The Howard-Sheth Theory of Buyer Behavior

Description

The Howard-Sheth Theory of Buyer Behavior (1969) is recognized as a major catalyst for the rise of consumer behavior as a standalone discipline and independent of market research. In the last 50 years, consumer behavior has experienced spectacular growth especially with the influence of behavioral sciences. The next 50 years will be even more exciting. Stay tuned. The key drivers are the rise of emerging markets such as China and India as the largest consumer markets in the world for branded products and services.

About the Author

Dr. Jagdish N. Sheth is known nationally and internationally for his scholarly contributions in consumer behavior, relationship marketing, competitive strategy, and geopolitical analysis. He has over 50 years of combined experience in teaching and research at the University of Southern California, the University of Illinois, Columbia University, MIT, and Emory University. Throughout his career, Professor Sheth has offered hundreds of presentations in at least 20 countries. He has also provided consulting for numerous companies including AT&T, BellSouth, Cox Communications, Delta, Ernst & Young, Ford, GE, Lucent Technologies, Motorola, Nortel, Pillsbury, Sprint, Square D, 3M, Whirlpool, and others.

Table of Contents

Book Review

Dedication

Tributes

Foreword

Preface

Acknowledgments

Prologue

Part I The Nature of The Theory and A Summary

Chapter 1 Theory: Function, Need, and Structure

1.1 Functions of Theory

1.2 The Problem of Buyer Behavior

1.3 Structure of Theory

1.4 Summary and Conclusions

Chapter 2 Summary of the Theory of Buyer Behavior

2.1 Buying Process

2.2 Description of Constructs

2.3 Relationships among Hypothetical Constructs

2.4 Summary and Conclusions

Part II Structure of The Theory

Chapter 3 Intervening and Exogenous Variables

3.1 Classification of Variables

3.2 Output Variables

3.3 Input Variables

3.4 Exogenous Variables

3.5 Summary

Chapter 4 Learning Subsystem

4.1 Brand Comprehension

4.2 Motives

4.3 Choice Criteria

4.4 Attitude

4.5 Intention (To Buy)

4.6 Confidence (In Choice)

4.7 Satisfaction

4.8 Purchase Decision

4.9 Summary of Learning Constructs

Chapter 5 Perceptual Constructs

5.1 Influences on Quantity of Information

5.2 Perceptual Bias

5.3 Summary and Conclusions

5.4 Hypothetical Constructs and Intervening Variables

5.5 Theory of Search

5.6 Routinized Response Behavior

Part III The Theory and Its Measurement

Chapter 6 Attitude’ as an Intervening Variable

6.1 Rules of Correspondence

6.2 Measurement and Scaling

6.1 A Multivariate Approach to Attitude¢ Measurement

6.3 Dynamics of Attitude Change

6.4 Summary and Conclusions

Chapter 7 Purchase Behavior and Brand Loyalty

7.1 Purchase as an Intervening Variable

7.2 Stochastic Approaches to Brand Loyalty

7.3 Factor-Analytic Methods of Measuring Brand Loyalty

7.4 Summary and Conclusions

Part IV The Theory and Its Application

Chapter 8 Product Innovation

8.1 Product Class

8.2 Search Behavior

8.3 Sources of Information

8.4 Exogenous Variables

8.5 Summary

Chapter 9 Symbolic Communication

9.1 Significative versus Symbolic Communication

9.2 A Paradigm of Symbolic Communication

9.3 Source of Communication

9.4 Channels of Communication

9.5 Message and Its Effects on Response Sequence

9.6 Summary and Conclusions

Part V Summary and Implications

Chapter 10 Theory: Structure, Function, and Need

10.1 Introduction

10.2 Functions of the Theory

10.3 Need for the Theory

10.4 Summary of Relations among Structure, Function, and Need

Glossary of Terms

Bibliography

Index