• Title/Summary/Keyword: perceived fit

Search Result 344, Processing Time 0.025 seconds

Colour Appearance Modelling based on Background Lightness and Colour Stimulus Size in Displays (디스플레이에서 배경의 밝기와 색채 자극의 크기에 따른 컬러 어피어런스 모델링)

  • Hong, Ji Young
    • The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
    • /
    • v.18 no.4
    • /
    • pp.43-48
    • /
    • 2018
  • This study was conducted to reproduce digital colour based on the lightness of the background and size of the colour stimulus so that colour can be similarly perceived under different conditions. With the evolution of display technologies, display devices of various sizes can now reproduce more accurate colour and enhanced images, thus affecting the overall quality of display images. This study reproduced digital colour by considering the visual characteristics of the digital media environment. To accomplish this, we developed a colour appearance model which distinguishes the properties of foveal and peripheral vision. The proposed model is based on existing research on the lightness of the background and size of the colour stimulus. Based on experimental results, an analysis of variance was performed in order to develop the colour appearance model. The algorithm and modelling were verified based on the proposed model. In addition, to apply this model to display technologies, a practical colour control system and a method for handling complex input images were developed. Through this research, colour conversion errors which might occur when the input image is converted to fit a specific display size are resolved from the perspective of the human visual system. As a result, more accurate colour can be displayed and enhanced images can be reproduced.

Analysis of Confusion of Azalea Cultivars and Its Actual State of Use in Landscaping Businesses (조경업체에서의 철쭉재배품종의 혼선 및 이용실태 분석)

  • Choi, Jae-Jin;Park, Seok-Gon
    • Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
    • /
    • v.42 no.2
    • /
    • pp.86-90
    • /
    • 2014
  • This study was conducted to examine the state of confusion about those azalea cultivars(hereinafter, Azalea Cultivars) that are used among practicians in landscaping businesses(designers, constructors, and producers). Which Azalea Cultivars would be delivered when they were ordered to producers using the names of Azalea Cultivars notified by the Public Procurement Service. In addition, the situations of azalea cultivar planting designs in the planting design drawings of three apartments completed recently and whether the Azalea Cultivars on the design drawings were the same as those Azalea Cultivars that were actually planted were examined. When Azalea Cultivars were ordered using the notified names, three Azalea Cultivars; Beni, Three, and Daewang were delivered for the name Yeongsanhong and two Azalea Cultivars; Zasanhong and Hancheol were delivered for the name Zasanhong. Yeongsanhong was perceived as a common name of Beni, Three, and Daewang by producers. Therefore, this caused confusion between producers and purchasers. In the case of Zasanhong, as the traits of Zasanhong are similar to those of the cultivar Hancheol, the producers or purchasers might have been unable to clearly distinguish between the cultivars and thus two cultivars might have been delivered without being distinguished from each other. The names of Azalea Cultivars used in planting design drawings were the names notified by the notifying agencies or comprehensive and unclear names such as azalea and Yeongsanhong. Completely different Azalea Cultivars from those written in planting design drawings were planted in actual construction sites in many cases. These situations should have occurred because designers did not write accurate cultivar names in planting design drawings and constructors could not accurately perceive the classification characteristics of individual Azalea Cultivars but planted those Azalea Cultivars with similar flowers colors or those that could be easily bought to fit the conditions of construction sites.

The Benefits of Sales Force Automation Explored: An Empirical Examination of SFA Usage on Relationship Quality and Performance

  • Park, Jeong Eun;Holloway, Betsy Bugg;Lee, Sungho
    • Asia Marketing Journal
    • /
    • v.14 no.4
    • /
    • pp.143-165
    • /
    • 2013
  • Sales force automation (SFA) technologies are increasingly used to support customer relationship management (CRM) strategies. However, the popular press reports mixed results among companies incorporating SFA technologies and the previous studies have less interested in relationship quality between sales person and customer as an outcome of SFA. Actually the improved quality of the salesperson-customer relationship may be the most important outcome of SFA usage. This outcome is especially meaningful in today's marketplace given the increasing focus placed on customer retention and other customer related performance such as customer lifetime value. Therefore, this study seeks to further examine the impact of SFA usage within two different firms using SFA technologies to examine the impact of SFA usage on both customer relationship quality and sales performance. Additionally, the moderating roles of perceived managerial support and salesperson experience on the outcomes of SFA usage are examined. The results shows that direct effect of SFA usage on performance was not significant but highlight the mediating role of customer relationship quality in the SFA usage - sales performance relationship. Also, this research examines a number of moderating effects of both management supports for SFA and salesperson's sales work experience. The results indicate that management support has a significant direct influence on relationship quality and salesperson performance, but not a significant moderating effect on the relationship between SFA usage and the outcomes (relationship quality and performance). Thus moderating effects were not supported but find significant main effects. First of all, finding of this study suggest that a formula for successful SFA implementation must be one that highlights a SFA usage → relationship quality → sales performance sequence. This means when sales person use SFA they must build relationship with customer first then will return some long term performance. Second, the implications of not considering the introduction of big technology initiatives in terms of fit within the company's culture, strategy, structure, and environment may in many cases be quite noteworthy. Therefore, the launching of a new technology in the firm, such as SFA, may have a nonlinear impact upon overall firm performance, depending on the presence of other complimentary resources and capabilities. Finally the authors offer a number of implications for research and practice, and suggest directions for future SFA research that may further improve our understanding of this increasingly relevant topic.

  • PDF

An Exploratory Study on Tie-in Promotion (제휴 프로모션에 관한 탐색적 연구)

  • Lee, Eun Mi;Park, Hyun Hee;Jeon, Jung Ok
    • Asia Marketing Journal
    • /
    • v.13 no.1
    • /
    • pp.27-50
    • /
    • 2011
  • In today's market scenario, consumers are bombarded with similar promotional messages. It means that managers have to pay attention to promotion strategy to create strong effect as well as to break through the monotony. In this context, although there are strong needs concerning tie-in promotion, research investigating tie-in promotion is limited. Therefore, we extracted tie-in promotion tools and defined the concept of each tie-in promotion tool by analyzing various tie-in promotion cases which are executed in current market. In addition, consumer's recognition of tie-in promotion was investigated through the in-depth interview. The results of case analysis of tie-in promotion and in-depth interview are summarized as follows. First, 9 tie-in promotion tools were extracted: tie-in price reductions, tie-in coupons, tie-in membership, tie-in contests, tie-in premiums (tangibility, intangibility), tie-in payment terms, tie-in sample, tie-in event(culture event, charity event, experience event) and tie-in fund·rebate. Second, 3 categories of the recognition of the consumer for tie-in promotion were extracted: features of preferred tie-in promotion, expectation benefit of tie-in promotion, and risk factors of tie-in promotion. Especially, at the aspect of features of preferred tie-in promotion, fit between consumer pursuit benefit and tie-in promotion was found to be interesting. Moreover, the recognition of the consumer for tie-in promotion were divided with positive(preferred tie-in promotion features, expectation benefit of tie-in promotion) and negative(risk factors of tie-in promotion) factors. In conclusion, the company's effort will be necessary to lower the perceived risk level occurring from the process of accomplishing the tie-in promotion strategy since consumers recognize both positive and negative effects of tie-in promotion.

  • PDF

Service Quality, Customer Satisfaction and Customer Loyalty of Mobile Communication Industry in China (중국이동통신산업중적복무질량(中国移动通信产业中的服务质量), 고객만의도화고객충성도(顾客满意度和顾客忠诚度))

  • Zhang, Ruijin;Li, Xiangyang;Zhang, Yunchang
    • Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
    • /
    • v.20 no.3
    • /
    • pp.269-277
    • /
    • 2010
  • Previous studies have shown that the most important factor affecting customer loyalty in the service industry is service quality. However, on the subject of whether service quality has a direct or indirect effect on customer loyalty, scholars' views apparently vary. Some studies suggest that service quality has a direct and fundamental influence on customer loyalty (Bai and Liu, 2002). However, others have shown that service quality not only directly affects customer loyalty, it also has an indirect impact on customer loyalty by influencing customer satisfaction and perceived value (Cronin, Brady, and Hult, 2000). Currently, there are few domestic articles that specifically address the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty in the mobile communication industry. Moreover, research has studied customer loyalty as a whole variable, rather than breaking it down further into multiple dimensions. Based on this analysis, this paper summarizes previous study results, establishes an effect mechanism model among service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty in the mobile communication industry, and presents a statistical test on model assumptions by using customer investigation data from Heilongjiang Mobile Company. It provides theoretical guidance for mobile service management based on the discussion of the hypothesis test results. For data collection, the sample comprised mobile users in Harbin city, and the survey was taken by random sampling. Out of a total of 300 questionnaires, 276 (92.9%) were recovered. After excluding invalid questionnaires, 249 remained, for an effective rate of 82.6 percent for the study. Cronbach's ${\alpha}$ coefficient was adapted to assess the scale reliability, and validity testing was conducted on the questionnaire from three aspects: content validity, construct validity. and convergent validity. The study tested for goodness of fit mainly from the absolute and relative fit indexes. From the hypothesis testing results, overall, four assumptions have not been supported. The ultimate affective relationship of service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty is demonstrated in Figure 2. On the whole, the service quality of the communication industry not only has a direct positive significant effect on customer loyalty, it also has an indirect positive significant effect on customer loyalty through service quality; the affective mechanism and extent of customer loyalty are different, and are influenced by each dimension of service quality. This study used the questionnaires of existing literature from home and abroad and tested them in empirical research, with all questions adapted to seven-point Likert scales. With the SERVQUAL scale of Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry (1988), or PZB, as a reference point, service quality was divided into five dimensions-tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy-and the questions were simplified down to nineteen. The measurement of customer satisfaction was based mainly on Fornell (1992) and Wang and Han (2003), ending up with four questions. Based on the study’s three indicators of price tolerance, first choice, and complaint reaction were used to measure attitudinal loyalty, while repurchase intention, recommendation, and reputation measured behavioral loyalty. The collection and collation of literature data produced a model of the relationship among service quality, customer satisfaction, and customer loyalty in mobile communications, and China Mobile in the city of Harbin in Heilongjiang province was used for conducting an empirical test of the model and obtaining some useful conclusions. First, service quality in mobile communication is formed by the five factors mentioned earlier: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. On the basis of PZB SERVQUAL, the study designed a measurement scale of service quality for the mobile communications industry, and obtained these five factors through exploratory factor analysis. The factors fit basically with the five elements, indicating the concept of five elements of service quality for the mobile communications industry. Second, service quality in mobile communications has both direct and indirect positive effects on attitudinal loyalty, with the indirect effect being produced through the intermediary variable, customer satisfaction. There are also both direct and indirect positive effects on behavioral loyalty, with the indirect effect produced through two intermediary variables: customer satisfaction and attitudinal loyalty. This shows that better service quality and higher customer satisfaction will activate the attitudinal to service providers more active and show loyalty to service providers much easier. In addition, the effect mechanism of all dimensions of service quality on all dimensions of customer loyalty is different. Third, customer satisfaction plays a significant intermediary role among service quality and attitudinal and behavioral loyalty, indicating that improving service quality can boost customer satisfaction and make it easier for satisfied customers to become loyal customers. Moreover, attitudinal loyalty plays a significant intermediary role between service quality and behavioral loyalty, indicating that only attitudinally and behaviorally loyal customers are truly loyal customers. The research conclusions have some indications for Chinese telecom operators and others to upgrade their service quality. Two limitations to the study are also mentioned. First, all data were collected in the Heilongjiang area, so there might be a common method bias that skews the results. Second, the discussion addresses the relationship between service quality and customer loyalty, setting customer satisfaction as mediator, but does not consider other factors, like customer value and consumer features, This research will be continued in the future.

Development and Validation of a Learning Progression for Astronomical Systems Using Ordered Multiple-Choice Items (순위 선다형 문항을 이용한 천문 시스템 학습 발달과정 개발 및 타당화 연구)

  • Maeng, Seungho;Lee, Kiyoung;Park, Young-Shin;Lee, Jeong-A;Oh, Hyunseok
    • Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
    • /
    • v.34 no.8
    • /
    • pp.703-718
    • /
    • 2014
  • This study sought to investigate learning progressions for astronomical systems which synthesized the motion and structure of Earth, Earth-Moon system, solar system, and the universe. For this purpose we developed ordered multiple-choice items, applied them to elementary and middle school students, and provided validity evidence based on the consequence of assessment for interpretation of learning progressions. The study was conducted according to construct modeling approach. The results showed that the OMCs were appropriate for investigating learning progressions on astronomical systems, i.e., based on item fit analysis, students' responses to items were consistent with the measurement of Rasch model. Wright map analysis also represented that the assessment items were very effective in examining students' hypothetical pathways of development of understanding astronomical systems. At the lower anchor of the learning progression, while students perceived the change of location and direction of celestial bodies with only two-dimensional earth-based view, they failed to connect the locations of celestial bodies with Earth-Moon system model, and they could recognized simple patterns of planets in the solar system and milky way. At the intermediate levels, students interpreted celestial motion using the model of Earth rotation and revolution, Earth-Moon system, and solar system with space-based view, and they could also relate the elements of astronomical structures with the models. At the upper anchor, students showed the perspective change between space-based view and earth-based view, and applied it to celestial motion of astronomical systems, and they understood the correlation among sub-elements of astronomical systems and applied it to the system model.

A Study on Antecedents of Ethical Leadership of Power Retailers, : Focusing on the Relationship between Discount Stores and Their Suppliers (대형 유통업체 윤리적 리더십의 선행변수에 관한 연구 : 할인점과 공급업체 간 관계를 중심으로)

  • Kim, Sang-Deok
    • Journal of Distribution Research
    • /
    • v.17 no.3
    • /
    • pp.59-92
    • /
    • 2012
  • With accumulated research evidence, there is little doubt that leadership behavior is related to a wide variety of positive individual and organizational outcomes. Indeed, leadership behavior has been empirically linked to increased employee satisfaction, organizational commitment, extra effort, turnover intention, organizational citizenship behavior, and overall employee performance. Although leadership behavior has been linked to a number of positive organizational outcomes, research regarding the antecedents of such behavior is limited. Especially there is little research dealing with the antecedents of inter-organizational leadership behavior. This study interests in inter-organizational ethical leadership among marketing channel members. In both the mass media and the academic association, there has been a surge in interest in the ethical and unethical behavior of leaders. Although the corporate scandals in recent years may explain much of the mass media and popular focus, academics' interest has been limited by evidence that ethical leadership behavior is associated with both positive and negative inter-organizational processes and performances. This study tried to contribute to this body of knowledge by examining antecedents of ethical leadership. Ethical leadership is defined "the demonstration of normatively appropriate conduct through personal actions and interpersonal relationships, and the promotion of such conduct to followers through two-way communication, reinforcement, and decision-making." Ethical leaders not only inform individuals of the behefits of ethical behavior and the cost of inappropriate behavior, such leaders also set clear standards and use rewards and fair and balanced punishment to hold followers accountable for their ethical conduct. Despite the assume importance and prominence of ethical leadership among organizations, there are still many questions relating to its antecedents and consequences. One is whether the likelihood of an leading organization being perceived as an ethical leader among other following organizations in marketing channels can be predicted using its characteristics and inter-organizational relationship maintenance skills. Identifying trait and skill antecedents will aid in the development of strategies for selecting and developing ethical leaders and determining the best means to reinforce ethical behaviors. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of three categorized variables on ethical leadership of channel leader. To be concrete, this study develops a model of the antecedents of three conceptually distinct forms of channel leader characteristics, such as organizational traits, inter-organizational relationship maintenance strategies, and supplier management strategies, and tests the hypothesized differential effects on ethical leadership of marketing channel leaders. The reason why this study deals with discount store channel is that there is very strong inter-dependence between a discount store and its suppliers. Their strong inter-dependence makes their relationship as the relationship between a leader and suppliers and creates an atmosphere that leadership occur without difficulty. The research model is as follows. For the purpose of empirical testing, 295 respondents of suppliers of discount store channel in Korea were surveyed. The procedures included scale reliability, and discriminant and convergent validity were used to validate measures. Also, the reliability measurements traditionally employed, such as the Cronbach's alpha, were used. All the reliabilities were greater than .70. This study conducted confirmatory factor analyses to assess the validity of our measurements. All items loaded significantly on their respective constructs(with the lowest t-value being 15.2), providing support for convergent validity. We then examined composite reliability and average variance extracted(AVE). The composite reliability of each construct was greater than .70. The AVE of each construct was greater than .50. This study tested research model using Partial Least Square(PLS). The estimation of the structural equation model revealed an acceptable fit of the model to the data($r^2$=.851). Thus, This study concluded that the model fit was considered acceptable. The results of PLS are as follows. The results indicated that conscientiousness, openness, conflict management, social networks, training, fair reward had positive effects on ethical leadership of channel leaders. On the other hand, emotional insecure had negative effect and agreeableness, assurance, and inter-organizational communication had no significant effect on supply chain leadership.

  • PDF

Tie Spatial Structure of Ch'ang-ts'ai-ts'un Village A Case Study on a Rural Village of Korean Immigrants in Yen-pien Area of China (중국(中國) 연변지구(延邊地區) 조선족(朝鮮族)마을의 구성(構成) 룡정시 지신향 장재촌을 대상으로)

  • Lee, Kyu Sung
    • Journal of architectural history
    • /
    • v.3 no.1
    • /
    • pp.83-99
    • /
    • 1994
  • Ch'ang-Ts'al-Ts'un is a rural Village near Lung-jing City in Yen-pien Korean Autonomous Province of China. It was formed about 100 years ago by Korean Immigrants and has been developed maintaing the characteristics of traditional Korean architecture. Therefore investigating the spatial structure of this village is a meanigful work to confirm and explore one branch of Korean architecture. This study aims at analyzing the spatial structure of the village using direct data collected from the field work and indirect data from books and maps. The field work consists of on-the-site survey of the village layout, interviews of residents, observation notes and photography. Ch'ang-Ts'ai-Ts'un is located 360-370 m high above the sea level and at the side of a long valley. A river flows in the middle of the valley and relatively flat arable land exists at the both sides of the river. The location of the village related to the surrounding river and mountains suggests that the site of the village was chosen according to Feng-Shui, Chinese and Korean traditional architectural theory. The main direction of the house layouts is South-western. The village has been growing gradually until today. Therefore it is meaningful to make the village layout before Liberation(1946 A.D.) because the characteristics of Korean architecture prevailed more in that period. The area of the previous village is limited to the west side of the creek. New houses were later added to the east of the creek, forming a 'New Village'. Previously the village was composed of 3 small villages: Up, Middle and Down. Also the main access roads connecting the village with the neighboring villages were penetrating the village transversely. Presently the main access road comes to the village longitudinally from the main highway located in front of the village. The retrospective layout shows the existence of well-formed Territory, Places and Axes, thus suggesting a coherent Micro-cosmos. The boundary of imaginery territory perceived by present residents could be defined by linking conspicous outside places sorrounding the village such as Five-mountains, Front-mountain, Shin-dong village, Standing-rock, Rear-mountain and Myong-dong village. Inside the territory there are also the important places such as Bus-stop, Memorial tower of patriots, Road-maitenance building and the village itself. And inside it 5 transverse and 1 longitudinal axes exist in the form of river, roads and mountains. The perceived spatial structure of the village formed by Places, Axes and Territory is geometrical and well-balanced and suggests this village is fit for human settlement. The administrative area of the village is about 738 ha, 27 % of which is cultivated land and the rest is mountain area. Initially the village and surrounndings were covered with natural forest But the trees have been gradually cut down for building and warning houses, resulting in the present barren and artificial landscape with bare mountains and cultivated land. At present the area of the village occupied by houses is wedge-shaped, 600 m wide and 220 m deep in its maximum. The total area of the village is $122,175m^{2}$. The area and the rate of each sub-division arc as follow. 116 house-lots $91,465m^{2}$ (74.9 %) Land for public buildings and shops $2,980m^{2}$ (2.4 %) Roads $17,106m^{2}$ (14.0 %) Creek $1,356m^{2}$ (1.1 %) Vacant spaces and others $9,268m^{2}$ (7.6 %) TOTAL $122,175m^{2}$ (100.0 %) Each lot is fenced around with vertical wooden pannels 1.5-1.8 m high and each house is located to the backside of the lot. The open space of a lot is sub-divided into three areas using the same wooden fence: Front yard, Back yard and Access area. Front and back yards are generally used for crop-cultivation, the custom of which is rare in Korea. The number of lots is 116 and the average size of area is $694.7m^{2}$. Outdoor spaces in the village such as roads, vacant spaces, front yard of the cultural hall, front yard of shops and spacse around the creek are good 'behavioral settings' frequently used by residents for play, chatting, drinking and movie-watching. The road system of the village is net-shaped, having T-junctions in intersections. The road could be graded to 4 categories according to their functions: Access roads, Inner trunk roads, Connecting roads and Culs-de-sac. The total length of the road inside the village is 3,709 m and the average width is 4.6 m. The main direction of the road in the village is NNE-SSE and ESE-WNW, crossing with right angles. Conclusively, the spatial structure of Ch'ang-Ts'ai-Ts'un village consists of various components in different dimensions and these components form a coherent structure in each dimension. Therefore the village has a proper spatial structure meaningful and appropriate for human living.

  • PDF

A Study on the Market Structure Analysis for Durable Goods Using Consideration Set:An Exploratory Approach for Automotive Market (고려상표군을 이용한 내구재 시장구조 분석에 관한 연구: 자동차 시장에 대한 탐색적 분석방법)

  • Lee, Seokoo
    • Asia Marketing Journal
    • /
    • v.14 no.2
    • /
    • pp.157-176
    • /
    • 2012
  • Brand switching data frequently used in market structure analysis is adequate to analyze non- durable goods, because it can capture competition between specific two brands. But brand switching data sometimes can not be used to analyze goods like automobiles having long term duration because one of main assumptions that consumer preference toward brand attributes is not changed against time can be violated. Therefore a new type of data which can precisely capture competition among durable goods is needed. Another problem of using brand switching data collected from actual purchase behavior is short of explanation why consumers consider different set of brands. Considering above problems, main purpose of this study is to analyze market structure for durable goods with consideration set. The author uses exploratory approach and latent class clustering to identify market structure based on heterogeneous consideration set among consumers. Then the relationship between some factors and consideration set formation is analyzed. Some benefits and two demographic variables - age and income - are selected as factors based on consumer behavior theory. The author analyzed USA automotive market with top 11 brands using exploratory approach and latent class clustering. 2,500 respondents are randomly selected from the total sample and used for analysis. Six models concerning market structure are established to test. Model 1 means non-structured market and model 6 means market structure composed of six sub-markets. It is exploratory approach because any hypothetical market structure is not defined. The result showed that model 1 is insufficient to fit data. It implies that USA automotive market is a structured market. Model 3 with three market structures is significant and identified as the optimal market structure in USA automotive market. Three sub markets are named as USA brands, Asian Brands, and European Brands. And it implies that country of origin effect may exist in USA automotive market. Comparison between modal classification by derived market structures and probabilistic classification by research model was conducted to test how model 3 can correctly classify respondents. The model classify 97% of respondents exactly. The result of this study is different from those of previous research. Previous research used confirmatory approach. Car type and price were chosen as criteria for market structuring and car type-price structure was revealed as the optimal structure for USA automotive market. But this research used exploratory approach without hypothetical market structures. It is not concluded yet which approach is superior. For confirmatory approach, hypothetical market structures should be established exhaustively, because the optimal market structure is selected among hypothetical structures. On the other hand, exploratory approach has a potential problem that validity for derived optimal market structure is somewhat difficult to verify. There also exist market boundary difference between this research and previous research. While previous research analyzed seven car brands, this research analyzed eleven car brands. Both researches seemed to represent entire car market, because cumulative market shares for analyzed brands exceeds 50%. But market boundary difference might affect the different results. Though both researches showed different results, it is obvious that country of origin effect among brands should be considered as important criteria to analyze USA automotive market structure. This research tried to explain heterogeneity of consideration sets among consumers using benefits and two demographic factors, sex and income. Benefit works as a key variable for consumer decision process, and also works as an important criterion in market segmentation. Three factors - trust/safety, image/fun to drive, and economy - are identified among nine benefit related measure. Then the relationship between market structures and independent variables is analyzed using multinomial regression. Independent variables are three benefit factors and two demographic factors. The result showed that all independent variables can be used to explain why there exist different market structures in USA automotive market. For example, a male consumer who perceives all benefits important and has lower income tends to consider domestic brands more than European brands. And the result also showed benefits, sex, and income have an effect to consideration set formation. Though it is generally perceived that a consumer who has higher income is likely to purchase a high priced car, it is notable that American consumers perceived benefits of domestic brands much positive regardless of income. Male consumers especially showed higher loyalty for domestic brands. Managerial implications of this research are as follow. Though implication may be confined to the USA automotive market, the effect of sex on automotive buying behavior should be analyzed. The automotive market is traditionally conceived as male consumers oriented market. But the proportion of female consumers has grown over the years in the automotive market. It is natural outcome that Volvo and Hyundai motors recently developed new cars which are targeted for women market. Secondly, the model used in this research can be applied easier than that of previous researches. Exploratory approach has many advantages except difficulty to apply for practice, because it tends to accompany with complicated model and to require various types of data. The data needed for the model in this research are a few items such as purchased brands, consideration set, some benefits, and some demographic factors and easy to collect from consumers.

  • PDF

Importance of End User's Feedback Seeking Behavior for Faithful Appropriation of Information Systems in Small and Medium Enterprises (중소기업 환경에서의 합목적적 정보시스템 활용을 위한 최종사용자 피드백 탐색행위의 중요성)

  • Shin, Young-Mee;Lee, Joo-Ryang;Lee, Ho-Geun
    • Asia pacific journal of information systems
    • /
    • v.17 no.4
    • /
    • pp.61-95
    • /
    • 2007
  • Small-and-medium sized enterprises(SMEs) represent quite a large proportion of the industry as a whole in terms of the number of enterprises or employees. However researches on information system so far have focused on large companies, probably because SMEs were not so active in introducing information systems as larger enterprises. SMEs are now increasingly bringing in information systems such as ERP(Enterprise Resource Planning Systems) and some of the companies already entered the stage of ongoing use. Accordingly, researches should deal with the use of information systems by SME s operating under different conditions from large companies. This study examined factors and mechanism inducing faithful appropriation of information systems, in particular integrative systems such as ERP, in view of individuals` active feedback-seeking behavior. There are three factors expected to affect end users` feedback-seeking behavior for faithful appropriation of information systems. They are management support, peer IT champ support, and IT staff support. The main focus of the study is on how these factors affect feedback-seeking behavior and whether the feedback-seeking behavior plays the role of mediator for realizing faithful appropriation of information systems by end users. To examine the research model and the hypotheses, this study employed an empirical method based on a field survey. The survey used measurements mostly employed and verified by previous researches, while some of the measurements had gone through minor modifications for the purpose of the study. The survey respondents are individual employees of SMEs that have been using ERP for one year or longer. To prevent common method bias, Task-Technology Fit items used as the control variable were made to be answered by different respondents. In total, 127 pairs of valid questionnaires were collected and used for the analysis. The PLS(Partial Least Squares) approach to structural equation modeling(PLS-Graph v.3.0) was used as our data analysis strategy because of its ability to model both formative and reflective latent constructs under small-and medium-size samples. The analysis shows Reliability, Construct Validity and Discriminant Validity are appropriate. The path analysis results are as follows; first, the more there is peer IT champ support, the more the end user is likely to show feedback-seeking behavior(path-coefficient=0.230, t=2.28, p<0.05). In other words, if colleagues proficient in information system use recognize the importance of their help, pass on what they have found to be an effective way of using the system or correct others' misuse, ordinary end users will be able to seek feedback on the faithfulness of their appropriation of information system without hesitation, because they know the convenience of getting help. Second, management support encourages ordinary end users to seek more feedback(path-coefficient=0.271, t=3.06, p<0.01) by affecting the end users' perceived value of feedback(path-coefficient=0.401, t=6.01, p<0.01). Management support is far more influential than other factors that when the management of an SME well understands the benefit of ERP, promotes its faithful appropriation and pays attention to employees' satisfaction with the system, employees will make deliberate efforts for faithful appropriation of the system. However, the third factor, IT staff support was found not to be conducive to feedback-seeking behavior from end users(path-coefficient=0.174, t=1.83). This is partly attributable to the fundamental reason that there is little support for end users from IT staff in SMEs. Even when IT staff provides support, end users may find it less important than that from coworkers more familiar with the end users' job. Meanwhile, the more end users seek feedback and attempt to find ways of faithful appropriation of information systems, the more likely the users will be able to deploy the system according to the purpose the system was originally meant for(path-coefficient=0.35, t=2.88, p<0.01). Finally, the mediation effect analysis confirmed the mediation effect of feedback-seeking behavior. By confirming the mediation effect of feedback-seeking behavior, this study draws attention to the importance of feedback-seeking behavior that has long been overlooked in research about information system use. This study also explores the factors that promote feedback-seeking behavior which in result could affect end user`s faithful appropriation of information systems. In addition, this study provides insight about which inducements or resources SMEs should offer to promote individual users' feedback-seeking behavior when formal and sufficient support from IT staff or an outside information system provider is hardly expected. As the study results show, under the business environment of SMEs, help from skilled colleagues and the management plays a critical role. Therefore, SMEs should seriously consider how to utilize skilled peer information system users, while the management should pay keen attention to end users and support them to make the most of information systems.