| Summary: | 碩士 === 世新大學 === 傳播管理學研究所(含碩專班) === 97 === There has been a rise in the internet board discussion on the phenomenon of joint and group purchasing. Various hot-selling merchandises have been reported all over the media and are even the subjects of related talk-shows. Emerging internet group purchasing model received the attention of scholars, who began researching online group purchases. Presently, group purchase related literature has focused on the virtual community’s group purchase mechanism and the online group buyers identification of consumers. This study will focus on the seldom discussed social relations spawned by close-knit group purchase in office. The discussion will center on female groups and the initiation of a group purchase opinion leader and the leader’s personal traits with regards to identification and expectations.Such study will provide specific recommendations for vendors targeting sales of merchandises.
This study discusses the respondents in response to initiation of a group purchase leader and the leader’s personal traits with regards to identification and expectations, using Zaltman Metaphor Elicitation Technique (hereinafter referred to “ZMET”) developed by Harvard Business School Professor Zaltman. ZMET uses visual symbols on the respondents as metaphor to conduct in-depth interviews, and gradually induce the subject into revealing deep inner thoughts and feelings. The interview process utilizes respondents-collected and provided pictures as tools for clues to understand the mind of the respondents. A respondents’ consensus map was extracted to disseminate respondents’ identification of issues and expectation of office group purchase leader’s personal trait. This is accomplished by using concept elements and its relationship to the respondents to conduct further research and findings and to give related recommendations.
From the 12 respondents 175 concepts were extrapolated. One-third of the respondents concurrently extrapolated collective consensus concept of 78 common concepts. Study found that office female groups have 13 concepts regarding leader personality traits; consensus map showed seven group concepts. The seven group labels are (1) the type who have the courage to experiment with the latest trend; (2) gossip type, passionate with sharing with strong affinity; (3) generous type, who actively help others and are trustworthy and are professionally skilled; (4) down-to-earth type who have logical organization skills; (5) fear of loneliness type who receives a sense of achievement through performance; (6) the type who are financially inclined and possess the ability to bargain and negotiate; (7) the charismatic type who are well-connected as leaders in initiation.
Study found that opinion leaders must be the one in the office who is willing to initiate group purchase with such opinion leader’s positive personal traits collectively known and expected. Highly-involved respondents are more likely to identify with the personal traits of group purchase leader and are more likely to be involved in group purchase activities. Medium-involved respondents who participate in group purchase cite the merchandise as the main consideration, and are less susceptible to the effect of opinion leaders to participate in group purchase. Popular products can easily generate interpersonal office social relations and relies on topic discussion to attract group purchasing behavior. This is especially true when the group receives the products earlier than others. Respondents’ minds produce psychological perceptions of popularity and showing off. Therefore, this study recommends that vendors need to continuous generate product buzz and proactively convey product characteristics to the office opinion leaders in order to exploit such leader’s personal characteristics and interpersonal network to facilitate the marketing of products and create greater business opportunities for the vendors.
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