L’objectif de cette thèse est d’analyser les différents types de valeurs qui déterminent et expliquent les choix et comportements des consommateurs avec une attention particulière pour les produits innovants. Plus particulièrement, on cherche à déterminer leurs consentements à payer pour des produits innovants avec des caractéristiques durables d’une part, et comment les préférences du consommateur et les caractéristiques du produit interviennent dans le processus de la prise de la décision d’autre part.Dans le premier chapitre, nous affirmons que les préférences individuelles sont reflétées dans leurs consentements à payer pour un produit / service et sont basées sur les valeurs individuelles. Ces valeurs sont stables pour chaque individu, guident ses préférences et ses actions en tant qu'individu (valeurs personnelles) et en tant qu'agent économique (valeurs client et consommateur). En se focalisant sur la consommation de produits innovants et durables, cette thèse aborde également les valeurs environnementales et innovantes.L'analyse des valeurs pour les produits innovants est d'une grande importance pour les entreprises, car elle permet d'anticiper les préférences et leurs changements, et par là même, elle contribue à la définition des priorités dans les processus de développement de nouvelles offres de produits.Les systèmes complexes de ces valeurs entraînent des défis particuliers pour l'estimation, qui sont discutés dans le chapitre 2. Notamment, l'exactitude des estimations du CAP dépend du choix de la méthode utilisée par le chercheur.Les résultats obtenus montrent que les consommateurs ont une valorisation positive de produits innovants avec des caractéristiques durables. Ces valorisations sont basées sur les préférences des consommateurs et ses valeurs personnelles et de consommateur. Les études empiriques présentées dans les chapitres 3 et 4 proposent deux approches expérimentales qui contribuent à la compréhension des comportements des consommateurs à l'égard de produits innovants et à la compréhension des difficultés et défis des méthodes expérimentales d'élicitation de préférences pour ces produits/services. En outre, ils démontrent la validité du concept des valeurs dans le comportement des consommateurs. / The general purpose of this thesis is to analyze the different types of values that determine and explain the choices and behavior of consumers with a particular focus on innovative products. Specifically, we want to know whether consumers are willing to pay for innovative products with sustainable features and how consumer preferences and characteristics of the product are involved in the process of the decision-making. In addition, we test new methods for such estimations.In the Chapter 1 we claim that individual preferences are reflected in willingness to pay for a product/service and are based on individual’s values. These values are stable for each individual, guide his/her preferences and actions as an individual (personal values) and as an economic agent (customer and consumer values). With the focus on the consumption of innovative and sustainable products, this thesis discusses also environmental and innovative values.The importance of value analysis for innovative products is of a high importance for companies, because it allows to anticipate preferences and their changes, and by this, helps to define the priorities of new product development processes.The complex systems of these values result in particular challenges for the estimation, discussed in Chapter 2. Therefore, the accuracy of WTP estimates depends on the choice of the method used by the researcher.The obtained results show that consumers have positive valuations of innovative products with sustainable characteristics. These valuations are based on consumers preferences and values inherent to him/her are an individual and as a consumer. The empirical studies presented in Chapters 3 and 4 offer two experimental approaches, which contribute to the understanding of consumer behavior towards innovative products and to the understanding of the difficulties and challenges for experimental methods of preference elicitation for these products/services. In addition, they demonstrate the validity of value theory in consumer behavior.

by Chung Kai-Ho, Fung Wai-Chung. / Includes questionnaire. / Thesis (M.B.A.)--Chinese University of Hong Kong, 1998. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 78-79). / ABSTRACT --- p.ii / TABLE OF CONTENTS --- p.iv / LIST OF TABLES --- p.vi / LIST OF FIGURES --- p.vii / Chapter / Chapter I. --- INTRODUCTION --- p.1 / Background --- p.1 / Objectives of This Study --- p.2 / Chapter II. --- THE FEATURES OF PRIORITY BAKING SERVICES --- p.4 / The General Features of Priority Banking Services --- p.4 / Financial Benefits --- p.4 / Convenience & Efficiency --- p.4 / Personal Care --- p.5 / Product Features of the Five Subject Banks --- p.5 / Hong Kong Banks - Asset Vantage Account --- p.5 / Hang Seng Bank - Bank Smart Account --- p.6 / Standard Chartered Bank - Priority Banking --- p.7 / Yien Yieh Bank - Prestige Bank Account --- p.7 / Belgian Bank - Premier Banking --- p.8 / Pricing Features of the Five Subject Banks --- p.9 / Chapter III. --- CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS --- p.10 / Introduction --- p.10 / Perceptual Map by Factor Analysis --- p.10 / Theory of Reasoned Action (TORA) --- p.11 / Chapter IV. --- METHODOLOGY --- p.15 / Interviews --- p.15 / Sample and Sampling Procedure --- p.15 / Data Collection and Questionnaire --- p.15 / Operationalization --- p.17 / Section One --- p.17 / Section Two --- p.18 / Data Analysis --- p.19 / Chapter V. --- RESULTS --- p.20 / Perceptual Map by Factor Analysis --- p.20 / Factor Analysis --- p.20 / Perceptual Mapping --- p.22 / Factors Affecting Customer Intention to Subscribe Priority Banking Services --- p.26 / The Original Model --- p.26 / The Reduced Model --- p.29 / Chapter VI. --- CONCLUSION & MANAGERIAL IMPLICATIONS --- p.32 / Managerial Implications - Perceptual Map by Factor Analysis --- p.32 / Market Positioning Target --- p.32 / Recommend Strategies --- p.33 / Hong Kong Banks - Asset Vantage Account --- p.33 / Hang Seng Bank - Bank Smart Account --- p.35 / Standard Chartered Bank - Priority Banking --- p.36 / Yien Yieh Bank - Prestige Bank Account --- p.37 / Belgian Bank - Premier Banking --- p.37 / Managerial Implications - Structural Equation Modeling --- p.38 / Limitations of the Study --- p.40 / APPENDIX --- p.41 / BIBLIOGRAPHY --- p.78

We propose a running example for heterogeneous approach based on new type of fuzzification that diversifies fuzziness of every object, fuzziness of every attribute and fuzziness of every table value in a formal context. Moreover we suggest another working examples on heterogeneous environment and provide additional utilization and illustration of this new model that allows to use Formal Concept Analysis also for heterogenenous data. An interpretation of heterogeneous formal concepts and the resulting concept lattice is included.

Complex projects often fail even when formal project management systems are in place. Project management processes and methodologies are well defined and described in academic and business literature. There is however less published research on the socio-cultural factors that are critical for project success. This study investigated whether project stakeholders view communication as one of the critical success factors for project success. Critical project success factors were identified from a literature study and ranked by 34 project stakeholders. The data was analysed using the Instant Priorities method and Analytical Hierarchical Process. A workshop on the use of communication within projects was observed. The results were translated into a project success factor model that explains the importance of communication in project success. Furthermore, a serious games based training tool is proposed. The aim of the training will be for participants to understand the communication preferences of themselves and the people they interact with in large projects. The proposed tool will require the participant to map typical stakeholder behavioural preferences. The well-known Marston DISC behavioural model is used as basis for understanding the behavioural preferences of different stakeholder groups. This research project supports the view that communication training across stakeholder groups should be used as a project risk mitigation tool. An increased understanding of the communication preferences of project stakeholders has the potential to shape a project culture that will stimulate teamwork combined with high levels of personal motivation as well as have the capacity to quickly identify and address project risks. / MSc (Computer Science), North-West University, Vaal Triangle Campus, 2014

In this thesis I investigate whether human sexual preferences develop through sexual imprinting. Sexual imprinting is the acquisition of sexual preferences through non-rewarded experiences with parents and siblings during an early sensitive period and it is known to exist in many other animals. Learning is often sex specific so that males, for instance, learn to prefer as sexual partners individuals that look like their mother, and avoid individuals that look like their father. First, sexual imprinting in animals and humans is reviewed and compared to prevailing evolutionary views presupposing genetically determined sexual preferences. Further, by means of web surveys, I have explored the relationship between childhood exposure to parents with certain natural and cultural traits and sexual attraction to these traits in a partner. Cultural traits were included because it is unlikely that preferences for them are genetically determined adaptations. Parental effects varied between traits. For instance, in heterosexual males, a positive effect of mother was found on attraction to smoking, but not glasses, while a negative paternal effect was found on attraction to glasses, but not smoking. However, when maternal and paternal effects were investigated for a large number of artificial and natural traits, including smoking and glasses, an overall positive effect of opposite sex parent emerged in both heterosexual males and females. Additionally, in the last study we explored a sexual preference for pregnant and lactating women. Results suggest that exposure to a pregnant and lactating mother had an effect if it occurred when the respondent was between 1,5 and 5 years old. In conclusion, these results suggest that human sexual preferences are the result of sex specific learning during a sensitive period. Sexual imprinting should therefore be recognised as a plausible explanation to human sexual preferences that deserves further scientific investigation. / At the time of the doctoral defense, the following papers were unpublished and had a status as follows: Paper 3: Manuscript. Paper 4: Manuscript.

This thesis examined how factors such as perceptions of globalization, individual and nationalistic values, and cultural products influenced consumer choice in French and American nationals.

In recent years, due to the development of molecular methods, a great level of cryptic diversity across multiple taxa was discovered. One of these groups are freshwater amphipods. Amphipods due to lower dispersal and recolonization abilities present a suitable model system for studying potential ecological interactions among genetically distant lineages during their secondary contact. In this thesis, I studied the cryptic species complex Gammarus fossarum in a contact zone of several genetically divergent lineages known from the previous research in the Vsetin region. I focused on two main questions: Firstly, whether there are preferences among individuals from different lineages for sexual partners from the same lineage rather than from the different one (i.e., I test for the potential existence of prezygotic reproduction barrier between the lineages). I tested this hypothesis by collecting pairs from natural contact zone and also (in a limited extent) by an aquarium experiment. Secondly, I tested whether these lineages differ in mesohabitat (pool versus riffle) distribution in syntopy, which may indicate competition among lineages and potential diversification of their ecological niches. Animals from nine localities (with expected contact of two lineages per locality) were examined. In more than...

We propose a running example for heterogeneous approach based on new type of fuzzification that diversifies fuzziness of every object, fuzziness of every attribute and fuzziness of every table value in a formal context. Moreover we suggest another working examples on heterogeneous environment and provide additional utilization and illustration of this new model that allows to use Formal Concept Analysis also for heterogenenous data. An interpretation of heterogeneous formal concepts and the resulting concept lattice is included.

Craft beer popularity has grown in recent years, and Swedish craft breweries are increasing to meet consumer needs. Breweries must understand consumer preferences to effectively align their offers in this changing landscape. Therefore, the aim of this study is to investigate the consumer preferences in the Swedish craft beer market, focusing on how various attributes of craft beer influence consumer choices and how the consumer factors and craft beer attributes can segment consumers.

The purpose of this study was to determine Chinese and U.S. consumers' attitudes and perceptions toward hybrid cars and the likelihood of purchasing one in the future.