Consumers’ Attitudes toward Marketing Activities
LITERATURE REVIEW
Consumers’ attitudes towards marketing activities are important from both a theoretical and a managerial standpoint (Gaski and Etzel 1986). As consumer attitudes significantly affect their behavioral responses to marketing activities, knowledge of consumers’ attitudes toward marketing has been used in economic forecast and found to be linked to several key macroeconomic variables (Chopin and Darrat 2000). Such information can also help devising effective strategies for companies as well as developing regulations by government agencies to protect consumers’ interests. Existing research has dealt with consumers’ overall attitudes toward marketing as well as specific marketing activities such as advertising and pricing (Nwachukwu et al 199; Webster 1991). In general, researchers have focused on a central issueCwhat causes the differences in consumers’ attitudes toward marketing activities? Webster (1991), for instance, found significant differences in consumer attitudes toward various marketing practices including product quality, pricing, advertising, and retailing or selling; however, many of the differences remained even after social class and income effects were removed. Therefore, what factors cause the differences in consumers’ attitudes and how they affect consumers’ experience in the marketplace demand clarification.
Several researchers have found a number of other factors that influence consumers’ attitudes towards marketing. Nwachukwu et al(1997) studied the ethical judgments of advertising and marketing and found perceptions of individual autonomy, consumer sovereignty, and the nature of the product played a significant role in terms of the ethical judgments of advertising. Treise et al (1994) examined the perceptions of familiar advertising controversies: targeting practices and message strategies. Their results show that consumers believe advertising often violates broad ethical norms. In addition, the degree to which consumers judge
Consumers’ attitudes towards marketing activities are important from both a theoretical and a managerial standpoint (Gaski and Etzel 1986). As consumer attitudes significantly affect their behavioral responses to marketing activities, knowledge of consumers’ attitudes toward marketing has been used in economic forecast and found to be linked to several key macroeconomic variables (Chopin and Darrat 2000). Such information can also help devising effective strategies for companies as well as developing regulations by government agencies to protect consumers’ interests. Existing research has dealt with consumers’ overall attitudes toward marketing as well as specific marketing activities such as advertising and pricing (Nwachukwu et al 199; Webster 1991). In general, researchers have focused on a central issueCwhat causes the differences in consumers’ attitudes toward marketing activities? Webster (1991), for instance, found significant differences in consumer attitudes toward various marketing practices including product quality, pricing, advertising, and retailing or selling; however, many of the differences remained even after social class and income effects were removed. Therefore, what factors cause the differences in consumers’ attitudes and how they affect consumers’ experience in the marketplace demand clarification.
Several researchers have found a number of other factors that influence consumers’ attitudes towards marketing. Nwachukwu et al(1997) studied the ethical judgments of advertising and marketing and found perceptions of individual autonomy, consumer sovereignty, and the nature of the product played a significant role in terms of the ethical judgments of advertising. Treise et al (1994) examined the perceptions of familiar advertising controversies: targeting practices and message strategies. Their results show that consumers believe advertising often violates broad ethical norms. In addition, the degree to which consumers judge