• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.24-31
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• 2009

Firms produce various products that differ by function, design, color, etc. Product proliferation occurs for three different reasons. When there exist economies of scope, the unit cost for a product is lower when it is produced in conjunction with another product than when it is produced separately. Second, consumers are heterogeneous in the sense that they have different tastes, preferences, or price elasticities. A firm can earn more profit by segmenting consumers into different groups with similar characteristics. For example, product proliferation helps a firm increase profits by satisfying various consumer needs more precisely. The third reason for product proliferation is based on strategy. Producing a number of products can not only deter entry by providing few niches, but can also cause a firm to react efficiently to a low-price entry. By producing various products, a firm can reduce niches so that potential entrants have less incentive to enter. Moreover, a firm can produce new products in response to entry, which is called fighting brands. That is, when an entrant tries to attract consumers with a low price, an incumbent introduces a new lower-quality product while maintaining the price of the existing product. The drawback of product proliferation, however, is cannibalization. Some consumers who would have bought a high-price product switch to a low-price product. Moreover, it is possible that proliferation can decrease profits when a new product is less differentiated from a rival’s than is the existing product because of more severe competition. Many studies have analyzed the effect of product line rivalry in the areas of economics and marketing. They show how a monopolist can solve the problem of cannibalization by adjusting quality in a market where consumers differ in their preferences for quality. They find that a consumer who prefers high-quality products will obtain his or her most preferred quality, but a consumer who has not such preference will obtain less than his or her preferred quality to reduce cannibalization. This study analyzed the effects of product line rivalry in a duopoly market with two types of consumers differentiated by quality preference. I assume that the two firms are asymmetric in the sense that an incumbent can produce both high- and low-quality products, while an entrant can produce only a low-quality product. The effects of product proliferation can be explained by comparing the market outcomes when an incumbent produces both products to those when it produces only one product. Compared to the case in which an incumbent produces only a high-quality product, the price of a low-quality product tends to decrease in a consumer segment that prefers low-quality products because of more severe competition. Prices, however, tend to increase in a segment with high preferences because of less severe competition. It is known that when firms compete over prices, it is optimal for a firm to increase its price when its rival increases its price, which is called a strategic complement. Since prices are strategic complements, we have two opposing effects. It turns out that the price of a high-quality product increases because the positive effect of reduced competition outweighs the negative effect of strategic complements. This implies that an incumbent needs to increase the price of a high-quality product when it is also introducing a low-quality product. However, the change in price of the entrant’s low-quality product is ambiguous. Second, compared to the case in which an incumbent produces only a low-quality product, prices tend to increase in a consumer segment with low preferences but decrease in a segment with high preferences. The prices of low-quality products decrease because the negative effect outweighs the positive effect. Moreover, when an incumbent produces both kinds of product, the price of an incumbent‘s low-quality product is higher, even though the quality of both firms’ low-quality products is the same. The reason for this is that the incumbent has less incentive to reduce the price of a low-quality product because of the negative impact on the price of its high-quality product. In fact, the effects of product line rivalry on profits depend not only on changes in price, but also on sales and cannibalization. If the difference in marginal cost is moderate compared to the difference in product quality, the positive effect of product proliferation outweighs the negative effect, thereby increasing the profit. Furthermore, if the cost difference is very large (small), an incumbent is better off producing only a low (high) quality product. Moreover, this study also analyzed the effect of product line rivalry when a firm can determine product characteristics by focusing on the issue of fighting brands. Recently, Korean air and Asiana airlines have established budget airlines called Jin air and Air Busan, respectively, to confront the launching of budget airlines such as Hansung airline and Jeju air, among others. In addition, as more online bookstores have entered the market, a leading off-line bookstore Kyobo began its own online bookstore. Through fighting brands, an incumbent with a high-quality product can increase profits by producing an additional low-quality product when its low-quality product is more differentiated from that of the entrant than is its high-quality product.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.301-312
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• 2008

Satisfaction of consumer preferences is a key factor for the success of the products. Therefore, design mangers try to develop the profitable products through the intensive survey on the consumer preferences. Although the studies on the preferable product design and the design factors have long been carried out, most of these studies dealt only with the design factors preferable for individual product category ignoring the relationship of the product categories which are related to each other. For designers and design managers, in this study, we propose the guidelines of successful product development by finding preferred common and distinct design factors through analysis of the relations between the consumer preferences and design factors in various portable electric devices. To this end, we analyzed the preferred common and distinct design factors from portable electric devices including the electronic dictionaries, notebook computers, cellular phones, and MP3 players. We used hierarchical regression analysis for the effects of the design factors on the preferences among the product categories and regression analysis for the effects among each product category. The analysis on the preferred common design factors among the four product categories revealed that consumers did not care about the whole body type but preferred white color, metallic and glassy texture in the body. Also, the preferred design factors in the each product category are as follows; oval body shape and black color in electronic dictionaries, white color, metallic and glassy texture in notebook computers, plastic texture in cellular phones, rectangular body shape and plastic texture in MP3 players. In the case of notebook computers, the preferred common and distinct design factors were the same. We expect these results will be helpful for designers and design managers to identify the preferred design factors to consider when developing the various portable electric devices.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.33 no.7
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• pp.1038-1049
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• 2009

A hat is an important fashion accessory item for a total fashion coordination and the number of millineries is increasing in the current accessory market. This research provides basic information about the millinery in relation to consumer consumption behavior, preference, and satisfaction with hat products. A survey was conducted among 395 individuals age 20 and over who were quota sampled according to age and gender to investigate the differences between genders and different age groups. The collected data were statistically treated with the SPSS 12.0 program in terms of frequency, percentage, mean, standard error, cross tabulation, t-test, one-way ANOVA, and a Duncan-test. The results are as follows: 1. Respondents wear hats for ornamental purposes regardless of the season. They discard hats when they become out of style 2 to 3 years after the purchase. 2. In general, consumers prefer the baseball cap design among various hat product categories. Achromatic colors were the favorite color tone and the preferred material was woven cloth. 3. Consumers were most satisfied with colors and most dissatisfied with deformation after laundering. 4. There was a significant difference in preferences among the different age groups. Younger consumers were more concerned about individual image and style. Older consumers considered hats as a functional means such as protecting themselves from the sun. 5. There was a significant gender difference. Compared to males, female consumers were more concerned about the quality of sewing and colorfastness than male consumers.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.111-120
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• 2010

The aim of this research was to develop a practical use of the citron (Citrus junos Sieb.) leaf, which is a by-product of the citron cultivation, by introducing it into the Jeolpyun, one of the most popular rice cakes in Korea. To achieve the goals of this research, the citron leaf Jeolpyun (CLJ) was first precipitated. The sensory properties and physical examination of products containing 0 (control), 1.0, 1.5, 2.0, and 2.5% of the dried citron leaf powders were then assessed by employing sensory evaluations and instrumental measurements for texture and color. A total of one-hundred and fifty women panelists in age categories of 20s, 30s, 40s, and over 50 were randomly selected from residents in the Seoul area. In general, the highest sensory evaluation scores were obtained for CJLs containing 2% of the citron leaf powders by all panel groups although there was some variation. As levels of the citron leaf powder in the CLJ increased, the texture parameters such as hardness, cohesiveness, and gumminess of the CLJ as measured by the Texture Analyzer significantly increased while adhesiveness decreased and springiness remained constant. Accordingly, the optimal amount of citron leaf powder was determined to be 2% or less for CLJ in order to maintain the original texture of the Jeolpyun. As the levels of the citron leaf powder increased in the CLJ, the Hunter colorimetric L-and a-value significantly decreased while the b-value significantly increased. In other words, the CLJs became darker, as well as deeper in green and yellow tones as the levels of the citron leaf powder increased. The above results indicate that the citron leaf could be successfully used for preparation of Jeolpyun at a concentration around 2%(w/w) based on the consumer preference test and instrument analysis of the products. This research is expected to contribute to the industrial use of citron leaf powder in Jeolpyun and other food products.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.1-16
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• 2023

The purposes of this study were to investigate bag purchasing behaviors and design preferences of male and female adult consumers, and to find the differences depending on sex and age variable. A survey was conducted on 400 male and female adults from 20s to 50s. The questionnaire consisted of bag purchase behaviors, bag design preferences, and the subjects' demographic characteristics. The data were analyzed by Cronbach's α, factor analysis, x² test and t-test using SPSS. The results were as follows. First, as bag selection criteria, four factors (practicality, symbolism, aesthetics, and economics) were derived, and adult consumers considered economics as the most important among the factors. As for purchasing information sources, three factors (media, human resources, and store) were derived, and adult consumers considered human resources and store information sources more important than media. The main motive for purchasing bags was age and damage of the owned products, and Internet shopping malls were the most common purchasing place. The average annual cost of purchasing bags was 100,000 to 300,000 won, and the frequency of purchase was about once a year. Second, as bag preference images, four factors (individual, romantic, active, and classic image) were derived, and adult consumers preferred classic images the most. The shoulder bag was the most preferred as the bag shape, and black was the most preferred bag color. For the material, natural leather was the most preferred, and for the size, medium size was the most preferred. Third, bag purchasing behaviors and design preferences showed many significant differences according to the sex and age of the consumers. Therefore, the results of this study suggests that bag companies need to establish product development and marketing strategies in consideration of differences according to the sex and age group of adult consumers.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.1754-1766
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• 2010

Excessive consumption, pollution, and am expanding global population are seen as very important issues that must be solved through reusable materials and the reduction of energy consumption. This study examines the values and design elements such as line, color, and textures in eco-friendly fashion that could contribute to the product development of an eco-friendly brand. The following methods of analysis were used in this study. An in-depth interview (where the interviewer records the response of interviewers to questions) was used to grasp the diverse design properties of products that customers need or want and the recorded interviews were documented by computer using open coding. The results show that the personal, economic, and social value of eco-friendly fashion has increased, in addition to the environmental value. The needs and preference of customers for eco-friendly fashion design were diversified and the consumer consciousness was more advanced than the consciousness of experts. This shows that it is not enough to consider the effect on the environment. In conclusion, understanding the personal, environmental, economic, and social value from the viewpoint of customers, finding the optimal design factors, and reflecting them in the development of products are necessary for advanced eco-friendly fashion.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.453-466
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• 2005

The purpose of this study is to investigate the origin of make-up and the beginning of 'Yoenji' cosmetics. The result of this study is as follows: 1. The origin of make-up can be summarized as being originated from the sexual display to maintain tribes and incantatory religion for their existence. The reason for the preference to Yeonji in make-up is that Yeonji has a characteristic of red in color, which seems to hold effective for the sexual display of human beings. 2. The origin of Yeonji (焉支; Safflower) was from Egypt, but its inception as a cosmetic product was with Huns. 'Yeonji' was a term of Hungro race, and was also called Unji (焉支), Yeonji (燕支), Inji (姻支), Urji (閼氏), following the similarity of the sound. These terms were not only the interpretation of the Hunnish sound into Chinese, but also allegorical expression. Unji (焉支), Yeonji (燕支), and Inji (姻支) meant Safflower. Urji(閼氏) meant 'Empress' or 'Wife,' which was pronounced Yeonji (燕支) and Asi (閼氏).

• International Journal of Costume and Fashion
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• v.4
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• pp.47-61
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• 2004

This study analyzed the buying patterns of American and Korean female college students in terms of criteria for clothing selection； store preferences； criteria for store selection； fashion information sources； expressions of customer dissatisfaction； purchasing frequency and motivations for purchasing clothes. The study was implemented through self-administered questionnaires which were back translated for validity. The samples consisted of 730 female college students majoring in the fields related to clothing and textiles： 310 U.S. and 412 Korean students. Likert scales were used for most measures with 1＝never or very unimportant and 5＝always or very important. Data were analyzed by factor analysis, analysis of covariance, Duncans multiple comparison, and t-test. Results are as follows： 1) Design factor was the most important criteria in clothing selection with no differences between country groups. There were, however, significant differences for psychological exhibition factors, practical and economic factors. 2) Both groups preferred specialty and department stores, with department stores more popular in Korea. 3) Merchandise was the most important store selection criterion and fashion magazines and self-experience were rated as the most important information sources for the both groups. 4) Korean group expressed their dissatisfaction with and observable problem with a product before purchase more often than U.S. group, but the U.S. group was more vocal about color loss or shrinkage after care procedures. 5) Some clear differences between the two countries emerged. Marketers targeting American consumers should pay more attention to practicality and service； to Korean consumers more symbolic meaning of products.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.263-271
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• 2010

The study examined the quality characteristics of brown sauce made with various amounts (2%, 4%, 6%, 8% and 10%) of Chungkukjang powder. Sensory tests and measurements of viscosity, moistness, and color done and the antioxidant effects of Chungkukjang powder in brown sauce were examined by measurements of acid, peroxide, TBA during 12 days storage at $24^{\circ}C$. Overall sensory preference was highest in brown sauce made with 6% Chungkukjang powder. As the powder content increased the Lightness, Redness and Yellowness values decreased as did viscosity. Acid, peroxide and full term for TBA values increased to a low level that produced an edible product even at 12 days.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.340-347
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• 2008

This study was conducted to develop a recipe for a nutritional cookie with lotus root powder that had the optimal composition of ingredients and texture resulting in high preference by all age groups. Wheat flour was partially substituted with lotus root powder to reduce its content. Response Surface Methodology was used to analyze the measured results, which showed 16 experimental points including 2 replicates for lotus root powder, sugar and butter. The compositional and functional properties were measured, and these values were applied to a mathematical model. A canonical form and perturbation plot showed the influence of each ingredient on the final mixture product. The sensory evaluation results showed significant values in color (p<0.01), texture (p<0.05) and overall quality (p<0.05). As a result, the optimal sensory ratio was determined to be 22.59 g of lotus root powder, and 53.08 g of sugar for every 120 g of butter.