Abstract
This paper bases its investigation into consumer purchase behavior of new music on three theories: tricomponent model of attitude, the diffusion process and the adoption process. The research methodology in the paper utilizes secondary and primary sources including a survey of consumers and interviews of employees of the music industry. The paper indicates the need to understand the consumer attitudes towards objects to be purchased, thus supporting the conative component of the attitude model into the adoptive process. The survey and results for each question are included.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary
Introduction
The Purpose
Background
Topic Choice
Main Objectives
Literature Review
Introduction
The Tricomponent Attitude Model
Last.fm
Methodology
Introduction
Research Philosophy
Research Approach
Research Strategy
Research Credibility
Data Collection
Primary Data
Secondary Data
Tools
Limitations of Research
Findings
How Consumers have Learnt about Music
The Tricomponent Attitude Model
The Cognitive Component
The Affective Component
The Conative Component
The Adoption Process
Awareness
Interest
Evaluation
Trial
Adoption (Rejection)
The Role of Hardware in the Consumer Purchase/Acquisition Process
Conclusion
Recommendations
Questions for the Survey
Results
Interviews Questions
Age Demographics of Music Purchases

From the Paper
"There are a number of mediums by which a consumer will typically learn about new music and these are important in understanding the attitude that consumers hold towards new music in general. As previously mentioned, interviews were held with both Mark Wilkinson of UCJ and with Stephen Bowman of Blake. Please see the list of questions that were identical but directed at both individuals apart from each other as means to comparing corporate versus independent views."

Tags:labels hardware downloading, conative component, interpretivism

Abstract
This essay compares and contrasts the two companies, Swatch and Cartier in terms of marketing-mix. The comparisons made are on the basis of price, product, promotion and place (distribution) - the features that make them attractive to their different target markets. The author has included a clear diagram that sets out the comparisons.

From the Paper
"Within the watch industry there exist two competing companies: Cartier and Swatch. Cartier is one of the leading companies in jewellery and luxury clock making in the world. It is an institution, a symbol of excellence and style. Moreover, it has been called the ''jewellery of kings, the king of jewellery'' by King Edward VII (Frydyric Dyquyant, 2005). In comparison, founded on the concept of combining low financial expenditure with high quality, Swatch is one of the most popular watch companies because of the message it delivers. Indeed, Swatch's watch is more a design object than a watch."

Tags:marketing mix, business, marketing

Abstract
This paper gives the reader an investigation into the concept of brand equity in relation to the modern retail environment. The project considers the issue in relation to a number of other issues which have an impact on the retail sector considering, the changing nature of the retail market, the use of on-line elements of branding and how the concept of branding and brand equity interact with the modern retail consumer.
The paper gives the reader a complete set of research and includes, a comprehensive background, research aims and objectives, a specific methodology, literature review and a findings and analysis sections. The paper in conducting the research has made use of a variety of methods including both primary and secondary research methods using quantitative and qualitative data. Finally having conducted the research the paper gives an indication as to the limitations of the project and what subjects the researcher believes would be beneficial for further researchers to engage in, in future projects.

Outline:
1.0 Background
2.0 Research aims and objectives
3.0 Methodology
3.1 Research approach
3.2 Research philosophy
3.3 Primary research
3.4 Secondary research
3.5 Research Sample
3.6 Qualitative and quantitative data
3.7 Primary research analysis
3.8 Findings and analysis
3.9 Ethics health and safety
4.0 Literature review
4.1 Key Concepts
4.2 Consumer experience
4.3 The value of brand equity
4.4 Brand loyalty
4.5 On-line markets
4.6 Brand devaluation
5.0 Findings analysis
5.1 Primary research findings
5.2 Key trends
6.0 Conclusions
7.0 Personal reflections
8.0 Further research
Consumer Brands Questionnaire
Questionnaire Results (Quantitative questions)
Bibliography

From the Paper
"Over the past decades both the retail industry and the economy as a whole have seen some dramatic changes, in both trading conditions and the business models which have been adopted to react to such conditions.
"In the first case the very fabric of the retail business its self has changed, going through several business models. Two decades ago many in the retail sector operated on a small single branch basis, with locations in inner city areas and town centres. From the 1990's onwards the retail business model saw the introduction of the chain store. Stores such as Next pioneered the concept that consumers felt at ease being able to receive standardized products and services, served in more or less identical looking stores on a national basis. Further in the development of the business model, the location of such large national chain stores has also changed.
"Where stores were once previously sited in inner city areas and town centres, chain stores have become part of the out of town retail park revolution. To this day many retailers which operate with the traditional bricks and mortar outlet as the primary distribution channel operate from out of town locations. Such out of town locations in the retail sector range from the construction of single outlet retail site on the edge of town, most commonly favored by the supermarket chains. In addition the model has also seen the construction of entire retail "villages" dedicated to the retail experience and often having a singular theme such as discount outlets or luxury shopping malls."

Tags:brand, equity, retail, marketing, internet, commerce, consumer, positivist, ethics, on-line

Abstract
This paper looks at the way advertisers take advantage of consumers by creating false needs in their market and feeding on those needs. The paper includes an analysis of television and magazine ads, subliminal advertising and advertising ethics.

From the Paper
"Advertising is defined as the action of attracting the public's attention to a product or business. The methods that have developed over the years to attract consumers' attention have been very sophisticated and, in some cases, unethical. As potential buyers of goods and services, we Americans are constantly bombarded with advertising gimmicks in all print and broadcast mediums to the point where we have become jaded to the sales pitches that surround us. It can be argued that the attempts of retailers and businesses to get our attention and convince us to buy their goods and services are not, in themselves, unethical or dangerous; the unfavorable aspects of advertising result when the advertisers use questionable techniques to influence consumers. "

Tags:ethics, subliminal, magazines, products, capitalism

Abstract
This paper presents a report written by a manager at TESCO, a big British supermarket chain. The paper presents the manager's advice for the board regarding the issues that should be considered in order to come to a decision about whether to enforce a ban on alcopops in Tesco stores. The paper examines alcopops and discusses the negative aspects and ethical problems with the product.

Table of Contents:
Terms of reference
Procedures and methods
Findings
Conclusion
Recommandations

From the Paper
"It definitely looks like harder fines for drunk teenagers, or probably for their parents, would be the only solution for this social problem. In this way, parents of teenagers, teenagers themselves and supermarkets have a fair chance to get what they want. In conclusion it is up to the parents to look after their children and to educate them to become more aware of the consequences of exaggerated alcohol consumption and they are the ones that should be called to account for the alcohol excesses of their children."

Tags:alcohol, teenagers, supervision

Abstract
This paper examines how the U.K. lager market is a most significant area in terms of sales volume and advertisement value. The paper explores the different ways in which the beer and lager industry uses advertisements to reach their target market by identifying different themes, trends and techniques common in advertising. The paper also includes pictures of different advertising campaigns.

Outline:
Executive Summary
Industry Overview
Terms of Reference
Method
Findings
Advert Analysis
Media
Segmentation, Targeting, Positioning
Consumer buyer Behavior
The Decision-Making Process
Environmental Influences-STEP Analysis
Individual Influences
Group influences
Strategy
Product
Price
Place
Promotion
Critique and Recommendations
Bibliography
Appendixes

From the Paper
"Keeping their target group in mind, marketers in the lager market often promote their brands in sporting events knowing that a large proportion of their target group will be following such events. The lager adverts are therefore likely to be witnessed by many of the targeted consumers. Another important issue with perception is the notion of selective retention, which suggests that the majority of all messages that are sent to consumers are not noticed. People tend to "block" many adverts and it is therefore important for marketers to imprint their messages in the minds of the consumers with repetitive advertisements. This is particularly important in markets where products are not very differentiated, namely the lager market. Correspondingly many lager brands have well known slogans and logos. "

Tags:adverts, promotions, beer

Abstract
This paper discusses the changing nature of the personal selling function, referring to the importance of organization adopting a relational outlook rather than a traditional transactional marketing philosophy. It incorporates the contribution that personal selling makes in terms of achieving organizational objectives and the changing role of the salesperson. It also involves a brief discussion of the selling process and how knowledge of this can be utilized in order to influence the consumer decision-making process. It examines the main objectives that personal selling can achieve and the function of personal selling in terms of implementing marketing strategies.

From the Paper
"The selling process has evolved in such a way that it has increased the importance of the sales team in the eyes of the buyer (Wotruba, 1980,). One of the biggest factors to have influenced the changing role of the salesperson is technological innovation (Anderson, 1996). Companies such as IBM have introduced electronic notebooks and electronic data interchange in order to improve communication between sales managers and the sales team. In order to define the changing nature of the personal selling function, it is necessary to distinguish the six phases of the selling process as described by Jobber and Lancaster (2000). The six phases are: the opening of the sale, need and problem identification, the presentation and demonstration, dealing with objections (although this can occur at various stages in the selling process), the negotiation, closing the sale and following up the sale. In relation to Noonan's (1998) statement, certain phases of this process will be of increased importance in terms of implementing marketing strategy and tactics at the customer interface."

Tags:management, relational, sales, transactional

Abstract
This paper discusses the work of Michael Porter and looks at his books, "Competitive Strategy" and "Competitive Advantage" in which he identifies two basic types of competitive advantage a firm can possess. The author discusses how many strategies there are and whether firms who follow only one strategy are 'stuck in the middle'.

Outline:
Introduction
Cost Leadership
Porter's Typology
Differentiation
Focus
Focus as a Separate Strategy
Cost focus
Differentiation Focus
'Stuck in the Middle'
Conclusion

From the Paper
"In his books, Competitive Strategy (1980) and Competitive Advantage (1985) Michael Porter has identified two basic types of competitive advantage a firm can possess; low cost or differentiation. Moreover, he has formulated three generic competitive strategies aimed at achieving competitive advantage; namely, cost leadership, differentiation and focus strategies. Porter (1980) has also described a low profitability strategy which he called 'Stuck in the Middle'. At that time, the notion of generic strategy was very appealing as it seemed to offer the theoretical basis in an area which previously lacked solid theoretical foundations (Murray, 1988).
"In spite of the extensive empirical evidence which support Porter's (1980) typology of generic strategies, there has been much discussion and criticism for its conceptual limitations (Kotha & Vadlamani, 1995). It has been suggested that the focus strategy is just a special case of cost leadership or product differentiation and, therefore, there are only two competitive strategies. In this essay I will discuss how many strategies there are and whether firms who do not follow only one strategy are 'stuck in the middle'. In the following section I will review Porter's (1980) typology of the three generic strategies."

Tags:strategies, profitability, generic

Abstract
In this article, the writer studies J. M. Keynes' consumption theory, also known as the absolute income hypothesis, and the permanent income hypothesis, suggested by M. Friedman in the famous paper "A Theory of the Consumption Function". The writer starts with a brief overview of the Keynesian consumption theory and then continues with the explanation of the permanent income hypothesis (PIH). The writer maintains that the Keynesian consumption theory fails to provide a valid explanation of consumer behaviour in the sense that it does not incorporate rational expectations that sensible and generally forward-looking consumers make. The writer concludes that Friedman's permanent income hypothesis, therefore, becomes more plausible when it suggests that consumption tends to be smoothed out throughout time periods allowing for income fluctuations to occur and that consumption responds to permanent changes in permanent income rather than to temporary changes in actual income.

From the Paper
"Clearly, the main weakness of the Keynes' theory is that it assumes that individuals are short-sighted because they observe their actual income only and ignore the potential future income (or lack of it). A more reasonable approach is to presume that consumers' behaviour is likely to be intelligent and forward-looking. In this case, current consumption decisions become highly dependent on the expectations about the future, i.e. future labour income, real interest rates or taxes. The model which incorporates these expectations is the permanent income hypothesis.
"The central idea behind the PIH model is that individuals form estimates of their ability to consume in the long run and then set current consumption to the appropriate fraction of that estimate in order to smooth out their consumption over periods even when their income may be subject to fluctuations."

Tags:goods, demand, income, fluctuations

Abstract
This paper provides a detailed analysis of the dynamics underlying consumer behavior. The author provides an in depth explanation about what consumer psychology involves, emphasizing perspectives on how advertising works , consumer-based response measures and present state of knowledge about measures of advertising effectiveness.

From the Paper
"Consumer psychology is the study of the dynamics underlying consumer behavior specifically concentrating on the use of psychological concepts and methods to explain, predict and influence behavior (Assael, 1992). Consumer psychology perspectives on how advertising works therefore puts much weight on the psychological dimensions of individuals as consumers and how advertising effects them. In other words, consumer psychology attacks the subject of advertising from a psychological point of view. The behavior outcome of advertising (the consumption of produce or a service) is therefore a complex interplay of many aspects. This is because humans are complex individuals and the process involves many levels of psychological functioning on behalf of the individual."

Tags:advert, buy, convince, sell, advertising, influence, t.v., commercial