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The coherence and congruence of convergence in consumer electronics

Muhammad Zakky Azhari (Graduate School of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia)
Adi Zakaria Afiff (Graduate School of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Indonesia, Depok, Indonesia)

Journal of Product & Brand Management

ISSN: 1061-0421

Article publication date: 20 July 2015

481

Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to examine two important factors in developing convergence products: the congruence of basic product and the addition in terms of utilitarian or hedonic consumption goals, and the overall coherence of consumption goals. In recent years, the proliferation of convergence products, i.e. any product that combines two or more basic product functionalities in consumer electronics, is increasingly prevalent. For manufacturers, the lingering question in developing convergence products is what kind of basic product functionalities can be combined and can elicit favorable response from consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is a 2 × 2 × 2 experimental design, with basic product functionality’s consumption goals (utilitarian, hedonic) as the between-subject factor, and the additional product functionality’s consumption goals (utilitarian, hedonic) and the coherence of consumption goals (coherent addition, incoherent addition) as the two within-subject factors.

Findings

It confirms and validates prior work on goal congruence effects. More importantly, this study finds that overall consumption goal coherence elicits higher value addition irrespective of goal congruence or incongruence on utilitarian or hedonic consumption goals.

Research limitations/implications

In some literatures, the combination of two or more product functionalities from different product categories is considered as product bundling. While product bundling concept can be used in many different product categories, convergence product concept is utilized more specifically in consumer electronics.

Practical implications

As convergence era offers wide opportunities for manufacturers to develop new convergence products, this study provides guidance as to what kind of new functionalities need to be added.

Originality/value

Not only does the present research investigates the likely success of convergence products involving the congruence of basic product and the addition, but also in more comprehensive way by looking at the overall coherence of consumption goals.

Keywords

Citation

Azhari, M.Z. and Afiff, A.Z. (2015), "The coherence and congruence of convergence in consumer electronics", Journal of Product & Brand Management, Vol. 24 No. 4, pp. 377-385. https://doi.org/10.1108/JPBM-07-2014-0658

Publisher

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Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

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