Patterns of Information Source usage among Durable Goods Buyers

1979 ◽  
Vol 16 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-312 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Westbrook ◽  
Claes Fornell
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
Durable Goods ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Information Gathering ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
Canonical Analysis ◽  
Information Need ◽  
Explanatory Variables ◽  
Personal Source

Durable goods buyers’ prepurchase information search activities were studied to determine whether distinctive patterns of information source usage could be identified. A method based on canonical analysis of retail, neutral, and personal source usage measures in conjunction with selected explanatory variables proved useful in distinguishing four different patterns. Tradeoffs were evident in the usage of and reliance on different information sources. The results emphasize the need for further study of consumer information need and information-gathering abilities.

scholarly journals Seeking relational information sources in the digital age: A study into information source preferences amongst family and friends of those with dementia

Dementia ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 766-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frances Allen ◽  
Rebecca Cain ◽  
Caroline Meyer
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Postal Survey ◽  
Future Research ◽  
The Internet ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Close Family Member ◽  
People With Dementia ◽  
Accessible Information

Despite an increasing number of sources providing information and advice about dementia, those living with the condition feel inadequately informed. The reasons for this remain unclear. This study has three aims: to identify where people with dementia and their carers currently access dementia-related information from; to determine how accessible, credible and comprehensible people with dementia and their carers consider the available sources of information; and to determine how people with dementia and their carers would like to receive information. An online or postal survey was completed by 171 female and 41 male participants with a close family member or friend with dementia. Accessibility above quality held the greatest influence over an individual’s use of an information source. Participants preferred relational sources such as healthcare professionals as these were able to give individualised information, yet these were poorly accessible and lacked dementia specific knowledge. Therefore, individuals used non-relational sources such as the internet. However, increased use of the internet was linked to feeling overwhelmed by information. It was not the end result of the information search but the effort taken to reach the information that influenced participant’s perception of information gathering. Future research should look at ways of designing and providing accessible information sources that act and feel like relational contact.

Consumer Pre-purchase Search in Online Shopping: Role of Offline and Online Information Sources

2017 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 42-60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krishna Akalamkam ◽  
Joy Kumar Mitra
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Online Shopping ◽  
Search Behavior ◽  
Consumer Preference ◽  
Consumer Information ◽  
Online Information ◽  
Online Shoppers ◽  
Information Search Behavior ◽  
Consumer Information Search

Pre-purchase information search is an integral part of consumer decision-making process and buying behavior. Understanding consumer information search behavior is vital for organizations in order to plan their communication strategy and reach consumers effectively. Though consumer information search behavior is extensively studied in traditional brick and mortar purchase situations, there is dearth of research in understanding consumer information search behavior in online shopping occasions. Given the rapid growth in electronic retail over the last few years, it is imperative to understand consumer information search behavior in online buying situations. This study investigates the factors that influence the extent of usage of different information sources in pre-purchase information search by online shoppers through an empirical research among 1079 online shoppers. The analysis of data using multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA) shows that consumers tend to use both traditional offline information sources and online information sources when they shop online. However, the preference for different online and offline information sources is likely to be different for hedonic and utilitarian products. Individual factors, such as Internet usage experience, need for cognition and age, also tend to influence consumer preference for different online and offline sources. This has important implications for e-marketers as they may need to use different communication channels depending on the nature of the product and the characteristics of their target consumers to effectively promote their offerings.

Online/offline information search patterns and outcomes for services

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (7) ◽  
pp. 753-770 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Sa Vinhas ◽  
Douglas Bowman
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Loyalty Program ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Search Patterns ◽  
Search Processes ◽  
Antecedents And Consequences ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

Purpose This study aims to determine the antecedents and consequences of information source choice to support a purchase decision for services high in experience attributes. Design/methodology/approach The authors conduct two studies to test their propositions. Study 1 is a single-category application using data from a national survey of 974 consumers who recently made a hotel-stay purchase/reservation. Correspondence analysis was used to identify search patterns, and regression analysis was used to identify their antecedents and influence on search outcomes. Study 2 is a cross-category study using data from a survey of 422 MTurk respondents reporting on search processes across six different services contexts, including hotel reservations. In this study, the authors seek generalization of their results to other services categories. Findings The authors identify four dimensions that characterize what information sources consumers, on average, use together when purchasing services. It is found that loyalty program membership and consistency in service delivery across a brand’s outlets for the brands in a consumer’s evoked set are important determinants of search patterns. Search patterns partially mediate the impact of consumer characteristics, choice context and choice set characteristics on search effort and, ultimately, on price paid. Practical implications An understanding of the factors that are associated with consumers’ choices of information sources and whether these choices are systematically related to search outcomes has implications for market segmentation and for marketers’ initiatives with respect to what information content to emphasize across sources. Originality/value The contribution is an understanding of the antecedents and consequences of consumer search patterns – and what information sources consumers tend to use together, considering the diversity of both internet and non-internet sources. There are limited insights in the services literature regarding how the internet impacts information search processes.

Canonical Analysis of Relations between Socioeconomic Risk and Personal Influence in Purchase Decisions

1969 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 351-354 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael Perry ◽  
B. Curtis Hamm
Keyword(s):  
Information Search ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Canonical Analysis ◽  
Purchase Decisions ◽  
Personal Influence ◽  
Degree Of Risk ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Socioeconomic Risk

The socioeconomic evaluation of products by consumers generates information search. This article reports a study that investigates the relationship between the importance of personal influence as an information source and degree of risk in 25 purchase decisions.

scholarly journals Doctors as disseminators? Practicing physicians as multipliers for community-based prevention networks in a large city in western Germany

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katharina Kreffter ◽  
Simon Götz ◽  
Stefanie Lisak-Wahl ◽  
Thuy Ha Nguyen ◽  
Nico Dragano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Parental Education ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Entrance Examination ◽  
Parenting Skills ◽  
Language Therapy ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Social Differences ◽  
Immigrant Background ◽  
Practicing Physicians

Abstract Aim Practicing physicians have a special position as disseminators of community-based prevention for children. However, it is unclear to what extent physicians inform parents about programs. The study investigated: To what extent do physicians disseminate information about community-based prevention for children aged 0–7? Do differences exist along family’s socioeconomic position (SEP) and immigrant background? Subject and methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study in a German school entrance examination. Parents were invited to participate in a survey on community-based prevention with information about their awareness and information source. SEP was measured by parental education, immigrant background by country of birth. For nine services types, we counted how often parents named physicians and other professional groups as information sources. To estimate social differences, we calculated adjusted odds ratios (OR) with 95% confidence interval (CI). Results Survey participants included 6480 parents (response 65.49%). Compared to other information sources, physicians were mentioned less frequently. For example, regarding language therapy, 31.2% of parents were informed by healthcare/social services, and 4.4% by physicians. Lower educated parents were less frequently informed by physicians about counseling services (OR 0.58; 95% CI 0.46–0.73) compared to higher educated parents. Parents with immigrant background were informed less often about parenting skills courses (OR 0.79; 95% CI 0.70–0.90) compared to parents without immigrant background, but more often about language therapy (OR 1.47; 95% CI 1.13–1.91). No further social differences were observed. Conclusion The role of physicians as disseminators for community-based prevention is expandable. They should promote parenting skills courses in a socially sensitive way.

scholarly journals “I actually got my first job through my ex-colleague”: Employment-related information seeking behavior of Bangladeshi immigrants in Canada

2021 ◽  
pp. 096100062199280
Author(s):  
Nafiz Zaman Shuva
Keyword(s):  
Information Seeking ◽  
Information Needs ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Occupational Status ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Related Information ◽  
Immigrant Professionals ◽  
Government Of Canada ◽  
First Job

This study explores the employment-related information seeking behaviour of Bangladeshi immigrants in Canada. Using a mixed-methods approach, the study conducted semi-structured interviews with 60 Bangladeshi immigrants in Ontario, Canada, and obtained 205 survey responses. The study highlights the centrality of employment-related settlement among Bangladeshi immigrants in Ontario and reports many immigrants not being able to utilize their education and skills after arrival in Canada. The results show that Bangladeshi immigrants utilize various information sources for their employment in Canada, including friends and professional colleagues, online searchers, and settlement agencies. Although Bangladeshi immigrants utilized a large array of information sources for meeting their employment-related information needs, many interview participants emphasized that the employment-related benefits they received was because of their access to friends and professional colleagues in Canada. The survey results echoed the interview findings. The cross-tabulation results on post-arrival information sources and occupation status as well as first job information sources and occupational status in Canada show a significant association among the use of the information source “friends and professional colleagues in Canada” and immigrants’ occupational status. The study highlights the benefits of professional colleagues among immigrants in employment-related settlement contexts. It also reports the challenges faced by many immigrant professionals related to employment-related settlement because of the lack of access to their professional friends and colleagues in Canada. The author urges the Federal Government of Canada, provincial governments, and settlement agencies working with newcomers to offer services that would connect highly skilled immigrants with their professional networks in Canada, in order to get proper guidance related to obtaining a professional job or alternative career. The author calls for further studies on employment-related information seeking by immigrants to better understand the role information plays in their settlement in a new country.

scholarly journals Information Source Quality in Intelligent Transport Systems

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 125-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Niko Jelušić ◽  
Mario Anžek ◽  
Božidar Ivanković
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Traffic Control ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Transport Systems ◽  
Intelligent Transport Systems ◽  
Traffic System ◽  
Intelligent Transport ◽  
Real Time Information ◽  
Time Information

Advanced automatic traffic control systems and various other ITS (Intelligent Transport Systems) applications and services rely on real-time information from the traffic system. This paper presents the overview and general functions of different information sources which provide real-time information that are used or could be used in ITS. The objective is to formally define the quality of information sources suitable for ITS based on formal models of the traffic system and information sources. The definition of quality encompasses these essential factors: traffic system information that exists or may be requested, user requirements and attributes that describe the information sources. This provides the framework and guidelines for the evaluation of information sources that accounts for relevant factors that influence their selection for specific ITS applications. KEY WORDS: information source, information source quality, Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS), automatic traffic control

Sources of Performance Information in the Exercise Setting

1990 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 56-65 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vicki Ebbeck
Keyword(s):  
Goal Setting ◽  
Muscle Development ◽  
Information Sources ◽  
Weight Training ◽  
Function Analysis ◽  
Information Source ◽  
Student Feedback ◽  
Sources Of Information ◽  
Perceived Effort ◽  
Gender Groups

This study examined the sources of information used by adult exercisers to judge performance. Of particular interest was the investigation of gender differences. Subjects, 271 adults (174 males, 97 females) who were enrolled in a university weight training program, completed a questionnaire designed to evaluate the importance of 12 information sources in judging weight training performance: instructor feedback, student feedback, student comparison, changes noticed outside the gym, personal attraction toward the activity, degree of perceived effort exerted in the workout, performance in workout, feedback from others not in the class, goal setting, muscle development, workout improvement over time, and ease in learning new skills. Results revealed a significant discriminant function analysis for gender, with six information sources entering the stepwise procedure: goal setting, student feedback, learning, effort, improvement, and changes noticed outside the gym differentiated the gender groups. Males relied more than females on student feedback as an information source to judge performance. Alternatively, females used effort, goal setting, improvement, and learning as information sources more than males.

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