Yoo-Kyoung Seock

The impact of corporate reputation on brand attitude and purchase intention

The purpose of this study is to explore the influences of the negative corporate CEO and corporate social responsibility reputations on the changes in consumers’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions. To perform this study purpose, we proposed the relationships between brand awareness and perceived quality and initial brand attitude and purchase intention by relying on the hierarchy of effects model; then we assessed the changes in brand attitude and purchase intention after providing information on negative corporate reputation. Multiple regression analysis and paired samples T-tests were conducted to test the hypothesized relationships using a convenience sample of 212 respondents. The empirical results support significant effects of brand awareness and perceived quality on brand attitude and purchase intention. Furthermore, respondents’ brand attitudes and purchase intentions are reduced after they are being provided with the information on negative corporate reputation. This result confirms that negative corporate reputation significantly aggravates consumers’ attitudes and purchase intention. However, the type of reputation is not a decisive factor for consumers’ cognitive processes. The results imply that marketing managers need to manage a negative reputation carefully because negative corporate reputation aggravates consumers’ cognitive process However, consumers are not influenced by specific type of negative information, thus a company can mitigate the negative impact of their negative reputation by another type of positive reputation.

The Analysis of Sub-Factors of Modesty-Immodesty Concepts in US and South Korean College Women

The purpose of this research was to identify the dimensions of modesty and immodesty in dress and to examine the differences in female college students` perceptions, in various cultures, of modest and immodest clothes. The researchers selected South Korea and the United States for the cross-cultural comparison study because these two countries show distinctive cultural characteristics. This study was conducted through both qualitative and quantitative methods. According to the result of the preliminary study, 47 questions were developed. The 4 Likert type scales used in the questionnaire were written in both English and Korean. Pretests were performed simultaneously in both countries. 174 American and 208 Korean students completed the questionnaire. The data were analyzed using SPSS. According to the results of factor analysis, there were 4 factors identified for the modesty-immodesty concept, including `Conservativeness`, `Body exposure`, `Social appropriateness`, and `Attracting attention from others`. Students answered that they liked to wear conservative and socially appropriate dress in both cultures and that they did not like to wear clothing which draws a great deal of attention to them. Cultural differences were also identified. Based on the results, American students dressed more conservatively than Korean students, while Korean students preferred to wear revealing dress. American students were more conservative and preferred modest clothing. Also Korean students were more open about their body exposure and had immodest clothing attitudes.

A Comparative Cross-cultural Study of Contemporary Modesty and Immodesty in American and South Korean College Women

This research examines current viewpoints on modesty and immodesty in dress from a cross-cultural perspective. The purposes of this study was to explore the concept of modesty and to find out sub-variables of modesty, and the similarities and differences of modesty between two cultures. This qualitative interview study of 58 female college students in America and 36 in Korea examines attitudes about modesty. The data collection was performed in America and Korea simultaneously in Feb. 2004. According to the results of this study, the concept of modesty had 4 sub-variables such as covering up, appropriateness, drawing attention from others, and conservativeness. Both American and Korean students mentioned that time and place are closely related with modesty and that modesty was related with gender. Also cultural differences were existed.

Influence of Department Store Image on Private Label Brand Preference Among Consumers With Different Level of Knowledge and Familiarity

This study examined the influence of department store environmental cues and consumers’ level of knowledge about and familiarity with PLBs on their PLB preferences. With the rising competition in recent retail markets, retailers found that increasing the variety of products with private label brand (PLB) is one of the ways to satisfy consumers’ various needs and wants, and thus build customer loyalty and create differentiation from the competition. Moreover, as the PLBs lead to increased profits for retailers compared to national brands, they began stocking their shelves and aisles with exclusive, high quality private labels to satisfy their customers and enlarge their clientele (Provigo, Inc. 2007). According to the Private Label Manufacturers Association (2009), one in every five products sold in U.S. supermarkets, drug stores, and mass merchandisers in 2008 were private label brands. Private Label Manufacturers Association also states that 60 percent of consumers report buying private label brands on a regular basis, which brought retailers

Purchase Intention Toward Luxury Fashion Brands from the Social Comparison Perspective: An Extended Abstract

80 billion in 2008, up 22 percent from 2007.

Does fair trade matter to consumers? A study of African cultural products

Luxury fashion brands have significantly expanded their market globally in response to the rising wealth as well as in response to the growing middle class in Asian and Middle Eastern countries that have expressed an increasing desire for luxury goods (Kapferer 2012). Thorstein Veblen (1899) explained that luxury goods consumption is, by nature, conspicuous consumption. In addition, rarity and exclusiveness as attributes of luxury goods may trigger different shopping motivations (Tsai et al. 2013). Given the unique nature of luxury goods and their importance in the global market, investigating the underlying factors that influence purchase intention for luxury fashion brands is important for luxury fashion brand managers and communicators. Thus, this study aims to investigate relationships between social comparisons and purchase intentions toward luxury fashion brands from a social comparison theoretical perspective among young female consumers in the USA.

Influence of socio-economic factors on Chinese female consumers’ information search behaviour in apparel shopping

ABSTRACT This study uses an adapted S-O-R framework to investigate the influence of fair trade (FT) product information for African cultural products. Consumer’s internal state (affective and cognitive) and purchase intention towards a FT African cultural product is examined while considering previous FT knowledge and concern. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire distributed on social media sites employing a snowballing technique. It was determined that FT knowledge and concern, especially the dimension of concern, was a significant indicator of consumer’s internal states and purchase intention. Consumers’ affective and cognitive state also significantly influence purchase intention consistent with previous studies using the S-O-R model. Following these findings, it is important for FT retailers, policy-makers, and socially responsible organisations to understand and evoke a consumer’s concern for FT as a way to ensure higher levels of purchase intention towards unique African cultural products.

The Impact of Consumer Knowledge/Familiarity with Private Label Brands (PLBs) and Store Image on Perceptions and Preferences toward PLBs and Patronage Intentions: Case of Midscale Department Store PLBs

Given the increasing importance of female consumers in the Chinese apparel market and the significance of information search behaviour when shopping, the current study endeavoured to examine Chinese female consumers’ information search behaviours varied by socio-economic factors. The socio-economic variables examined in this study include educational background, total household income, and self-reported social class. Data were collected from a convenience sample of Chinese female consumers, ranging in age from their 20s to their 50s, all residing in Beijing, China. The results indicate that Chinese female consumers’ internal and external information search behaviour from human and non-human information sources varied by educational background, household income, and social class. Thus marketers should consider such socio-economic factors in their market segmentation strategy in China.

The influence of college students' shopping orientations and gender differences on online information searches and purchase behaviours

This study examines the impact of consumer knowledge and familiarity with private label brands (PLBs) on perceptions and preferences toward PLBs and patronage intentions; in addition, it examines the incremental effects of a department store image over consumer knowledge and familiarity with perceptions, preferences, and patronage intentions. This study focused on midscale department store PLBs of apparel products and middle age consumers between the ages of 30 and 50 who are the main consumer group of private label brands of apparel products. A structured questionnaire was developed and data were collected from a convenience sample of 257 female consumers between the ages of 35 and 54, living in the Southeastern United States. A factor analysis identified the dimensions of department store image constructs; in addition, a hierarchical regression and multiple regression analyses examined the hypotheses. Consumer knowledge and familiarity with PLBs at department stores is recognized as a major determinant to shape consumer perceptions of and preferences for the PLBs as well as patronage intentions. The present study reveals the significant incremental effect of a store image on consumer preferences, perceptions, and patronage intentions beyond that explained by consumer knowledge and familiarity about PLBs. The study reveals that, among four store image constructs, the store atmosphere and store service factors had significant positive effects on consumer perceptions of PLBs. Store service and atmospheric aspects also affect consumer patronage intentions toward PLBs. The price factor shows a significant and positive influence on the preference consumers have for PLBs, but not on perceptions and patronage intentions. This study has practical implications for department store executives and managers on how to allocate resources in order to increase positive consumer perceptions toward PLBs, preferences over other brands, and patronage intentions of PLBs at a store as well as how to create effective store environments to promote PLBs.