Doctoral Dissertations

Date of Award

8-1986

Degree Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy

Major Professor

Mary Francis Drake

Committee Members

Jacquelyn DeJonge, Imogene M. Ford, Judy Boser

Abstract

The purpose of this study v/as to investigate the influence of female consumers' employment orientation on lifestyle and evaluative criteria of apparel. Employment orientation, a person's attitude toward employment outside of the home, was classified into four distinct segments: Just-a-Job Working Women, Career-Oriented Working Women, Plan-to-Work Housewives, and Stay-at-Home Housewives. A random sample of 2,000 female consumers, ages 25-44, was sent questionnaires resulting in a 45 percent return rate.

Principal Components Factor Analysis with Varimax Rotation was used to reduce the number of lifestyle and evaluative criteria items to twelve factors. Analysis of Variance was performed to determine the influence of employment orientation and demographics on the lifestyle and evaluative criteria factors. Coefficients of correlation determined relationships between the lifestyle and evaluative criteria factors.

Employment orientation significantly influenced lifestyle and evaluative criteria. The four employment orientation groups differed significantly on lifestyle and on the evaluative criteria, used in selecting social apparel. Significant relationships existed between lifestyle and evaluative criteria for social apparel verifying that consumers choose apparel products that fit specific roles in lifestyle. Demographic characteristics found to influence lifestyle and evaluative criteria were educational level, age, geographic region, urbanization, and annual amount spent on social wardrobe.

Female consumers were segmented into four distinct groups each with its own demographic and psychographic pro file. Segmentation by employment orientation provided a richer and more accurate marketing framework reaffirming that women's employment orientation does change them as consumers and therefore as a target market.

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