SHAH ABDUL LATIF UNIVERSITY, KHAIRPUR DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

Abstract

Purpose: This study provides a theoretical framework that explores the personality traits that influence new product adoption in rural environment. Five personality traits form part of the framework, namely; consumer innovativeness, dogmatism, social character (inner and other directed), and need for uniqueness. This study will pave a way in understanding the potential behavior of consumers toward adoption of a newly introduced product in a given environment. Following the conceptualization of NPA, a conceptual model was proposed which represents five hypotheses: two hypotheses were supported and three hypotheses were not supported. Methodology: The data was collected from selected (rural) areas of upper Sindh province of Pakistan using convenient sampling procedure; there were 430 respondents in the sample. Five-point Likert scale was adapted for the study, and a pilot test was used to confirm the validity of the scales and the correctness of the datagathering procedure. Following the data gathering and coding, validity and reliability tests were carried out on the entire sample. Keeping in view various constructs of conceptual model, the proposed hypotheses were analyzed using the Structural Equation Modeling (AMOS v.20) to test the impact of the constructs on NPA. Findings and contribution of research: The evidence related to the model suggests that consumer innovativeness and need for uniqueness are the dominant factors (traits) in adopting a new product whereas social character (ID /OD), and dogmatism have no significant impact on new product adoption behavior, it suggests that consumer innovativeness and need for uniqueness traits of consumer personality are dominant factors in adopting a new fashion and clothing product in rural market. Research Limitations: First; the results of this study may not be appropriate for generalizing across the majority of Pakistani consumers, and in a global context. Second; the study is focusing only on fashion and clothing product category; third, only selected personality traits are examined in the study. 2 Implications: By examining the potential behavior of rural consumers, the study facilitates the possibility of consumer behavior research that, in new product adoption decision consumer personality (traits) should have a significant contribution, thus providing a better understanding of influence of their personality traits on new product adoption. KEYWORDS: New product adoption, consumer innovativeness, dogmatism, social character, need for uniqueness, personality, fashion and clothing, and rural consumers.