Royal Holloway，University of London
The Impact of Internet on Chinese Young Consumer’s Information Search for Restaurant
Supervisor: Cathy Harbor
1st September 2008
The dissertation is submitted as part of the requirement for the award of the
MSc International Management
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The interactive feature of the Internet provides an effective communicative channel forconsumers to share their experience of selecting products.
In order to understand the impact of internet on Chinese young consumers’ informationsearch for restaurants, this study is designed to investigate the conditions when diningout and internet usage; examine the importance and usage frequency of variousinformation sources of restaurant for Chinese young consumers; analyze the opinionleaders’ online information search for restaurants.
The results of a web-based survey show that Chinese young consumers are active
Internet users and like dining out at various restaurants. Moreover, the results ofperceived importance of various information sources show that some type of onlinerestaurant information sources (i.e. online rating from other consumers has alreadybecome the most important sources for Chinese young consumers. Lastly, the opinionleaders do spend more time and energy searching online information which furtherincreases the influence of internet on Chinese young consumers’ restaurant informationsearch.
KEYWORDS. Internet, experience product, information search, opinion leader
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CONTENTS
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY...............................................................................................................1
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ..............................................................................................................3
1. INTRODUCTION........................................................................................................................4
1.1 BACKGROUND.................................................................................................................... 4
1.2 RESEARCH QUESTION...................................................................................................... 7
1.3 MOTIVATION OF THE STUDY.......................................................................................... 9
1.4 OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE.................................................................................................. 12
1.5 OVERVIEW........................................................................................................................ 12
2. LITERATURE REVIEW............................................................................................................14
2.1 DINNING OUT AT RESTAURANT................................................................................... 14
2.2 INFORMATION SEARCH.................................................................................................. 19 |
