Market Segmentation Research: Beyond Within and Across Group Differences

Allenby, Greg M.; Fennell, Geraldine; Bemmaor, Albert C.; Bhargava, V.K.; Christen, Francois G; Dawley, Jackie; Dickson, Peter R.; Edwards, Yancy; Garratt, Mark J.; Ginter, Jim; Sawyer, Alan G.; Staelin, Rick; Yang, Sha

doi:10.1023/a:1020226922683

Cited by 32 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 18 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Our empirical evidence, suggests that cultural values represent asymptotic tendencies of collective values and norms at the societal group level (whereby the societal group could involve one or even more national groups displaying strong cultural similarities in terms of values) thatby psychologically imprinting individuals -affect guests' online evaluations and judgments. As such, online behaviors (e.g., online human evaluations and judgments) are partially culturally-bounded and culturally-dependent, explaining why hotel guests with distinctively different cultural backgrounds evaluate online a similar hospitality service differently Second and linked to the previous point, our findings strengthen international market segmentation theory in general (Allenby et al, 2002;Cleveland et al, 2011Cleveland et al, , 2016Dibb and Simkin, 2001) and hospitality and tourism market segmentation in particular (Bowen, 1998;Dolnicar, 2004;Du et al, 2016) and enrich the debate revolving around the divide between research and practice in segmentation (Dolnicar and Lazarevski, 2009). Theoretically, our study's results provide evidence that online hospitality customers cannot be considered as one homogeneous mass.…”

Section: Theoretical Implicationssupporting

confidence: 74%

How do online reviewers’ cultural traits and perceived experience influence hotel online ratings?

Mariani

Predvoditeleva

2019

IJCHM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the role and influence of online reviewers’ cultural traits and perceived experience on online review ratings of Russian hotels by taking a direct measurement approach. Design/methodology/approach The authors adopt an explanatory sequential research design consisting of two stages. In the first stage, based on a sample of almost 75,000 Booking.com online reviews covering hotels located in Moscow (Russia), this study examines quantitatively to what extent the cultural traits of online reviewers and hotel guests’ perceived experience in online reviewing affect online ratings also using censored regressions. In the second stage, it interprets the results in light of semi-structured interviews conducted with a convenience sample of managers. Findings Each of the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions (namely, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and power distance) exerts a significantly negative influence on the hotel online ratings. More specifically, the higher the levels of individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and power distance, the lower the hotel’s online ratings. Reviewers’ perceived experience in online reviewing is negatively related to online ratings. Research limitations/implications The study’s findings bear relevant practical implications for hotel managers and online platform managers in countries that are not typically covered by online consumer behavior studies in hospitality such as Russia. From a theoretical viewpoint, this study contributes to cultural studies in hospitality management and marketing with a further development of the nascent research stream taking a direct measurement approach to the study of cultural influences on consumers’ behaviors. Furthermore, this study offers a better and in-depth understanding of the role of cultural traits on electronic word of mouth, as well as international market segmentation theory in online settings. Originality/value The conjoint exploration of the effects of cultural differences and perceived experience in online reviewing adds to the nascent research stream taking a direct measurement approach to the study of the Hofstede’s cultural dimensions on online consumers’ behaviors. The authors make multiple theoretical and methodological contributions, highlighting that online hospitality customers cannot be considered as one homogeneous mass. Instead, the application of Hofstede’s cultural dimensions allows identifying distinctively different online behaviors across international online customers: different online customer groups can be clustered into segments, as they display different online behaviors and give different online evaluations.

show abstract

Section: Theoretical Implicationssupporting

confidence: 74%

How do online reviewers’ cultural traits and perceived experience influence hotel online ratings?

Mariani

Predvoditeleva

2019

IJCHM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Chen et al (2017) The methodological foundations of segmentation research are increasingly being challenged as a result of the recent thought developments in marketing. Allenby et al (2002) note that 'revealed market data' in segmentation studies are inadequate in describing the mechanisms that govern consumer behaviour, as they fail to focus on the motivating conditions that lead people to the tasks and interests in their lives. A posteriori or post-hoc (Wedel and Kamakura, 2000) behavioural segmentation and qualitative techniques exploring the actions and behaviours of existing consumers play an increasingly important role, for example to serve as a basis for developing segments and then validating or refining them using quantitative approaches (Chen et al, 2017;Dolnicar, 2008).…”

Section: Customer-induced Segmentation and Value Co-creationmentioning

confidence: 99%

Practice-based segmentation: taxonomy of C2C co-creation practice segments

Rihova

Moital

Buhalis

et al. 2019

IJCHM

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

PurposeThis paper aims to explore and evaluate practice-based segmentation as an alternative conceptual segmentation perspective that acknowledges the active role of consumers as value co-creators.Design/methodology/approachData comprising various aspects of customer-to-customer (C2C) co-creation practices of festival visitors were collected across five UK-based festivals, using participant observation and semi-structured interviews with naturally occurring social units (individuals, couples and groups). Data were analysed using a qualitative thematic analysis procedure within QSR NVivo 10.FindingsPrivate, sociable, tribal and communing practice segments are identified and profiled, using the interplay of specific subject- and situation-specific practice elements to highlight the “minimum” conditions for each C2C co-creation practice. Unlike traditional segments, practice segment membership is shown to be fluid and overlapping, with fragmented consumers moving across different practice segments throughout their festival experience according to what makes most sense at a given time.Research limitations/implicationsAlthough practice-based segmentation is studied in the relatively limited context of C2C co-creation practices at festivals, the paper illustrates how this approach could be operationalised in the initial qualitative stages of segmentation research. By identifying how the interplay of subject- and situation-specific practice elements affects performance of practices, managers can facilitate relevant practice-based segments, leading to more sustainable business.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to segmentation literature by empirically demonstrating the feasibility of practice-based segments and by evaluating the use of practice-based segmentation on a strategic, procedural and operational level. Possible methodological solutions for future research are offered.

show abstract

“…6 In the literature too there seems to be a consensus that of all the available approaches, benefit segmentation is the most strategically meaningful and actionable approach. 7 Benefit segmentation categorises consumers on the basis of common motivations to purchase a product or service. 8 Hence, in the context of retailing, we define market scope using benefit segmentation, which requires an understanding of consumers' motivations to shop online as well as the benefits they seek from online retailers.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%