| Abstract [eng] |
Relevance of the Topic. Due to rapid technological development and changes, Internet usage has increased significantly, which has prompted companies to move their operations to a virtual environment. Rapid technological development allows companies to easily develop sales activities in a virtual environment; however, the companies are facing difficulties because of differences in consumer behaviour in virtual and traditional environments (Pabedinskaitė and Šliažaitė, 2012). It is important for the companies seeking to increase sales in a virtual environment to understand consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. Consumer behaviour in a virtual environment and its determining factors are also relevant to researchers. Various researchers explore the differences in consumer behaviour and its determining factors in virtual and traditional environments. Although researchers present a number of different factors determining consumer behaviour in a virtual environment, the authors identify psychological factors as one of the most important factors; therefore, the thesis analyses the psychological factors having an impact on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. In scientific literature, a variety of psychological factors having an impact on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment is distinguished. According to researchers, it can be said that a psychological factor - motivation - has the greatest impact on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment; thus, the thesis provides a detailed analysis of motivation factors having an impact on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. Problem. In scientific literature, different motivation factors having different impact on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment are distinguished by various authors in different contexts; therefore, the problem of the thesis can be worded along the following lines: what impact does motivation factors have on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment? Object of the Thesis. The impact of motivation factors on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. Aim of the Thesis. To theoretically substantiate and empirically verify the impact of motivation factors on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. Objectives: 1. To substantiate the relevance and issue of research of motivation factors having impact on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. 2. To analyse the concept of consumer behaviour in a virtual environment and models of consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. 3. To distinguish psychological factors influencing consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. 4. To distinguish and analyse motivation factors influencing consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. 5. To devise a conceptual model of the impact of motivation factors on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. 6. To verify empirically the conceptual model and to present the research results. Main Findings of the Thesis: In the first part of the thesis, after a scientific analysis of literature, the factors influencing consumer behaviour in a virtual environment and the relevance and issue of research was substantiated. In the second part of the thesis, by means of a scientific analysis of literature, the following was done: 1) The concept of consumer behaviour in a virtual environment and the main models of consumer behaviour in a virtual environment were analysed; 2) The psychological factors influencing consumer behaviour in a virtual environment were distinguished, and it was found that a psychological factor - motivation - has the greatest impact on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment; 3) Motivation factors influencing consumer behaviour in a virtual environment were distinguished and analysed. The motivation factors having impact on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment, which are presented by researchers often and on average, were also divided into utilitarian and hedonistic. 4) A conceptual model of the impact of motivation factors on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment was devised. In the third part of the thesis, in order to verify empirically the impact of motivation factors on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment in Lithuania, the methodology of empirical research was prepared. In the third part of the thesis, an analysis and discussion of the findings of the empirical research was carried out. The findings of the empirical research may give the companies developing sales in a virtual environment a better understanding of the impact of motivation factors on consumer behaviour in a virtual environment. |
