Evaluative criteria for purchasing leisurewear: Taiwanese and U.S. students in a U.S. university
The purpose of this research was to provide exploratory information relating to the young consumer market in terms of purchase criteria for leisurewear. Data were obtained from 105 Taiwanese and 126 U.S. students at a major mid-western U.S. university. Direct hand-in questionnaires were employed to obtain a higher usable questionnaire rate. Purchase criteria used for this survey were price, style, brand, fabrication, size/fit, media exposure, colour, country of origin, and quality. Several factors under each criterion were provided. Students were asked to rank the importance of each criterion/factor. Results indicated that much similarity existed between these two groups of students in purchasing leisurewear. However, U.S. students rated highest (in descending order) price, size/fit, style and quality while Taiwanese students ranked highest (in descending order) price, style, quality and size/fit.
Relative importance of country of origin as an attribute in apparel choices
One hundred and eighty-four consumers (62 men, 122 women) participated in a simulated shopping experiment to rank garments on the relative importance of price, origin, care, quality and style. Monotonic Analysis of Variance (MONANOVA), a conjoint analysis, was used in this exploratory study to determine relative importance of garment attributes for individuals, for men and women, and for the total group. Both men and women ranked the five garment attributes in the following order: origin, style, price, care and quality. Removal of original labels and the substitution of experimental labels may, however, have encouraged consumers to evaluate garments on origin in the absence of brand and store identification.
Computer Simulation Modeling
Computer simulation as a research methodology is presented as the intersection of modeling, simulation, and computer analysis. Five component parts of simulation models are identified: input variables, output variables, assumptions, algorithms, and parameters. Computer simulation (CSM) has two primary uses for those interested in the study of organizations or who work within them: theory development and policy planning. The advantages and disadvantages of CSM for each of these purposes are examined and recent examples for each are explored.