Stefan Behrens’s research while affiliated with Leibniz Universität Hannover and other places

As a consequence of the highly complex nature of wine as a product, a deeper understanding of the key drivers of consumer wine perception and consumption behavior is a major challenge for practitioners and researchers in the domain of wine marketing. The desire for and the consumption of wine seems to involve several dimensions of customer perceived value perceptions. Additionally, situational determinants, consumer characteristics like product involvement, experience and needs or demographic variables such as gender and age might affect the wine purchase.

Purpose – Due to consumer concerns about food-related diseases and an increase in the use of genetically modified food, more and more “green consumers” integrate environmental considerations into daily purchases, asking for healthier, safer and higher quality food. Marketing managers still face the challenge of broadening the understanding of how and why consumers purchase organic food. Specifically, a deeper understanding of the value dimensions consumers perceive in the context of organic food products is required to develop and implement successful management strategies which might transfer positive consumer perceptions to actual buying behavior and satisfaction. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – Drawing on theoretical and empirical insights on organic food consumption in different markets, this research investigates antecedents of organic food products and differences regarding the relative importance of the value-based drivers across two Western nations. Findings – The results from survey data indicate significant differences in the value perceptions, especially the functional and individual value perceptions, and recommendation behavior related to organic food for consumers from the USA and Germany. In addition, the segmentation approach provides evidence for consumer segments that cross-national borders: the “convinced opponents,” the “silent/private consumers,” the “prestige-seekers” and the “passionate evangelists.” Originality/value – Consequently, instead of a country-based segmentation approach, marketers should emphasize the different types of consumers across national borders in order to address the differences in customer value perception in the organic food market.

Along with the rising global appetite for luxury brands, luxury brand managers have to balance the tremendous demand for their goods in the global marketplace without threatening the key characteristics of exclusivity and uniqueness that are necessary preconditions of luxury. With respect to the serious challenges inherent in luxury brand management such as the risks of brand over-extensions and counterfeiting, an integrative understanding of luxury and the multifaceted desires an individual seeks through luxury consumption are key success factors in luxury brand management. Recent research gives evidence that the desire for and the consumption of luxury brands involves several dimensions of customer perceived value including financial, functional, individual, and social consumer perceptions. Nevertheless, to date, the interplay of the customer perceived value dimensions and the assessment of their effects on individual luxury value perception and related behavioral outcomes are poorly understood and widely unexplored. Against this backdrop, incorporating relevant theoretical and empirical findings, this study focuses on the investigation of the interplay of the customer perceived value dimensions (financial, functional, and social value) and the assessment of their effects on individual luxury value perception and related behavioral outcomes (purchase intention, recommendation behavior, willingness to pay a price premium). The paper is structured as follows: first, the conceptual model and related hypotheses are presented based on existing research insights on luxury brands and customer perceived value; second, the methodology and results of our empirical study are described. Third, the analysis results are discussed with reference to managerial implications and further research steps. To measure the antecedents and outcomes of individual luxury value perception, we used existing and tested measures. Items were rated on five-point Likert scales (1=strongly agree, 5=strongly disagree). The first version of our questionnaire was face-validated using exploratory and expert interviews to check the length and layout of the questionnaire and the quality of the items used. To investigate the research model, an online questionnaire was conducted among consumers in Germany in July 2012. A total of 782 questionnaires were received. In our study, SPSS 19.0 and PLS structural equation modeling (SmartPLS 2.0) were used to analyze the data. A reliable and valid measurement of the latent variables was confirmed. Referring to the antecedents of individual luxury value perception, our results verify that the perceived financial, functional and social value of luxury brands are significantly positive related to the key construct of individual luxury value perception. Morover, the individual luxury value perception has a positive impact on purchase intention, recommendation behavior, and the willingness to pay a price premium. With reference to the evaluation of the inner model, the coefficients of the determination of the endogenous latent variables (R-square) reveal satisfactory values at .637 for individual luxury value perception, .618 for purchase intention, .565 for recommendation behavior, and .526 for the willingness to pay a price premium. Moreover, Stone-Geisser’s Q-square yielded a value higher than zero for the endogenous latent variables, suggesting the predictive relevance of the explanatory variables. The results presented here have important implications for luxury brand management and future research in the domain of luxury goods. By addressing the specific value aspects that are highly relevant for consumer loyalty to the brand, a luxury company can stimulate purchase behavior with appropriate marketing campaigns that emphasize the most important value aspects. In this context, a study focusing on different luxury brands, different luxury industries or the comparison luxury vs. necessity might enhance current knowledge of consumer behavior in the luxury industry. On an international level, the specific consideration of cultural issues is required and therefore, possible cross-cultural similarities and differences have to be examined in future research to generalize the results and to sell successfully luxury goods to consumers of different nationalities.

Purpose – In an attempt to satisfy the rising demand for luxury in the era of the “democratisation of luxury” or the “luxurification of society” without threatening the uniqueness and exclusivity of luxury brands, a profound understanding of the luxury concept and its deeper values is essential. As the complexity of luxury value and the assessment of effects on individual luxury value perception and related behavioral outcomes are still poorly understood and widely unexplored, the purpose of this paper is to fill this research gap. Design/methodology/approach – In the exploratory study context of examining the antecedents and outcomes of individual luxury value perception, PLS path modeling was used for the empirical tests of the hypotheses. Findings – The results support the assumption that the desire for luxury brands involves several dimensions of luxury value including financial, functional, individual and social consumer perceptions. Besides, the individual luxury value perception is significantly related to the consumption of luxury goods in terms of purchase intention, recommendation behavior and the willingness to pay a premium price. Originality/value – The incremental value of the present study is to present and empirically verify a concept that embraces the complexity of luxury value and its causal effects on different aspects of luxury consumption. The results have important implications for luxury brand management and future research in the domain of luxury goods. By addressing the specific value aspects that are highly relevant for consumer loyalty to the brand, a luxury company can stimulate purchase behavior with appropriate marketing campaigns that create and preserve the most important value aspects throughout the supply chain from production to distribution.

Green consumption has evolved into consumption that also addresses ethical factors. The twenty-first century is perceived to reflect the emancipation of the ethical consumer, who is “shopping for a better world” (Low and Davenport in J Consum Behav 6(5):336–348, 2007). The rising consumer demand for ethical alternatives is present in all product categories, and—reasoning that the concept of sustainability with aspects such as exclusivity and rareness shares similar values with the concept of luxury—the aim of our study is to examine the luxury of sustainability against the backdrop of the research questions concerning a proposed similarity of consumer associations between luxury and ethical products. As specific context, we have chosen the orientation to and acceptance of Fair Trade products. In detail, the present study empirically investigates a multidimensional framework of intrapersonal Fair Trade orientation, fair-trade-oriented luxury perception, and fair-trade-oriented customer perceived value with reference to the recommendation of Fair Trade products. The first contribution of our research is to provide a conceptual framework of value-based drivers of Fair Trade product perception against the backdrop of the luxury concept. Second, the empirical findings of the applied partial least squares equation modeling (PLS-SEM) contribute to the understanding of consequences of Fair-Trade-based perception. Customers who reveal a high luxury perception of Fair Trade products are strengthened in the Fair Trade idea which results in higher customer perceived value as well as the willingness to recommend Fair Trade products. Third, the data analysis of the applied PLS-SEM approach demonstrates that positive Fair Trade behavior is influenced by direct and indirect effects. With reference to the conducted study, being an active promoter of Fair Trade products is directly determined by the customers’ perceived product value (benefit in relation to cost), but also directly and indirectly affected by the overall luxury product perception as well as the intrapersonal level of Fair Trade orientation.

The tremendous growth in the luxury market in the last decades has been accompanied by a prevalence of pirated and counterfeit goods. Reasoning that all governmental efforts and management actions to curtail counterfeit activities will not be sufficient as long as counterfeiters face such an immense demand for their products, the importance of focusing on the consumer perspective becomes evident. In this context, the aim of this study is to provide and empirically investigate a comprehensive framework of the consumer demand for counterfeit luxury goods. Based on theoretical and empirical insights on the acceptance of counterfeits in different markets, we propose a model of determinants that influence the trade-off between genuine and counterfeit luxury goods from a consumer's perspective. The comparison of empirical data from Germany and South Korea reveal the significant impact of psychological and context-related antecedents on counterfeit perception and counterfeit shopping behaviour. The selected countries offer interesting insights in the consumer perspective on counterfeits as they provide distinct socio-cultural contexts and represent both the demand for authentic luxury brands as well as for counterfeit goods.

The debate on standardization versus adaptation is everywhere apparent and addresses the question whether and to what extent consumer behaviour differs between countries. While some studies confirm the assumption of one single pan-European market, another stream of research emphasizes that European countries continue to possess predominantly distinct market identities and favour multi-regional strategies. Thus, in the tension between worldwide standardization, national customization, and hybrid approaches such as “glocalization,” the aim of this chapter is to shed light on the importance of cultural differences and similarities in international marketing. After discussing the meaning of cultural influences for marketing management in general, this chapter presents the results of a meta-analytic literature review concentrating on consumer culture in the food and beverage sector.

After a first section dedicated to the discussion of the methodological foundations of the image-based research protocols, the chapter introduces the “wall of pictures” protocol. The authors first present the preparation of instrument, the validity check, and the textual data coding process. In the final paragraphs, a large range of descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses is successively presented, and thanks to a combination of innovative technological devices, the wall of pictures outcomes has shown some promising perspectives. Triangulation opportunities are particularly promoted thanks to the combination of quantitative measurements with textual and/or pictorial variables.

Purpose – A deeper understanding of the key drivers of consumer wine perception is a major challenge in the domain of wine marketing. The purpose of this paper is to examine the various dimensions of customer-perceived value that lead the customers – in general and divided into different age groups – to choose and consume a certain wine. Design/methodology/approach – In the exploratory study context of examining value-related consumer attitudes and behavioural effects, the drivers and outcomes of wine consumption based on a cross-generation sample, PLS path modelling was considered for the empirical tests of our hypotheses. Findings – Though there exist differences between Generation X and Generation Y consumers, the empirical results are supportive of the hypothesized positive relations between financial, functional, individual and social perceptions that influence the desire for and the consumption of wine. Research limitations/implications – For future research, the findings presented in the paper support the importance of enlarging the size of the sample and collecting data in different countries to compare the results on an international level. Practical implications – Successful wine marketing strategies should focus on the customer's subjective expectations and individual value perceptions by addressing the specific value aspects that are highly relevant for consumer loyalty. Originality/value – The study results are valuable for researchers, managers and marketers because they address the question of how to measure and forecast the perceived value with the greatest influence on consumers’ wine choices.

Purpose – There is empirical evidence that the image of organic products has a stronger effect on consumer perception than the intrinsic characteristics. Against this background, the aim of this paper is twofold; first, to ascertain if the stimulus “organic food”, placed by storytelling, influences the perception of wine. Based on this, the study tries to discover wherein a positive perception of organic wine might be reflected (e.g. willingness to pay premium prices, better taste perception). Design/methodology/approach – Focusing on the consumer perception and evaluation of conventional versus organic wine, it was decided to use an experimental design with a blind taste test procedure. The prediction was that subjects would rank a wine described as organic higher than a conventional wine – even if there is no objective difference. Consumer perceptions and attitudes toward the wines were assessed using a questionnaire including wine preference, buying and recommendation intention, and willingness to pay. Besides, consumer wine knowledge and consumer personal environmental orientation were measured as individual constructs. Findings – In accordance with existing research insights, consumers tend to prefer organic products over conventional ones. In this context, the experiment shows that adding information on the product's process during a blind test leads consumers to increase their ratings in favour of the “organic wine”. Interesting is that consumers even give a better rating for “conventional wine” just described as being “organic”, indicating that the appearance and taste are perceived to be better, and the price intention is higher – thus, a pure signalling effect is achieved. Originality/value – The key finding of the study was that even if they tasted the identical product, the respondents ascribe a significantly better taste to the organic-labelled wine compared to the conventional alternative. Besides, the willingness to recommend the organic wine and the willingness to pay differed significantly from the evaluation of the red wine presented as “conventional”. Moreover, regardless of their knowledge and attitude towards organic products in general, all respondents rated the so-called organic wine higher in all given attributes.