Enhancing the agility of the response to market demands is one of the most desirable qualities for the management of today’s enterprise, which is facing an unstable environment, with abrupt, frequent and unpredictable changes. The paper proposes a model oAgile enterprise, customer value, marketing research, brand image, customer preferences, buyer risk, customer attitude, buying intentions, post-purchase satisfaction

BOIER Rodica

English

Research Papers in Economics

600 
CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND ENTERPRISE AGILITY – A MODEL OF THE SURVEYED 
INDICATORS 
 
Boier Rodica 
Tehnical University “Gh. Asachi” of Iaşi Economics and Marketing Chair 53 D. Mangeron Blvd., 700050 Iaşi 
Inovare_Marketing@tex.tuiasi.ro Tel/Fax: 0232.239.154 Mobile: 0744.514.441; 0728.332.996 
 
Enhancing the agility of the response to market demands is one of the most desirable qualities for the management of today’s 
enterprise, which is facing an unstable environment, with abrupt, frequent and unpredictable changes. The paper proposes a 
model of the consumer behavior factors involved in market monitoring, in order to secure rapid responses: brand image, buyer 
risk, the customers’ attitude toward the product, the buying intentions and the post-purchase satisfaction. The correlation type 
is described and the measurement method is proposed for each of these factors. 
 
Key words: agile enterprise, customer value, marketing research, brand image, customer preferences, buyer risk, customer 
attitude, buying intentions, post-purchase satisfaction 
 
The article’s JEL code: M 
 
1. Conceptual framework 
1.1. The agile enterprise 
During the times of rapid technological changes, extensive globalization and intensive competition, but especially 
during the current financial and economic crisis, perhaps the most critical concern is finding solutions for the quick, 
flexible and consistent adaptation of the enterprise to a business environment marked by frequent, abrupt, extensive 
and  unexpected  opportunities,  events,  and  challenges,  leading  into  unpredictable  directions.  Enhancing  the 
enterprise agility
327 – as sum of flexibility, visibility and consumer responsiveness –, is pursued constantly and in 
all its components. The enterprise’s marketing agility is particularly important as it highlights its ability to manage 
and  even  generate  change,  which  is  viewed  as  an  opportunity.  Thus,  the  agile  enterprise  basically  relay  on 
marketing and innovation, an iterative and incremental development, which means to continually explore new 
opportunities and exploiting the marketplace with new solutions. 
The agile enterprise relies on its ability to rapidly evaluate feedback, and also new information, followed by taking 
decisions almost in real time. The agile organization of the enterprise effectively means that it operates according to 
the “just-in-time” principle. For this purpose, the enterprise constantly builds and upgrades its IT architecture so 
that it is able at any moment to handle the complex data flows that must be retrieved, processed, analyzed and 
interpreted to ensure rapid, effective and efficient decision-making. 
There is a further point to note here: agility must not be understood as navigation without a compass, as just a series 
of  responses  to  the  opportunities  and/or  threats  in  the  environment,  but  rather  as  the  complex  process  of 
assessment, planning and monitoring the enterprise’s resources  and capabilities
328 that deliver customer value, to a 
higher level than the competition, and therefore guarantee sustainable competitive advantage and stability on the 
market. 
1.2. Customer value  – a benchmark  guiding the agile enterprise’s market responses 
The concept of „customer value” assesses the benefits obtained through the consumption of the product (utility of 
the offering for the customer), on the one hand, with the costs incurred in order to acquire and consume/use it 
(customer costs), on the other hand. The cornerstone in understanding the chances of the enterprise to generate the 
success of its offer on the market is the value that it is able to propose to the client. Value is created by meeting a 
customer need, solving a problem, helping him to achieve a goal, in a word, by delivering a certain benefit to the 
customer. 
Customer value = Customer utility – Customer costs 
 
The product’s utility for the customer derives from the benefits of the proposed products in relation to the intensity 
of the customer’s needs. This will result into what the customer estimates to be the fair price for the functional and 
emotional benefits provided by consuming / using the product. For example, the utility of a textile clothing product 
may derive from the possibility to modulate its components in order to extend the occasions of use or to match it 
with necessary accessories to keep up to date with fashion trends. Utility may also stem from the feelings of pride, 
satisfaction and self-confidence that the product generates in the owner.  
The product’s cost for the customer consists in the total expenses involved, which the customer expects to incur in 
order to enjoy the stated benefits. They include, in addition to the actual purchasing price for the product, a whole 
                                                       
327 Nirmal Pal, Daniel Pantaleo (Eds.) (2005), The Agile Enterprise: Reinventing your Organization for Success in an On-Demand World, 
Springer,  Berlin;  Ori  Brafman,  Rod  A.  Beckstrom  (2006),  The  Starfish  And  The  Spider:  The  Unstoppable  Power  of  Leaderless 
Organizations, Penguin Books, London. 
328  Cohn,  Micheal  (2005),  Agile  Estimating  and  Planning,  Prentice  Hall  PTR,  New  York;  Krebs,  Jochen  (2008),  Agile  Portfolio 
Management, Microsoft Press. 601 
series  of  other  potential  expenses  related  to  transport,  installation,  operation,  insurance,  storage,  maintenance, 
servicing, dismantling, disposal, etc., in addition to possible waste of time, frustration, anxiety, and others. For 
example, to the perceived cost of purchasing a textile clothing product, the customer will add expenses for potential 
waist adjustments or for purchasing matching accessories, etc. Some costs may be anticipated by the buyer/user, 
yet others are not generally expected or desired (wasted time, stress, etc). 
It emerges therefore that the agile enterprise will seek to respond rapidly and gain competitive market advantage 
either  by  delivering  superior  benefits  to  those  proposed  by  competitive  products  or  by  providing  comparable 
benefits at a lower cost for the customer. In either of the two types of response, the enterprise’s effort will focus on 
delivering on the market the type of product that will provide target consumers with a level of value that they will 
perceive as being superior to the competition’s offe
329r. 
The agile enterprise creates value when it rapidly transforms the various inputs into commercially viable products. 
All along this complex course, marketing is involved in: 
 
1. designing value – identifying the market opportunities and configuring the product in such a way as it is as 
compatible  with  the  needs,  desires,  and  preferences  of  target  customers  and  provides  sustainable  competitive 
advantages, in brief, being attractive for the market; 
2. communicating value – the science and art of informing the market about all the aspects of the proposed offering, 
so as to aid the customers in making the most favorable buying decision; 
3. delivering value – that is the whole system of distribution activities, through which the consumer accesses the 
product/service in the most convenient way. 
 
Highlighting the indicator „customer value” involves market measurements related to the customers’ perception of 
the level of value – data generated through marketing research – and comparisons with the equivalent values of 
competitive offers (benchmarking). 
 
 
2. Indicators of consumer behavior surveyed 
The indicators proposed to be tracked in order to identify the solutions to enhance the organization’s agility will be 
(Table 1):  
 
  - brand image (I1),  
  - the customers’ perceived risk (I2),  
  - the customer’s attitude towards the proposed product (I3),  
  - the buying intentions (I4), and  
  - the level of post-purchase satisfaction (I5).  
 
Marketing research will provide such information. 
 
Tab. 1. Consumer behavior indicators monitored to enhance the organization’s agility 
 
Indicator  
 
 
Explanation 
 
Type of influence 
 
Measuring method 
 
[I1]  
Brand image 
 
The enterprise gains agility when 
it is able to rapidly create a strong 
favorable  perception  of  its 
brand/brands among customers. 
 
Direct  correlation:  enhanced 
agility  due  to  better 
product/brand image. 
 
 
-  quantitative 
research 
-  numerical 
evaluation scales 
 
[I2] 
Buyer  perceived 
risk  
 
 
 
The  enterprise  acquires  agility 
when it is able to rapidly create a 
strong favorable perception of the 
limited buyer risk involved by the 
proposed product/brand. 
 
 
Indirect correlation: 
enhanced  agility  due  to  the 
more favorable perception of 
a  lower  risk  involved  in 
buying  the  company’s 
products/brands  (consumer 
protection  against  the 
purchasing risk). 
 
-  quantitative 
research 
-  verbal  evaluation 
scales 
 
[I3]  
Attitudes  towards 
the product/brand 
 
The enterprise gains agility when 
it  is  able  to  rapidly  create  a 
favorable  attitude  towards  its 
offering  and  its  approach  to  the 
market, etc. among its customers. 
 
Direct correlation: higher 
agility due to a more positive 
attitude towards the 
company’s product/service. 
 
 
-  quantitative 
research 
- attitude scales 
 
[I4]  
Buying intentions 
 
The enterprise gains agility when 
it is able to create a more defined 
buying  intention  among  its 
customers. 
 
Direct  correlation:  enhanced 
agility  due  to  a  more 
favorable  rating  of  the 
intention  to  buy  the 
enterprise’s products/brands. 
 
-  quantitative 
research 
-  numerical 
evaluation scales 
 
[I5]  
 
The enterprise gains agility when 
 
Direct  correlation:  enhanced 
 
-  quantitative 
                                                       
329 William C. Johnson, Art Weinstein (2004), Superior Customer Value in the New Economy: Concepts and Cases, 2nd Edition, CRC, 
Danvers, MA; Peter Duchessi (2004), Crafting Customer Value: The Art and Science, Purdue University Press, Ashland, OH. 602 
Post-purchase  
satisfaction  
it is able to rapidly create a higher 
level of customer satisfaction.  
agility due to a higher post-
purchase satisfaction. 
research 
-  numerical 
evaluation scales 
 
2.1. The customers’ perception toward the brand (brand image) – Indicator [I1] 
The overall vision or position of brand in the mind of the consumer defines the brand image
330. The enterprise 
gains agility when it manages to rapidely create a strong and favorable perception towards its brand/brands among 
customers. In order to link the brand image more expressively to the company’s agility, the “consumer brand 
preference” will be suggested for monitoring. The indicator will be tracked both in relation to the enterprise’s own 
brand and to those of its competitors. 
 
 
Please mark on the scale below the level of your preference for the brand ……………………………. 
 
My preference is                                                                                                                         My preference is 
minimal                           –5...  –4 ...  –3 ...  –2 ...  –1 ...  0 ...  +1 ...  +2 ...  +3 ...  +4 ...  +5      maximal 
 
Fig. 1. Measuring customer preferences toward product category / brand 
 
In terms of influence, there is a direct relation, i.e. enhanced agility due to a more positive image for both product 
category and brand. Measuring method: in general, quantitative research – market survey based on a sample of 
consumers and a questionnaire with a numerical scale for preference evaluation; the method of administering the 
questionnaire will be selected on a case-by-case basis. Figure 1 presents the potential configuration of the survey 
sequence.  
 
2.2. The customers’ perception of purchasing risk – Indicator [I2] 
Perceived risk means the uncertainty that consumers face when they cannot foresee the consequences of their 
purchase decisions
331. The enterprise gains agility when it is able to rapidly create a strong and favorable perception 
of the limited buyer risk carried by the proposed product/brand. 
 
 
Please mark on the scale below the corresponding level of your view of the risk involved in using the brand ……. 
 
I believe that the risk is                                                                                                         I believe that the risk 
the highest                           –5... –4 ... –3 ... –2 ... –1 ... 0 ... +1 ... +2 ... +3 ... +4 ... +5      is the lowest 
 
Fig. 2. Measuring customers' perceived risk  
 
The type of influence is an indirect correlation, i.e. enhanced agility due to a more favorable perception of a lower 
buyer risk in purchasing the enterprise’s products/brands (consumer safeguard against the purchasing risk). The 
measuring method will be, in general, a quantitative research – market survey using a sample of consumers and a 
questionnaire with a numerical scale of evaluation; method of administering the questionnaire – it is selected on a 
case-by-case basis. Figure 2 presents the potential configuration of the survey sequence. 
 
2.3. The customers’ attitude towards the enterprise’s offering – Indicator [I3] 
Attitudes are learned predispositions to respond to an object or class of objects in a consistently favorable or 
unfavorable way, which can be used to predict consumer behavior
332. The enterprise gains agility when it is able to 
rapidely create a favorable attitude towards its overall offering or just a specific product/brand.  
 
 
For my own needs and preferences I find the product ............................., brand  .........................  to be: 
   
                                                                                                                                                              
      Totally useless                    Useless                          Neither /nor                   Useful                    Very useful 
 
Fig. 3. Measuring customers' attitude towards the utility of  product … / brand .... 
 
The type of influence is a direct correlation, i.e. increased agility owing to a more positive attitude towards the 
enterprise’s offering. The measuring method will be, most likely, a quantitative research – market survey using a 
sample and a scale questionnaire to evaluate attitudes; the method of administering the questionnaire is to be 
selected on a case-by-case basis. Figure 3 presents a potential formulation of the corresponding survey sequence. 
 
2.4. Buying intentions – Indicator [I4] 
Intention is the behavioral component of attitude, and it describes attitudes not toward a brand, but toward brand 
purchase
333.  This  way,  it  is  a  far  better  predictor  of  behavior  than  either  beliefs  or  affective  responses.  The 
enterprise gains agility when it is able to rapidely generate more definite buying intentions among its customers.  
                                                       
330 Jay Lindquist, Joe Sirgy (2005), Shopper, Buyer, and Consumer Behavior, 3rd Edition, Atomic Dog Publishing, Mason, Ohio. 
331 Leon Schiffman, Leslie Kanuk (2006), Consumer Behavior, 9th Edition, Prentice Hall. 
332 Banwari Mittal (2008), Consumer Behavior: How Humans Think, Feel and Act in the Marketplace, Open Mentis, Cincinnati, OH. 603 
 
 
If product .......................... were available on the market, for the price ................................... : 
                                                                                                                                                   
    I will definitely          I will probably                    Neither/nor                  I will probably               I will definitely 
         not buy it                   not buy it                                                                     buy it                           buy it 
 
Fig. 4. Measuring buying intention for product ........ brand ................ 
 
The type of influence is a direct correlation, i.e. enhanced agility due to a better rating of the intention to buy the 
enterprise’s products/brands. The measuring method will be, in general, a quantitative research – market survey 
using a sample of consumers and a questionnaire with a  evaluation sacle for buying intentions; the method of 
administering the questionnaire is to be selected on a case-by-case basis. Figure 4 suggests a potential design of the 
corresponding survey sequence. 
 
2.5. Post-purchase satisfaction – Indicator [I5] 
 
Positive  evaluation  after  purchase  leads  to  satisfaction,  while  negative  evaluation  after  purchase  leads  to 
dissatisfaction
334. The enterprise gains agility when it is able to rapidely deliver higher customer satisfaction.  
The type of influence is a direct correlation , i.e. enhanced agility due to the increased level of post-purchase 
satisfaction. The measuring method will be a quantitative research – market survey using a sample of consumers 
and a Likert-scale question; the method of administering the questionnaire is to be selected on a case-by-case basis. 
Figure 5 suggests the potential questionnaire sequence. 
 
 
Following consumption (use), are you satisfied with product ...........................................................  
[using the scale below, please rate your agreement / disagreement with the statement above] 
                                                                                                                                                
    I absolutely disagree            I disagree               Neither / nor                        I agree                    I absolutely agree 
 
Fig. 5. Measuring customer satisfaction for product …….. brand …….  
 
The proposed model of consumer behavior indicators involved in managing the enterprise agility will be validate 
by further investigations. 
 
References 
1. Cohn, Micheal (2005), Agile Estimating and Planning, Prentice Hall PTR, New York; Krebs, Jochen (2008), 
Agile Portfolio Management, Microsoft Press. 
2. Johnson, William C., Art Weinstein (2004), Superior Customer Value in the New Economy: Concepts and 
Cases, 2nd Edition, CRC, Danvers, MA; Peter Duchessi (2004), Crafting Customer Value: The Art and Science, 
Purdue University Press, Ashland, OH. 
3. Lindquist, Jay, Joe Sirgy (2005), Shopper, Buyer, and Consumer Behavior, 3rd Edition, Atomic Dog Publishing, 
Mason, Ohio. 
4. Mittal, Banwari (2008), Consumer Behavior: How Humans Think, Feel and Act in the Marketplace, Open 
Mentis, Cincinnati, OH. 
5. Pal, Nirmal, Daniel Pantaleo (Eds.) (2005), The Agile Enterprise: Reinventing your Organization for Success in 
an On-Demand World, Springer, Berlin; Ori Brafman, Rod A. Beckstrom (2006), The Starfish And The Spider: 
The Unstoppable Power of Leaderless Organizations, Penguin Books, London. 
6. Schiffman, Leon, Leslie Kanuk (2006), Consumer Behavior, 9th Edition, Prentice Hall. 
7. Solomon, Michael (2008), Consumer Behavior, 8th Edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 
   
                                                                                                                                                                                          
333 Michael Solomon (2008), Consumer Behavior, 8th Edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River, New Jersey. 
334 Wayne D. Hoyer, Deborah J. MacInnis (2006), Consumer Behavior, 4th Edition, South-Western College Pub., Boston, Massachusetts. 

Agile Estimating and Planning,

Consumer Behavior, 8th Edition, Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle River,

Consumer Behavior: How Humans Think, Feel and Act in the Marketplace, Open Mentis,

Joe Sirgy

Leslie Kanuk

Superior Customer Value in the New Economy: Concepts and Cases, 2nd Edition,

The Agile Enterprise: Reinventing your Organization for Success in an On-Demand

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND ENTERPRISE AGILITY – A MODEL OF THE SURVEYED INDICATORS

http://steconomice.uoradea.ro/anale/volume/2009/v4-management-and-marketing/114.pdf

CONSUMER BEHAVIOR AND ENTERPRISE AGILITY – A MODEL OF THE SURVEYED INDICATORS

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