• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.93-109
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• 2014

This study aims to develop a rich understanding of user goals in user-empowering information technologies which have been dominating part in the information systems environment. A particular focus is on users' goals in a social network site (SNS) which is a typical example of user-empowering technologies. Users conduct various activities in order to achieve diverse goals in SNS. Thus, investigating what goals users pursue in SNS will give insights into understanding the users. We employed the laddering interview technique and means-end chain approach. Interviews of 50 Facebook users were analyzed to produce a hierarchical goal map showing users' goal structure. The map contains 18 goals, including self-reflection, psychological stability, belongingness, improving productivity, and amusement as ultimate goals in SNS. In the map, there are varied routes from activities to ultimate goals in SNS; that is, a complex assembly consisting of activities and goals. The findings call the information systems research community to have more interests in diverse goals and values users seek with technologies.

• Archives of design research
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.69-76
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• 2001

In the new product development process, concept testing which screens ideas with the highest probability of market success is very effective in predicting the success of a new product. However, designers do not have accurate guidelines in new product development because the structure of cause and effect of consumers' preference - the most important part of concept testing - has not been provided as quantitative data. Therefore, the aim of this study is to present guidelines for new product concept development through applying means-end chain theory and product form theory which explains what kinds of benefits cause consumers to purchase a product and what kinds of design attributes meet the benefits. In this study, after reviewing means-end chain theory and product form theory, and developing a research model, guidelines for a concept product development (TV are provided through an empirical study.

• The Journal of Fisheries Business Administration
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.47-68
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• 2011

Values are lasting beliefs that are at the center of human behavior and not be often changed. Different values make different behaviors, and similar values form similar behaviors. Consumers' values affect not only the cognitive process but also behaviors in a powerful and comprehensive way. There have been many studies regarding prediction of consumer patterns and identification, measurement methods of values. This is because if we can accurately measure the value system, it can be used in many areas of marketing such as market segmentation, new product development, and advertisement. In case of seafood, it is also necessary to make marketing strategies by segmenting consumers based on their value systems. The objectives of this study are as follows: First, it is to find out the connection process from the properties of seafood products that consumers consider important, to the benefits, and finally to the values they pursue by applying the means-end chain theory, using the Laddering method. Second, using a two-step cluster analysis, we aim to segment seafood markets based on consumers' values and investigate characteristics of segmented markets. Based on objectives, it is expected that this study would provide informations on seafood consumers and help to establish seafood marketing strategies for producers and distributors. Analytical results of the value system using a means-end chain theory indicated that there were seven complete links, that is, ladders among fresh seafood products. In case of processed seafood products, there were total 9 complete ladders. The empirical analytical results of market segmentation according to the values showed fresh seafood products were divided into three groups. In case of processed seafood products were segmented into two groups.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.463-473
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• 2019

The aim of this study is to identify the value structure of active seniors for noodles. Noodles are the secondly most preferred and familiar food in Korea, followed by rice. And noodles also have a variety of tastes/flavors and even a variety of ceremonial characteristics. The necessity of offering proper food to seniors has recently increasing because Korea becoming an aged society. This study conducted 1:1 in-depth interviews with 30 active senior participants using the soft laddering technique, which is based on the means-end chain theory. The Implication Matrix and HVM were derived from performing content analysis. The active seniors mainly consider the 'taste', expecting to obtain the 'satisfying taste', and pursuing the 'family affair', 'pleasure', and 'self-satisfaction'. The results of this study indicated that the taste is the most important attribute and the active seniors consider their family as well as the pleasure and satisfaction of their own. Male seniors mainly pursue the 'pleasure' and 'self-satisfaction' by satisfying their taste through considering 'taste' and 'familiarity'. But female seniors mainly pursue the 'family affair' by 'satisfying taste' through considering 'taste'. These results can be used as a basic data for developing noodle products for the elderly. This study will also contribute to the development of special care food and product concepts for the silver generation.

• Knowledge Management Research
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-26
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• 2022

With the spread of social networks, platform-based social commerce has grown rapidly with the use of multiple smart devices. Given the rapid growth of social commerce sites such as Coupang and Ticket Monster, it is very important to understand the user's purchase decision-making process in a social commerce environment. The purpose of this study is to develop a richer understanding of the goals of users using social commerce. Second, a methodological alternative for analyzing the user's goals is introduced. In this study, laddering interview and means-end chain analysis were used. As a result of interview conducted on 40 users who have more than 6 months of purchasing experience using social commerce, a hierarchical goal map showing the user's goal structure was derived. This map contains 22 ultimate goals of social commerce, including warm relationships with others, fun and enjoyment of shopping, accomplishment, satisfaction, financial saving, and convenience. In addition, there are various paths from activities to ultimate goals, so investigating the goals pursued by users can give us insight into understanding user.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.652-662
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• 2000

Most of established study about consumer behavior was directly connected abstract value with concrete purchase behavior, nevertheless several recognizable process is intervened between abstract concept and concept behavior. Of course researchers suggest hierarchical causality through means-end chain model. However empirical study is insufficient. And it's not certain whether the consumer's personal value affects actual evaluation about product attributes. Thus the purpose of this paper was to explore hierarchical causality of personal value, benefits sought and clothing product attributes and to suggest an alternative approach method. For the empircial study the data sets were collected through 150 female consumers living in Pusan and SAS and LISREL VIII were used for statistical analysis. As the result, hierarchical causality suggested by means-end chain model was positively substantiated. That is, benefits sought is differentiated according to personal value, and actual product attributes are indirectly influenced by personal value through benefits sought. Benefits sought are found to be key mediating variables.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.667-675
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• 2016

The aim of this study is to predict use behavior for social welfare service of the elderly mentally ill through means-end chain theory. Means-end chain theory explains cognitive structure related to the consumer's preference to various products and services. Although the elderly mentally ill begin to emerge as new client population, social welfare services for them do not seem to be enough in the community. Based on this awareness, this study tried to analyse service use behavior of the elderly mentally ill through means-end chain theory to develop new social welfare services. The data were collected from 15 elderly mentally ill and found 5 attributes, 10 consequences, and 11 values. Hierarchical Value Map was composed of 'disease management, rehabilitation preparation, hobby leisure ${\rightarrow}$ health maintenance, energy of life ${\rightarrow}$ social reintegration, life satisfaction, harmonious family life'. To activate the social service for the elderly mentally ill, it should be developed various programs such as disease management, rehabilitation preparation, hobby leisure for the elderly mentally ill. The ultimate value of these programs will be improve life satisfaction and integrated into society.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.152-159
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to analyze how consumers make links between convenience meat products and self-relevant consequences and value. Surveys on convenience meat product consumption patterns and hard laddering based on means-end chain theory were conducted from April 21 to April 25, 2014 and targeted 200 consumers in the US. The most preferred cooking method of convenience meat product was roast (25.9%) and the most common information medium was suggestions by friends and parents (37.1%). The main as well as desired places of purchasing were both the supermarket (33.6% and 27.3%, respectively). The most preferred promotion method was free sample events (38.5%). From analyzing means-end chains of convenience meat products, the most dominant value chain was 'taste (A)'-'good taste (C)'-'feel good (V)'. These results show that consumption of convenience meat products will increase when consumer expectations of taste and satisfaction are met. Further, results of the value measurement provide information on consumer satisfaction and needs and can be applied to set marketing strategies for Korean style convenience meat products.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.2 s.161
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• pp.236-246
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• 2007

The purpose of the current study is to investigate the underlying reasons of fashion brand repurchase intention formation based on means-end chain theory and to identify whether the price level moderates the relationships between attribute evaluation and re-purchase intention. Questionnaire data from 291 consumers who had purchase experience of casual wear during the last 6 month period through off-line retail shops were analyzed. The results showed that hedonic shopping value had a positive impact on aesthetic attribute and utilitarian shopping value also had a positive impact on physical attribute of fashion product. While aesthetic attribute had a positive influence on brand repurchase intention, physical attribute had no effect on brand repurchase intention. In addition, there was no moderating effect of price level between the links from shopping value to fashion product attribute evaluation. When casual wear companies have to devise price related strategies, they need to pay attention to diverse promotion factors except for product attributes to realize price-based differentiation.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2014

Purpose - This study investigated relationship quality and/or loyalty, from the viewpoint that merchants and consumers could develop the traditional market. It reorganized variables to find the conditions of values that could stimulate consumers' motives to revive the traditional market. Research Design, data, and methodology - This study employed 202 copies of effective questionnaires, based on the data of Yang & Ju (2012), to conduct correlation, regression, and structured equation modeling (SEM). Results - The results emphasized product and store atmosphere as store selection attributes to consider in the minimum error correction (MEC) model; service factor was not significant. Further, consumers valued relationship quality in the test of mediated effects of the sub-factors of store selection attributes, including consumers' social and emotional value. The relationship quality significantly influenced consumers' value in traditional markets that needed to improve and develop using several variables. Conclusions - This study revealed connections between attributes, consequences, and values using the causal relation model, to generate an optimal model based on a practical and theoretical background and proposed ways to obtain consumer-related information easily.