Exam 13: Products and Services for Consumers

Everett Rogers noted that four crucial elements impact the diffusion of new ideas. What are those elements?

Apple Computer had difficulties when it first entered the Japanese market with its Macintosh computers. Some of the computers were returned unused after customers found the wrapping on the instruction manual damaged. Though this would probably be no big deal in the U.S., it was certainly a cause for concern in quality-conscious Japan. To fix the problem, Apple needed to concentrate on which of the following components of the product component model?

A Korean electronics company had to add detailed instructions regarding the repair and replacement of its product to make it easy for the local consumers to maintain it. Which of the following components of the product is being altered in the given scenario?

Consumers have broad but somewhat vague stereotypes about specific countries and specific product categories that they judge "best." Which of the following would not fit in the "best" stereotype scheme?

A product's _____, refers to the ease with which its benefits can be communicated to the customers.

If a company wished to alter a product's platform so that the product could be manufactured in a variety of forms, to meet local differences in five different foreign markets, the _____ of the product component model would be in consideration.

According to the product component model, the instructions for using the product and the warranty of the product are included under the packaging component.

What are the various factors that influence product adaptation in new markets?

The support services component of the product component model contains such items as repair and maintenance and availability of spare parts.

The European Commission (EC) mandate requires a product to be evaluated on all significant environmental effects throughout its life cycle, from manufacturing to disposal.

The perceived attributes of an innovation is a variable that affects the rate of diffusion of a product.

Though quality is always important in the consumer's mind, in general, do not expect it to be a given.

Which of the following is a physical attribute of a product that is essential for its primary function?

Services such as insurance and dry cleaning are classified as tangible.

One of the three variables, which affect the rate of diffusion of a product, is the product's degree of perceived newness.

Effective advertising and proper positioning of products can help brands to ameliorate a less-than-positive country stereotype.

In some countries, maintenance of automobiles is not the norm. Cars are not repaired until they break down. Since the consumer is automatically angry with the manufacturer when something goes wrong with the car, repair and maintenance has become a concern of the various automobile manufacturers in this market. In which of the following components of the product component model would the management need to make improvements if problems such as the one above are to be solved?

Dr. Mark Townes is a dentist practicing in Denver. During a four-day stretch in March, it snowed so heavily that not a single patient was able to visit him. Since all the appointments were missed, he did not make any money for those four days, even though his normal expenses remained. Which of the following characteristics of services is affecting Dr. Townes' business?

Cultural barriers play a bigger role in services than in merchandise trade.

According to Everett Rogers, what is the element that differentiates diffusion from other types of communications research?