dos consumidores em relação ao anúncio, à marca e à intenção de compra. Com esta finalidade foi realizado um experimento entre sujeitos com 123 estudantes, com quatro níveis de manipulação. Em relação às atitudes dos consumidores, nenhuma das estratégias analisadas apresentou uma superioridade significativa em relação às demais. Porém, os sujeitos com baixo envolvimento na dimensão valores/auto-imagem apresentaram atitudes mais favoráveis com relação à intenção de compra perante o anúncio com testemunhal (estratégia da associação ¿ uma pista extrínseca).