Decision Making Model

These different decision making models are approaches the problem of consumer decision making differently. The Engel-Kollat-Blackwell model is essentially a conscious problem solving and learning model of consumer behaviour. This model has a good description of active information seeking and evaluation processes of consumer. The information processed in this model is the stimulus. The consumer¡¦s decision processes act upon this stimulus in order to determine a response to it. These models attempt to explain each stage and show interrelated between the stages of consumer buyer behaviour from the stimulus, through the purchase to post purchase behaviour.

The Howard-Sheth model (1969) is a learning model designed to explain the brand choice of an individual faced with several choice alternatives. This model is an attempt to explain rational brand choice behaviour within the constraints of limited individual capacities and incomplete information. This model can divided roughly into four fundamental parts- (1) stimulus input variables, (2) exogenous variables, (3) sequential output variables, and (4) the ¡§internal state of buyer.¡¨ However, the limitation of this model is that it has little practical value for marketing practitioners.

The two major advantages of the Howard-Sheth model are following: (i) It has been partially tested empirically, thus establishing some credibility for the model (ii) The model is also a dynamic model Overall the Engel-Blackwell-Miniard model provides more comprehensive and accurate comparison with Howard-Sheth model. The two models are similar in as much as they both propose a rational consumer, but one who is prepared to satisfies where appropriate. The environmental influences of the Engel-Blackwell-Miniard model compare directly to the exogenous variables as outlined in the explanation of Howard-Sheth model.

Another famous consumer behaviour model is Nicosia model (1966). Francesco Nicosia was one of the first consumer behaviour