Evaluation of goods & services among white and black consumers
Date
1991
Authors
Cambitzi, Creon
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Abstract
The research investigated the evaluation of common goods and
services by white and black consumers, and to determine where
similarities and dissimilarities between these two segments
existed. A review of the literature on consumer behaviour, with
specific reference to decision making models, and a series of in
depth interviews enabled the expansion of the Zeithaml (1981) set
of constructs by a factor of two. A questionnaire was developed
and administered to white and black employees of well known local
firms in a variety of industries. Hypothesis testing enabled
validation of the expanded set of constructs, and the comparison
of white and black evaluative differences, while correspondence
;analysis determined the key evaluative dimensions. Important new
dimensions discovered included Convenience, Loyalty and
Reception. An invaluable method of clustering was found in the
/chi squared trees technique.
The results indicated that black consumers are significantly less experienced in the use and evaluation of common services compared
to their white counterparts. As a result of this inexperience,
a much less sophisticated set of key evaluative constructs are
relied upon in the decision process. Both segments appear to be
/ciware of generally higher risks associated with services, but are
less prone to invest effort in information gathering prior to
purchase. The white segment purchases services based on their
convenience, whilst the black segment faces equal inconvenience
for any purchase.
The most significant marketing implications drawn were firstly,
the need to appreciate consumer perceptual similarities across,
and differences within, goods and services categories. Secondly,
marketers need very different strategies for the black segment.
Description
Thesis(M.B.A.)--University of the Witwatersrand, 1991