Sigitas Urbonavičius

Evaluation of multiple retailers’ market positions on the basis of image attributes measurement

Abstract Intense competition in retailing sector requires searching for new and more effective tools of competing with rivals. One of the possible ways seems to go through applying positioning concept in retailing. Positioning in retailing refers to strategy for development of a desirable image, which would help to differentiate a retail company and move away from direct price competition. Besides that, image management provides possibilities for increasing customer perceived value and/or increasing prices. The paper presents methodology for establishing multiple retailers’ positions. This methodology is based on evaluation of image attributes’ importance for customers. Factor analysis allows revealing more general latent factors that are used to evaluate retailers’ positions in a perceptual space. This allows drawing conclusions on how much Lithuanian multiple retailers are similar or differentiated from the standpoint of their customers.

Automobile Country of Origin Related Associations in Lithuanian Market

Abstract Automobile is a high‐involvement product that typically requires significant buyers attention when purchased. It is typical that country of origin (COO) of a purchased car is considered among other product characteristics. hough COO concept is analysed for decades, many factors allow to explore this issue again. First, globalization factors influence importance of COO. Second, products have certain specifics, and COO is not equally influencing buyers’ decisions in all cases. Third, countries have some stereotype images, which vary among different groups. And finally, buyers themselves are ‘products’ of certain historical and economic developments of their environment, which predetermine their beliefs and associations. Analysis of attitudes about automobile COO and related associations among Lithuanian middle‐level managers represents specifics of a country that was fully exposed to products of the international automotive industry just for about a decade.

Child Participation in Family Purchasing Process: Evidence from Lithuania

It is well acknowledged that children influence purchasing decisions within a family, and this influence is widely observable in societies of various types. However, there are some ‘grey zones’ that require additional exploration. Just a modest number of researchers have been interested in the analysis of the child’s influence or participation in various phases of the purchase decision-making process. The existing studies suppose that its strength depends on the phase of the decision-making process, product type, several contextual factors and (perhaps) on the family structure. At the same time, the combination of a specific external context and family parameters offer possibilities of additional insights.