chapter 2 - Bentham Science

Means-end Chain Analysis of Food Products with Origin Quality Research Topics in Agricultural and Applied Economics, Vol. 2 87
home consumption of wine. The decision to examine variation in consumer behaviour based on frequency of
consumption arose from the fact that several authors, using different methodological options, have identified the fact
that consumers’ relationships with origin-based quality labels are influenced by how much they know about the
region and the product (Josling, 2006; Sánchez, 2006; Chang, Campbell & Sniekers, 2007; Chocarro, Cortiñas &
Elorz, 2009). The reason for using the wine market to conduct this analysis is because it is the leading agro-food
sector in terms of marketing volume marketing an origin-based quality branded product, at least in Mediterranean
Europe (Mtimet & Albisu, 2006; Gálvez, 2009).
The rest of the chapter is organized in four parts beginning with a description of the theoretical framework for the analysis.
That is followed with some details regarding the methodology, the nature of the product, the data collection process and
the in-depth interviews that this entailed. Next, come the results presented in two parts, the first from an analysis of
differences in the cognitive structures of consumers based on their level of interest in origin-based quality brands and the
second based on observed differences associated with consumption frequency. The chapter concludes with the main
findings obtained from the analysis and a discussion of the limitations and possible future extensions of this research.
Theoretical Framework. The “Means-End Chain” Theory
Although the psychoanalysts Tolman (1932) and Smith (1934) and the economists Abbot (1955) and Norris (1941)
established the basic tenets of the “means-end chain” theory, it was Gutman (1982) who applied it to the field of
marketing and consumer research. Gutman (1982) oriented the means-end chain towards the exploration of
consumers’ interpretation of their own behaviour. Thus, the means-end chain is a cognitive structure linking the
consumer’s product knowledge to his self-knowledge in relation to certain consequences and values, as explained in
a series of studies for a variety of markets (Ter Hofstede, Audenaert, Steenkamp & Wedel, 1998; Zanoli & Naspetti,
2002; De Boer & McCarthy, 2003; Fotopoulos, Krystallis & Ness, 2003; Leppard, Russell & Cox, 2004; Russell,
Busson, Flight, Bryan, Van Lawick & Cox, 2004, among others).
The main premise of MEC is that consumers learn to select products that possess the attributes that allow them to
achieve their desired ends (Reynolds & Gutman, 1984; Ter Hofstede et al., 1998; Walker & Olson, 1991; Grunert &
Valli, 2001; Olson & Reynolds, 2001; Fotopoulos et al., 2003; Costa, Dekker & Jongen, 2004). MEC theory
suggests that product knowledge in consumers is hierarchically organised 3 by level of abstraction (Howard, 1977;
Young & Feigin, 1975; Gutman, 1982; Reynolds, Gengler & Howard, 1995). In other words, consumers’ product
knowledge relates to product attributes, the personal consequences they produce, and the personal values they
satisfy. The higher the level of abstraction in the decision-making process, the stronger and more direct the personal
involvement of the consumer (Olson & Reynolds, 1983).
This, therefore, puts the attribute under a new perspective, since, as noted by Nielsen, Bech-Larsen & Grunert
(1998), a product attribute has no inherent relevance, but only acquires relevance when it represents desirable or
undesirable consequences that are then turned into personal values. To express this in means–end chain terminology,
a chain begins with a product attribute, which is then followed by a sequence of links leading to own concepts
(personal values) through perceived consequences and benefits of the initial attribute.
There are two important general assumptions within this model. The first is that consumers’ product choices depend
on the perceived influence on their behaviour; in other words, defined values are end states, which play a dominant
role in guiding choice patterns (Fotopoulos et al., 2003; Costa et al., 2004). The second assumption has to do with
the level and concern of the behavioural decisions linked to consumption. Consumers accept the need to make
voluntary, conscious choices between alternative products, guided by the desire/search for positive consequences
and/or the avoidance of negative outcomes (Olson & Reynolds, 2001; Costa et al., 2004).
To simplify their choice, consumers group products into classes (Fotopoulos et al., 2003). In the analysis of mental
images, each basic level of abstraction can be subdivided into distinct categories of abstraction. In this respect,
Walker and Olson (1991) propose a six-level MEC. The three lower levels (concrete attributes, abstract attributes
3
Note that although most of the literature assumes the hierarchical structure of the MEC theory, this has been challenged by some authors in
recent years (Pieters, Baungartner & Allern, 1995; Bagozzi & Dabholkar., 1994; Van Rekom & Wierenga., 2007, among others). The present
study assumes the hierarchical structure because it is the most widely accepted