Studies regarding the relationship between purchases and happiness have consistently found an experiential advantage: people are happier when purchasing experiential products (e.g., vacations and concerts) than material products (e.g., clothes and electronics) (Caprariello & Reis, 2013; Carter & Gilovich, 2010, 2012; Pchelin & Howell, 2014; van Boven and Gilovich, 2003). This phenomenon (i.e., experiential advantage) may make marketing efforts of service firms or any companies selling experiences relatively more effective and productive in that consumers will derive a great amount of purchase happiness. On the other hand, the same phenomenon may indicate innate challenges and hurdles for firms selling products carrying materialistic features. Considering the material-experiential spectrum, approximately 50% of the industries are seeming faced with this issue. In this research, we propose a solution with which mainly material-focused products can loom more experiential, thereby benefiting from the experiential advantage. In other words, we investigate how material goods can be perceived as experiential and they can offer greater purchase satisfaction compared to when they remain as merely materialistic. Specifically, noting that reasons for experiential advantages are originated from social aspects of experiential goods (e.g., self-presentation to other people, conversational values, reputation-building, etc.), the current study shows that posting on social media can imbue social aspects, which is a key drive of the experiential advantage.

Using a tablet (versus a mouse) when shopping online has been shown to increase a shopper’s overall preference. Three studies demonstrate that this effect is robust across various contexts. We hypothesize that consumers will like the products they explore on touch devices (e.g., tablets) because they can more easily imagine using the products (Shen et al., 2016). When given the opportunity to explore the items on the touch devices, even utilitarian products and that this effect will be robust across different contexts.

The spread of COVID-19 changes consumer preferences and behaviors greatly across the world. Extant literature has demonstrated that when there is a threat to disease, people stay away from those who do not seem healthy as they can be potentially infectious. Based on the previous literature, this research shows that individuals exposed to disease threat avoid products of which designs are high in visual complexity. When disease threat was present, individuals had lower purchase intention for products with complex designs. The perceived uncleanliness mediated the effect of visual complexity and disease threat on purchase intention. The findings provide a novel insight into the effect of disease salience on consumer perception of product design.

The purpose of this research was to examine the preferences of five traditional Korean drinks and analyze the factors affecting the preferences of children aged 7-12 in Korea, Vietnam, and China. The samples used in a sensory test were omija-cha, yuza-cha, sujeonggwa, sikhye and misutgaru. The test was performed to examine the overall, appearance (color), odor, taste and mouth-feeling and a sweetness intensity using 5 point hedonic scale (1=dislike extremely, 5=like extremely) and, check-all-that-apply (CATA) method was performed to determine preference and non-preferences factors. The preference of all samples except sujeonggwa showed significant differences in all items of the preferences (p<0.001). Almost items of the preference was rated more than 4 points in Chinese and Korea children. The sweetness intensity showed also significant differences in all items of the preferences except sujeonggwa (p<0.001), and evaluated as not sweetappropriate with the score between 2 and 3 points. Sweetness, color, mouth-feeling, familiar flavor and healthy feeling was selected for the factors affecting the preferences. In conclusion, the result of this study determine the preferences and the affecting factors for the traditional Korean drinks in children of Korea, Vietnam, and China.

본 연구는 조직 내 부정적 리더십의 한 형태로 관심을 받고 있는 상사의 비인격적 행동이 구성원의 과업성과에 미치는 과정을 살펴보았다. 상사의 비인격적 행동이 과업성과에 미치는 과정에서 매개변수로써 구성원이 인식한 상사에 대한 호감(이하 리더호감)과 조절변수로서 구성원의 내적 특성인 친교 욕구를 살펴보았다. 변수 간 관계를 검증하기 위하여 설문 조사를 통하여 변수들을 측정하였으며, 다양한 조직이나 회사에 근무하고 있는 구성원을 대상으로 구글(google) 설문지로 작성하여 페이스북을 통해 배포 및 173부를 회수하였다. 실증연구 결과 상사의 비인격적 행동과 구성원의 과업성과 간의 관계에서 리더 호감의 매개효과가 검증되었다. 상사의 비인격적인 행동이 높을수록 리더호감은 감소하였고, 그 결과 과업성과에 부정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 그리고 구성원의 친교욕구는 상사의 비인격적 행동, 리더 호감, 과업성과 간의 관계에서 조절된 매개효과가 검증되었다. 즉, 친교욕구가 높은 구성원은 낮은 구성원 보다 상사의 비인격적인 행동에 따른 리더호감이 더 강하게 감소하였고, 과업성과에도 더 강한 부정적인 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 연구결과에 따른 시사점과 연구 한계점 및 향후 연구방향을 제시하였다.

Today, energy bars are consumed not only as snacks but also as meal replacement foods. Convenience and nutritional supplementation are the main factors accounting for the increasing use of energy bars. Two hundred Chinese customers who attended the China Fisheries & Seafood Exposition in China, and had no inhibitions about consuming cereal bars were selected. The questionnaire was composed of CATA choices that selected both the reasons for liking and disliking four different types of cereal bars, namely topokki flavor (hot pepper paste), seaweed flavor, kimchi flavor, and ginseng flavor cereal bars with 10% of dried anchovy content produced by BadaOne Co. (Seoul, Korea). The purpose of the study was to investigate Chinese consumer’s attitudes and acceptance of different flavored cereal bars containing protein and calciumrich anchovy. For the selected Chinese customers, the acceptance score for the seaweed flavor was the highest, followed by topokki, red ginseng, and kimchi. The acceptance for the topokki flavor was higher than for seaweed for the attributes of color except for general acceptance, flavor, aroma, and texture. The results of the survey showed that the acceptance of kimchi was the lowest, contrary to earlier predictions. The results of the Check All That Apply (CATA) analysis showed that the reasons for liking the seaweed & anchovy flavor were the most diverse, and there was no reason chosen for disliking this flavor. The reasons for liking this flavor were listed as sweet flavor, healthy, seafood flavor, malty flavor, texture, new/unique, and umami. In the case of topokki and kimchi, the reason for disliking the flavor was umami, and in the case of red ginseng, the ginseng flavor was the reason for both likes and dislikes. CA analysis showed that both the flavor and emotional factors were positive for seaweed & anchovy and topokki, but negative for red ginseng. As a result, seaweed & anchovy flavor, which is familiar to the Chinese people, should be the first cereal bar considered for a launch.

In this study, we theorize that the way consumers communicate on social media (“liking”2 vs. posting) leads to consequential preferences for luxury products. Specifically, for light users, who spend less than one hour on social media, “liking” (vs. posting) strengthens (vs. weakens) preference for social value-framed luxury products (i.e., creates a good impression to others) compared to functional value-framed products (i.e., superior quality). This contrasts with heavy users, who spend more than two hours on social media, where posting (vs. “liking”) strengthens (vs. weakens) preference for social value-framed luxury products compared to functional value-framed products. Thus, the relationship between social media interaction (“liking” vs. posting) and preference for luxury products is conditionally mediated by communication expectation with others. Both the direct effect and indirect effect are moderated by the time spent on social media and luxury value type.

This study investigated the possibility of reducing sodium and sugar intake in the Bulgogi bowl and yogurt, respectively, by utilizing food and non-food factors. Sodium and sugar replacers were the target food factors, and eating environment was the target non-food factor. The sodium content of Bulgogi bowls was reduced by 40%, and a flavor enhancer was applied to compensate for the reduced saltiness. Low calorie sweeteners, such as sucralose and stevia, were used to lower the sugar content of yogurt by 30%. Consumers were asked to evaluate the samples in one of the three eating environments: private booth evaluation, BOOTH; watching video clips during evaluation, VIDEO; conversation with friends during evaluation, FRIEND. The results showed that applying sodium or sugar replacers were effective in lowering sodium or sugar intake, respectively, without compromising the acceptance level of samples. Significant influences of the eating environment were observed on liking and perception of samples, but the influence patterns were not consistent between Bulgogi bowl and yogurt.

This study identified the sensory properties of samples of pizza dough at three pizza companies and three masonry oven pizzerias from Seoul, Korea and compared consumer acceptability among panels of university students. Six pizza dough samples were prepared (pan pizzas from Pizza Hut, Mr.pizza, and Dominos pizza, masonry oven baked pizzas from Appleteen, Mr.Lee’s, and Pizza factory). Consumer tests were employed involving 97 Korean consumers. Consumers evaluated overall liking (OL), liking of appearance (APPL), odor (ODL), flavor (FLL), and texture (TXTL), willing to try (WT), and willing to recommend (WR) for the samples using a nine-point hedonic scale. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that HutP, MrP, and DomP samples had significantly (p<0.05) high scores for roughness, porosity, crust color, grain size, brownness, dairy food aroma, savory taste, and yeast aroma, which had the highest OL, ODL, and FLL scores. LeeP, ATeenP, and PFacP samples had high elasticity, cohesiveness, and adhesiveness. Consumers favored the appearance characteristics and color, dairy product flavor, and savory flavor of the pan pizza and preferred cohesiveness, toughness, and stickiness of masonry oven baked pizza.

Bulgogi (Korean-traditional barbequed beef) is one of the most globally well-known Korean foods. Though various attempts have been made to promote bulgogi, studies are limited understanding mostly to US consumers or foreigners who reside in Korea. China, the world’s most populous country, has the biggest market potential in the world. The purpose of this study was to understand reasons of liking or disliking bulgogi products in Chinese consumers who reside in China in comparison to Korean consumers. The bulgogi used in this study differed in its main marinating ingredients. Check-all-thatapply (CATA) questionnaire was used to collect the reasons why one liked or disliked the given bulgogi product. CATA result showed that even for the same product, Korean and Chinese consumers liked or disliked it for different reasons. In particular, unlike Koreans, Chinese consumers reported sweet taste and garlic flavor as reasons for disliking the samples with high amounts of sugar and garlic, respectively. This seemed to be the result of differences in familiarity of consumers to certain tastes and flavors. The results imply the influence of culture in consumer preferences.

This study investigated the sensory characteristics of adlay tea favorably consumed by Korean consumers and analyzed the drivers behind for liking or disliking adlay tea. Six adlay tea products showing the highest market share in South Korea were selected. Sensory properties of the six products were analyzed using generic descriptive analysis. Among these, four products were further selected for consumer taste acceptance test. Sensory lexicons of adlay tea were developed by trained panelists, and the sensory characteristics of each adlay tea product were measured based on the perceived intensities of these attributes elicited from the samples. In the consumer taste acceptance test, frequent tea and coffee drinkers participated. Consumers rated the acceptance of each tea product on a 9-point hedonic scale and evaluated the reasons for liking or disliking each product based on the check-all-that-apply method. Analysis of Variance, principal component analysis, frequency analysis, and correspondence analysis were utilized for statistical analysis. Twenty sensory attributes were developed in order to characterize the six adlay tea products. The results of the descriptive analysis showed that attributes such as viscosity, black soybean flavor, goso flavor, peanut flavor, seaweed flavor, green, and presence of chunks were key factors differentiating the adlay tea products. In the consumer taste test, roasted flavor, goso flavor, peanut flavor, and presence of chunks were positive drivers for liking the adlay tea products, whereas seaweed and green flavors were negative attributes that drove consumers away.

This descriptive analysis study investigated the sensory characteristics and the drivers of liking for seven types of makgeolli differing in grain composition and pasteurization conditions. Six trained panelists participated in the descriptive analysis. In the consumer acceptance test involving 23 males and 34 females, two of the seven varieties were excluded due to their similar sensory characteristics. Analysis of variance, principal component analysis, and partial least square regression analysis were conducted. Sensory characteristics of makgeolli varied markedly depending on the ingredients and processing methods. Makgeolli samples with relatively high content of millet flour were characterized as being smooth and strong, with a roasted carbohydrate flavor, whereas samples with enriched rice content were rated high in attributes such as bitterness, carbonation, and residual flavor. Sourness decreased in pasteurized samples. Participant’s age rather than gender influence the liking for makgeolli. Older consumers tend to prefer samples with stronger flavor than did younger consumers. Clustering consumer groups based on the preference for makgeolli samples provided profound insight concerning the beverage aspects that were appealing, which should be useful in consumer targeting of particular varieties of makgeolli.