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3. Research hypothesesTo better understand the adoption behavior, it has been suggested to include a personal trait, innovativeness, as a potential determinant. This concept has been crucial in distinguishing the propensity of individual and the behavior per se. The predisposition that render a consumer innovative relative to other consumers may reflect several motivational types. This paper suggests that consumers' innovativeness is conceptualized as subsuming three motivational dimensions: avoidance of satiation(reactive), hedonism(proactive), and risk taking. Novelty seeking from consumer behavior and optimum stimulation level from psychology recognize these components(Hirschmann, 1980; Baumgartner & Steenkamp, 1994). Consumers explore for new objects or product not only to avoid satiation from previous choices but also to seek for exciting experiences. In addition, taking a relatively new option entails risk in relation to the choice of familiar alternatives. The first hypothesis posits the multi dimensionality of innovativeness construct. H1: The innovativeness consists of avoidance of satiation, hedonism, and risk taking. This study also proposes to identify the potential determinants of new products adoption. It deals with specific exploratory behaviors such as a new product trial, by focusing on the role of consumer innovativeness and communication activities. Since brand awareness and attitude have been central to understand the marketing efforts as well as the consumer choice, they are framed to explore the determinants of the trial. That is, internal and external factors were examined within the context of brand awareness and attitude leading toward the trial of a new product. New product awareness is examined, which is to be influenced by various levels of communication activities. Advertising has been proved to be one of major marketing communications to make consumers exposed to a new product(Vakratsas & Ambler, 1999). Word-of-mouth also influences the awareness of new products which is independent of mass marketing(Assael, 1995). Exposures to advertising, combined with word-of-mouth, may elevate in consumers minds the availability of the new product. That is, they will lead to create an evoked set within which the new product is presented. Consequently, it is hypothesized that: H2: Exposures to advertising and word-of-mouth are positively related to the brand awareness. The determinants of brand attitude are investigated. Consumer innovativeness is likely to make the consumers form the brand attitude. This personal dimension fits with characteristics of new products. Innovative consumers are more sensitive to the environmental changes than non-innovative ones and tend to respond to a new product favorably. Thus, the new product reinforces the effect of high individual-level innovativeness. This paper further explores the determinants of brand attitude under the circumstances of a new product introduction. The attitude toward advertising is proposed to be closely linked with the brand attitude. A stream of advertising research has looked the concept of attitude toward the advertising to account for variations in brand attitude(Brown & Stayman, 1992). In particular, when the product being studied is a type of low involvement, marketing mix variables may induce the observable effects on the formation of brand attitude. Further, the valence of word-of-mouth would exert corresponding influences toward the brand attitude. Young consumers are likely to go through consumer socialization from their agents, who are frequently contacted and perceived important to themselves. For instance, Mexican youths were receptive to the influences of social agents, such as parents and peers(Keillor, Parker, & Schaefer, 1996). Further, conformity values are expected to be predominant among the teen age groups when they are attending to the same school for a few years. Its orientation leads the members of the concerned group to follow the social expectations and norms(Schwartz & Bardi, 2001). This enables one to expect that the direction of attitude toward the word-of-mouth is corresponding to that of brand attitude. The second hypothesis is suggested as follows: H3: Consumer innovativeness, attitude toward the advertising, and attitude toward the word-of-mouth are positively related to the brand attitude. Finally, the determinants of new products adoption are explored. New product awareness leads to the trial of a new product(Manning, Bearden, & Madden, 1995). The construct of brand attitude has been also highly correlated to consumers purchase behaviors, which can be seen from the close relationship between attitudes and product usages(Batra, Myers, & Aaker, 1996). Results from diffusion of innovation, psychology, and consumer behavior indicate that the propensity of innovativeness exerts influences over the adoption behaviors(Rogers, 1983). That is, the higher a consumer's innovativeness, the likelihood of adoption is greater. Innovators are characterized by heavy product category usage and experience(Gatignon & Robertson, 1991). The importance of heavy users is shown in the 80/20 rule, which means that 80percent of a brand's volume is accounted for by 20 percent of its buyers(Anschuetz, 1997). The more frequently or heavily a consumer engages in the consumption, the more quickly he or she will be satiated. This may result in precipitating the adoption of certain products. Stimulation seeking of heavy users can be also explained in terms of the level of involvement. The more involved a consumer is, the more sensitive he or she will be to the introduction of a new brand, leading to its trial. Thus, the rate of consumption, one of major criteria of market segmentation, can be another facilitator to promote adoption behaviors. This study tests whether behavioral patterns of consumers affect the adoption behavior. H4: Brand awareness, brand attitude, and the amount of consumption are positively related to the new product trial. |
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