CASE：VALUES AND THE AUTOMOBILE MARKET
1、introduced to the case
abstracte：the case explored if it would be important to assess whether personal values of
consumers could be used to explain ownership of American, German, and Japanese luxury cars.
VALUES AND THE AUTOMOBILE MARKET
In the last decade, the luxury car segment became one of the most competitive in the automobile
market. Many American consumers who purchase luxury cars prefer imports from Germany and
Japan.
A marketing vice president with General Motors once commented, “Import-committed
buyers have been frustrating to us.” This type of thinking has led industry analysts to argue that to
successfully compete in the luxury car segment, U.S. carmakers need to develop a better
understanding of the consumers so that they can better segment the market and better position
their products via more effective advertising. Insight into the foreign—domestic luxury car choice
may result from examining owners' personal values in addition to their evaluations of car
attributes, because luxury cars, like many other conspicuously consumed luxury products, may be
purchased mainly for value-expressive reasons.
Industry analysts believe assess whether personal values of consumers could be used to
explain ownership of American, German, and Japanese luxury cars. Further, they believe they
should also assess whether knowledge of owners' personal values provides any additional
information useful in explaining ownership of American, German, and Japanese luxury cars
beyond that obtained from. their evaluations of the cars' attributes.
Personal values are likely to provide insights into reasons for ownership of luxury cars for at
least two reasons. First, Americans have always had a very personal relationship with their cars
and have used them as symbols of their self-concept. For instance, people who value a sense of
accomplishment are quite likely to desire a luxury car that they feel is an appropriate symbol of
their achievement, whereas people who value fun, enjoyment, and excitement are likely to desire a
luxury car that they perceive as fun and exciting to drive. An advertiser trying to persuade the
former segment to purchase a luxury car should position the car as a status symbol that will help
its owners demonstrate their accomplishments to others. Similarly, an advertiser trying to persuade
the latter segment to purchase a luxury car should position the car as a fun and exciting car to
drive. In other words, effective advertising shows consumers how purchasing a given product will
help them achieve their valued state, because brands tied to values will be perceived more
favorably than brands that deliver more mundane benefits.
Second, when a market is overcrowded with competing brands offering very similar
options—as is the case with the luxury car market—consumers are quite likely to choose between
brands on the basis of value-expressive considerations.
METHOD
Data were collected via a mail survey sent to 498 consumers chosen at random from a list obtained
from a syndicated research company located in an affluent county in a southern state. The list
contained names of people who had purchased either a luxury American car (Cadillac or Lincoln
Mercury), a luxury German car (Mercedes or BMW), or a luxury Japanese car (Infiniti or Lexus)
within the last year. A cover letter explained that the survey was part of an academic research
project. People were asked to return the questionnaires anonymously to a university address (a
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postage-paid envelope was provided with each survey). Beyond an appeal to help the researchers,
respondents were not offered any other incentive to complete the surveys. Of the 498
questionnaires originally sent, 17 were returned by the post office as undeliverable. One-hundred
fifty-five completed surveys were received, for a response rate of 32.2 percent.
The Survey Instrument
The survey included questions on (1) various issues that people consider when purchasing
new cars, (2) importance of car attributes, (3) importance of different values, and (4)
demographics (sex, age, education, and family income). Questions relating to the issues that
people consider when purchasing new cars were developed through initial interviews with
consumers and were measured with a 7-point Likert scale with end anchors of “strongly agree”
and “strongly disagree.” (See Case Exhibit 1.1.) A list of 12 car attributes was developed from the
initial interviews with consumers and by consulting Consumer Reports. (See Case Exhibit 1.2.)
The importance of each attribute was measured with a 7-point numerical scale with end points
labeled “very important” and “very unimportant.” The List of Values (LOV) scale in Case Exhibit
1.3 was used to measure the importance of values. Respondents were asked to rate each of the
eight values (we combined fun-enjoyment and excitement into one value) on a 7-point numerical
scale with end points labeled “very important” and “very unimportant.”
CASE EXHIBIT 1.1 ISSUES THAT CONSUMERS CONSIDER WHEN
BUYING LUXURY AUTOMOBILES
Having a luxury car is a major part of my
fun and excitement.a (Issue 1)
Owning a luxury car is a part of “being
good to myself.” (Issue 2)
When I was able to buy my first luxury car,
I felt a sense of accomplishment. (Issue 3)
I enjoy giving my friends advice about
luxury cars. (Issue 4)
Getting a good deal when I buy a luxury
car makes me feel better about myself.
(Issue 5)
I seek novelty and I am willing to try new
innovations in cars. (Issue 6)
I tend to buy the same brand of the car
several times in a row. (Issue 7)
I tend to buy from the same dealer several
times in a row. (Issue 8)
I usually use sources of information such
as Consumer Reports in deciding on a car.
(Issue 9)
I usually visit three or more dealerships
before I buy a car. (Issue 10)
I would read a brochure or watch a video
about defensive driving. (Issue 11)
When buying a new luxury car, my family's
opinion is very important to me. (Issue 12)
My family usually accompanies me when I
am shopping for a new luxury car. (Issue
13)
I usually rely upon ads and salespersons
for information on cars. (Issue 14)
I usually rely upon friends and
acquaintances for information on cars.
(Issue 15)
When shopping for a car, it is important
that the car dealer make me feel at ease.
(Issue 16)
Most of my friends drive luxury import cars.
(Issue 17)
Most of my friends drive luxury domestic
cars. (issue 18)
I think celebrity endorsers in ads influence
people's choices of luxury cars. (Issue 19)
I would not buy a luxury car if I felt that my
debt level was higher than usual. (Issue
20)
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Note: Subjects' responses were measured with 1 as “strongly agree” and 7 as “strongly
a
disagree.'
CASE EXHIBIT 1 .2
CAR ATTRIBUTES
Attribute
Code
Attribute
Code
Comfort
Comfort
Low maintenance cost
Lomc
Safety
Safety
Reliability
Rely
Power
Power
Warranty
Warrant
Speed
Speed
Nonpoiluting
Nonpol
Styling
Styling
High gas mileage
Gasmie
Durability
Durabil
Speed of repairs
Repairs
CASE EXHIBIT 1 .3
LIST OF VALUES
Value
Code
Value
Code
Fun-Enjoyment-Excitement
Fun
Sense of accomplishment
Accomp
Sense of belonging
Belong
Warm relationship
Warm
Being well respected
Respect
Security
Security
Self-fulfillment
Selfful
Self-respect
Selfres
The Sample
Of the 155 respondents in the sample, 58 (37.4 percent) owned an American luxury car, 38 (24.5
percent) owned a European luxury car, and 59 (38.1 percent) owned a Japanese luxury car. The
majority of the sample consisted of older (85 percent were 35 years of age or above), more
educated (64 percent were college graduates), and economically well-off (87.2 percent earned
$65,000 or more) consumers.
THE CODE BOOK
Case Exhibit 1.4 lists the SPSS variable names and identifies codes for these variables. (Note that
this data set is also available in Microsoft Excel.)
CASE EXHIBIT 1.4
LIST OF VARIABLES AND COMPUTER CODES
ID—Identification number
AGE (categories
are 2 = 35 years and under, 3 = 36-45 yrs, 4 = 46-55 yrs, 5 = 56-65 yrs, 6
= 65+ yrs)
3
SEX (1
= male, 0= female)
EDUC—Education
(1 = less than high school, 2 = high school grad, 3 = Some college, 4 =
College grad, 5 = Graduate degree)
INCOME (1
= less than $35,000, 2 = $35-50,000, 3 = $50-65,000, 4 = $65,000+)
CAR—Type
of luxury car (American car, European car, Japanese car)
ISSUES—The
sequence of issues listed in Case Exhibit 1.1. (Strongly agree = 1; strongly
disagree = 7)
ATTRIBUTES—The
sequence of car attributes listed in Case Exhibit 1.2. (Very important to
you = 1; very unimportant to you = 7)
VALUES—The
sequence of values listed in Case Exhibit 1.3. (Very important = 1; very
unimportant = 7)
Questions
1. Is the sampling method adequate? Is the attitude measuring scale sound? Explain.
2. Using the computerized database with a statistical software package, calculate the means of the
three automotive groups for the values variables. Do any of the values variables show
significant differences between American, Japanese, and European car owners?
3. Are there any significant differences on importance of attributes?
4. Write a short statement interpreting the results of this research.
资料来源：William G.Zikmund 营销调研精要
7302077630 2004.1.1
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清华大学出版社
ISBN：
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