Abstract:
Using estimated consumer utilities for 21 different iced tea claims, this study
aimed to examine how typical factor extraction approaches, as well as exploratory
graph analysis, performed comparatively. Data was collected by an international market
research agency on behalf of a consumer goods organization headquartered in a
western-culture European country. The conceptual and statistical worth of exploratory
graph analysis within the greater consumer beverages context was then evaluated.
Exploratory graph analysis was able to reorganize claims into dimensions that were not
only in agreement with most other factor extraction methods, but also those which were
distinct and conceptually appropriate. Despite achieving such clear theoretical
groundwork for future efforts on latent constructs in market research, much was still
desired in terms of the statistical fit of this particular iced tea claims model. This
provides applied market researchers, as well as social science academics, a unique
opportunity to better understand the network dimensionality of products and services
using consumer utilities. As such, continuation of this interdisciplinary, original research
is highly encouraged.
