scholarly journals Understanding Apple Attribute Preferences of US Consumers

Foods ◽  
2022 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 166
Author(s):  
Rombach Meike ◽  
David L. Dean ◽  
Tim Baird

Apple preferences of US consumers are widely explored. However, the key factors that drive the importance that US consumers place on apple attributes are rather unexplored. To fill this literature gap, an online survey with 383 US apple buyers was conducted. A two-step analysis consisting of descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modelling indicates that subjective knowledge was the most important factor, determining both the discernment of buyers and attitudes towards US fruit growers. Objective knowledge and sociodemographic factors, other than education, were not found to have any impact. The discernment of a buyer and their ability to distinguish apple varieties had the greatest impact on the importance that US consumers placed on physical and commercial product attributes. It was also found that attitudes towards growers impacted on the importance which consumers place on both types of attributes. Given that consumer attitudes were shown to be a strong driver of their buying preferences, growers and grower associations should also consider highlighting the positive health and societal benefits that their products provide.

Horticulturae ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (10) ◽  
pp. 368
Author(s):  
Meike Rombach ◽  
David L. Dean ◽  
Nicole J. Olynk Widmar ◽  
Vera Bitsch

Cut flower gifting preferences are relatively unexplored in Germany. This study proposes a model that investigates the impact of attitudinal, experiential, and socio-demographic factors on the cut flower gifting preferences of German consumers. For this purpose, an online survey with a representative sample of 978 German residents was conducted. Partial least squares structural equation modelling shows that active and passive engagement with plants and nature positively impact cut flower giving preferences through cut flower knowledge, cut flower fondness, and perceived versatility of cut flowers. For German women and men, the largest driver of cut flower giving preferences is the versatility of cut flowers. For women, cut flower fondness is the second largest driver of cut flower gifting preferences, whereas for men subjective knowledge was the second largest driver. Other socio-demographic factors (age, income, education) were not found to impact cut flower giving preferences.


Horticulturae ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (12) ◽  
pp. 575
Author(s):  
Meike Rombach ◽  
David L. Dean ◽  
Tim Baird

This study provides insights for managers in the food retail sector, the horticultural industry, actors involved in community gardening and farmers’ markets. It proposes a model that investigates key factors determining US consumer preferences for growing fruit over buying it in pre-Covidian and Covidian times. For this purpose, an online survey with a sample of 383 US residents was conducted. Partial least squares structural equation modelling shows that subjective knowledge about fruit and the perceived impact of COVID-19 are the most important drivers of preferences for growing over buying in Covidian times. The impact of COVID-19 had no relevance for the pre-Covidian times. For both scenarios, only age and gender as socio-demographic factors were found to influence subjective knowledge and the perceived impact of COVID-19. Other sociodemographic factors were not found to have any impact.


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 3301
Author(s):  
Meike Rombach ◽  
David L. Dean

The study provides insights for marketing managers in specialized pet supplies retailers, as well as for vets and animal welfare organizations. This study proposes a model that investigates the importance pet owners place on convenience, natural ingredients, and value and health claims as product attributes. For this purpose, an online survey with a sample size of 206 pet-owning US residents was conducted. Partial least squares structural equation modelling shows that pet food purchase involvement positively impacts subjective and objective knowledge about pet food. Subjective knowledge appears to be the strongest factor impacting the importance consumers place on all three attributes. This is followed by objective knowledge. Socio-demographic factors such as gender, age, income, and education appear to have a limited impact as predictors for the importance consumers place on the product attributes.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (19) ◽  
pp. 11024
Author(s):  
Hyun Joo Kwon ◽  
Mira Ahn ◽  
Jiyun Kang

This study explored how different types of consumer knowledge (exposure, subjective knowledge, and objective knowledge) predict perceptions (benefits, severity, and barriers) and behavioral intention to choose non-toxic housing materials and products based on the extended health belief model (HBM). The target population was people 18 years or older living in the U.S. A total of 1050 valid responses were collected through an online survey. Structural equation modeling was used to test the model via AMOS version 24. Results show that the prediction of exposure, subjective knowledge, and objective knowledge for behavioral intention is mediated by health belief perceptions in different ways. Exposure had a significant impact on perceived benefits and perceived severity but not on perceived barriers. Subjective knowledge was not significantly associated with perceptions, but all of the effects of objective knowledge on the HBM elements were significant. Significant indirect effects of exposure and subjective knowledge on behavioral intention were found; the indirect effects of objective knowledge on behavioral intention were insignificant. By adopting the extended HBM, this study contributes to a better understanding of the link among knowledge types and perceptions of non-toxic housing materials and products, and behavioral intention to choose them.


2018 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. 22-43
Author(s):  
Niousha Shahidi ◽  
Vesselina Tossan ◽  
Silvia Cacho-Elizondo

This article explores which antecedents explain intentions to adopt a mobile coaching app. To that end, this study describes a coaching service designed to guide/encourage students throughout their studies in order to validate a new model of planned behavior based on the Technology Acceptance Model and the Goal-Directed Behavioral theory. The methodology included a short qualitative study and an online survey to examine the theoretical model which is based on scales tested in previous studies. The convenience sample is composed of students (Bachelor and Master/MBA) with the results analyzed using structural equation modelling to test the proposed model's causal structure. The results show different adoption patterns by gender and type of school.


2021 ◽  
pp. 1689-1698
Author(s):  
Abdul Hafaz Ngah ◽  
Nurul Izni Kamalrulzaman ◽  
Fauzayani Ibrahim ◽  
Noor Azuan Abu Osman ◽  
Nur Asma Ariffin

This study aims to investigate the effect of soft skills and ethics and value on the employers’ willingness to continue recruiting Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT) graduates, together with the moderating effect of knowledge on the relationship between soft skills and the employers’ willingness to continue recruiting UMT graduates. The study’s respondents comprised of 208 employers in Malaysia who responded through an online survey using Google Forms. The survey data was then analyzed using the Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM), indicating that soft skills positively affected the employers’ willingness to continue recruiting UMT graduates. Nevertheless, ethics and value were found to be insignificant factors on the employers’ willingness to continue recruiting UMT graduates. It was also revealed that knowledge had the moderating effect on the relationship between soft skills and the employers’ willingness to continue recruiting UMT graduates. Therefore, universities were recommended to invest in soft skills and knowledge education to ensure that graduates met the employers’ professional recruitment standards in areas of expertise.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Anwar Sadat Shimul ◽  
Matthew Barber ◽  
Mohammad Ishmam Abedin

Purpose This paper aims to examine the role of religiosity on consumers’ forgiveness when celebrities get involved in transgression. The celebrity’s reaction and its impact on consumers’ forgiveness is tested as well. In addition, consumers’ attitudes towards the brand and celebrity as well as purchase intention for the endorsed brand are examined both before and after the transgression. Design/methodology/approach Data (n = 356) were collected through a self-administered online survey and analysed though structural equation modelling in AMOS 26. Findings The results show that consumers’ attitude towards celebrity, brand and purchase intention gets weaker once the celebrity gets into transgression. Consumers tend to forgive more if the celebrity apologises (vs denies) for the wrongdoing. The hypothesised relationship between attitude towards celebrity and purchase intention did not sustain after the transgression. In addition, consumers’ intrinsic religiosity strengthens the relationship between attitude towards the celebrity and purchase intention. Practical implications The findings of this research present valuable implications for brands practitioners. Brands should formulate actionable contingency plans to mitigate the negative ramifications of celebrity transgressions. Specifically, intrinsic religiosity and celebrity apologies should assist consumers in forgiving the transgression and negate the implications that could have arisen if the celebrity instead denied the transgressions. Originality/value This research extends the previous research by examining religiosity and forgiveness within the context of celebrity transgressions. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first few research studies to consider the role religiosity plays in consumers’ intention to forgive celebrity transgressions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nastaran Hajiheydari ◽  
Babak Hazaveh Hesar Maskan ◽  
Mahdi Ashkani

Increasing world-wide trends of using mobile social networks and the rise of competition between different social applications makes it essential for social network providers and marketers to identify the key factors leading to user loyalty. The purpose of this paper is to identify the key factors that affect the loyalty of mobile social networks users. The proposed model was tested through structural equation modeling techniques and an online survey. The sample consisted of 388 mobile social networks users in Iran. The results indicate that sociability, entertainment and fashion are primary drivers of attitude toward a mobile social network. The results also show the significant role of attitude and satisfaction on consumer loyalty. This study helps both marketers and mobile social network providers know the key drivers of customer loyalty in order to tailor their marketing efforts and communication strategies.


2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 402-411 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kok Wei Khong

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the perceived impact of outsourcing on customer service management.Design/methodology/approachThe examination was conducted via a survey on 124 companies in Malaysia. Using the framework from Elmuti, factors manifesting customer service management were regressed on the key factors manifesting successful outsourcing. Hence a model was contrived. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to estimate the model.FindingsThe model was able to provide predictive implications on customer service management, given the activities of key factors manifesting successful outsourcing. In other words to improve customer service management, companies could control their outsourcing activities.Originality/valueThis paper offers an approach to measure the effects of multiple independent variables on multiple dependent variables. Using SEM, multivariate analyses were mathematically represented in a single equation. In this equation, companies could holistically compose strategies to optimise their management in customer service.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (1) ◽  
pp. e0245261
Author(s):  
Bruno Kluwe-Schiavon ◽  
Thiago Wendt Viola ◽  
Lucas Poitevin Bandinelli ◽  
Sayra Catalina Coral Castro ◽  
Christian Haag Kristensen ◽  
...  

We investigated what degree of risk of infection with COVID-19 is necessary so that people intend to stay home, even when doing so means losing their salary. We conducted an online survey across Brazil during the initial outbreak, in which 8,345 participants answered a questionnaire designed to identify the maximum tolerated risk (k’) necessary for them to disregard social distancing recommendations and guarantee their salaries. Generalized linear mixed models, path analysis structural equation, and conditional interference classification tree were performed to further understand how sociodemographic factors impact k’ and to establish a predictive model for the risk behavior of leaving home during the pandemic. We found that, on average, people tolerate 38% risk of infection to leave home and earn a full salary, but this number decreased to 13% when the individual risk perception of becoming ill from severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 is considered. Furthermore, participants who have a medium-to-high household income and who are older than 35 years are more likely to be part of the risk-taking group who leave home regardless of the potential COVID-19 infection level; while participants over 45 years old and with good financial health are more likely to be part of the risk-averse group, who stay home at the expense of any salary offered. Our findings add to the political and public debate concerning lockdown strategies by showing that, contrary to supposition, people with low socioeconomic status are not more likely to ignore social distancing recommendations due to personal economic matters.


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