Understanding consumer's behavior on using and buying monosodium glutamate in hochiminh city




TRƯỜNG ðẠI HỌC MỞ TP. HCM UNIVERSITEÙ LIBRE DE BRUXELLES

HO CHI MINH CITY OPEN UNIVERSITY SOLVAY BRUSSELS SCHOOL

MBMM4

LAI TRAN MAI KHANH

UNDERSTANDING CONSUMER’S BEHAVIOR ON

USING AND BUYING MONOSODIUM GLUTAMATE

IN HOCHIMINH CITY

MASTER PROJECT

MASTER IN BUSINESS & MARKETING MANAGEMENT

Tutor’s name: Dr. Vu The Dung

Ho Chi Minh City

(2010)




COMMITMENT

This thesis contains no material that has been accepted for the award of any other degree

of diploma in any university or other institution and to the best of my knowledge contains

no material previously published or written by another person, except where due

reference is made in the text of this thesis.

In this study, the survey is conducted by professional interviewers, observed by an

independent quality controller and the author of this thesis. Thus, it has high level of

trust, confidence and agreement.

This information source is strictly warned by the research company to use for limited

purposes and not allowed to be spread out excepting for the jury of Solvay Business

School and some marketing professionals including the MBMM tutor.



ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

I owe the greatest debt to my tutor, Dr. Vu The Dung, his intellectual support and advice,

continuous guidance, full of patience and enthusiasm, has kept me carrying out my thesis

and writing up my thesis. In spite of being very busy with his plentiful plans, Dr. Vu The

Dung has been very generous with his time, comments, suggestions and corrections on

the draft of my thesis. Without such guidance and assistance, I could not have finished

my research and writing up this thesis on time.

My utmost thanks go to my study group in MBMM4 class, who gave me endless

experienced and mental support. Also to my family, other colleagues and friends, who

listened to my ideas and encouraged me in completing this thesis.

I am ever more indebted to all Professors of Solvay Business School, my school, who

gave me very interesting and great lectures. This course gives me a lot useful and

interesting knowledge that helps me much in my future career path. Especially thanks to

Prof. Bayern, chairman of the program, for his enthusiasm, support, and professionalism.

I did with all my best to fulfill this thesis but certainly, shortcomings could not be avoided

totally.

Once again, thanks for all the enthusiastic support.

Best wishes,

Lai Tran Mai Khanh



TUTOR’S COMMENTS

Student name: LAI TRAN MAI KHANH

Attitude: Ms. Khanh highly committed for her thesis

Content: well designed and structured.

Method and technique: the thesis is well designed and the methods used are

scientific.

Data analysis: good and reliable data sources and analysis.

Recommendation: Provide some good recommendations for the public, and

managers.

Overall comments: The project has been successfully completed and met all the

objectives. Very good.

Tutor,

Dr. Vu The Dung




TABLE OF CONTENT

TABLE OF CONTENT................................................................................................... 5

LIST OF ABBRIVIATION ............................................................................................. 7

LIST OF TABLES........................................................................................................... 8

CHAPTER I: INTRODUCTION.................................................................................... 9

I.1. Problem statement:...........................................................................................................9

I.2 Objectives:..........................................................................................................................12

I.3 Scope of the study:............................................................................................................12

I.4 Managerial implications:.................................................................................................12

I.4.1 The managers:........................................................................................................12

I.4.2 The competitors:....................................................................................................13

I.4.3 The representative famer:..................................................................................13

I.4.4 Social management:..............................................................................................13

CHAPTER II: LITERATURE REVIEW ....................................................................15

II.1 Consumer behavior: .......................................................................................................15

II.1.1 The cultural factor: .............................................................................................16

II.1.2 The social factor: .................................................................................................18

II.1.3 The individual factor:..........................................................................................19

II.1.4 The psychology factor:........................................................................................20

II.2 Buying – decision: ...........................................................................................................21

II.2.1 Types of buying decision behavior:..................................................................21

II.2.2 Buying decision process:.....................................................................................23

II.2.2.a Needs recognition:................................................................................ 24

II.2.2.b Information seeking:............................................................................ 25

II.2.2.c Evaluated selection:.............................................................................. 26

II.2.2.d Buying decision:.................................................................................... 26

II.2.2.e Post purchase evaluation: .................................................................... 27

CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY...............................................................................29

III.1 Research procedure: ....................................................................................................29

III.1.1 Methods of measuring behavior: ....................................................................29

III.1.2 Data Collection: ....................................................................................................30

III.1.3 Survey timing:.....................................................................................................30

III.1.4 Data analysis:......................................................................................................31

III.1.5 Information needs:.............................................................................................31

III.2 Sampling:........................................................................................................................32

CHAPTER IV: RESEARCH RESULTS......................................................................33

IV.1 General information of seasoning consumers:........................................................33

IV.2 Determining the behavior of seasoning consumers:...............................................34




IV.3 Consumer buying decision:..........................................................................................37

IV.3.1 Need recognition:...............................................................................................37

IV.3.2 Information seeking:..........................................................................................38

IV.3.3 Evaluated selection/ Buying decision/ Post buying evaluation: ................39

IV.4. Consumer’s attitude and behavior towards the environmental affection

caused by Vedan. ................................................................................................................40

IV.4.1 Consumer’s attitude: .........................................................................................41

IV.4.2 Consumer’s behavior:........................................................................................41

CHAPTER V: SUMMARY, RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSIONS..........44

V.1 Summary:..........................................................................................................................44

V.2 Recommendations...........................................................................................................45

V.3 Conclusion:........................................................................................................................46

REFERENCES...............................................................................................................48

APPENDIX A: Questionnaire in English...........................................................................49

APPENDIX B: Questionnaire in Vietnamese...................................................................57

APPENDIX C: Table of data................................................................................................66