Possibilities for Expanding the Use of Means-End Chains
Author: Georgi Zabunov
Abstract
Means-end chains are an established tool for investigating consumer motives. This tool, however, has one great constraint. It does not allow comparisons between the motives of representatives of different cultures. The method uses the Rokeach set of values. Research has been conducted among representatives of certain cultural communities, but not among representatives of different cultures at the same time. For such purposes, value sets of the type “value - anti-value” (value continuum) are appropriate. Such is the system of values by Schwartz. The purpose of this study is to provide certain evidence that the Schwartz system of values can successfully be combined with meansend chain methodology. Since the values by Schwartz have been verified in intercultural studies, mean-end chains based on these value sets will also be suitable for that purpose. A study of the motives for the purchase of social housing was carried out as an illustration of the feasibility of the proposed approach. The data is collected through a survey of students. The results obtained suggest that the proposed approach is suitable for studying buyers’ motives.