Masters Theses

Date of Award

5-2016

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Major

Anthropology

Major Professor

Bertin M. Louis

Committee Members

Ronald E. Taylor, Wenjun Zhou

Abstract

Overall, the goal of this study is to identify and differentiate the various motivations and cultural influences that can be used to explain consumer behavior. In doing so, this study hopes to facilitate the development of new and innovative marketing strategies, providing a new research design for the ethnographer’s toolkit. More importantly, this model can give shape to new constructs and new variables for further empirical testing in the field through quantitative and qualitative methods. By blending the two approaches, using qualitative interpretive anthropological analysis by field study with quantitative sentiment analysis adapted from market researcher Jeffery Breen’s (2012) methodology, this paper seeks to accurately interpret the complex human element of what creates brand-loyalty and sentiment while uncovering factors that influence the biggest decision of all—the actual purchase.

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