Consumer research

Understanding quality perception. The starting point of a CQP-based quality assurance system should be the clear understanding of which product attributes are considered important and contribute to the quality perceptions of target consumers. This will help focus the system to control and assure only those attributes that are critical for quality perception. Decision-supporting tools can be found in the areas of consumer research, sensory studies, and new product design. 

Consumer research [35,36], focus group discussions, user data, complaint analysis... 

Van Kleef, E., Consumer research in the early stages of new product development, PhD thesis, Wageningen University, Wageningen, 2006. 

The determination and analysis of sensory properties plays an important role in the development of new consumer products. Particularly in the food industry sensory analysis has become an indispensable tool in research, development, marketing and quality control. The discipline of sensory analysis covers a wide spectrum of subjects physiology of sensory perception, psychology of human behaviour, flavour chemistry, physics of emulsion break-up and flavour release, testing methodology, consumer research, statistical data analysis. Not all of these aspects are of direct interest for the chemometrician. In this chapter we will cover a few topics in the analysis of sensory data. General introductory books are e.g. Refs. [1-3]. 

Torjusen H, Sangstad L, O Doherty Jensen K and Kjaernes U (2004) European Consumers Conceptions of Organic Food A Review of Available Research, Professional Report no. 4-2004, National Institute for Consumer Research, Oslo, Norway. 

Kirsten Brandt and Lorna Luck, Newcastle University, UK Unni Kjaernes, National Institute for Consumer Research (SIFO), Norway Gabriela S. Wyss, Swiss Research Institute of Organic Agriculture (FiBL), Switzerland and Annette Hartvig Larsen, Aarstiderne, Denmark... 

While "natural" is the current catch-phrase of today s consumer, research must still be performed for the development of synthetic compounds that can lower the cost of production of food that can be utilized to develop other less costly food items. Amino acids or proteins with O-aminoacyl sugars as part of their residue have been examined for their taste impact Chapter 12). Several of these components have been shown to be potential replacements for salt (NaCl) this would have a significant impact for individuals with high blood pressure or with a propensity to other coronary or renal problems. Some glycosides, represented by some sucrose esters, are approved by the United States Food and Drug Administration for food use. These glycosides have potential use in the preparation of food materials and can lead to more cost effective means of production Chapter 18). 

The concern over the workplace hazards of chemical substances has increased with the determination that some compounds are carcinogens or suspect carcinogens. Consequently, it has been recommended by NIOSH that several established standards be lowered (3). It is, therefore, very important to develop methods that can be readily adapted to lower standard levels without the need for additional costly and time-consuming research. 

Anon. (1990b). Consumer report Food irradiation - the consumer s view. Survey Research Group, The Association for Consumer Research, London. 

Holt, D.B. (1995) How consumers consume A typology of consumption practices. Journal of Consumer Research 22,1-16. 

Maximo C. Gacula, Jr. and Jagbir Singh, Statistical Methods in Food and Consumer Research. 1984. 

U S and Europe. By the end of the last century sales of such foods were in excess of i billion a year. The U S even came up with an alternative name for them - neutraceuticals - which was devised by Stephen Defelice, director of the Foundation for Innovation in Medicine, based in New Jersey. Neutraceutical was coined from nutrient and pharmaceutical, but consumer research found that 60% of those questioned actively disliked the new word, while 70% liked the term functional food. Other names suggested for such products were also a bit of a mouthful foodiceuticals, phytonutrients, designer foods, pharma-foods, and hypemutritious foods. None caught on. 

A good general approach in the case of presumed malodor problems is to urge the client to conduct exploratory consumer research to find out whether the odor is truly perceived as objectionable by the consumer and, if so, at what stages of product use—for example, when opening the bottle, during product use, or after use. A clear definition of the problem, in consumer terms, places the perfumer in the best possible condition to solve it. 

The perfumer should generally beware of assuming that specific odor notes evoke the same associations for the public at large as they do for him or her. This is particularly but not exclusively true for the perfumer in an international fragrance house working on projects for different markets. Consumer research, designed and interpreted with... 

What follows is a distillation of this huge, time-consuming research project in which we searched most available literature, talked to dozens of the best survival-type improvised explosives experts, and built numerous prototypes. Some of the following inform ation is even contained In obscure military manuals. 

In addition to consumer research, JJM conducted market research with physicians to determine their concerns and expectations. Particularly distinctive was research with pharmacists. The results of this work indicated that pharmacists felt ignored by the major pharmaceutical companies despite their desire to take more part in consumer education and advice. JJM concluded that pharmacists, in particular, had an understanding of the longer-term implications involved with an OTC switch. JJM decided to devote a major portion of is consumer products sales force to promote early awareness and enthusiasm for Pepcid AC among pharmacists. 

A corporate structure that copies the venture capital approach seems to be the most effective way to achieve these objectives. The new business - a relatively independent entity, as described above - is controlled by the parent company through staged financing, given when pre-agreed milestones have been reached. These should include not only internal milestones defined, for example, by specific R D achievements, but also externally driven ones reflecting important steps towards market success, based perhaps on initial results of user tests, consumer research results, competitive benchmarks, and so on. The parent company should supply services to the new business on the basis of well-defined price and resource agreements. 

Even today, healthcare providers, consumers, researchers, and policymakers are overwhelmed by the vast amount of published research. Too often, the results of randomized controlled trials are ignored or lost in the information overload and helpful interventions are not identified promptly, while useless healthcare practices are continued. Review articles are needed to summarize all the relevant findings on a given topic or in a given field. Systematic reviews, as suggested by Archie Cochrane, can help direct current therapeutic decisions and plan future research. 

Natural Foods Merchandiser. The Natural Foods Merchandiser Consumer Research Report 2008. Natural Foods Merchandiser USA, 2008, p 48. 

Food Attitude Study", the Consumer Research Department, Good Housekeeping Institute, April 1985. 

Ten years ago I worked as a consultant to a dozen medical practitioners. Now, I regularly consult with more than 120 physicians. Why In part, it is because I am better known The more important reason is that most physicians know very little about herbal medicine, and their patients, in large numbers, are now taking herbal products. In fact, a recent consumer research survey released in 1998 reported that 42 percent of the people polled used some form of alternative medicine. The survey also noted that 75 percent of the people said they would be likely to use herbal medicine, and 74 percent of those reporting the use of alternative medical said they used it along with conventional health care. Of those people, 61 percent reported that their physicians were aware of these complementary treatments. 

S. Young, Packaging Design, Consumer Research, and Business Strategy The March toward Accountability, Design Management Journal (Fall 2002). 

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