How an Appreciation of Consumer Behaviour Can Help in Product Testing
Leslie de Chernatony andSimon Knox
INTRODUCTION
An examination of some consumer marketing research texts show product testing presented predominantly as a mechanistic process, with minimal consideration of the underlying assumptions about consumer behaviour (for example, Boyd 1987, Aaker & Day 1986). Without an explicit statement of the underlying behavioural issues affecting consumers judgment, mechanistic approaches to product testing will lead to ineffective measuring procedures. Ironically, researchers striving to reduce the impact of risk in marketing decision making,...