Consumer behaviour and the decision-making process of the LOHAS target group in the automotive industry

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Context of research
• Scientific formulation of research objectives and aim
• Methodology
• Terminology
• Structure
• Literature review
• The LOHAS target group
• Definition and origin
• Segmentation and characteristics
• Recent market conditions
• State of research
• Implications for research
• Consumer Behaviour
• Decision-making process
• Implications for research
• Empirical research
• Research design and philosophy
• Focus group
• General organisation of the focus group
• Characterisation of the research question
• Conducting the focus group
• Methods of data analysis
• Quality criteria
• Credibility
• Transferability
• Dependability
• Pre-test
• Ethical issues
• Description and insights of the focus groups
• General attitude of LOHAS towards cars and AFVS
• The AFV purchase decision-making process of LOHAS
• Advertisement for the LOHAS
• Additional insights
• Conclusion
• Summary
• Managerial implications
• Limitations
• Discussion
• Further research

Objectives and Key Themes

This thesis investigates the consumer behaviour and decision-making process of the LOHAS target group in the automotive industry. The research aims to identify barriers preventing LOHAS from purchasing alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and understand the factors influencing their purchase decisions.

• The LOHAS target group and their values
• Consumer behaviour and decision-making process
• Barriers to AFV purchase
• The role of advertising and marketing
• Implications for automotive industry

Chapter Summaries

The introduction sets the context for the research, defining the LOHAS target group and highlighting the importance of sustainable transportation. It outlines the research objectives, methodology, and terminology used throughout the thesis. The literature review delves into the characteristics and decision-making processes of LOHAS consumers, exploring their attitudes towards alternative fuel vehicles and the existing research on this topic.

The empirical research chapter describes the research design and philosophy, focusing on the qualitative methodology employed in the study. It details the focus group approach, including its organisation, the research question, data analysis methods, and the ethical considerations involved. The findings from the focus groups are then presented and analyzed in the following chapter, exploring the general attitudes of LOHAS towards cars and AFVs, their decision-making processes, and their responses to advertising.

Finally, the conclusion summarizes the key findings of the research, discusses their managerial implications, and highlights any limitations of the study. It also proposes directions for future research in this field.

Keywords

LOHAS, consumer behaviour, decision-making process, alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs), sustainability, environmental consciousness, purchase behaviour, focus groups, qualitative research, barriers to adoption.