Overview: A reference group is defined as “an actual or imaginary
individual or group conceived of having significant relevance upon
an individual’s evaluations, aspirations, or behavior” (Park and
Lessig, 1977). Bearden and Etzel (1982) define a reference group
as a person or group of persons that significantly influence the
behavior of an individual, and argue that the Reference Group concept
(Hyman 1942) provides a way to comprehend why many individuals do
not behave like others in their social group. Reference groups are
usually conformed by the social network of an individual: family
members, friends and colleagues, and inspirational figures (Bachmann,
John, and Rao, 1993), and can be a source of brand associations
that mold the mental representations a consumer has of himself (Escalas
and Bettman, 2003).
The objective of this article is to test whether or not reference
group influence is distinct in different cultural contexts. To do
so, an adaptation of the model proposed by Bearden and Etzel (1982)
is used in order to analyze how the influence of reference groups
and brands would determine the consumption of public services provided
within a public-private collaboration environment. First, reference
group influence is defined and discussed. Second, the modified model
for measuring reference group influence over the consumption of
public services is presented. Third, the methodology and results
are discussed. Finally, the conclusions and limitations of the research
are explained.
Tags: Reference Group Influence, Consumer Decision Making,
Consumer Behaviour, Public Service, Cross Cultural
Format: DOC | Size: 181 KB
Source: Monitor
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