Examination of the Factors Affecting Consumer's Buying Behaviour of Apple Products in Thailand

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would love to use this opportunity for expressing my acknowledgement towards my research supervisor, family and friends for all the support and helpj they have provided and for believing in me as well as guiding me throughout the process of this research. Without their cooperation and appreciated I would have never been able to complete this research in the given deadline and with the maximum quality.

DECLARATION

I, [Name], here declares that all the research and writing done in this particular thesis is my individual effort and work without support and assistance, and this research has never been submitted to any institution for the examination at the academic level as well as for any professional concerns previously. This research consists of my personal views and not the one's linked with the institution.

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ABSTRACT

The purpose of this research is to determine what factors affect consumer purchases and how marketing mix factors influence through purchasing decision of Apple products focusing on Apple's Thai consumers. In order to provide the essential research data to be the guideline for marketing development and strategies so as to increase proficiency of the business as well as to meet the needs of consumers. This study will make a unique contribution because it proposes not only a new model which measures User Technology Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) in a technology oriented products setting but also measures the role and impact of the word of mouth in the technology industry. This research used a mixed method approach. This is a technique in which the qualitative and quantitative techniques are used collectively for data collection purpose. Mixed research method is the third most important kind of research. The results of the mixed methodology are more reliable because it is more descriptive in nature. It is clear that performance expectancy is an important variable affecting the intention to adopt technology products by consumers. In addition, performance expectancy plays an important role in stimulating positive WOM recommendation. Thus, technological products users were influenced significantly by their perceptions about the performance of technological products and the benefits of using it. Therefore, marketers for technological products should persuade consumers about the advantages of technological products and emphasize how it can improve the performance and productivity of users. Although performance expectancy and social influence are important in motivating positive WOM in technology products, the trust concept will also play an important role in increasing participation in WOM recommendation.

DEFINITIONS OF TERMS

Behavioural Intentions are defined as “indications of how hard people are willing to try, how much of an effort that is being planned to practice, to perform behaviour” (Carlsson 2006, pp.24).

Expectancy of Effort is defined as “the degree to which a person believes that using a particular system would be free of effort” (Chevalier 2003, pp.12).

Facilitating Conditions (FC) are defined as “the degree to which a person believes that an organizational and technical infrastructure necessary to support the use of the system” ...