Nicosia and Howard Seth Model

Field One

THE NICOSIA MODEL

Consumer's Attribute Attitude
Sub Field Two

Firms Attribute
Sub Field one

Field Two Experience

Search Evaluation
Field Four

Search for and evaluation of means ends i.e. pre action field

Feed Back

Consumption Storage Action

Purchasing Behavior

Field Three

Act of Purchase

Nicosia Model
Francesco Nicosia", a leading scholar in the field of consumer behaviour, gave this model in 1996. It is very comprehensive model using "Computer Flow- Charting" technique to illustrate element and their relationships. Nicosia model consists of four 'Fields' on which the output of one field becomes the output of other fields. Field one includes the output of a firm's advertised message for a product which the consumer is not familiar. The message from 'Sub field one reaches as input to 'Sub field two'. Field one has two sub-fields namely firms attributes and consumers attributes. The advertisement message from the firm reacts consumers attributes and depending upon the way the message is being received by the consumer, certain attributes may develop up and that becomes the input for field two. It is the field of search and evaluation of the advertised product and other alternatives. Field two is the result of output which may be positive or negative motivation to buy the advertised products which become the output for field three. If the resultant output of field two is +ve motivation to buy a product then it becomes the input for 'Field three' in which motivation may transform the purchase section. In fact 'Field Three' consists of act purchase i.e., decision regarding the actual purchase is taken. 'Field four is storage or usage of the purchased product. The output of the Fourth field is feed-back on product sales to the business firm and on performance of the purchased product which ultimately helps in design its message for the product in future.

Howard Seth Model of Buyers Behaviour

Stimulus Display Inputs
Significative Quality Price Distinctiveness. Service Availability Out puts

Overt Search

Intention

Purchase

Confidence Intention

Stimulus Ambiguity
Symbol Quality Price Distinctiveness. Service Availability

Attitude

Attitude
Brand Comprehension Motives Choice Criteria Brand Comprehension

Social a. Family b.Reference group c. Social class

Attention

Perceptual bias Satisfaction Attention

Howard Seth Model

The "John Howard and Jagdish Sheth Model" gave this model in 1969 which is more comprehensive as compared to "Nicosia Mod and is based on the following assumptions

i) Consumer behaviour is a rational exercise in purchase problem solving. ii) Consumer behaviour is a systematic and a orderly approach caused by inputs i.e., stimuli and the results i.e., output. iii) Satisfaction leads to brand loyalty iv) Dissatisfaction leads to switching to other brands and integrated model. Howard and Seth model based on this theorywhat happens between the receipt of stimuli i.e., input and its action which means buyer behaviour i.e., output. In fact this model indicates that their are four variables that determine buyer's behaviour. Stimulus--Input Variables. These are from social environment and from the marketing programme of the firm like fashion, design, taste and preferences prevailing in the society. Internal Variables. These are concerned with buyer's motives, attitudes, experiences and perception etc. Even the consumer's reference group, profession, and occasion are part of internal variables. Exogenous Variables these are internal state of the buyer's e.g. his social class, culture, financial status and time available with him.

Response-out-Variables. These are based upon interactions between the three above mentioned variables stimulus input variables, Internal variables and Exogenous variables. The model is based on this logic that there are inputs in the form of stimuli. There are output beginning with attention as given in the model and ending with purchase. And in between these input and outputs, there are variables affecting perception and learning and in fact these variables are hypothetical as they cannot be directly measured at the time of occurrence.

Limitations of the Model

1. Consumer behaviour is normally repetitive in nature. 2. Generally consumer tend to stored information in their memory and then tend to establish a routine in their buying decision process. 3. The brand choice in one's purchasing decision is affected by : a. One's set of motives. b. Different alternative choice of products and brands. f c. Decision-MediatorsThey rank-orders the motives and then rank-order the brands for satisfying these motives. Brands are rank-ordered on the basis of learning experience.

d. The distinction between Endogenous and Exogenous variables is not sharp. e. If is seen that some variables are difficult to define operationally and others are difficult to measure. f. There is also wide variations between the theoretical definitions of a variable and its operational specification.