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This research was designed to generate inductively distinguishable clusters of ethnic apparel consumers; theoretical propositions describing these clusters were intended as a comparative benchmark for further research as a guidance for marketing of ethnic apparel to definable consumer segments. Data were collected from a nationwide mail survey (n = 348) of ethnic apparel consumers. Clothing benefits, attitudes toward alternative trading organisations, beliefs about world issues, personal values, patronage commitment, and demographic characteristics were measured. Consumer clusters were formed and analysed through principal component, cluster, MANOVA, ANOVA and chi square analysis. Two distinguishable clusters emerged with salient differences relative to creativity and individuality, culture‐specific versus pancultural focus, body size and camouflage, interest in fashion, hedonic experience and design complexity. Recommendations for further research and for marketing to multiple consumer segments were offered.

The purpose of this research was to examine the relative importance of socially responsible attitudes, along with catalogue shopping involvement and product‐related attributes, as predictors of consumers' intentions to purchase apparel. Data were collected through a mail questionnaire to randomly selected customers of an alternative trade catalogue; the 320 respondents represented a 67 per cent response rate. Data were analysed by a maximum‐likelihood estimation procedure using LISREL VII. The proposed model exhibited good fit to the data as evidenced by chi‐square, GFI, AGFI, and RMS measures. Social responsibility, desire for individuality in dress and shopping involvement were all positive predictors of intention to purchase apparel. Desire for individuality exerted the greatest influence, followed by attitudes toward social responsibility.

The purpose of this study was to examine whether consumers' intentions to purchase apparel products from an alternative trading organisation (ATO; an example of socially responsible consumer behaviour) could be explained by their societally‐centred values and attitudes, as well as attitudes more specifically related to purchasing. Data were collected with a nationwide mail survey of US consumers (n =344) randomly drawn from the stratified mailing list of one North American ATO. Theory‐based relationships, suggesting a hierarchical system of effects among values and atti‐tudes, were tested and supported with path analysis. Comparison of two different path models revealed that attitude towards the behaviour of purchasing apparel from the ATO was a better predictor of purchase behaviour than was attitude towards the apparel itself; however, the two concepts were determined to each contribute valuable information for understanding purchasing behaviour.

This study focused on two research questions: How do generational cohorts of fair trade consumers differ in their product attitudes and behaviors, retail preferences, shopping orientations, and socio‐political attitudes? How do factors influencing purchase intentions for fair trade apparel differ among generational cohorts?

Data from 1,055 current customers of four North American fair trade businesses were collected via mail survey and store‐intercept. Respondents included generation X (ages 29‐40, n=200), baby boomer (ages 41‐59, n=589), and swing (ages 60‐75, n=266) generations.

Results revealed that baby boomers and swing respondents differed from Generation X participants in their greater focus on qualities of apparel comfort, value, and quality; preference for authentic products and ethnic attire; and local activism behavior. In contrast, they exhibited more limited interest in wearing fashionable attire. All respondents placed high importance on fair trade philosophy centered on wages, workplace, and the environment. For all generational cohorts, their propensity toward wearing ethnic attire was the strongest influence on future intentions to purchase fair trade clothing.

For fair trade researchers, taking generational cohorts into consideration is recommended for assisting fair trade business persons in reaching their goal of market expansion to younger consumers.

Coupling significantly expanded information on ethnicity of designs, colors, production methods, or garments styles, along with current promotion of fair trade practices, was suggested for expanding purchases among consumers in both the generation X and swing cohorts. Baby boomer participants also valued pragmatic clothing details related to comfort, value, and quality.

This research provided support for use of generational cohorts in understanding consumer behavior. Regression analysis across the total sample led to different results as compared to when each generational cohort was examined individually.

The purpose of this paper is to examine young female consumers' purchase behaviours related to non‐food fair trade products. Interrelationships among beliefs, attitudes, perceived behavioural control, and purchase intentions in regard to fair trade products were examined within a framework of the theory of planned behaviour to arrive at an in‐depth understanding of young female consumers' fair trade consumption.

Using a probability sampling approach, 810 complete responses were collected via web‐based surveys from 18‐28 year old female college students at a large Midwestern university. Path model analysis was employed to test the proposed model and research hypotheses.

The results revealed that young female consumers' beliefs about the fair trade concept and product attributes, attitudes toward fair trade purchases, and perceived behavioural control in regard to fair trade purchases, were all important factors in determining consumers' intentions to purchase a fair trade product.

Several important strategic implications emerged in this study for fair trade retailers targeting young female consumers. The generalization of the findings to the US population may be limited because the data were collected from a small to medium‐sized community with a fair trade specialty store.

This study focused on providing insights for a previously unaddressed fair trade consumer segment – a younger female consumer group between ages 18 and 28. The results of this study may provide insight to artisan producers and retailers in expanded opportunities to distribute, market, and promote fair trade products to this consumer segment.

Aims to investigate consumers' shopping values and web site beliefs that influence their intention to shop for cultural products.

Uses the Theory of Reasoned Action (TRA) as a framework to explain the structural interrelationships among internet shopping value, beliefs about the web site, shopping attitude, and shopping intention. A total of 203 persons responded to an invitation to participate in a web survey for the purpose of data analysis.

Consumers' beliefs about the web site, especially with regard to merchandising, both directly and indirectly influenced their intention to shop for cultural products in the future. The proposed model supported the effectiveness of the extended TRA in the context of cultural product shopping on the internet. Overall, the findings confirmed elements of the TRA such as belief structures as determinants of attitudes and attitudes as determinants of behavioral intention.

Consumers who shop for cultural products on the internet have both hedonic and utilitarian shopping values and both these values must be addressed by internet retailers. Regular changes in products and presentation are vital for maintaining repeat patronage. Future research should explore how shopping values are related to web site attributes in different contexts of shopping.

Offers valuable recommendations to internet retailers, if they are to retain customers in a very specialized arena.

The research goal is to develop, analyze, and evaluate an instrument measuring perceptions and preferences of garment design characteristics, and to evaluate interpretability of results for ease of use by scientists and industry practitioners.

This study focused on female garment attributes that were culturally inspired by Indonesia. A sample of 115 US college‐age females was targeted to test 18 garments varying in attributes of three styles, three fabric prints, and two fabric colorways. Attributes were used as stimuli in generating evaluations of garment similarities and acceptance.

Stimuli and questions performed well in collecting data, and convergence validity for the instrument was demonstrated through hierarchical cluster analyses and multidimensional scaling analysis. Findings from this initial testing determined that consumers can differentiate similarity and evaluate levels of acceptance for garment style, fabric print, and color.

The small segment of US consumers involved in this initial exploration and the need for further study is acknowledged. Research‐generated analytic information summarizing targeted consumers' responses can be used in industry and in future product development research.

Findings, generated from consumer input, provide diagnostic information for the product development process including market positioning strategy decisions for enhanced product adoption. Understanding which product attributes should remain similar to existing or competing products and which attributes can uniquely deviate from those currently accepted in the consumer culture is also clarified.

Research instruments are needed that advance measurement of consumer responses in evaluating apparel design characteristics for national or international product development and market positioning.

The purpose of this work was to identify segments of the US teen girl market based on the importance that these consumers assign to various product attributes in the apparel purchase decision process and to characterize these consumer segments in relation to their engagement in fashion and social responsibility.

An online survey was administered to 157 teen girls (14-18 years). The questionnaire included demographic items and measures of the importance of product attributes in the apparel purchase decision, fashion involvement, materialism, charitable/social cause involvement and past socially responsible apparel purchasing behavior. A two-step cluster analysis, employing Ward’s method and k-means clustering, was conducted on each participant’s factor scores on the four dimensions of the product attributes scale.

Three clusters were identified: the Conventionalists (n = 50, 31.8 per cent), the Self-Satisfiers (n = 34, 21.7 per cent) and the Embracers (n = 73, 46.5 per cent). MANOVA revealed differences among the clusters related to fashion involvement, social cause involvement, materialism and past socially responsible apparel purchasing behavior.

Results suggest that teen girls may respond positively to trendy apparel products designed with attention to issues of the environment, labor and/or charitable/social causes, particularly if the products are perceived as esthetically appealing and provide utilitarian value.

This work offers unique insights into teen girls’ apparel consumption behaviors by employing a benefit segmentation approach to explore the role that issues of social responsibility may play in teen girls’ apparel purchase decisions.

The purpose of this paper is to focus on the use of retail customer service as a value added component and potential success strategy for rural tourism retailers. More specifically, service quality expectations and perceptions as a means for segmenting tourism markets are to be examined.

Data were collected using a case study methodology in an established rural tourism community. Local customers, tourist customers, and retailers participated in the study. A canvassing approach was employed for administering a hand‐delivered, self‐report survey that examined parallel sets of service quality expectations and perceptions among the three groups, along with service satisfaction outcomes (i.e. retailer loyalty and purchase intentions). Descriptive analysis, factor analysis, t‐tests, and regression analysis were conducted.

Local and tourist customers' prior expectations for retail service quality were similar; however, local and tourist customers' post‐experience service quality perceptions differed significantly. A modified version of the SERVQUAL scale represented two service quality perception constructs important to local customers and retailers and one service quality perception construct for tourist customers.

Generalizability of findings may be limited as the in‐depth study was conducted within a single rural tourism community in Iowa.

The study sheds light on service quality perception dimensions that are salient to local customers, tourist customers, and retailers. Results aid in the development of customer relationship management strategies for both local and tourist customers and enhanced competitive options for rural tourism retailers.

Findings provide baseline information regarding customer relationship management strategies aimed at establishing rural tourism retailer sustainability by simultaneously meeting service expectations and enhancing service perceptions for local and tourist customers.

Due to a number of reported failures of expatriation assignments, a growing body of literature is exploring the possible roles of mentors in supporting expatriates in critical phases while working in another culture. The purpose of this paper is to expand upon the research of mentoring based on a literature review and an empirical study of mentoring expatriates in three transnational companies.

This paper is based on findings from three case companies based in Denmark. In total, 37 semi-structured interviews were conducted with expatriates, managers and vice presidents at the three home organizations and their subsidiaries.

Several empirical studies, including the study presented in this paper, indicate that ethnocentrism in the home-company is a main constraint for cross-cultural learning mediated by the expatriates. It is suggested that the HR department in the home-company should create specialized professional training programs and recruit employees with practical knowledge about expatriation. However, personal and relational mentoring should be conducted by experienced and motivated individuals who are supported and recognized, but not controlled, by the HR department.

This research is focused on Danish companies and further research is needed to test the theories in other cultural settings.

This research can help companies and expatriates gain a more successful expatriation period.

The value and role of mentorship is detailed from a theoretical and practical perspective, which adds to the body of literature on expatriates and mentorship.