Module2+Research+Article

Determining Reliability and Validity of a Research Article
**__Team No.__** Team 2

//Buyer Characteristics of the Green Consumer and Their Implications for Advertising Strategy //
 * __Title of the Article__**

**__Reference (APA Style)__** Shrum, L.J., McCarty, J.A., & Lowrey, T.M. (1995, June 22). Buyer Characteristics of the Green Consumer and Their Implications for Advertising Strategy. Journal of Advertising. Retrieved January 28, 2009, from http://www.allbusiness.com/marketing/direct-marketing/598814-1.html

**__Abstract__**     The authors construct a psychographic profile of the green consumer in terms of variables directly related to purchase behavior, such as price consciousness and general care in shopping, interest in new products, and brand loyalty. Additionally, they address attitudes toward advertising and media preferences. Data from 3264 respondents to the DDB Needham Life Style Study were analyzed. The results show the green consumer to be an opinion leader and a careful shopper who seeks information on products, including information from advertising, but also suggest that the green consumer is rather skeptical of advertising. The implications are that green consumers may be receptive to green marketing and advertising, but marketers should take care not to alienate them by using ambiguous or misleading messages.        __**Tools adopted**__ survey  The researchers used a survey conducted by the advertizing agency DDB Needham for their annual life style study. They found that the study when compared to U.S. Census Bureau information, several segments of the U.S. population was underrepresented, most notably the lower socioeconomic groups, those with lower levels of education and African Americans. They also determined that married groups and women were overrepresented in relation to total population percentages. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Researchers determined 24 statements used in the survey were possible predictors of interest in buying environmentally safe products. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Reliability was established by using only statements that were possible predictors of interest <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">__**Type of reliability**__ <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">Internal consistency reliability <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: rgb(5,24,2); font-family: Arial,Helvetica,sans-serif;">The researchers attempted to establish content validity through selecting 24 questions from the Attitudes, Interests and Opinions (AIO) portion of the Life Style Study. These questions had been used before in another study and were determined by the researchers to be the best predictors of interest in buying environmental friendly products. Additionally surveys that were incomplete were discarded in order to ensure each question was assessed fairly. The validity of the study was compromised by the fact that the subjects of the study were not truly representative of the demographics of the United States. A more adequate sampling of subjects could increase the validity of the study. <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';"> > > > > **Team 2: Here are my views on the article- Jyoti : [|team 2.doc]** >
 * __Variables studied__**
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">purchase behavior of consumers such as price consciousness and general care in shopping, interest in new products and brand loyalty
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">attitudes toward advertising and media preference
 * __Level of measurement of each variable__**
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">A 6 point Likert scale was used to assess measurement of the variables anchored by I definitely disagree and I definitely agree with higher numbers reflecting more agreement.
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">This would represent a nominal level of measurement where the quality of something is measured versus quantity.
 * __Was Reliability established?__**
 * __Was Validity established? If yes, the kind of validity__**
 * __Statistical techniques adopted to analyze the data__**
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">factor analysis on the consumer variables to evaluate the nature of the interrelationships among the consumer variables and to reduce them to a reasonable number of predictor variables
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">a scree test indicated that a seven factor solution provided a reasonable fit to the data
 * <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">regression analysis to determine the relation between consumer variables and the intention to buy environmentally friendly safe products <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Arial','sans-serif';">