General Project Information

Project Title Project Code Acronym Summary Consumer Behaviour Erasmus Network 156089-LLP-1-2009-1-ES-ERASMUS-ENW COBEREN
The knowledge of consumer behaviour is of great relevance from the economic and civic point of view. There must be a pool of knowledge in consumer behaviour that allows the firms and other associations and public organisms to take appropriate decisions regarding the market. Currently this knowledge is neither organized nor clearly disseminated. When dealing with cross-cultural consumer behaviour the issue is even more complicated, as there is not a general framework for consumer behaviour analysis, which prevents the comparison of local studies because of different methodologies. Thus, when some data about consumer behaviour is needed, there are contradictions and a lack of a general pool of knowledge that allows us to have a general view of the market something which is vital for economic decisions. Moreover a key point in this discipline is the analyses of the CULTURAL BASE of such similarities and differences of consumer behaviour in the different countries. Thus, there are not currently studies related to culture which: - involve a representative sample, - come up to as many countries as 31, - and are regularly updated. The reasons for this network are: 1. The development of a measure (as a reference in the discipline) to analyze culture, given the critics the measures applied have received. 2. Moreover this measure will be applied in 31 countries, generating a pool of updated data on culture which is priceless for the academic and business worlds. 3. Furthermore this cultural description will be analyzed with reference to the different consumer behaviours showed in each country, a complete framework essential to update teaching material, improve research and to take and implement economic and social decisions in the business and civic world. In this project the efforts of two smaller networks are summarized: International Network on Consumer Behaviour Studies and CIRCLE. The products will be: - A data base where the data collected will be made accessible to all higher education and public organisms through a password sent once an online form has been completed. - A CD providing a profile of culture in the different countries - A book summarizing the results of the European Consumer Behavior Analysis - A particular conference organized by COBEREN - Seminars with students where to disseminate such knowledge also organized by COBEREN - A workshop with business owners where to disseminate and try to develop specific future actions - A website to disseminate this knowledge and as a way to contact the network for possible help or requests. In the field of consumer behaviour, culture, and the linkage among both, it is necessary: a deep REVISION of the state of the situation, the development of an UPDATED, HOMOGENEOUS AND RIGOROUS MEASURE (considering the new context of Europe and cross-cultural analysis) to be implemented periodically to provide updated data, and AN UPDATED KNOWLEDGE on consumer behaviour and culture for teaching, research and taking strategic and tactical decisions.
Prepared by: Research & Innovation Office EU-08/COBEREN-1

This analysis is a key point for: - The academic field: there are very limited studies on cross-cultural consumer behaviour. Moreover, when dealing with culture, there are few studies, none of them updated, and limited. - The educational field: teaching in subjects related to this field will be enriched with this knowledge. - The firms: this information is crucial for taking decisions and trying to expand or surviving in local markets. - The country economy: at this level it is essential to have a perspective of the situation of each country. It is the purpose of this network to finish developing an INSTITUTE OF CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR STUDY where all this knowledge can be gathered and disseminated to the different interested agents: academics, students, professionals and society.

Funding
Funding Agency Framework Programme Action European Commission Life Long Learning Programme Erasmus

Internal Coordination
Project Submitted Under Role in Project Partner Research Coordinator (PRC) Department & School Contact Details University of Nicosia Partner Dr. Ruediger Hans Kaufmann Management and MIS, School of Business Tel: 00357 22 841643 Fax: E-mail: kaufmann.r@unic.ac.cy

External Coordination
Host Organisation Project Coordinator (PC) Contact Details UNIVERSIDAD DE LEON Dr. Carmen Rodriquez Santos Tel: 0034 987 291 646 Fax: 0034 987 291693 E-mail:
carmen.santos@unileon.es

Partners
Partner No. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 Organisation University of Leon University of Valencia University of Savoie Ca Foscari University of Venice University of Pisa University of Pavia University of Hannover Georg-August Universitat Gottingen University of Vaasa University of Nicosia University College West Flanders Country Spain Spain France Italy Italy Italy Germany Germany Finland Cyprus Belgium Contact Person Contact Details

Prepared by: Research & Innovation Office

EU-08/COBEREN-2

12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29

Universiteit Antwerpen American University Mendel University Agriculture and Forestry University of Aarhus Athens University of Economics & Business University of Macedonia Dublich City University Latvia Agricultural University University of Siauliai Convinus University Budapest University of Malta HU University of Applied Sciences Vienna University Economics and business University of Szczecin The Polytechnic institute of Viseu Stephan cel Mare University of Sucevana University of Ljubljana Matex Bel University

Belgium Bulgaria Czech Republic Denmark Greece Greece Ireland Latvia Lithuania Hungary Malta Netherlands Austria Poland Portugal Romania Slovenia Slovakia

Schedule
Year Awarded Duration (in months) Start Date Expected End Date

2009

36

Budget
% Euro

Funding Agency Contribution Total Project Budget

71

594,048 836,687

Dissemination
Funding Website Project Website http://eacea.ec.europa.eu/llp/results_projects/documents/erasmus_compendium_2009_en.pdf http://ec.europa.eu/education/lifelong-learning-programme/doc78_en.htm http://coberen.eu/

This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This communication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Prepared by: Research & Innovation Office

EU-08/COBEREN-3