AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF MEDIATORS IN FAMILY PURCHASE DECISION MAKING
AN INVESTIGATION OF THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF MEDIATORS IN FAMILY PURCHASE DECISION MAKING
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Date
2000-12
Authors
AYUBA, JOHN MARKUS
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Abstract
In designing the marketing programme for a given target a manager is interested in the
sensitivity of the buyers of the combination of satisfactions he puts together often called a
product or service. It is even more important that the key decision maker or influencer is
known if the marketing programme is to be effective. Often times however, this decision
maker or influencer may hardly be known thus leading to a buyer-product mismatch and
non attainment of the marketing objectives. In the case of family purchase decisions it is
important that the marketer knows which family member influences the decision to buy his
product or service most. Studies (Davies (1965; 1970) to lately Corfrnan (1987), Foxman
et al (1989), Childer's and Rao (1992), Alba et al (1994), and Beatty and Talpade (1994)
have narrowed down the key decision maker in family the husband and wife. But even
between the duo the distribution of such power over family purchases varies from on
household to the other. This research offers two possible variables that may help to
explain the disparity. These are age differences between spouses and the relative income
contributed by each spouse to the family and thus the purchase. These mediators are
hinged on the theoretical bases provided by the cultural role orientation and relative
resource contribution theories respectively. Even though some studies (Sheth (1974);
Grashof and Dixon, (1983); Buss-Schaninger, (1983) Gupta-Hagerty-Myers (GUHM
model), (1983); have advanced a number of other mediators the two under this study have
commanded more mention.
Using a 52-point questionnaire administered on both spouses in 1000 households of
cosmopolitan Kaduna State who have recently purchased consumer durable goods,we
used Davis (1976) method of analysis on a Linkert 5-point scale to measure relative
influence from responses of both spouses, and the SPSS computer programme and subprogramme
to analyze data collected The study used Pearson's correlation and chi-square
analysis as tools to measure the influence of the two factors.
The findings revealed that the husband dominated decisions in the household for durable
goods. It was also found that income and age differentials are important mediators in both
generalised decision-making power (Pearson correlation score of 40 to an observed score
of 20, and chi-square coefficient of 0.9) among couples and product specific subdecisions.
However it was found that income is a more important mediator (Pearson
correlation score of 40 to observed score of 20, and chi-square of 0.9). Where relative
income contribution of either spouse reduced, our results showed that the affected
spouse's influence attenuated. The same conclusions were reached in the case of age
where the younger partner was found to have less influence. A lower level of correlation
in the case of age differentials gave room for only cautious conclusions.
Description
BEING TEXT OF A DISSERTATION PRESENTED TO THE
POST-GRADUATE SCHOOL, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY IN
PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE
AWARD OF DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY
BUSINESS ADMINSTRATION
DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
FACULTY OF ADMINISTRATION
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA.
DECEMBER, 2000
Keywords
INVESTIGATION,, RELATIVE,, IMPORTANCE,, FAMILY,,, PURCHASE,, DECISION,, MAKING.