Harold W. Babb

A cross‐cultural comparison of style in Eastern European emerging markets

Torn between socially‐mandated dress conformity and the glitter of Western designers, consumers in Eastern Europe have always been interested in Western style. After the fall of Communism, fashion, led by Western brands, quickly conquered consumers, while local manufacturers started to offer quality goods. Exposure to Western brands and advertising affected consumer values: former collectivist values are gradually being replaced by individualism. These changes are occurring at different rates and vary in different market segments. Under these conditions, a study was conducted in Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania, comparing respondents on two dimensions of style: fashion‐consciousness (capturing individualism) and dress‐conformity (capturing collectivism). The findings support the hypothesis that fashion consciousness is highest for Westernized Hungarian respondents, who have the highest income and can afford fashionable clothing. Dress conformity was highest for Bulgarian respondents, who had setbacks in adopting a market economy and are less Westernized. The findings support demographic differences predictions: younger individuals are more fashion conscious than older individuals, whereas dress conformity is higher for older than for younger individuals. Finally, men are more fashion conscious than women. The findings on gender differences in dress conformity are mixed. Marketing implications of these findings and future research directions are discussed.

Personality Traits and Country-of-Origin Cues: Evaluating Consumer Predispositions to Seek Country of Origin Information

This study attempts to utilize personality traits to identify consumers most likely to seek and use country-of-origin information in the product evaluation process. In this regard, a number of personal- ity variables are assessed and differences are noted between individuals rating low and high on the respective variables with regard to their country-of-origin information search activity.

Buying Center Identification for the Purchase of An Industrial Service

The recent emphasis in describing buyer behavior has dealt almost exclusively with the consumer sector while its counterpart, industrial purchasing behavior, has received much less attention. The limited research published in the marketing literature on the industrial purchasing process is partially explained by the difficulties associated with identifying, obtaining access to, and gaining the cooperation of those individuals involved in the industrial purchasing process. This comparative paucity of published research in the industrial buying area, and the fact that the dollar volume involved in industrial purchases far exceeds that of the consumer market, seem to suggest the need for descriptive studies leading to a better understanding of industrial buyer behavior.

Generalized Market Segments for Frequently Purchased Consumer Goods

The purpose of this study was to investigate the existence of generalized, or non-product-specific, market segments using general Life Style measures. Demographically similar segments were derived which indicated quite different life styles. These segments demonstrated no overt differences in product usage; but they did use different criteria for product evaluation, indicating the potential for product positioning.

Accklerated Change in the Pacific RIM: Threat or Opportunity

The dynamism which surrounds the economic growth in the Pacific region coupled with what sometimes appears to be near stagnation with regard to our strategic global market planning creates a serious concern. However, 1.6 billion residents of the area represent a powerful consumer block. The question is can American businesses position themselves properly to take advantage of this market.

The Relative Importance of Physical Versus Service Attributes with Respect to Small Business Vendor Selection

Recent literature on the topic of vendor selection has focused on a broad, macro view of the relationship between the selection and buying processes (see e.g., Dempsey, 1978; Holt, 1981). However, most of the studies have not examined such processes in the context of the small business enterprise nor have they discriminated between the importance of physical versus service attributes. A recent study by Manzer, Ireland, and Van Auken (1981) did employ the small business in a “matrix approach” to vendor selection. However, there appears to be a paucity of research involving the relative importance of physical versus service attributes by small businesses in their vendor selection.

Prizm: A Geodemographic Market Research and Planning System for Estimating Relative Sales Potential

Marketers have for decades been using systems for segmenting consumers based on their individual demographic characteristics, such as age, income, sex, race, etc. The reason is simply that some demographic segments offer higher potential for sales than others. Similarly, it has been evident to marketers that there are pronounced differences in sales potential from one metro market to the next.

Gender Differences in Information Search and Comparison Shopping

Abstract In entering the market of Central and Eastern Europe, it is important for marketers to understand how certain aspects of consumer behavior differs across consumer segments so that they can appropriately segment, target and position their products. A study was conducted to evaluate differences between males and females across the countries of Bulgaria, Hungary and Romania in terms of their information search and comparison-shopping behavior. The study also advanced a conceptual model that explains the effect of nationality and gender differences on information search and comparison shopping.