Made available in DSpace on 2015-03-05T18:39:03Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 0 Previous issue date: 18 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / O consumo vem sendo apontado como pilar fundamental na formação da identidade dos consumidores. Em áreas como sociologia, psicologia e antropologia, a idéia de identidade há muito vem sendo discutida. No que diz respeito ao comportamento do consumidor, há menos de duas décadas que ela vem ganhando notoriedade. Desde então, diversos estudos sobre identidade e consumo foram realizados. No entanto, estes estudos foram de cunho qualitativo, deixando assim, uma lacuna metodológica latente. O propósito deste estudo é verificar a relação existente entre os benefícios simbólicos proporcionados pelo consumo e a formação da identidade dos jovens consumidores, através de uma abordagem teórica multidisciplinar, e de uma abordagem metodológica mista, que tragam contribuições, especialmente, para a perspectiva do comportamento do consumidor. Na etapa qualitativa do estudo, entrevistas em profundidade e a técnica de autodriving foram utilizadas para identificação dos benefícios simbólicos percebidos pelos jovens consumid / Consumption has been appointed as the fundamental pillar in the consumers’ identity formation. In areas such as sociology, psychology and anthropology, the idea of identity has been long discussed. Regarding consumer behavior, identity has been gaining notoriety in the last two decades. Since then, several studies about identity and consumption have been made. However, these studies had a qualitative characteristic, leaving a latent methodological gap. The purpose of this study is to verify the actual relationship between the symbolic benefits provided by consumption and the identity formation of young consumers through a theoretical multidisciplinary approach and of a mixed methodological approach which bring contribution, especially to the perspective of the consumer behavior. In the qualitative step of the study, in depth interviews and the auto driving technique have been used to identify the symbolic benefits perceived by the young consumers and to the elaboration of the questionnaire used in the quant

Background: Globalization and the aggravation of world economic integration make lots of overseas enterprises enter the Chinese market and win the market share by integrating Chinese elements into their brand names, logos, advertisements, and products. Therefore, what should local brands do to gain market share? Purpose: The main purpose of this study is to investigate the different effects of local Chinese brands with global, foreign, or local elements on consumers' perceived brand globalness, perceived functional benefits, perceived symbolic benefits, and purchase intentions. Methods: In this study, a quantitative method was used to collect data online through a pre-test questionnaire and a formal experimental questionnaire. And then statistically analyzed for valid data using SPSS. Findings: The results of the study show that consumers have higher perceived brand globalness for local brands that incorporate global and foreign elements, and higher purchase intentions for local brands that incorporate global elements. Perceived symbolic benefits have a higher impact on purchase intentions than the Perceived functional benefits. Perceived functional benefits and symbolic benefits mediate the effect of perceived brand globalness on purchase intention.

Då det ur ett konsumentperspektiv finns ett stort intresse för att kombinera olika miljöperspektiv i en enhetlig märkning samtidigt som forskning visar att en kombination av olika märkningar genererar en ökad betalningsvilja, åsyftar denna studie att undersöka hur dessa två respektive typer av märkningssätt påverkar konsumentens preferenser av varumärket samt hur dessa preferenser skiljer sig åt. Föreliggande studie testar dessutom huruvida Simonsons (1989) teori om kompromisseffekter är applikabel för att öka konsumenters preferenser för ekologiska produkter när ett superekologiskt alternativ tillförs ett valset med ett konventionellt och ett ekologiskt alternativ. Studien bidrar därmed med information till beslutsfattare inom livsmedelsbranschen för hur ekologiska attribut påverkar konsumenters preferenser och betalningsviljan för ekologiska produkter.     408 respondenter har medverkat i en enkätundersökning där svaren har analyserats med hjälp av följande statistiska analyser: reliabilitetstest, t-test, korrelationsanalys, faktoranalys och klusteranalys. Resultaten visar att trots att de flesta konsumenter tenderar att ha såväl en positiv attityd som en ökad betalningsvilja för de ekologiska alternativen, väljer fortfarande majoriteten av konsumenterna det konventionella alternativet, varvid ingen kompromisseffekt uppstår. För de allra flesta av studiens respondenter motsvarar med andra ord inte den ökade betalningsviljan rådande marknadspriser, något som bland annat skulle kunna bero på att konsumenterna inte känner erforderligt med tilltro till miljömärkningarna. Priset kan dessutom fungera som ett hinder mot ett nytt beteende, varvid konsumenten istället av ren vana håller kvar vid det gamla. Vad gäller konsumenternas syn på superekologiska märkningar tycks ett superekologiskt trioalternativ i dagsläget vara att föredra. Något mer överraskande är att respondenterna, i motsats till vad flertalet tidigare studier har visat (Roddy, Cowan & Hutchinson 1994; CEC, 1999; Magnusson, Arvola, Hursti, Åberg & Sjödén, 2001; Torjusen, Lieblein, Wandel & Francis, 2001; m.fl.), dessutom upplever smak och kvalitet hos de ekologiska alternativen som sämre jämfört med det konventionella alternativet.   Eftersom de flesta konsumenter de facto uttrycker en ökad betalningsvilja för ekologiska alternativ, anser vi avslutningsvis att en mindre prisskillnad mellan konventionella och ekologiska produkter är något som beslutsfattare i livsmedelsbranschen framför allt borde ta i beaktning för att i framtiden öka antalet konsumenter av ekologiska produkter. / From a consumer perspective, there exists a considerable interest in combining different environmental perspective in an uniform label. On the other hand, since research shows that a combination of different labels generates a greater willingness to pay, this study aim to examine how these two respective types of labeling affect consumers brand preferences, and furthermore how these preferences differ. The present study also test whether Simonson's (1989) theory of compromise effect could be applied to increase consumer preference for organic products, when adding an organic premium alternative to a choice set with a conventional and an organic alternative. Thus, the study contributes information to decision makers in the food industry about how ecological attributes affect consumers’ brand preferences and their willingness to pay for organic products.   408 respondents have participated in a survey in which the answers were analyzed using the following statistical analyzes: reliability test, t-test, correlation analysis, factor analysis and cluster analysis. The results show that although most consumers tend to have both a positive attitude and an increased willingness to pay for organic alternatives, the majority of consumers still choose the conventional alternative, why no compromise effect occurs. For most of the study's respondents the increased willingness to pay does not correspond with current market prices. Among other things this could be explained by consumers’ lack of confidence in eco-labels. The price may also act as a barrier to a new behavior, whereby the consumer out of pure habit chooses the conventional alternative. Based on the consumer preferences for organic premium labels, the organic premium combination alternative seems to be the preferable choice. Somewhat more surprising, the respondents in this study, in contrast to most previous studies (Roddy et al., 1994; CEC, 1999; Magnusson et al., 2001; Torjusen et al., 2001; etc.), perceived the taste and quality of the ecological alternatives as inferior to the conventional alternative.   Finally, since the respondents show an increased willingness to pay for organic products, we think that decision makers in the food industry primarily should take into consideration that a minor price difference between conventional and organic products is something that could increase the number of consumers buying organic products in the future.

This Master’s level research project investigates how gender shapes the resettlement challenges that liberian refugees have faced in Nova Scotia. The study investigates the impact of the reframing of gender relations during resettlement processes in both material and symbolic domains of life in Halifax. While male Liberian refugees are found to have a comparative advantage over their female counterparts, due in large part to the priority given to educating young men in rural Liberia, they also have higher expectations of education and employment once settled. Women seem to benefit symbolically if not materially from the reframing of gender relations in Canada, as compared to Liberia.