A Study on the Association between Consumer Segments and Their Motives for Joining Marketing Relationships

[[abstract]]自從服務行銷學者Berry在1983年提出關係行銷的概念之後，就開始了學界與實務界對此一領域的重視。但此後關係行銷的發展多集中於企業對企業(B2B)的關係上，對消費者市場的關係行銷研究相對較少，且其中又侷限在服務業的範圍，對消費性產品的關係行銷研究十分缺乏。此外很少從消費者的角度探討他們在廠商關係行銷努力中的角色，也鮮少全盤探究消費者的關係加入動機，而對不同的消費者區隔是否有不同關係參與動機的研究更是付之闕如。 基於上述研究缺口，本研究首先從文獻探討中歸納出消費者參與關係行銷的七類動機，包括六類自願性動機：經濟動機、社會心理動機、降低風險與不確定性動機、購買簡化∕便利性動機、資訊取得動機、取得產品∕服務∕方案之特殊利益動機，以及政府規定或團體壓力的非自願性動機。本研究的主要目的在了解不同的消費者區隔其關係參與動機是否有顯著的差異。區隔變數為消費者的生活型態，並以人口統計變數輔助描述區隔特徵。以集群分析及區別分析得到的六個消費者區隔為保守型、追求新知型、活潑自信型、居家生活型、重視休閒型、及愛好公益型。多變量變異數分析顯示此六集群具有顯著差異性。 本研究的三個假設分別獲得多變量變異數分析及卡方檢定的堅強支持：不同的消費者區隔在(1)生活型態上(2)在關係參與動機上(3)在人口統計變數上有顯著的差異。本研究進一步發現不同的消費者區隔所重視的關係參與動機也有顯著不同。保守型的消費者最重視降低風險與不確定性的減少；追求新知型最重視資訊取得；活潑自信型及愛好公益型最重視社會心理需求，居家生活型最重視經濟利益；重視休閒型最重視產品∕服務∕方案的特殊利益。 本研究在消費者區隔與關係參與動機之關聯性研究上作出初步貢獻，能幫助學者及業者更深入了解消費者的關係參與動機。本研究最後對學術界及業界提出一些建議並指出本研究之限制及未來研究方向。[[abstract]]Relationship marketing has received considerable attention from academics and practitioners since 1983 when Berry pointed out this concept. The development of relationship marketing research, however, has been focused primarily on business-to-business relationships. Research on business-to-consumer relationships appears to be in its burgeoning stage and, in particular, lacks systematical investigations into why consumers want to engage in long-term business relationships. Moreover, existing relationship marketing research deals little with the motives for relationship engagement by different consumer segments. Based on a critical review of the literature, this study suggests seven categories of motives for relationship engagement by consumers. They are: economic motives, social-psychological motives, risk/uncertainty reduction motives, purchase simplification/convenience motives, information acquisition motives, motives for obtaining special benefits of products/services/programs, and government mandates or group pressures. The primary objective of the study is to examine whether significantly different motives for relationship engagement exist in different consumer segments. The segmentation variables used are consumer lifestyles composed of the activities, interests, and opinions (AIO) of the consumer. Six distinct segments were obtained through cluster analysis and discriminant analysis, and consumer demographics were employed to map the profiles and features of these segments. Results by MANOVA and Chi-square tests supported the hypotheses that different consumer segments significantly vary in their lifestyles, motives for relationship engagement, and demographics. This study may have a substantial contribution on providing academics and practioners with insight into understaining motives for relationship engagement by different consumer segmens. With this knowledge, practioners may be able to initiate effective relationship marketing programs capable of meeting different consumers’ needs