Marketing and Decision Making Behaviour V2

Marketing & Decision Making Behaviour

This research area deals with the needs, motives and decision-making behaviour in buying, selling and consumption processes from different perspectives.

Our research is characterised by its interdisciplinarity at the interface between marketing, sensory science and psychology and is closely linked to practice. We continuously address current social and ecological challenges, such as the reduction of consumption barriers for conscious and climate-friendly products.

We perform research and development in the following topics:

  • Marketing, Sensory Science & Consumer Behaviour (effects of sensory processes on cognitive, emotional and behavioural consumer responses and implications for development, positioning and marketing of products, use of marketing for conscious and sustainable consumption)
  • Emerging Research Methods & Consumer Modelling (apparative and innovative methods of research and behavioural modelling)
  • Sales Psychology (decisions of people in conversations, training of sales techniques and sales behaviour)
  • Traditional, non-traditional and digital (marketing) communication (communication and interaction of companies and consumers via different communication tools)

Infrastructure:

  • Neuromarketing Lab with EEG (brain wave measurement), EMG (muscle action potential measurement), EDA (skin conductance measurement) and IRT (implicit reaction time tests)
  • Sensory lab with tasting table, computerised test cabins, fully equipped preparation kitchen, test and customer room and cameras for observation purposes
  • E-commerce lab with eye tracking station, product photography area, podcast setting and virtual reality room
  • Science Labs and focus group rooms: Lab and observation rooms with Venetian mirror and mobile partition wall as well as tribune for observers

Research Activities

  • Virtuelle Influencer

    Companies are increasingly using virtual influencers (human-like, computer-generated figures who share their everyday lives with their followers on social media) to address their target group. Examples from practice show that virtual influencers are primarily “active” in the fashion and cosmetics industry, but other industries are also considered profitable for virtual influencers. This project examines the use of virtual influencers in the travel industry and their contribution to destination marketing.

  • Paradigmen für die UX-Forschung

    In the context of user experience (UX) and UX research, there are a number of research paradigms and concepts, which, with the exception of the supporting method of eye tracking, are mainly limited to traditional research methods, so that an additional integration of other measurement techniques to capture the objective measurement level such as facial expression analysis or the measurement of the psychophysiological level, for example in the form of heart rate variability, galvanic skin response and muscle activity, may offer alternative and/or additional possibilities to record mental strain and emotional stress reactions potentially way more sensitive than the traditionally used repertoire of methods. Therefore, using two exemplary scenarios, paradigms for recording UX or possible limitations in usability should be developed, which combine traditional methods of UX and usability research with psychophysiological methods, are tested for validity and practical suitability as part of master's theses and should then be used in the teaching context along with preparation of various teaching materials, for example in the form of short instructional videos; additionally, the aim is to cooperate with public institutions and offices and to present the paradigms developed and established in this way at relevant conferences.

  • Persönlichkeitsentwicklung

    In diesem qualitativen Forschungsprojekt wollen wir untersuchen, welche Bedeutung „Persönlichkeitsentwicklung“ für Studierende der FHWN hat und welche Praktiken sie betreiben.

  • Wissenschaft trifft Schule – Climate-friendly food

    Facing the considerable impact of the food market on global warming, the project examines prevailing consumption barriers for climate-friendly products and develops concrete practical measures for the development, positioning and marketing of climate-friendly food products.

  • Schnellmethoden Vergleich

    Sensory rapid methods are relatively new methods, which promise an increase in efficiency, especially for small and medium-sized companies, through cost reduction and time savings. For this reason, the present project aims to comprehensively compare the rapid methods CATA and napping with one another.

  • Pilotstudie - Eye-Tracking & apparative Verfahren

    The aim is to investigate which processes take place during the visual processing of materials and which contents lead to increased activation (arousal). In addition, comprehension is queried in order to derive recommendations for the design of materials.

  • Climate-friendly food consumption

    Against the background of the remarkable effects of the food market on global warming, the project investigates prevailing consumption barriers for climate-friendly products and derives concrete measures for the development, positioning and marketing of climate-friendly food products.

  • Methodenforschung Napping

    Sensory rapid methods (napping) are relatively young methods, with the number of subjects required for such methods being largely unexplored. For this reason, the present project pursues the objective of determining the optimal number of subjects for the method of nappings.

  • Fostering Carbon-Friendly Diets

    A reduction of meat consumption and shift to plant-based diets have been identified as crucial for reaching climate targets. While consumer research has distilled a range of factors driving meat consumption, insights into the effectiveness of (policy) interventions are still scarce. This project systematically reviews the scholarly literature for evidence of effective intervention measures to reduce meat consumption.

  • SEASAC

    The main aim of the SEASAC project is to strengthen South-East Asian Universities’ capability to provide highly skilled B2B Sales professionals for the emerging international markets. In the project, we will utilize existing European knowledge and experiences in developing a pedagogically rich concept for the cooperation of Universities and companies in the sales education.

Contact

Feel free to contact us: FuE@fhwn.ac.at