One of the recently notable consuming phenomena is that consumption is being concentrated on value-conscious consumption in order to enhance an individual's value. This consuming pattern is megatrend over the world as well as in our country. Before th...
One of the recently notable consuming phenomena is that consumption is being concentrated on value-conscious consumption in order to enhance an individual's value. This consuming pattern is megatrend over the world as well as in our country. Before the benefit, which can be acquired by consumption was thought to be concentrated on an individual. However, it is gradually recognized to be the consuming pattern that even family, neighbor, society, and environment can acquire benefit. However, in reality, an academic researches on the changing value-conscious consumption are rarely systematically done. Thus, this study aimed to academically establish a conceptual frame on value-conscious consumption, which is one type of the consuming behaviors and to identify its sub-dimensions. Also, the aim was to examine a concept of value, which has influence upon the consuming attitude and behavior, and to examine relationship between value conscious consumption and the values.
For this objective, this study carried out the qualitative research through FGI and the quantitative research through survey, at the same time. In the qualitative research, the aim was to survey the value-conscious consumption and to closely examine conceptual framework and sub-dimensions of value-conscious consumption for quantitative research. Based on this, in the quantitative research, first, the aim was to clarify relationship between value-conscious consumption and value. Second, the aim was to examine relationship between value conscious consumption and ambivalent consuming behavior. Finally, the aim was to examine groups according to value-conscious consumption types and to clarify characteristics of each sub-groups.
For the qualitative research, the interview was carried out by forming one group of 3?`4 people targeting 17 women in over 20 years old living in Seoul or Daejeon. It identified concepts and sub-dimensions of value-conscious consumption through interview, and elicited items available for measuring value-conscious consumption. For the quantitative research, the questionnaire survey was carried out by convenience sampling targeting 466 women in over 20 years old centering on Seoul and Daejeon area. The data were analyzed using SPSS 15.0 and AMOS 7.0.
The analytical results were as follows.
First, as a result of qualitative research, the consumers recognized value-conscious consumption as the consumption of having influence in benefit even on others(internal group and external group) and ecosystem as well as the consumption of promoting individual benefit.
Second, as a result of quantitative research, the sub-dimensions of value-conscious consumption were divided into ecological value-conscious consumption, emotional value-conscious consumption, family-oriented value-conscious consumption, and functional value-conscious consumption. Here, the emotional value-conscious consumption and the functional value-conscious consumption could be classified into individual value-conscious consumption in a sense that these consumption patterns promoted an individual's benefit. On the other hand in the altruistic value-conscious consumption, the internal group, namely, the family-oriented value-conscious consumption was divided separately. The altruistic value-conscious consumption on external group could be classified into ecological value-conscious consumption: the altruistic value-conscious consumption of considering neighbor and society, and the ecological value-conscious consumption of considering environment have been indicated independently each, but these two sub-categories have correlations.
It was considered that what this consuming behavior implies may have correlations even with a change in consumers' value. Thus, as a result of factor analysis on consumers' value, 5 sub-dimensions were elicited such as universal value, social value, success-oriented value, family-oriented value, and individual value. As a result of carrying out regression analysis to examine relationship between 4 value-conscious consumption factors and 5 value factors, the value-conscious consumption and value were indicated to have mutually significant relationship.
Third, the emotional value-conscious consumption had significant relationship with all of 5 types in ambivalent clothing consuming behavior. The functional value-conscious consumption had significant relationship with brand, fashion style, and shopping type. As for this result, the emotional value-conscious consumption and the functional value-conscious consumption are the value-conscious consumption in a contrary meaning called emotion and rationality. These value-conscious consumptions belong to the individual value-conscious consumption. In this sense, the ambivalent clothing consuming behavior could have complex characteristic pursuing rationality and emotion at the same time aiming at an individual's satisfaction.
Fourth, according to value conscious consumption types, 4 groups were divided such as economical consumer type, emotional consumer type, sustainability-oriented consumer type, and active consumer type. There were significant differences among these groups in demographic variables and ambivalent clothing consuming behavior.
Given these findings, the value-conscious consumption cannot be defined only with the individual and economic perspective. It was verified that it is necessary to examine its concepts and sub-dimensions from a more expansive and comprehensive perspective. In this sense, there is an academic significance in this study. Also, the universal value, which had not been regarded as important value in a preceding research, was included newly as an important value factor due to a change in consumers' value according to a societal environmental change, and was indicated to have influence even on the consuming behavior.
The value-conscious consumption is the consuming behavior that needs to be continuously researched. In this aspect, the results of this study are expected to be likely to contribute much to establishing a marketing strategy such as company's product planning and advertisement, and market segmentation.