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The key purpose of this paper is to examine the principal dimensions involved in store‐choice decisions and to discuss the trade‐off consumers make in their judgments between salient variables. The process of conjoint analysis is considered, in the first section of the paper, as a means to understanding the behavioural dimensions of customer segmentation. The second section explores this link, with reference to recent research undertaken with a multiple menswear fashion retailer. Respondents were interviewed to elicit their preferred ‘bundle’ of store‐choice attributes, which they felt influenced them in their choice of where to shop. In the third section of the paper, an attempt is made to evaluate the trade‐offs involved in the choice process.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore and examine the relative impact of product and channel attributes on luxury product shopping in the multi-channel environment.Design/methodology/approachA D-optimal discrete choice conjoint design was used. The data were analysed using a multinomial logit model and desirability indices.FindingsFindings indicate that low price was the most important factor that influenced young consumers' preferences. After price, young luxury consumers placed a greater importance on channel attributes such as human-assisted service and virtual fitting rooms.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample consisted of young consumers in their 20s and 30s, who utilise both online and offline channels. Hence, the income level was relatively low. Also, the results cannot be generalised to all luxury consumers.Practical implicationsProviding preferable channel attributes is more crucial to young luxury fashion shoppers than focusing on improving product attributes, with the exception of price.Originality/valueThe paper proposes the optimal combination of key product and channel attributes that is most preferable to young luxury fashion consumers in the multi-channel environment.

Purpose This paper aims to address how the status consumption tendency of consumers in emerging markets is negatively influenced by five individual traits: self-control, self-actualization, religiosity, future orientation and self-efficacy. Design/methodology/approach A conjoint experiment measured the importance of certain smartphone product attributes. A latent class regression analysis was then employed to estimate segment-level part-worths using conjoint data collected from 500 Bangladeshi consumers. Findings The results revealed three segments with members that differ in how they evaluate smartphone product attributes. Those susceptible to a product's brand name (i.e. status seekers) appear to have low self-control, are less religious and are more myopic. Research limitations/implications An issue may exist with generalizability, as the analysis was conducted based on data collected in one country and for one product category. However, this study's framework provides direction for future researchers to better understand status consumption in emerging countries. Practical implications The findings are useful for marketers selling status products to improve market segmentation and target their offerings more efficiently. Originality/value The originality of this paper is twofold. First, it investigates the influencing factors of status consumption that have not been addressed in the extant literature. Second, it is the first to use experimental data to measure segment-level status consumption accurately.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the preferred communication channels to foster energy conservation behaviour among office building users. Energy demand from the commercial sector in Malaysia is, at 33.2 per cent, the highest after the industry sector, at 45.1 per cent. The country’s progress in actively practising energy conservation is lacking, despite various energy conservation programmes having been launched in recent years. A large amount of energy is wasted by users’ poor energy conservation behaviour. To market voluntary energy conservation behaviour, the delivery of energy conservation messages using the appropriate communication channels remains an important strategy. Design/methodology/approach This paper involves two-stage data collection. The communication categories associated with a set of channels identified from expert interview serve as the basis for the second stage of empirical data gathering using conjoint analysis. A choice-based conjoint analysis assisted by Sawtooth Software is used to analyse the 525 usable empirical data gathered from a final questionnaire survey among the office building users in Malaysia. Findings This paper has identified five communication categories associated with a total of 19 channels. The mass media is acknowledged as the most preferred communication channel among office building users in the marketing of energy conservation behaviour, while the least preferred channel to communicate energy conservation information is audio-visual media. Originality/value This study contributes to existing literature with a novel case in Malaysia office building by identifying the preferred combination of communication channels in fostering energy conservation behaviour. The findings could benefit the building managers in marketing energy conservation behaviour among office building users to effectively achieve the desired change for sustainable development.

Purpose In recent times, many universities have been pressured to become heavily involved in university branding. The purpose of this paper is to investigate students’ perceptions of different international universities (brands) in terms of important university attributes, including the country in which the university’s main campus is located and educational programs are designed (COD) and the method by which the educational services are distributed internationally (DM). Design/methodology/approach Using a conjoint simulation procedure, this paper predicts the impact that university attributes have on Malaysian and Chinese students’ preferences for international universities. Findings The results suggest that, although COD and DM are important factors, the extent to which these factors dominate student preference differs significantly across students according to nationality. Research limitations/implications The simulation suggests how international universities can improve their branding strategies, and highlights the need to understand students’ preferences when developing marketing strategies. Originality/value Past research has compared the importance of university attributes across countries from the perspective of students, but failed to assess this issue in the light of existing university brands (at an institutional or country level). Such knowledge can provide an indication of student preferences and competitive performance, which are of great interest to education marketers. The present study predicts the impact of various university attributes on Malaysian and Chinese students’ preferences for specific international universities (brands) in four different countries, and changes in preference that occur when the style of delivery or course suitability is altered.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors influencing Indonesian students’ choice of university by estimating the trade-off students make in selecting a university. Design/methodology/approach Conjoint analysis was used to examine the relative importance and the part-worth scores of the attributes that influence students’ public university preferences in Indonesia. Findings High-school leavers in Indonesia trade off university preferences and view advice from family, friends, and/or teachers, reputation, and job prospects as important factors for selecting a public university. Two different preference-based segments of prospective students were identified from cluster analysis, and classified as either a “social networks-based decision” or a “rational decision” segment. A choice simulator was employed with three propositions, and the segments were found to have dissimilar preferences. Research limitations/implications While this paper provides insights on higher-education consumer choice, more research is needed that includes samples from different types of higher-education institutions and fields of study. Practical implications A greater understanding of student choice can help to inform marketing practices and customize marketing strategies for each segment by providing important information to principal parties involved in making university choice decisions. Originality/value This paper demonstrates the relevance and value of conjoint analysis as an effective analytical tool for the identification of important choice criteria and its potential contribution to the development of more effective marketing strategies.

Purpose This paper aims to discuss the contribution of knowing in practice (KP) to the development of dynamic capabilities (DC) in the context of health-care organizations. Design/methodology/approach The authors develop a case study in a Brazilian hospital in three stages using the data collection techniques of interviews, focus groups, shadowing and conjoint analysis. The participants were health-care employees, supervisors, project managers and members of the board of directors. Findings This paper identifies the contribution of KP to develop DC based on strategic practices and their respective microprocesses as key elements to DC microfoundations. In the end, the paper points out a mutual contribution between the theoretical approaches. Research limitations/implications This proposal makes sense in organizations where the practices have a strategic nature, such as hospitals and service providers. Practical implications This study suggests an alignment between strategic and operational views, stimulating learning across organizational levels. Originality/value KP helps to give DC a tangible form by including a human dimension into microfoundations, giving voice to practitioners in the strategic decisions. The integration of KP and DC approaches allows organizations to perceive DC in daily practices making DC present in every organizational level, stimulating a continuous organizational learning process.

Purpose This paper aims to examine tourists’ preferences for package holidays offering different bundles of activities at a winter mountain destination. A winter mountain destination is usually chosen for snow sports, particularly skiing, but increasingly more tourists want to fully exploit their holiday opportunity with an authentic and comprehensive experience of the place. After collecting qualitative data on how tourists spend their typical day, quantitative research is conducted to segment the demand on the basis of tourists’ preferences for bundles of activities undertaken during a winter mountain holiday. Design/methodology/approach The study uses a mixed method. Two focus groups are included to understand how tourists spend their time at a winter destination; results are then used to identify the components of the holiday, which are then combined in eight packages using an orthogonal array. A questionnaire is administered to a sample of 273 tourists at a well-known mountain destination to measure their preference for different packages. Results are analyzed using factor analysis, conjoint analysis and cluster analysis. Findings The most significant findings are as follows: winter mountain holidaying is a highly segmented market. Even at a mountain destination strongly associated with skiing, there are many tourists who do not ski and spend their time doing something else; food and beverage, and all their related activities, are at the top of all tourists’ interests, and passionate skiers very highly rate the experience of tasting, eating, understanding and buying local food; and there are four segments of winter mountain holiday tourists who show very differentiated interests for the different activities that can be experienced at a mountain location. Originality/value This paper considers what lies beyond sport at winter mountain destinations, and it reveals new possibilities for configuring bundles of activities to attract different segments of tourists.

Purpose One way to increase the availability and to add more value to exotic Brazilian fruits is to develop new products. However, prior to product development, there is a need to know consumer’s preferences and target audience. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the influence of different characteristics of Cerrado fruit preserves on the intention to purchase using conjoint analysis. Design/methodology/approach Conjoint analysis evaluated three factors with three levels each, defined by focus group technique. The attributes and levels evaluated were: flavor (marolo, marolo and soursoup, marolo, soursoup and sweet passion fruit), nutritional information (light, diet and absent) and health claims (aids reduction of cardiovascular disease risk; aids reduction of blood cholesterol; aids activation and regulation of the gastrointestinal system). Findings The results of conjoint analysis led to three consumers’ groups. Group 1 (majority) were more influenced by flavor (IR=26.5 percent) and nutritional information (IR=59.3 percent). Groups 2 and 3 were greatly influenced by flavor and nutritional information, respectively. Health claims influenced weakly on the intention to purchase regardless the groups. Thus, the concept of Cerrado fruit preserves for each group was different. Originality/value This research contributes to future studies, supporting the development of products based on Cerrado fruits and the variety of products on the market. There are few research works using conjoint analysis to evaluate consumer preferences in the early stages of new product development, which makes this paper even more relevant.

Purpose This paper aims to introduce the concept of consumer-based brand value (CBBV), a change in the perspective of brand-equity and brand value from one where the brand is considered separately from other brands. The purpose of this paper is threefold: highlighting the theoretical difference between brand equity and brand value (Raggio and Leone, 2007); conceptually linking brand equity with brand value and then with brand competitiveness; and demonstrating a straightforward method for scholars and practitioners to measure brand value and then to forecast and simulate brand competitiveness. Design/methodology/approach On a sample of 190 postgraduate students, the authors apply the conjoint analysis and best-worst scaling to illustrate our CBBV model. Following Keller (1993), the authors operationalise brand equity as the outcome of consumers’ internal mental processes, in the form of brand preference, and show how preferences data can be transformed into estimates of brand value in the form of price premium. Finally, the model allows market share simulation based on manipulation of branding and brand features. Findings The paper is more a conceptual piece, highlighting the distinction between brand equity and brand value. It also demonstrates a relatively new measurement technique for transforming measures of brand equity, in the form of brand preferences, into estimates of brand value. The paper used airlines as a service-provider example, but the technique can be applied to many hospitality and service environments. Research limitations/implications The study demonstrates how brand equity drives brand value via consumer utility, and proposes a CBBV–competitiveness chain. The authors convert individual consumer preference data to brand value with subsequent preference-based market segmentation, and estimate competitiveness in two ways: market share ceteris paribus and price premium for brand indifference. They also demonstrate how market simulation can be performed so that it allows forecasting of competitiveness (market share) based on product attributes that affect brand value. Practical implications The CBBV–competitiveness chain constitutes a (new) mindset in the marketing of hospitality, tourism and other services. The study provides a method to measure and test the components of this model and determine brand competitiveness. It used airlines in the example, but the method can be applied to many different settings such as, for example, hotel management group (Starwood, Accor, Intercontinental, Hilton). The authors show how the method allows for benefit-based market segmentation, market-share forecasting and estimation of price premium. Originality value The CBBV chain provides a conceptual link between brand equity, brand value and brand competitiveness. When equity and related constructs are often conceptualised as relative to competition, they are rarely actually measured in that manner. The study shows how brand equity measured as preferences can be transformed into brand value and competitiveness relative to the competition. The combination of conjoint analysis and best–worst scaling is relatively new to the hospitality and services industries. The authors show that these tools can be applied to these industries without depending on costly software or high-priced consultants.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is threefold: first, to describe a novel tool (conjoint analysis (CA)) for application by explaining the theory behind it; second, how the tool was developed; and third, how it can be used to ensure an optimal festival/event offering. In this way, the research needed on the individual behavioural and psychological factors of the events-tourism sector are addressed. Design/methodology/approach Planned events in this case the three largest arts festivals in South Africa (SA) (in Potchefstroom – Festival A, Grahamstown – Festival B and Oudtshoorn – Festival C) were studied. Five different attributes – festival brands, ticket prices, entertainment activities, food and beverages and transport to venues – were developed to describe arts festivals. The data were analysed using CA. CA was used in a linear regression model with individual ratings for each arts festival product. In addition, two techniques often used as complementary to and in conjunction with CA, namely, cluster and correspondence analysis were also used. K-means clustering constructed a four-factor solution, which categorised and labelled the attributes as, brand-, price-, activity- and transport-sensitive. The software package STATISTICA used the results for the correspondence analysis to draw maps between the arts festivals and attribute importance, age groups and festival attributes, arts festivals and language. Findings Festival A and B preferred the attribute level quality music, whilst Festival C preferred quality performances on the attribute entertainment. On the attribute refreshments, Festivals B and C preferred value for money and Festival A, a wide variety of good quality refreshments. On the attributes transport and ticket prices, all three festivals agreed for safe and secure parking and at the same price. Research limitations/implications This paper demonstrates, by applying the recommended tool, how it can be used to distinguish festivals/events in an overcrowded SA market with the possibility of providing a competitive advantage. In that all three festivals researched preferred the attribute festival brand held in the region which destination marketing organisations (DMOs) can use to their advantage. Practical implications This paper demonstrates, by applying the recommended tool, how it can be used to distinguish festivals/events in an overcrowded SA market with the possibility of providing a competitive advantage. In that all three festivals researched preferred the attribute festival brand held in the region which DMOs can use to their advantage. Originality/value The description of the development of the model could illustrate how market positioning (by way of revitalizing older theories), in the arts festival context can be approached to ensure an optimal arts festival offering. By so doing the paper strives to make an academic contribution.

Purpose This paper aims to explore surprising facets of consumer delight behavior. The study is the empirical juncture of three studies based on consumer survey on the Indian television market. Study 1 traces the existence of greenies in India among brownies prevailing around the globe by using the surprise-delight model. Study 2 is a pre-intervention research design confirming greenies preferences to television attributes such as screen technology, annual energy cost saving, screen resolution, screen size and free gifts. Study 3 signifies a price intervention design by allowing customers to include their preference by replacing the annual energy cost saving with price. Design/methodology/approach This paper is a harvest of studies based on discriminant analysis for identifying green and brown customers and a two-level conjoint analysis for identifying attributes contributing to green behavior. Findings The empirical generalization of a study comes out with unique findings of the greenies and brownies and their preference and attitude toward green attribution and substitution. A “preferential green shift” appeared as a vital output owing to knowledge–attitude–practice from these consecutive studies. This gap exists because of the price factor. The authors suggest the measures for improvement in product offering by targeting and positioning green products from the findings and the preferential green shift. Research limitations/implications Future research may focus on other segments of products such as automobiles, i.e. cars. Despite the availability of the non-probabilistic sampling technique, the probabilistic sampling technique can be used. Finally, a larger sample size could have given a better generalization of results. Originality/value The gap in knowledge–attitude–practice was evident. This gap was caused by the presence of “price” concern. The study revealed that heavy consumer durable buyers are aware of the benefit of green, but the reality of price cannot be ignored and finally make a purchasing decision on the basis of price criteria. Hence price is recommended as another criterion to be considered in the technology acceptance models.

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine the importance that customers give to the origin attribute when selecting a financial entity compared to other features directly related to the service that these institutions provide. In addition, this study aims at analysing what level of brand origin provides a greater utility for customers in their preference structure: regional, national or foreign. Design/methodology/approach The technique of conjoint analysis is applied via a survey of 427 customers to determine customers’ preference structure when choosing a financial entity. Findings Of particular note among the main results is the great importance the respondents give to the origin of the entity, preferring regional over national or foreign institutions. The existence of three different segments of customers based on their preference structure is also a remarkable result. Research limitations/implications Place-of-origin effect is not universal. Due to this fact, the results of the studies focussed on this research topic are difficult to extrapolate to other geographical areas. Practical implications The current situation in southern Europe financial sector obliges many small financial entities to undertake mergers in order to face the stability and solvency policies established by European Central Bank. In this sense, these institutions must decide whether or not to maintain their regional brand identity. The results of this study show the appropriateness of maintaining and communicating the regional origin of the entities. These findings will contribute to guiding decision making on brand management for financial entities. Originality/value To the best of the knowledge, there is a lack of research on the place-of-origin through different levels simultaneously. This paper provides a starting point for further research about this effect in the services sector.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to report results from an experimental study in which participants rank e-tailer quality on the basis of descriptions involving five attributes (reputation of retailer, site usability, security, delivery and customer support). The paper further explores how the relative importance of these attributes to perceived e-tailer quality is impacted by customer demographic and behavioral characteristics (such as gender, age, frequency of online purchasing and use of online reviews). Design/methodology/approach – Individual-level conjoint models are estimated to determine the relative importance of these five attributes to perceptions of e-tailer quality. Findings – The relative importance of these five attributes to perceived e-tailer quality are impacted by customer specific characteristics and online behaviors, namely, age, the frequency of prior online purchasing, the frequency of use of online reviews and the importance attached to the availability of a large number of online product reviews. Research limitations/implications – Managerial implications that help e-tailers develop more effective, targeted strategies for enhancing the quality of their websites and increasing customer loyalty are presented. Originality/value – The use of conjoint analysis for decomposing overall judgments of e-tailer quality to derive the relative importance of specific e-tailing attributes offers a realistic way to understand how online customers perceive and evaluate e-tailer quality.

Purpose – Dolphin excursions have become increasingly popular worldwide. Many past studies assessing the value of dolphin excursions use choice-based methods such as the conjoint analysis. However, this method is often criticized as being hypothetical. The purpose of this paper is to describe a relatively low cost but effective approach to enhance understanding of consumer preference obtained by conjoint analysis. The method relies heavily on using internet-based survey tools. Design/methodology/approach – Enabled by an online tool, individuals are asked to self-explicate their preferred alternatives using the same attributes as are found in the conjoint design. The difference between the self-constructed, preferred alternatives and those offered in conjoint experiment are incorporated into choice models. Unlike previous research where only rough estimates can be provided, the proposed method allows precise capture of respondents’ preferred alternative through the automated online survey design. Findings – Results show that although the extra effort involved in data collection is small, the gain in model fit, choice interpretation, and the value (welfare) estimation is sizeable. Evidence indicates that consumers would be willing to pay up to $50 more for adventurous excursions and guarantees that they will interact with dolphins could worth up to $70 per trip. The approach presented in this paper can also serve as a method to test for preference consistency. Originality/value – This study is the first using an online survey to assess values associated with dolphin excursion. It describes the benefit of involving online tools to enhance modeling and interpretation of consumer behavior. Applications of internet-based surveys on household consumer products are abundant (such as food and electronics) but this study offers a much less discussed application in environmental service.

Purpose– The purpose of this paper is to presents an interactive conjoint analysis Web-based system that allows the problems of traditional conjoint analysis to be avoided.In the case of a product with lot of parameters, respondents’ tacit preferences may be difficult to understand for marketing analysis. To get a precise analysis, respondents must be allowed to reconsider and correct by themselves their evaluations with an adapted tool.Design/methodology/approach– This system also helps respondents to easily evaluate complex product profiles and to be involved in the evaluation process, which also leads to the creation of new knowledge for product design. As this system is designed for marketers and for respondents, this paper also presents the case of a product evaluation with attributes selectable by respondents.Findings– This paper is based on empirical experiment to obtain an efficient design of our system. The authors propose different evaluation scenario to usersto decide the design of our system. The authors want to include users in our evaluation process; however, we found that too much liberty for users can interfere with our objective.Originality/value– This paper present the design of our original system allowing to perform interactive conjoint analysis.

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate user preferences for the information systems in order to achieve user satisfaction by using conjoint analysis. Design/methodology/approach – Conjoint analysis is applied for the measurement of user preferences on information systems by seven properties and three levels for each property. To apply the approach, two surveys were designed: the first survey investigates the main properties affecting the end-users' satisfaction for using the current information systems based upon literature review and expert interview in Phase I. The second survey weighed the preferences by the virtual profiles of the information systems, which represent the ideal systems. Findings – The results show that speed-related properties are critical to achieve the end-user satisfaction. The next important property group is related to the access control and system integration between various business modules. From the measurements, the best system file should be constructed with the highly weighed levels of the key attributes. Research limitations/implications – The virtual profiles are complex for respondents to understand the attributes and the compounds of the virtual products. Moreover, the respondents were overwhelmed by the number of virtual profiles. The attributes were required to enable communication between researchers and respondents. Practical implications – Information system designers can achieve user satisfaction by combining the highest utility levels of all attributes. Nonetheless, the trade-offs between attributes and their levels should be considered in order to apply the results to the business, depending on the system environments and business practices, by updating the importance of the determinants regularly. Originality/value – This study applied the conjoint analysis to information management systems in order to design and maintain user satisfaction for the targeted company. This paper will provide alternative ways for the system engineers and developers of the case company by considering the critical attributes, which will affect both user performance and satisfaction.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of ethnocentrism in attenuating the negative country of origin effect and latecomer brands. The literature has established the importance of the “country of origin” effect, and this study compares consumers in the Asian emerging markets to developed consumers' response to cars from China, India and Russia. Design/methodology/approach – Data on consumers' willingness to purchase cars from emerging markets such as China, India and Russia were collected from 3,201 respondents in those three emerging markets and in the three most important Western car markets, the USA, the UK and Germany. The study employed a choice-based conjoint analysis. Findings – The results of this study confirmed the hypothesised ethnocentrism in the emerging markets with a strong preference for their own latecomer brands (Great Wall, Tata and AvtoVAZ, respectively). Developed markets in contrast are more sceptical of the Chinese, Indian and Russian car brands, but there is nonetheless substantial potential, especially with consumers who have previously bought latecomer brands from Asia. Utility values per brand, price, brand-partnership, product features, warranties and also place of manufacturing/assembly have been calculated in the study. Originality/value – This paper should prove valuable to academic researchers in establishing strong consumer preferences in emerging markets for their own products, and in establishing the potential of latecomer brands in developed markets.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to investigate entrepreneurs’ investment decisions under uncertainty in continued investments where the authors test the role of emotions to continue or discontinue the investment. Design/methodology/approach – A conjoint analysis is carried out on 101 entrepreneurs’ 3,232 investment decisions. The entrepreneurs were provided with a scenario of an investment where the dependent variable was the entrepreneur's propensity to allocate further resources to the described investment. They assessed their willingness to allocate further resources to the investment on a seven-point Likert-type scale. The independent variables in the experiment were the experienced emotions of the entrepreneur each of which was described by the two levels of high and low. Findings – It was found that self-confidence, challenge, and hope increase the propensity to continue investments as do increased level of uncertainty. Embarrassment and strain do not increase this propensity, however, high uncertainty decreases the propensity to continue investments. In contrast to the escalation of commitment theory, embarrassment does not make entrepreneurs more prone to invest under uncertainty. Frustration does not yield significant results, which runs contrary to the theory and the hypothesis finds no support. Research limitations/implications – The paper focussed on a limited number of emotions, and also on one specific moderating factor that impacts the effect of these emotions on the investment decision. Practical implications – To understand the role of their emotions in investment decisions under different levels of uncertainty may help entrepreneurs to improve the quality of their decision making. Originality/value – This study is an experiment where practitioner entrepreneurs participate which increases the ecological validity of the study. Emotions can explain, partly, why entrepreneurs persist with some underperforming projects, but not others. Uncertainty is a powerful moderating variable in the decision-making process. The results enhance existing knowledge about the emotive side of entrepreneurs’ propensity to make investment decisions under uncertainty. The results also supplement and refine existing theories on self-justification.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the relative importance of attributes for patient selection of a medical institution and to quantitatively evaluate the impact of different types of organizational forms upon the patient ' s selection of a medical institution. Design/methodology/approach – By using a conjoint analysis, evaluation criteria in patient selection of a medical institution were examined. The paper assumed the selection of a medical institution under the situation of “being given a diagnosis of suspected diabetes with a physical examination and then visiting a medical institution”. The attributes included in the questionnaire were: quality of the medical institution, distance to the hospital, amount paid at the initial visit, amount paid at hospitalization for examinations, and organizational form of the hospital. Relative importance of the attributes and relative importance of organizational form were assessed. A total of 140 people were requested to respond to the questionnaire by way of researchers who have a connection with the authors. Completed responses were obtained from 111 subjects (79 per cent). Findings – The results of the conjoint analysis revealed that the most important attribute was quality of the medical institution. Organizational form was the attribute with the lowest importance. The utility value of being a public hospital was the highest within the organizational form attribute for all respondents and being a private hospital was the lowest. The quality of the medical institution was considered the most important factor in selecting a medical institution and the type of organizational form was considered least important. Regarding organizational form, being a public hospital was most preferred and being a hospital managed by a company and a private hospital were least preferred respectively among healthcare professionals and other occupations. Originality/value – The paper provides a relative evaluation of the factors thought to be important for patients in Japan when selecting a medical institution.

PurposeFearing that their voice and SMS business will be substituted by IP‐based services from internet companies, mobile operators are developing various IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) based technologies to enable richer communication services. They reason that since the new rich communication services – such as enhanced presence, group communication and seamless switching between devices and media types within the same communication session – provide secure and more reliable services than those offered by internet companies – Skype, Whatsapp and Google+, for instance – consumers will readily appreciate their services and consequently use them. This paper seeks to address these issues.Design/methodology/approachTo validate these claims, this study analyzes the results of a conjoint survey among 82 respondents in The Netherlands, France and Spain. Are users really willing to adopt these rich communication services and, if so, do issues like reliability, privacy and security impact their decision?FindingThe results indicate that while users are most interested in “group communication” features of rich communication services, they appreciate other services like “switching devices”, “switching media during communication sessions” and “file‐sharing”. Still, for all services, reliability, security and interoperability (i.e. switching between devices) are valued as important requirements.Research limitation/implicationsThese findings contribute to the debate on platform competition, as these rich communication services are provided on the basis of the IMS platform, while competing services are offered via an internet base platform.Originality/ valueThis paper contributes to the discussion in the mobile telecommunications domain on whether and how operators can counter the threat from internet players that look to take over their voice and SMS business. Theoretically, this paper will contribute both to understanding why users intend to adopt advanced mobile services and creating insight into the consumer‐related factors that drive the war between competing service platforms.

PurposeCurrent research on industrial management strategy is mostly directed at industrial end customers. In doing so, current research overlooks one critical constituency – industrial retailers, i.e. companies selling products manufactured by industrial manufacturers to other companies using these products to create a finished product or service. Since the current literature states that retailers are mostly interested in category profit margins and profitability (regardless of specific brands), it is not clear whether industrial retailers value brands at all. The purpose of this paper is to determine the importance of industrial brands versus other purchase criteria for industrial distributors.Design/methodology/approachThree studies are conducted to examine the importance of brands vis‐à‐vis other purchase criteria for industrial retailers and end users. In a longitudinal study employing conjoint analysis the authors find that industrial brands have a larger impact on industrial retailer choice than product price or margin.FindingsFirst, these results suggest that industrial brands are a strong purchase driver also for industrial retailers (and not just industrial end users). Second, industrial marketing managers are thus well advised to invest in brand building to positively impact industrial retailer choice, rather than reducing prices or increasing product margins as the prevailing literature suggests. In conclusion, these studies seem to suggest that retailers use brands not only as associative or predictive cues of product performance, but also as predictive indicator of a product's expected future profitability.Research limitations/implicationsFrom a theoretical point of view, the authors’ studies suggest that industrial brands not only transmit cues to prospective end‐customers, but also send cues to intermediaries – such as industrial retailers – which influences their decision‐making processes. The strong importance B2B retailers place on brands as key purchase factor is an indicator that retailers use brands not only as associative or predictive cues of product performance, but also as predictive indicator of a product's expected future profitability (i.e. profit margins and asset turnover), which positively affects retailers’ own profitability. The results of this study are also an indication that the relationship between industrial manufacturers and industrial retailers are probably driven more by considerations of cooperation than by considerations of conflict.Practical implicationsAs a managerial implication, it is suggested that industrial marketing executives should invest in brand building to positively impact industrial retailer choice, rather than reducing prices or increasing product margins, as the prevailing literature suggests.Originality/valueIn this paper, three separate empirical studies are conducted to examine the role of brands in industrial management practice.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the importance of functional, hedonistic and ethical attributes of denim jeans attributes and the trade‐offs young adult Australian consumers made within these attributes when making a purchase decision.Design/methodology/approachA two‐stage mixed‐method approach was used to explore the importance of denim jeans attributes and the trade‐offs made within these attributes. First, focus groups were used to identify attributes that were important to young Australian adult consumers. In the second stage, conjoint analysis was used to estimate the relative importance of the product and ethical attributes that were identified in the focus groups and the trade‐offs made within this attribute set.FindingsFocus group participants identified style, price, brand, country of origin and ethics as attributes that they used to evaluate denim jeans. In the conjoint analysis respondents identified price as having the highest relative importance, followed by brand, country of origin, style and ethical attributes. It was clear multiple attributes were valued and, although the ethical attributes that were included were not as important as garment attributes, respondents appeared to make trade‐offs between garment and ethical attributes when purchasing denim jeans.Originality/valueThe paper identifies attributes of denim jeans that are valued by young Australian adult consumers. That product attributes were more important than ethical attributes suggests a focus on ethical credentials may not be effective. Denim jeans are more likely to be purchased by young Australian adults if they are reasonably priced, made in Italy and have a designer brand.

PurposeThis research aims to develop a behaviorally based definition of “locavores”, i.e. a segment of a population that purchases locally grown produce. It describes the locavore segment on a set of attributes representative of those typically used for market segmentation and contrasts the locavore segment with a non‐locavore segment to estimate the impact value of local production over organic production. This paper operationalizes the concept in terms of reported buying behavior for fresh produce. A questionnaire administered to adult primary household food shoppers and residents of a US state included attribute, trial and usage (AT&U) questions focusing on a specific target product, i.e. apples. The paper profiles the segment in terms of marketing relevant criteria and discusses implications of the segment for the marketing of fresh produce.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative online survey of 1,218 Pennsylvania residents was conducted. The survey included a conjoint experiment where respondents rated their preference for various apples consisting of different levels of key apple characteristics, including physical apple attributes (sweetness, blemishes, size, crispness), credence attributes (conventional versus organic production method, local origin versus product of USA versus imported) and purchase price when buying apples. The data were used to quantify how much consumers are willing to give up in terms of product appearance, price, value of locally produced or other variables. Traditional attribute, trial and usage data were also collected.FindingsThe key finding was that the attribute “local” was significantly more impactful in changing preference for apples than “organic”. It was also found that there were three segments of apple consumers: those that most valued the quality of the apple, a second that was most interested in price, and a third most interested in the health and/or life style attributes such as local and organic attributes. Large differences were found between locavores and non‐locavores on marketing relevant criteria, such as price sensitivity, outlet preferences, and media characteristics.Research limitations/implicationsThe major limitation was the use of only Pennsylvania residents in the study and produce other than apples might have been used as well. Additionally it would have been more effective if the actual apples could have been available to taste and inspect. A valuable finding is that there is a local segment that values and is willing to pay for a locally produced product. However, that is the smallest segment and must be carefully targeted as most consumers are interested in either taste or price.Practical implicationsUSA food retailers that use local supply can tell their customers “that purchasing from local farmers helps the economy in the communities we serve. Local produce can be delivered to your store very quickly and faster shipping means even fresher produce for you. Items can be picked and packed at a more mature stage. This can really bring out the taste of the product. Eating locally grown food also means less fossil fuel burned in preparation and transport – and less energy needed to refrigerate during transportation”. Farmers may wish to promote their local crops and not spend the additional money on organic farming.Originality/valueThe article appears to be the first research paper to tease apart the impact of local from organic via a conjoint analysis.

PurposeThis paper investigates how respondents to conjoint experiments process information and choose among product profiles, and how this varies with their knowledge about the product. Models for estimating conjoint attribute weights are almost exclusively based on principles of compensatory decision making. The paper aims to explore to what extent and in what way these basic principles of conjoint modelling are violated.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained from a verbal protocol study where 18 undergraduate students each performed a total of 28 stated choice tasks while “thinking aloud”.FindingsResults show that cognitive operations consistent with compensatory decision rules constitute a majority of the total number of operations performed across tasks and respondents. However, few respondents exhibited a consistent use of compensatory‐type processes throughout their choice sets. Results suggest that individual preferences interact with characteristics of the choice sets to instigate changes in information processing. It also appears that complete strategies are seldom used. Finally, respondents' knowledge about the product influences the cognitive operations that respondents use in solving conjoint tasks.Research limitations/implicationsResults are based on responses from 18 undergraduate students, which makes generalizations hard.Practical implicationsOne implication of this work is that one should apply a more flexible model framework to allow detecting the existence of non‐compensatory strategies.Originality/valueThis paper is one of few which aim to implement findings in behavvioral decision research within the context of conjoint analysis.

PurposeMuch of the research conducted in logistics/SCM has focused on satisfaction/retention of customers. This has left a critical gap for managers: before customers can be satisfied and ultimately retained, a purchase choice of logistics services has to occur. To date, very little research has addressed how logistics customers make purchase choice decisions about logistics services. The purpose of this paper, using logistics research methods, is to introduce adaptive choice modelling (ACM) to address this gap and put forth a research method that is useful for academic researchers and logistics/SCM managers.Design/methodology/approachThis paper provides an overview of ACM, along with a discussion of its important research advantages, limitations, and practical applications. Additionally, an empirical demonstration of this research technique is provided to illustrate how academic researchers and logistics managers can use ACM to better understand the decision‐making process of customers when selecting logistics services.FindingsIn order to demonstrate this research technique, a research project was designed and implemented that analyzed the choice process of consumers selecting parcel carriers to ship a textbook. The results show that price, speed of delivery, and tracking are the three most important variables in the selection decision. The results also show that consumers are not homogeneous, but can be divided into five distinct need‐based segments. Recognizing and understanding the nature of these segments should help managers better meet the needs of parcel shippers.Research limitations/implicationsThe main research limitation with this study is that it is based on a convenience sample; thus future research will need to replicate this study to confirm the research findings. However, the ultimate purpose of the study is to present a new research method and discuss how to apply this method, so that logistics/SCM practitioners and academic researchers can better understand customers of logistics/SCM services. Thus, while the nature of the sample is a limitation, it should be viewed in this context.Originality/valueWhile conjoint analysis has existed for decades, this technique has rarely been implemented by logistics/SCM researchers and practitioners. Instead, logistics/SCM researchers and practitioners have focused more on retention methods and have virtually ignored modelling the actual purchase choice of logistics/SCM services. New advancements in conjoint analysis, specifically the ACM approach, have many important and unique advantages and applications for logistics/SCM researchers and practitioners. ACM has not been used in a logistics/SCM context.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to determine the importance of the “organic” attribute for wine in relation to other attributes and to identify the most important determinants as far as the consumption of organic wine is concerned.Design/methodology/approachA survey based on interviews with 404 Swiss wine drinkers was conducted. The data were evaluated by means of conjoint and regression analyses.FindingsThe “organic” attribute was more important than the colour of the wine but less important than the price and the country of origin, foreign French wine being preferred to local Swiss wine. Urban and female consumers were relatively likely to consume organic wine, as were consumers who perceive organic wine as being healthy.Practical implicationsMarketing for organic wine in well‐developed markets should focus on the argument of image and health. Urban female consumers are the most important target group.Originality/valueThe paper presents the first results on the important attributes for marketing organic wine in developed organic food markets.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to develop a survey tool for consumer segmentation with respect to their food consumption style and to identify interesting consumer clusters for innovative food products development.Design/methodology/approachThe data for this research were collected in a non‐stratified oral survey amongst 327 customers of food retail shops in southern Germany.FindingsCluster analysis of the data resulted in ten different consumption style segments. Additionally, consumers’ evaluation of the food product features were examined with conjoint analysis and interpreted both on a traditional preference level and on a newly elaborated acceptance level. Differences in preferences and acceptance can be observed for diverse food consumption style clusters and are the basis for target group specific food product design.Research limitations/implicationsThe sample was limited in size but meaningful results could be obtained within the survey. Additional improvements can be realised in the developed survey instrument with respect to, for example, the used food consumption style descriptors, character of product innovations or the structure of the sample.Practical implicationsThe developed approach can be used by food small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to integrate consumers and consumer‐related aspects in their product development and innovation activities.Originality/valueA new approach for consumer segmentation is developed within the paper and tested in a field study in Germany. A new acceptance simulator tool uses conjoint data innovatively to gather deeper consumer feedback.

PurposeThis paper aims to use conjoint analysis to examine how Malaysian consumers make decisions regarding a consumer durable product – namely room air conditioners – under multi‐cue situations.Design/methodology/approachThis study first assesses the impact of a priori perceived differences between brand names, country of manufacture, price, quality, technological advancement, and warranty on product evaluation. Second, the relative importance of the attributes as evaluative criteria is determined by performing part worth analysis. Six pertinent hypotheses are developed and tested. Conjoint analysis is used to develop product profiles that respondents could evaluate via a survey. This is followed by a market simulation to suggest marketing strategies for Malaysian and Japanese products (the latter dominate the Malaysian market).FindingsThe findings indicate the importance of capitalising upon consumer durables' intrinsic qualities, and the need to carefully consider the relationship between price and quality. Ways to take advantage of the strength of foreign brand names need to be understood and operationalised. The simulation exercise also indicates ways in which indigenous and external competitors could take advantage of market opportunities.Research limitations/implicationsThe study does place in a Malaysian context, and moreover used a convenience sampling approach. The need is demonstrable for more representative probabilistic sampling. While country of origin effects are understood, other criteria (i.e. design, assembly, and source) need to be considered in future studies.Practical implicationsIt is felt that the approach utilised and the simulations developed can be applied in other geographic and cultural contexts and have implications for marketing strategies for branded consumer durable typologies.Originality/valueThe paper identifies and evaluates strategies for more effective competition in the Malaysian room air conditioner market. The use of conjoint analysis and market simulation provides a basis for competitive advantage in a tightly focused market sector.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the relative importance of price and trust and their interaction in subcontractor selection. By doing so, it aims to respond to the currently dominant view that trust‐based procurement is the remedy to performance problems in construction. The paper also aims to argue that a specific interplay of both price and trust is always inherent to the selection of subcontracted services.Design/methodology/approachA choice‐based conjoint experiment was conducted to underpin the initial argument. The conjoint analysis is based on a sample of medium‐sized contractors from the Dutch residential building industry.FindingsThe research shows that neither price nor trust can be downplayed as procurement mechanisms. On the one hand, through repeated relationships main contractors become more confident in judging the performance of subcontractors. The level of trust increases and finally affects the supplier selection. On the other hand, favourable quotes are a prerequisite for trust to become choice relevant. Moreover, the extent to which subcontractors have performed with respect to quality, technical know‐how and cooperation in the past finally accounts for whether they are chosen or not.Research limitations/implicationsThe joint occurrence of price and trust as procurement mechanisms should be acknowledged. More research is needed to understand the trade‐offs main contractors make between price and trust while procuring subcontracted services.Practical implicationsSubcontractors need to offer competitive bids to be able to increase their chance of recurrent relationships with main contractors and thus trust development.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first that considers the interaction of price and trust in subcontractor procurement. It contributes to the ongoing discussion around partnering and supply chain integration in construction.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to discuss how brassiere manufacturers develop new designs for bra products, suitable for individual consumers, through consumer codesign.Design/methodology/approachNew product design that relies on conjoint analysis algorithms can depict multidimensional attribute profiles, such that consumers' choice behavior reflects their preferences and overall judgment of the profiles. This statistical technique provides a means to codesign and customize bra products and thereby enhance the overall bra design process.FindingsBra products codesign suggests goals such as attractive appearance, shoulder strap style, vivid/mild color, elegance/sexy lace, comfort/practicality, fabric, lining, comfort/attractive appearance, neckline design, comfort/excellent function cut, sewn cups, and generous quantities. The most preferred combination of attributes for all respondents is a cotton/cotton blend fabric, seamless bra that offers a detachable shoulder strap, lavender color, a two‐strap style, lace details, and a low‐cut plunge neckline. The paper illustrates consumers' bra awareness attributes, codesign approach, and individual optimum individualized bra designs.Practical implicationsThe results provide a useful source of information for product managers, who should consider the use of codesign to design the best products for individual consumers and decrease the risk of design failure, as well as promote consumer loyalty and satisfaction toward the product.Originality/valueThe paper provides a unique method to understand the new product codesign structure and make bra product design decisions that integrate optimum individualized design.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to propose a new hybrid approach based on bibliometrics analysis (BA), morphology analysis (MA) and conjoint analysis (CA) to help identify new technology development opportunities.Design/methodology/approachA new hybrid approach based on BA, MA and CA has been conducted to help identify new technology development opportunities. The proposed hybrid process is illustrated with a case example of blue light‐emitting diode (LED) based on GaN.FindingsIn this paper, the proposed hybrid process is illustrated with a case example of document information from a blue light‐emitting diode (LED) based on GaN documents database. The results show that the configuration “Al2O3+MBE+two dimensional photonic crystal” should be given greater attention with respect to R&D activities in future.Practical implicationsThis paper is of interest for technology opportunities analysis practitioners and policymakers at the industrial and government levels.Originality/valueThis paper proposes a new hybrid approach of technology opportunities analysis based on bibliometrics analysis, morphology analysis and conjoint analysis methods.

PurposeThis paper seeks to explore approaches to consumer‐driven optimization of package design utilizing a novel modified conjoint analysis approach. The approach allows for dynamic creation and testing of a large number of design prototypes with consumers and finds optimal solutions on an aggregated, segmented (pattern‐based latent mindset segmentation) and individual basis.Design/methodology/approachThe approach extends the consumer insights‐driven process, Rule Developing Experimentation (RDE), introduced by the authors (AG and HM) and developed in cooperation with Wharton School of Business (University of Pennsylvania), to graphical concepts.FindingsDisciplined experimentation based on individual permuted experimental designs produces more targeted package designs with higher appeal to the consumers. The proposed steps describe fast, parsimonious and actionable process of application of RDE to package optimization, which provides valuable input for designers about consumer preferences.Practical implicationsThe paper demonstrates that consumer research could and should be a central part not only at the final stages of the package design but at the initial stage as well. The steps of fitting the research into the package design process are shown providing a parsimonious way to include consumers in the early stages of package design.Originality/valueThe approach could help the marketers efficiently create better packages that consumers like and which will help marketers to differentiate their respective products from the competition.

PurposeThe aim of this paper is to propose an approach to international market segmentation that identifies meaningful cross‐national consumer segments, which focuses on airline passengers in the NAFTA market.Design/methodology/approachA conjoint analysis is used to evaluate consumers' preferences for six flight attributes: price, in‐flight service, number of stops before destination, on‐time performance, frequent flyer programme, and country of airline. A cluster analysis based on the relative importance scores of each of the six flights attributes then identifies five segments that prioritize similar product attributes within each country.FindingsA representative sample of 4,787 airline passengers from the three countries reveal that price is the most important attribute for consumers from the USA and Canada, while on‐time performance is the most important attribute for Mexican consumers. A cluster analysis identifies five segments that prioritize similar product attributes within each country. It is also found that there are five cross‐national consumer segments in the NAFTA market that are homogeneous in terms of consumer preferences but heterogeneous in terms of relative group size and demographic variables.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is based on a purposive sample, which limits the ability to generalize to the whole population with any known degree of precision.Practical implicationsThe research produces practical operational information on each segment that is translatable into strategy, specifically in terms of positioning, promotion, and targeting of the airline service.Originality/valueThe paper sheds light on the nature of cross‐national segmentation in the NAFTA air passengers market and the resulting cross‐national segmentation will be highly relevant for international marketing management.

– The purpose of this paper is to contribute to a better understanding of the organic apparel consumer. Is the recent upsurge in organic cotton products another fashion trend or is there a segment of consumers genuinely interested in purchasing organic cotton apparel based on the benefits of organic agriculture to the environment?, – Data were collected with a mail survey of US health and natural foods consumers. Conjoint analysis revealed salient product attributes and cluster analysis identified segments of consumers with different attribute preferences. Factor analysis uncovered latent variables from among the large number of items and the clusters were examined for differences in their psychographic profiles., – It was found that the 38 percent of consumers who found used organic cotton content salient had positive attitudes toward organic and sustainable agriculture, preferred to “buy locally” and had a strong self‐identity as environmental, organic, and socially responsible consumers., – The sample of US health and natural foods consumers means that the results cannot be generalized too widely. Research is currently under way to relate the self‐reported purchase behavior of organic apparel consumers discussed here to actual purchase behavior., – Survey respondents interested in purchasing organic cotton apparel agreed that organic farming is good for the environment, suggesting that consumers would be receptive to marketing messages that place an emphasis on the environmental benefits of purchasing organic cotton apparel., – The paper provides insight into the attitudes and motivations of environmentally concerned US consumers of organic apparel and provides information on focusing marketing to these consumers.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine a model for conceptualizing the impacts of environmental management strategies on travel and recreation choice making behavior that considers tolerance thresholds in visitor responses to destination change.Design/methodology/approachA survey involving a sample of 347 regular campers and fishers in the Ningaloo Marine Park, Australia, is analyzed to discern the effect of tolerance thresholds.FindingsDespite widespread dissatisfaction with enlarged sanctuary zones and negative impacts on recreational activities, visitors indicated a high level of satisfaction with their stay. This apparent contradiction is, it is argued, best explained by the threshold of tolerability concept.Research limitations/implicationsIt is argued that recreational users, planning authorities and other stakeholders have a threshold of tolerability in terms of decision‐making concerning management changes. These thresholds mean that changes in management policies, modes of activity and destination travel choices are rarely predictable in their effect, but are bounded by minimal and ideal expectations of destination appeal.Originality/valueThe paper introduces an important concept for tourism research that will aid tourism planning and management authorities in the face of growing environmental pressures caused by overpopulation and climate change.

PurposeThe importance of packaging design and the role of packaging as a vehicle for consumer communication and branding are necessarily growing. To achieve communication goals effectively, knowledge about consumer psychology is important so that manufacturers understand consumer response to their packages. this paper aims to investigate this issue.Design/methodology/approachThe paper examines these issues using a conjoint study among consumers for packaged food products in Thailand, which is a very competitive packaged food products market.FindingsThe conjoint results indicate that perceptions about packaging technology (portraying convenience) play the most important role overall in consumer likelihood to buy.Research limitations/implicationsThere is strong segmentation in which packaging elements consumers consider most important. Some consumers are mostly oriented toward the visual aesthetics, while a small segment focuses on product detail on the label.Originality/valueSegmentation variables based on packaging response can provide very useful information to help marketers maximize the package's impact.

PurposeLimit conjoint analysis (LCA) and Vickrey auctions (VA) are methods for measuring willingness‐to‐pay (WTP) currently under discussion. However, there are hardly any studies comparing the approaches in terms of their applicability and validity. This paper aims to analyze the differences in WTP elicited by the two methods and their validity in high and low involvement situations.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained from 179 online interviews conducted in Germany. Differences in the WTPs elicited were analyzed with a Wilcoxon Signed Ranks Test. For the validation part, a χ2 test of independence was used.FindingsThe results indicate differences depending on the method applied and the involvement situation. Additionally, the study indicates that for low involvement products VA performs better while for high involvement situations the results are not as clear. In terms of validity, both methods do not show satisfactory results.Research limitations/implicationsIn order to generalize the findings further WTP comparisons should be done with other survey objects, samples and measurement approaches. The contribution of this paper is to show that there are significant differences in WTP measurement depending on the method used and the involvement of consumers.Practical implicationsMarketing researchers and practitioners are advised to pay special attention to the choice of method when measuring the WTP for a specific product. VA should be preferred in low involvement situations. LCA should not be used in situations where consumers are not interested in the product.Originality/valueThe study presented is the first paper to tackle the issue of influencing factors of WTP measurement systematically.

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to look at how internal marketing can be coupled with corporate entrepreneurship. The paper then suggests explicit practices that enhance potential for innovation at the organizational level.Design/methodology/approachThe article presents the results of a survey based on a random sample of 223 public servants working at regional Greek governmental organizations (prefectures). It makes use of full profile conjoint analysis and cluster analysis using an appropriate survey instrument. Drawing from earlier research, different attributes that foster corporate entrepreneurship and their corresponding levels were used to form specific scenarios. The applied methodology captures and formalizes scenario preference by the public servants who participated in the survey.FindingsThe results indicated four distinct clusters of respondents, whose classification formed a pattern, which is consistent with Rogers' model of diffusion of technological innovations.Research limitations/implicationsResearch relied on a sample of public servants from the Greek public sector and data is cross‐sectional in nature. Future research should be multinational and longitudinal to test the results and assumptions reported herein.Originality/valueThe findings of this paper are original and unique and provide a well‐documented framework in addressing corporate entrepreneurship in the public sector. Furthermore, the results of the study are useful to policy makers interested in formulating a strategy that fosters corporate entrepreneurship in the public sector setting.

PurposeThis paper seeks to investigate Irish hoteliers' customer service requirements of their food suppliers and to measure the trade‐offs that hotel buyers are willing to make during the purchase decision.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on a quota sample of 100 hotels throughout the Republic of Ireland. Drawing on earlier research and applying conjoint analysis, the study demonstrates how customer service improvements may be achieved through variations in the customer service mix.FindingsFindings indicate that, for short shelf‐life products, frequency of deliveries and the ability to carry out emergency deliveries generate the highest levels of utility. More utility is created by lower prices in the case of long shelf‐life products. Small food suppliers are found to perform better on product quality and are more responsive in terms of product delivery than larger suppliers. They are perceived to be weaker on pricing, product assortment, and innovation.Research limitations/implicationsThe small number of observations for both four‐ and five‐star hotels in the sample limited the effectiveness of cluster analysis, which would greatly assist suppliers targeting specific markets with customer service bundles.Practical implicationsBy highlighting the trade‐offs that buyers use in evaluating customer service, the findings provide suppliers with the basis for assessing their own particular service mix. An improvement in perceived customer service may be achieved by reallocating the given resources and effort in favour of those parts of the mix that generate most value for the buyer. The identified trade‐offs also provide manufacturers with the criteria that can be usefully applied to evaluate competing distributors for their products.Originality/valueBy focusing on the hotel sector, the paper provides insights into a much ignored market for food suppliers, which differs considerably from mainstream grocery in terms of concentration, buyer processes and buying criteria.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to contribute to knowledge on the preferences of cheese consumers in Spain. The first step was to determine where and how frequently cheeses are purchased and consumed, along with different aspects relating to the recognition of cheeses certified by a denomination of origin (DO). The second step consisted in determining how consumer preferences are structured.Design/methodology/approachThe methodology consisted of a survey of 412 consumers in the Castilla‐La Mancha Region who were buying food items for their homes. In order to process data related to the first step, a descriptive analysis was undertaken. For the second step, a conjoint analysis was carried out, with three types of attributes (price, certification and type).FindingsThe results show that cheese is a food which is present and also consumed within Spanish homes, while being bought in supermarkets at least once a week. Consumers value most the DO labels as a guarantee of quality and food safety. The cheese that is best known to consumers is the Manchego DO. Consumers prefer cheeses which are well‐priced, aged and, if possible, certified.Originality/valueThis paper analyses current consumer behaviour and, by means of conjoint analysis, identifies consumer preferences for cheeses in Spain. Internationally, conjoint analysis has rarely been used for cheeses, and this would appear to be the first time it has been applied in Spain.

Customer satisfaction has become a key factor in the strategic work of many universities towards the increasing competition regarding student recruitment. This paper presents a systematic approach to the course development process where focus is put on student satisfaction and learning. The approach consists of a combined usage of several methods, such as quality function deployment and conjoint analysis, that together transform student needs into quantified course attributes. In the paper, a two‐semester graduate course has been developed where the combined usage of the applied methods has shown itself to be very powerful when designing services from student satisfaction and learning perspectives. The outcome of the study is a university course where pedagogical and learning aspects have been combined with contents and work approaches with substantial interest for the industry.

In recent years, quality assurance schemes have grown considerably in number and scope. Several useful benefits have been claimed for them including their value as marketing advantages. However, there appears to be a paucity of published research to support this claim. This paper, therefore, seeks to substantiate the claim that quality assurance schemes represent useful marketing advantages as well as determining the magnitude of the advantage. The study is based on conjoint analysis as it is argued that this is a more realistic and therefore, appropriate research technique than the direct elicitation approach embodied in simply asking consumers for their opinions concerning quality assurance schemes. The paper concludes that quality assurance is an influence on the consumer decision process for mince beef and in addition provides an indication as to its relative importance. It also speculates on the implications for quality assurance schemes in general.

Purpose This paper aims to identify and to compare workplace location attributes that appealed to Generation Y and Z talent. Design/methodology/approach Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants to identify workplace location attributes. Choice-based conjoint surveys were collected from 750 Generation Y and Z individuals in the talent pool of Bangkok, Thailand to compare the importance of attributes. Findings The most important workplace location attribute was the availability and diversity of restaurants followed by place appearance, traffic density, availability of public workspaces, public transport and after-work activities. Transport-related attributes were more important for older generations, whereas public workspaces and place appearance were more important for younger talent. Practical implications To attract talent, the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) should address the weaknesses of potential workplace locations through efficient, low-cost and rapid development plans. Although Bangkok is known for street food, BMA policies that promote restaurants as the most important attribute are limited. The BMA should initiate plans to promote the availability and diversity of restaurants. Innovation districts in Bangkok should connect to restaurants and food networks in their vicinity. Originality/value The existing literature explored factors that attract talent at the city level, but no study has investigated attractiveness at the workplace location level. Despite some similarities, workplace location attributes identified in this study were more specific than city-level attributes.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to investigate aspiring immigrant opportunity (AIO) entrepreneurs' start-up location decisions.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used conjoint analysis to explore 1,264 location decisions nested within 79 highly educated, first-generation AIO entrepreneurs.FindingsThe authors found that although government support positively influences business location decisions, network support decreases the perceived benefits of government support for AIO entrepreneurs. Furthermore, locations with high costs of doing business are unattractive to AIO entrepreneurs, but financial capital access through ethnic and nonethnic sources in these locations enhances the appeal of high-cost locations.Research limitations/implicationsThe generalizability of the findings to AIO entrepreneurs should be considered with caution. Future research should longitudinally examine immigrant opportunity entrepreneurs' location decisions and their implications for their start-up and community-level performance outcomes. The authors also encourage replication of the study.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study have implications for AIO entrepreneurs who intend to make start-up location decisions. Also, government policymakers can use the findings of this study to better attract AIO entrepreneurs to different locations.Originality/valueBy integrating ethnic enclave theory and location theory, this research contributes to theory and practice about immigrant opportunity entrepreneurs' start-up location decisions which are currently underexplored in the immigrant entrepreneurship literature.

PurposeThis paper aims to investigate to what extent sustainable and nonsustainable attributes can be used to characterize different clusters of consumers in an emerging market, where economic conditions can increase the relevance of price. Consumers seem reluctant to engage frequently in pro-sustainable behavior, mainly for financial reasons. However, purchasing decisions can be understood as a multidimensional process.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted quantitative and descriptive research employing a choice-based conjoint/hierarchical Bayes (CBC/HB) experiment in malls in a low-income city in northeast Brazil with 1,287 potential buyers of denim jeans. The conjoint analysis therefore collected data on preferences in the course of actual decision-making. The authors then took the individual part-utility from each respondent and ran a cluster analysis to identify similar groups in the sample. The classification and regression tree (CART) method was used to determine the relationship between the conjoint attributes and the sociodemographic characteristics.FindingsThe data demonstrate that buying decisions constitute a complex process of interplay between many different factors, often involving trade-offs between a wide variety of nonsustainable and sustainable attributes. The survey confirmed that price is still of paramount importance when it comes to consumer choices. The authors also found that sustainable attributes played a relatively more significant role than brand or origin of production. The authors identify notable differences between groups of consumers in the “pro-sustainable” and “non-pro-sustainable” clusters and different levels of importance regarding the sociodemographic characteristics.Originality/valueAlthough price emerged as the most significant attribute, the research also demonstrates that there is a market in Brazil for products and practices based on a genuine commitment to the natural environment and social issues. The findings suggest that marketing managers and policymakers should consider different combinations of concerns over sustainability with product attributes and include sociodemographic variables rather than considering the textile market as uniform or thinking that there is no space for sustainability in fashion.

PurposeThis paper measures German customers' label-depending preference and willingness to pay for organic and local food.Design/methodology/approachThe sample covers 325 survey respondents from 12 out of the 16 German federal states. Data was collected through convenience sampling in December 2019. A choice-based conjoint analysis was operated.FindingsCustomers value local food from their federal state most, thereby accepting a price premium of no less than 200%. The label moderates the influence of organic production conditions on price acceptance significantly.Research limitations/implicationsBased on self-reported data from a convenience sample, the demographic distribution of the sample differs from that of the German population. Moreover, the willingness to pay was found to be product-specific, limiting general applicability.Practical implicationsMarketers should focus on local and local organic food in the assortment. Marketing strategies should include information campaigns. Producers may sell their products regionally or cooperate with local retailers. Introducing a separate official “local organic” label is suggested.Originality/valueThe study provides detailed evidence on the preference of German costumers and suggests a significantly higher willingness to pay for organic and local food than previous literatures.

PurposeThe purpose of this article is to provide a description of the project ProSeBiCA, carried out in order to adapt the marketing research tool conjoint analysis for the development of future library services. The paper describes the methodical approach, and provides an overview of the results gained by several user surveys.Design/methodology/approachThe methodical approach includes the use of adaptive conjoint analysis (ACA) and choice‐based conjoint analysis (CBC).FindingsConjoint analysis is an appropriate tool for the strategic development of library services. It provides detailed results by identifying users' preferences towards concrete services, and allows to deduce general statements about future trends for library services.Research limitations/implicationsFuture plans include cooperation with the Sheridan Libraries at Johns Hopkins University (Baltimore, Maryland), the Association of Research Libraries (ARL), and other interested partners in order to adapt the ProSeBiCA framework for US libraries and to integrate techniques used by the partners (CAPM, LibQUAL+TM). The extension of conjoint analysis to the evaluation of services for a fee will be an additional area of research.Practical implicationsService orientation in libraries can be based on a systematic approach. Depending on local circumstances, interested libraries can improve their service orientation in different ways, either by discussing the results of the analysis made in this project or by using the Conjoint Analysis questionnaire for a survey in their institutions.Originality/valueThe paper describes the current status and provides the latest results of ProSeBiCA. It is of interest to library managers and marketing researchers.

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the realistic trade-offs young consumers make when evaluating luxury co-branding combinations based on signalling theory.Design/methodology/approachConjoint analysis was employed to evaluate the relative impact of four major attributes (i.e. brand combinations, retail channels, uniqueness and price) on consumer desirability for luxury co-branding combinations. The data were analysed using desirability indices.FindingsBrand combinations, uniqueness and price significantly impact consumer desirability of luxury co-branding combinations. The luxury brand and sportswear combination results in the highest desirability when price is more similar to the sportswear constituent and participants perceive that the collaboration as exclusive.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that luxury brands need to consider the partnering brand's retail format primarily for co-branding strategy. Luxury brand collaborations with sportswear and premium priced streetwear brands are more likely to result in higher desirability among consumers compared to collaborations with fast fashion and mass-market brands. Additionally, uniqueness may not be effective as a point of differentiation in cases where luxury brands cannot guarantee a single yearly collaboration.Originality/valueThe decision to use existing brands for the fictitious combinations developed more sensible scenarios for respondents. In addition, rather than discrete questions, attribute-based combinations provide a more realistic depiction of consumers' decision making on luxury co-branding. Finally, the results provide marketing practitioners with practical directions for future development of fashion luxury co-branding strategy.

Purpose This paper aims to examine consumer preference for ethical fashion products by focusing on the importance of animal welfare attribute. To explain the attitude-behavior gap, this research proposes to explore the costs and sacrifices associated with the adoption of responsible behaviors. Design/methodology/approach To analyze in which manner the animal welfare attribute impacts the consumer preference, the authors carried two quantitative studies in the Italy context. The first one (n = 224) proposes to measure the importance of this attribute in the case of luxury vs accessible fashion. The second study (n = 101) examines how the attention given to animal welfare information could vary between prosocials and proselfs. Conjoint analyses that consider “proportion of real fur”; “information about animal treatment” and “price” attributes have been realized. To take into account the individuals characteristics, cluster analysis helped to identify different profiles of consumers. Findings The results reveal that even if consumers continue to prefer products made entirely from animal fur, they are sensitive to the information on the animal treatment conditions. Also, the animal welfare is not the most important criterion in explaining preference for a fashion product. This result varies, however, regarding the consumers’ social value orientation. Individuals with a high level of prosocial values give more importance to the animal welfare attribute and are less reluctant to the reduction of the proportion of real fur in the clothes. Proself consumers associate a higher sacrifice with the consumption of animal-friendly fashion products. Research limitations/implications This research enriches the limited literature on the consumers’ response to animal-friendly products. By considering the consumers’ social value orientation, it provides a better understanding of the attitude-behavior gap in animal-friendly fashion consumption. However, further studies should focus on the way of adapting communication on eco-products to the consumer profile. Moreover, it seems interesting to explore how the integration of innovative environmentally friendly materials can be accepted by the target. Replicating this research with representative consumer samples from different countries is also necessary. Practical implications From a practical point of view, this research offers implications for managers operating in fashion apparel industry by giving insights on the consumers’ preference for animal friendly fashion. Social implications This study gives recommendations to help convincing consumers about the importance of animal welfare attribute and to increase their preference for animal-friendly fashion products. Originality/value Despite the extensive use of animal fibers, fur and skins in the production of textiles, the few researchers who have shed the light on the consumers’ response to animal-friendly products have considered mainly the case of food. Also, the marketing literature gives little explanation of the attitude-behavior gap in ethical fashion consumption. By examining the consumers’ social value orientation, this study provides a better understanding of this gap.