目標導向焦點、時間距離、產品屬性對消費者產品升級評估的影響 ：以手機與液晶電視為例

Abstract

本研究旨於探討促進焦點與預防焦點兩種「目標導向焦點」、從現在的時間點到消費者購買或是使用產品之間「時間距離」與歡樂性及功能性兩種「產品屬性」對於消費者升級產品評價的影響。由於「目標導向焦點」、「時間距離」，以及「產品屬性」對於產品升級方案的影響在學術界尚屬新興議題，又此主題在實務界中新產品開發領域的重要性日益提升，因此本研究結合此四項主題，研究不同導向焦點的消費者，分別在長短期的購買決策時間點遇到歡樂性或功能性屬性的商品，會讓他們對於不同類型的產品升級方案間出現怎樣不同的評價。本研究目的有三： 一、 探討不同「目標導向焦點」的消費者，對評估不同「產品升級」類型所帶來的偏好及選擇 二、 探討消費者在不同的「時間距離」下，對評估不同「產品升級」類型所帶來的偏好及選擇 三、 探討消費者面對不同的「產品屬性」，對評估不同「產品升級」類型所帶來的偏好及選擇 本研究第一部分將探討消費者的目標導向焦點、時間距離與產品屬性對於選擇一般性升級(在產品升級的過程中，針對每一個舊有屬性進行等比例的升級)與集中性升級(在產品升級的過程中只針對舊有屬性中的某些特定屬性進行升級)的影響程度；第二部分則是探討對於一般性線性升級(在一般性升級的前提下，使升級前後產品擁有相同屬性，但新產品提供更新更好的屬性表現)與一般性非線性升級(在一般性升級的前提下，除了原有的舊產品屬性外，再加入更多新的屬性到新產品中)的影響程度；第三部分將重點放於集中性線性升級(在集中性升級的前提下，使升級前後產品擁有相同屬性，但新產品提供更新更好的屬性表現)與集中性非線性升級(在集中性升級的前提下，除了原有的舊產品屬性外，再加入更多新的屬性到新產品中)的探討。 而研究最後發現之結論為： 一、 促進焦點與預防焦點、時間距離為半年與兩年、歡樂性屬性產品與功能性屬性產品的實驗組，皆偏好且選擇「一般性升級方案」，但其偏好程度會因受測者面對的屬性產品為歡樂性而下降，再者，當促進焦點組別的受測者面對歡樂性屬性產品時，其偏好下降的程度更為明顯。 二、 以液晶電視為產品的實驗中，在促進焦點的情況下，受測者較偏好且願意選擇「一般性非線性升級方案」。 三、 以手機為實驗產品的組別，在促進焦點的情況下，較偏好「集中性的非線性升級」；以液晶電視為產品的組別分別在促進焦點與歡樂性屬性兩個情況下偏好且選擇「集中性非線性升級方案」。

The main goal of this study is to find out the effect of self-regulatory focus (promotion focus vs. prevention focus), temporal distance (the time gap between now and the timing when customer purchases this product), and product attribute (utilitarian attribute vs. hedonic attribute) on evaluation of product upgrades. Due to the fact that the influence of self-regulatory focus, temporal distance, and product attribute on product evaluation is a relative new issue in the academic area and the fact that this concept is very practical in the real business world, this study combines these four topics to discuss their effects on consumer’s preference and choice when confronting different ways of product upgrades. The main goals of this research were as follows: 1. Discuss how the consumers with different types of “regulatory focus” prefer and make different choices on different ways of “product upgrades.” 2. Discuss how the consumers facing different “temporal distance” prefer and make different choices of “product upgrades.” 3. Discuss how the consumers facing different “product attribute “ prefer and make different choices of “product upgrades. In the first part of the research, this paper discuss the effect of customers with different self-regulatory focus, different temporal distance, and different product attributes when they need to choose from general enhancement(to upgrade an ordinary product with similar ratio complied with every existing attributes) and focus enhancement(the way of upgrades focus certain attributes to promote). In the second part of this research, this paper discuss the effect of customers with different self-regulatory focus, different temporal distance, and different product attributes when they need to choose from other kinds of product upgrades : general alignable enhancement(the general upgrades which is similar to the ordinary one because both of them have exactly the same attributes) and general nonalignable enchancement(the general upgrades which adds new attributes to the old product and increases the level of dissimilarity between old and new products). Finally, in the last part of the research, this paper will focus on the effect of customers with different self-regulatory focus, different temporal distance, and different product attributes when they need to choose from focus alignable enhancement(the focus upgrades which is similar to the ordinary one because both of them have exactly the same attributes) and focus nonalignable enhancement(the focus upgrades which adds new attributes to the old product and increases the level of dissimilarity between old and new products). The conclusions of this study are as follows: 1. Whether the consumers with “promotion focus” or “prevention focus “, whether they face “half year ”or “two years” temporal distance, “utilitarian attribute ”or “hedonic attribute”, they prefer and are more willing to choose “general enhancement ”. However, the level of preference will decrease as customers face a product with hedonic attributes. In addition, when the customer with promotion focus face a product with hedonic attributes, the level of decrease is more obvious. 2. In the study with LCD TVs as the experimental product , the consumers with promotion focus prefer and are more willing to choose “general nonalignable enhancement” 3. In the study with mobile phones as the experimental product, the consumers with promotion focus prefer and are more willing to choose “focus nonalignable enhancement.” In the study with LCD TVs as the experimental product, the customers prefer and are more willing to choose “focus nonalignable enhancement “when they are with promotion focus or when they face an LCD TV with hedonic attributes.