Primary Concerns for Baggage Use: An Investigation into the Use of Baggage Value by Using the Means-end Chain Approach

• Main Authors: Jen-Hao Chen, 陳人豪
• Other Authors: Yu-Ling Lin
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2015
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/bb583v

碩士 === 國立勤益科技大學 === 企業管理系 === 103 === Increasing living quality and affluence have mean that an increasing number of people are paying more attention to recreational activities, leading to the continuous growth of the tourism industry. Statistics from the Tourism Bureau of Taiwan have shown that the number of people traveling abroad has been constantly growing in recent years, which has also given rise to increasing demand for tourism-related products such as baggage, which is now regarded as a necessity for travelers. Estimates from Infiniti Research predict that the global baggage market will expand at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 8.1% from 2012 to 2016. However, various types of baggage are becoming extremely similar in terms of functions and features. Consumers are also less aware of the methods needed to select a suitable suitcase. Furthermore, the suitcase market is also increasingly shaped by red ocean strategies. Therefore, understanding consumer requirements for baggage functions and properties, as well as the ultimate values and purposes for using baggage, not only provides a reference for suitcase manufacturers during design and development, but also helps manufacturers formulate corresponding marketing strategies as well. The framework of this investigation applied means-end chain (MEC) approaches, and soft ladder interviews to conduct in-depth interviews with suitcase users. Content analysis was then used to study the Attributes-Consequences-Values relationships of suitcase users which were subsequently used to illustrate the hierarchical value map (HVM), analyze the ultimate value for suitcase use, and provide suitcase manufacturers with indicators for future research and development, and marketing of their suitcases. The research sample included 60 people with males and females accounting for 50% respectively. In order to ensure that the sample population is capable of expressing abstract ideas clearly, 96.6% of the interviewees have at least college-level education, with 86.6% of the interviewees being students at the time of the interview. Given that the majority of the interviewees were students, most of the interviewees were therefore below 30 years of age. The results of the study indicate that size and space were the attributes that consumers care most about when selecting their suitcase, followed by material strength, appearance and style, and lock designs. Key results and benefits regarded as important according to attribute analyses, such as durability improvement, fulfillment of personal needs, and ease of carrying and storage, were then ranked accordingly. The results above indicate that security and enjoyment are the ultimate values when consumers purchase baggage.