Consumer decision making: process, level and style 131
Studies of software consumption
Two further investigations have taken the use
of personal computers as their focal interest: the
use of a range of software is usually thought to
be highly involving, personal computers are
well past the introduction stage of their product
life cycle, the research involved consumption
rather than purchasing, and it allowed situa-
tional variables to be examined (Foxall, 1995).
The first of these studies sought a link
between KAI and the number of software
packages used by home computer owners.
Although there was no correlation between the
two, a very small group of consumers with
high KAI and high PII scores were responsible
for the highest level of software applications
use. The sample contained both adaptors and
innovators once more but, of the two cognitive
variables, it was personal involvement with
computers and computing that was generally
associated with high levels of use initiation
(this term is preferred to the more common ‘use
innovativeness’, again to avoid confusion; see
Foxall, 1995), i.e. a large number of software
applications. However, while personal involve-
ment was the major explanatory cognitive
factor, both adaptors and innovators were
found in substantial proportions among users.
In other words, the market contained four
segments: first there were groups of less- and
more-involved users, each of which could be
subdivided into its adaptive and innovative
subsegments. Each of these subsegments can be
expected to make decisions in its own charac-
teristic style. Finally, this study drew attention
to the importance of situational factors in the
multiple use of computers. More important
than the cognitive variables were the number of
years computing experience the respondents
had and the type of computer they owned.
Clearly a more structured study was need-
ed to account in detail for the role of cognitive
variables in view of situational factors (Franz
and Robey, 1986). The final investigation
involved the use of computer software by
graduate management students in the Strath-
clyde Graduate Business School in Glasgow.
Students following three programmes took part
(Foxall and Bhate, 1998). Those taking the
Business Information Technology Studies
(BITS) programme were required by their
course to make frequent and extensive use of
computers; those taking Marketing received
instruction in computer use but had discretion
over where and when they used the computer
as part of their studies; and the students on the
Legal Practice programme received minimal
instruction in the use of computers and were
under little if any pressure to use computing
techniques. Both KAI and PII correlated with
the number of software applications used,
whether or not the course affiliations were
taken into consideration. (A study of computer
use by managers in an administrative organiza-
tion has confirmed several of these findings; see
Foxall and Hackett, 1992.) Although situational
influences proved stronger than the cognitive
factors, two crucial points must be made with
respect to the roles of cognitive style and
involvement. Yet again, while involvement
played a causative role in the amount of
product use undertaken, both adaptive and
innovative cognitive styles were represented
and could be expected to affect the consump-
tion behaviour of the respondents. The same
four segments were apparent as in the study on
home computing.Studies of financial services
purchase and consumption
Recent studies have investigated consumer
behaviour for financial services. Foxall and
Pallister (1998) investigated four financial
products bearing a maturity value or benefit
sometime in the future: (i) pensions; (ii) life
assurance; (iii) mortgages; (iv) savings and
investment. These products not only contrast
with the targets of the earlier research, but are
of intrinsic interest in view of the extent of
strategic change and product development
which characterizes the contemporary financial