Studying low-literate consumers through experimental methods: Implications for subsistence marketplaces

Gau, Roland; Jae, Haeran; Viswanathan, Mahesh

doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2012.02.009

Cited by 25 publications

(27 citation statements)

References 44 publications

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“…Such experiments commonly use university staff as participants (Gau et al, 2012). Random assignment placed subjects in one of eight experimental conditions.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of message appeal and service type in CSR communication strategies

Andreu

Casado‐Díaz

Mattila

2015

Journal of Business Research

124

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Studies highlight the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) for companies' stakeholders. Consumers, however, are often unaware of such initiatives. Understanding how to effectively communicate socially responsible initiatives is an important challenge for both researchers and managers, who invest considerable resources in CSR initiatives. This study examines consumers' responses to two types of CSR initiatives (environment-related and employee-based) using two types of message appeals (emotional and rational) across two service types (hedonic and utilitarian). Consumers' responses provide data on their awareness of CSR initiatives, attitude toward the company, perceived firm uniqueness, emotional response, and attributions of company motives to engage in CSR activities. Rational appeals more effectively communicate environment-related CSR initiatives, whereas emotional appeals more effectively communicate employee-based CSR initiatives. Effects on consumers' attributions of company motives to engage in CSR are significant in both service types. Finally, rational message appeals affect consumers' CSR awareness and emotional responses, but only in utilitarian service.

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“…Such experiments commonly use university staff as participants (Gau et al, 2012). Random assignment placed subjects in one of eight experimental conditions.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of message appeal and service type in CSR communication strategies

Andreu

Casado‐Díaz

Mattila

2015

Journal of Business Research

124

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…Low‐literate consumers' preferences for concrete and pictographic thinking as well as their poor reading skills (Gau et al ., ) were considered during question and scale development, accompanied by realistic and colourful visual presentations on show cards (Townsend et al ., ). Three‐point Likert scales (Fig.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Low‐literate consumers' use of clothing labels amidst personal and product related challenges

Staden

Merwe

Aardt

et al. 2016

Int J Consumer Studies

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Low‐literate consumers experience various challenges in the marketplace. This quantitative study focused on low‐literate female consumers' use of clothing labels amidst personal and product‐related challenges in the marketplace. An interviewer‐administered questionnaire was used among black African female consumers (n = 450) with literacy levels ranging from Grades 5 to 8 (on average, 11–14 years old), residing in the Emfuleni Local Municipality area, Gauteng, South Africa. Personal challenges experienced involved reading and numeracy skills, as well as concrete and pictographic thinking. Although respondents indicated that they read and understand clothing labels, results revealed problems experienced when attempting to use the information provided. Their numeracy skills were average and related abstract thinking skills were fair. Product‐related challenges were related to the format of labels, care‐label knowledge and evaluation of clothing quality. Respondents' preference for symbolic and graphic presentation of size format provided evidence of pictographic thinking. Care label understanding was poor, and clothing products were evaluated concretely. Some of the older respondents were inclined to follow the peripheral route of elaboration when reading clothing‐label information. We conclude that low‐literate consumers' use of clothing label information can improve if provided in a format that they can read and understand.

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“…The researchers chose to take an experimental approach so that we could observe behaviour and identify causality (Charness, Gneezy and Kuhn, 2012). Gau, Jae and Viswanathan (2012) suggest that this approach is appropriate for research among low-literate consumers. Based on the place of execution, Sekaran (2003) divided experimental design into two types: lab experiments and field experiments.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Involving low-literate consumers in our study was a challenge because we must devote attention to several issues, as stated by Gau, Jae and Viswanathan (2012). We eliminated reading and writing tasks by delivering our presentation using PowerPoint slides with audio (Study 1) and video (Study 2); all writing tasks are performed by an assistant; we simplified terms and used daily language (e.g.,the common word "obat" was employed in the presentation to mean "pesticide" whereas although its true meaning is "medicine"); we used visual scales for the evaluation task and we chose local people who can speak the local language as experiment assistants to make our participants comfortable, to encourage more to come and to prevent anxiety.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Surrender of A Panoply of Copycats to The Case-Hardened Market Leader: Substantiation from An Experimental Study of The Indonesia Crop-Protection Industry

2019

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This study has three objectives: to reveal how to create effective copycats design; to determine the most favorable situation for copycats; to cognize the winner of panoplied copycats versus market leader. Study 1 with participation of 98 farmers revealed that copycats managed to steal quality image of market leader through imitation of typography and colour. Study 2 with involvement of 216 farmers suggested that copycat to situate farmer peers as referrals, apply moderately-lower pricing and persuade consumers without sales promotions. Market leader won against copycats in the battle for defending loyal consumers.

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Studying low-literate consumers through experimental methods: Implications for subsistence marketplaces

Cited by 25 publications

References 44 publications

Effects of message appeal and service type in CSR communication strategies

Effects of message appeal and service type in CSR communication strategies

Low‐literate consumers' use of clothing labels amidst personal and product related challenges

The Surrender of A Panoply of Copycats to The Case-Hardened Market Leader: Substantiation from An Experimental Study of The Indonesia Crop-Protection Industry

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