Suzana Salai Marketing Research in the Ružica Kovač Žnideršić Contemporary Consumer

Environment

Summary Article Info: The modern era of information technology has seen a process of shift from traditional Management Information Systems, marketing communication to personal communication, i.e. “listening in on” the Vol. 6 (2011), No. 4, opinions, wishes and preferences of individual customers expressed by customers in pp. 015-022 their online communication through various social networks, as well as using

Received 18 May 2011 questionnaires and online panels, and this trend is bound to rise in the future. Rather Accepted 4 July 2011 than creating products, customers are being created. What companies should realise is that their task and objective is not production of products, but consumption by UDC 658.8.012.12 ; 659.113.25 consumers. The importance of relationships and stakeholders is becoming the priority. The basis of any well-devised marketing orientation lies in solid customer relationships, and the pillar of modern marketing philosophy is customer understanding, which is a step further from the widespread concept of customer knowledge. It can be argued that lifestyles figure as a sort of portraits of personalities and their interactions with the given environment. It is the individuals in a particular environment that create values, beliefs, customs and rituals forming and influencing people’s behaviour and their lifestyles. Consumer culture is a response to these behaviour patterns, a social phenomenon present in the environment comprising multiple frameworks of human behaviour, where consumers’ aims, wishes and needs are formed, as well as acceptable tools for attaining customers’ goals.

Keywords

social networks, individual consumer, personalisation, lifestyle

1. Introduction various media. However, the most recent research results (different from one source to another) share Over the past fifty years, we have witnessed and the findings that the past year has seen a dramatic experienced a succession of rapid changes in IT extension in the length of time spent on the development, with a marked impact on consumers’ Internet. This trend is also present in Serbia, as lives. This period has seen not only changes in confirmed by a large body of research. consumers’ lives; all the segments of the world are Such conditions inevitably lead to the being changed – from information availability, emergence of changes in both business philosophy social networks, simplified and accelerated and companies’ business operations, notably communication (with individuals known or marketing, for some of the markets are becoming unknown, regardless of spatial distance, i.e. their increasingly sophisticated, and even faster than the geographical location), online shopping, down to global business operations. Sophisticated companies themselves. The marketing research computers and communication through the dealt with in this article has seen the emergence of, Internet and mobile telephony are becoming an and future increase in the shift from traditional integral part of people’s lives from infancy to face-to-face and telephone communication to advanced age. Whenever a novelty appears, it is “listening in on” the opinions, wishes and certain to raise a dilemma and differing views on preferences of individual customers expressed by whether such development has brought on positive customers in their online communication through or negative effects for consumers. Opinions are various social networks, as well as using highly differentiated, depending on various questionnaires and online panels. Rather than segments, individual experiences and consumer creating products, customers are being created. expectations. It is often pointed out nowadays that What companies should realise is that their task an increasing number of customers use the Internet and objective is not production of products, but over increasingly long periods, even exceeding the consumption by consumers. The importance of length of time spent in front the TV set, which, relationships and stakeholders, i.e. interest groups until recently, used to be the dominant medium, is becoming the priority. Business operations are with an unchallenged leading role in attracting thus shifted from efficiency towards effectiveness. consumers’ attention among the multitude of Suzana Salai, Ružica Kovač Žnideršić

(Beauchamp, Bowie, & Arnold, 2009; Krkač, 2007; out that there is a single valid definition of business Salai & Božidarević, 2009; Salai & Grubor, 2011) activities: the purpose of business is The aim of this article is to look into changes in to create a customer. This means that a well- marketing research enabled by new technologies, in conceived marketing strategy can influence the light of changes occurring among consumers. consumers and their behaviour, on one condition: Apparently, it is truly worth considering whether it must have a clear (inner and outer) picture of its technology has changed consumers, or the consumer before its eyes. What will be offered and consumers have been demanding, i.e. pulling at what price, through which distribution channels changes (pull-push strategy) in their environment. it will be distributed and how communication will flow will depend on the targeted consumer 2. The Contemporary Consumer in the segment, and, within it, the individuals, their motives and desires, and of course, other Changed Environment determinants that are the accompanying and The contemporary dynamic environment important milestones in the decision-making determines the consumers’ position in the process. This brings us to the conclusion that the qualitative and quantitative dimensions of life. The consumers’ decision-making process is of greater current world of consumers and consumption is interest for producers and trade than for the shaped by the impact of two basic factors: consumers themselves. globalisation and localisation. Globalisation is a As stated above, the modern environment and continuous process and, we can freely say the changes occurring in it tend to change nowadays, an axiom of business operations in consumers’ behaviour patterns, habits, beliefs and which the limiting impact of geographic factors on needs. Consumers are complex beings, and social and cultural links, relations and actions has therefore their behaviour is stimulated and been marginalised. As a phenomenon, localisation motivated by a whole spectrum of determinants. attempts to revive and preserve local values and Changes occurring in the environment encompass local culture in response to the relentless wave of all the levels of society, thereby forming completely globalisation. Intensive interconnectedness, tight independent and different behaviours in satisfying bonds and interdependence of globalisation and consumers’ needs and wishes. Consumer study localisation are the features of the contemporary provides insight into how and in which way these environment, where consumer seek select, buy, use needs are met, i.e. provides insight into the and assess products and services of various individuals’ “total” existence, which is the producers, forming, maintaining or changing their reflection of a given environment. opinions, attitudes and behaviour in general. A detailed identification of determinants The changing environment has induced the influencing and determining the position of emergence of a new marketing philosophy – a individual consumers in the environment, as well as philosophy advocating developing customer identifying a whole range of individual behaviour relationships, where interactions between patterns – from inclinations, abilities and affinities companies and buyers are the key response to to their complete personalities – is highly complex, changes that have happened or are about to in addition to a large number of factors reacting happen. The basis of any well-devised marketing interactively, influencing one another and, finally, orientation lies in solid customer relationships, and consumer behaviour. The act of making a purchase the pillar of modern marketing philosophy is decision is a multidimensional and multidisciplinary customer understanding, which is a step further process, given the fact that the consumer, as a from the widespread concept of customer knowledge. dynamic and complex person, lives in very Several fundamental goals form the basis for different ways. The knowledge of the determinants studying consumer behaviour in the modern and processes of the contemporary environment environment. The first is understanding and affecting consumer behaviour can serve as a basis subsequent prediction of consumer behaviour; the for channelling this behaviour from the aspect of second is adopting legislative policies aimed at the whole society (asocial behaviour), but it can consumer protection in the environment, and the also serve as stimulus for socially beneficial last one is detecting the causal relation which raises behaviour and product consumption (organic the essential issue, which is informing and products, recycled products, environmental educating consumers. Drucker defined such activism etc), providing conditions for consumer complex activity in a very simplified way, pointing

Management Information Systems 16 Vol. 6, 4/2011, pp. 015-022 Marketing Research in the Contemporary Consumer Environment protection in conditions of unacceptable behaviour behaviours from the list of offered values. “Values forms and social influences. are individuals’ deep judgements. Cultural values Apparently, how companies establish the are not a static but a dynamic element of a society’s relationship between their products and services on culture, formed and exchanged through social the one side and the corresponding consumer interaction. Changes in cultural values can create lifestyle of a given environment on the other new marketing opportunities and are usually depends on how the needs are met. In particular, manifested as changes in consumer behaviour.” different lifestyles present interesting challenges for (Kesić as cited in Kovač Žnideršić & Marić, 2007, companies, that is, aspects of lifestyles reflecting pp. 10-11) how consumers individualise and identify The modern environment is highly dynamic and themselves in various spheres of life, starting from thus determines consumers’ positions in all membership in certain groups, down to broader dimensions of life, giving rise to continuous areas conditioning diversity and, in general, research into contemporary consumers, i.e. their opportunities for consumption. It can be argued needs and preferences. The range of tastes and that lifestyles are some kind of portrait of a person, preferences is expanding, and the list of sought, and his or her interaction with the given desired, or, better to say, demanded products is environment. becoming increasing long and complex. Through Each individual learns new roles during their social adjustment and social limitation, social lifetime, changing their status positions, adopting environment influences consumer behaviour by new attitudes, prejudices or interests, and adapting way of group norms and group via various their experiences to the newly-arisen situations in avenues. Values channel consumer behaviour in the environment. Consequently, individuals the process of purchasing products and services; themselves are not passive observers merely they refer to objects, objectives ideas and receiving influences through the socialisation behaviours in general. In other words, values are process; they influence changes with their individual judgements, and are exchanged through behaviour, but on the other hand, they conform to social interaction depending on interests. Changes the demands of the environment they belong to. A in values can and do make changes in marketing large number of individuals view things as they are activities, and they can also create new marketing and ask the question “Why?”, whereas some of opportunities. Consumer behaviour is modified them view things as they should be and ask the from early childhood and adapted to the demands question “Why not?”. It is the individuals in a of the changing environment. The processes of given environment that create values, beliefs, observation, specific behaviours and evaluation customs ad rituals forming and influencing lead individuals to accumulate knowledge and people’s behaviour and lifestyle. Consumer culture experience used for performing certain roles is the response to these behaviour patterns – a assigned in the given social environment. An social phenomenon characteristic of an individual changes attitudes and opinions, and, at environment which comprises multiple the same time, adopts values and beliefs of a frameworks of human behaviour forming particular group, i.e. environment. It is the consumers’ objectives, wishes and needs, as well as environment and functioning of particular groups acceptable means of achieving consumer within it that offers the individual various types of objectives. lifestyle, and consequently, a wide range of An interesting approach is one pointing out that convictions, orientation and behavioural motives. culture is conditioned by traditional frameworks The existing social references determine the circle and contemporary changes forming certain of frameworks, models and benchmarks for behaviours and pointing to culture’s causal comparing and assessing one's own behaviour, i.e. relationships. It is a fact that culture is what points compliance with groups, changing the individual’s to total acquired beliefs and values of a society; it is established behaviour patterns, habits, views and the basis of the socialisation process and needs. individuals in a given environment. The adaptability of culture to its environment is 3. Consumer Infrastructure in Serbia obvious, as this segment offers the opportunity for The contemporary information technology new challenges emerging before an individual. It is influences the specific features of consumer the individual that adopts certain forms of behaviour, contributing and enabling maximal manifestation, i.e. objects, objectives, ideas and customisation of not only consumers, but also

Management Information Systems Vol. 6, 4/2011, pp. 015-022 17 Suzana Salai, Ružica Kovač Žnideršić

products, services and ideas. Access to an . Among the young population (aged 12 to 29), enormous amount of information enables the “heavy” users (68%) use the Internet daily, marketers to offer more products and services than and have access to the Web at home; the “light” ever before; exchange between marketers and users account for 22% of the total number use consumers is becoming increasingly interactive, the Internet occasionally, while as little as 9% and this interactiveness is becoming the axiom of never use the Internet; contemporary marketing business. In the . About one-third of the citizen of Serbia, mostly contemporary environment, consumers have younger urban men with higher education have greater power than ever, but one must raise the access to the Internet at school, on campus, or issue of essence of the degree of their rationality or at work; irrationality. Where does the digital revolution lead, . About 90% of Internet users (of the above whom does it help, and is it really the tool and mentioned 52% of total population) browse, power given to the consumer, or is the greatest surf, acquire information, read news (77%), use part still left to marketers and companies? e-mail (71%) download music or other contents The actuality of adopting new technologies (62%); results in a lot of research into their distribution . It is of importance for marketing research that and implementation. New results appear daily, 57% of Internet users (of the above mentioned pointing to a very dynamic adoption of new 52% of the total target audience) use the technologies, especially the Internet and mobile Internet for participating in social networks, telephony. Among all of these studies, this article is chat rooms, Internet forums and blogs; based on the research whose results are presented . It is obvious from the times of Internet visits, below. When these are announced, they will already which are the most frequent between 5 p.m. be outdated, in view of the fact that new ones have and midnight, with a peak between 8 p.m. and appeared. However, this information points to a 10 p.m., that the core visitors are young users; trend of further, broader and deeper acceptance by . Among the social networks, the majority of the consumers. young generation who grew up with digital A general conclusion drawn from quantitative technologies use Facebook, while the use of information is that, due to the increase in computer other social networks is negligible; literacy, the number of computers and Internet . 52% of all users, and 76% of the young connections, the number of Internet users is population aged 12 to 29 who grew up with growing from year to year. The supporting digital technologies are active on Facebook; indicators (TABO, 2011, pp. 56-69) show that: . In large urban environments, even spouses . Over half of the population (52%) use the increasingly communicate through modern Internet, with access from home (51%), and technology (SMS messages, e-mails or through two-thirds of young population aged 12-29 have Facebook); virtual communication is a connection at home; increasingly replacing face-to-face . communication. Out of the total population, a little over one- third use the Interned daily, while a half never Based on the information above, the Internet use it; user profile in Serbia would be as follows: . About 10% of Internet users (of the above mentioned 52% of total population) have . Male (59% men of the total population are shopped online; their profile is characterised by Internet users); greater purchasing power and they belong to . 91% accounts for young population (aged 12 to the user segment aged 30 to 44; 29) who grew up with digital technology; . The use of the Internet stands in high . 74% have university degrees; and . 65% live in Belgrade. correlation with age: out of the total number of users, 44% are aged over 45; 70% are aged 30 Two types are identifiable when defining typical to 44, and 91% of the total number of users are Internet users: young population aged 12-29; . One can speak of the young population who . “Internet addicts”: mostly men, doing nothing, grew up with digital technology, accounting for without social life, because their socialisation is 26% of the total population of Serbia, aged limited to the Internet, neglecting their between 12 and 29; appearance, spending all their time in front of the computer:

Management Information Systems 18 Vol. 6, 4/2011, pp. 015-022 Marketing Research in the Contemporary Consumer Environment

. “Average young people”: working or studying, 4. The Social Environment of Young using the Internet and social network, but People in Serbia socialising in other ways as well. Research conducted among second- and third-year The use of social networks, especially Facebook students of undergraduate studies at the Faculty of (FB) is of special importance for marketing Economics in Subotica and Novi Sad in April 2011 research. In Serbia, Facebook, as the most popular on a sample of 336 respondents (52% females and and most visited socialisation website, is a synonym 48% males) have produced the following results for social network. FB applications include contributing to the confirmation of the above activities like commenting on real-life events, mention results. The key conclusions are that: games, groups, fan pages, exchanging photographs, etc. In the range of marketing communication . Two-thirds of those communicating through forms, a new concept of viral marketing has social networks have used Facebook over a emerged, which could be regarded as follow-up of longer time period (over 4 years), while a word-of-mouth marketing, stemming from the negligible number use other social networks, development of modern information technologies. such as Skype, MSN, Twitter or Myspace; In word-of-mouth advertising, the number of . One-third (35%) of the respondents do not use persons spreading the messages amounts to about social networks at all; ten, and the persons who receive this message . In most cases (63%), the respondents use social spread positive information afterwards, when they networks daily; 26% of them use them 2-3 have tried out the product. If product or service times a week, while 11% use them only seldom; satisfaction is positive, the time of forwarding . Most young people use social networks at home positive information is relatively long, which is the (61)%; others use them on campus, (16%), greatest shortcoming of this communication form. Internet cafes (15%) or other venues. Unlike the above, viral marketing messages . Communication takes place primarily with spread at an exponential rate. The person receiving friends and relatives, for entertainment, information forwards it quickly, (sometimes obtaining college-related information and immediately) to at least two persons, and usually shopping; more. The key instrument for this rapid . Communication is aimed at gathering information transport is the Internet and its social information on shopping venues and methods; networks. the places where respondents do their shopping More than 1.56 million people in Serbia aged 15 include shopping malls (31%), corner shops and above use Facebook and have 200 friends on (6%) and high street shops (61%), whereas the the average. FB users are daily users, Internet (1.5%) and open-air markets (0.5%) communicating intensively with people from the take up a very small share; purchases are mostly environment, from their past (e.g. childhood planned (72%), and seldom impulse based friends), or unknown persons from geographically (28%); distant areas. . Before doing their shopping, young people Teenagers tend to identify the Internet with gather information through promotional TV Facebook1, where they have between 500 and 800 messages (49%), the Internet (26%), print friends with whom they chat intensively. Young media (11%), radio (9%), and finally through people aged 20 to 25 have fewer friends than the billboards, flyers and catalogues (5%); teenage population, and accept people they have . Young people primarily find humorous, met in person, so that they spend less time on innovative, unagressive, natural and Facebook. Users from the oldest segment have the spontaneous promotional messages appealing, fewest Facebook friends – mostly close persons, and a smaller proportion prefer shocking with whom they spend between 10 and 15 minutes promotional messages. in online contact on this site. . Their expectations and suggestions regarding the promotion of preferred products in the future include social networks (66%), billboards (22%), television (9%) and other (periodicals and flyers). 1 Youtube is not regarded as social network due to absence of communication between its users, but it is used for audio and A large body of research conducted in countries video clips. According to users, other social networks with developed markets on Generation Y finds (Myspace, Twitter etc.) are negligible in terms of use.

Management Information Systems Vol. 6, 4/2011, pp. 015-022 19 Suzana Salai, Ružica Kovač Žnideršić

partial confirmation among the members of the than men. Is this due to information gathering same generation in Serbia. The differences in before making a purchase decision? market behaviour patterns stem from limited In order to at least attempt to answer this purchasing power (which is at a low level despite question, one must bear in mind that 21% Internet the fact that parents tend to indulge their children users always browse the Web before making a beyond their purchasing abilities). This is the purchase decision, 53% do it occasionally, while reason for price being the key determinant of 26% never do it. Whether the search will be done making purchase decisions in Serbia. The through the Internet depends on the price of respondents agree that social value systems are product or service (45%), product group (63%) and disrupted, and express nostalgia for family experience gained during Internet shopping. The shopping trips that they used to perceive as family Internet is used for buying technical products, events. In addition to the fall in the purchasing hospitality services, cars, furniture and household power affecting all social strata except about 10% equipment, preceded by searching through of population, the difference between Generation available information. Purchasing products on the Y, Generation X and baby boomers is manifested Internet without prior browsing and some search in different needs, preferences and shopping for information on the Internet includes real estate, methods. clothing, banking and health services, makeup, Generation Y wants to obtain information by cosmetics, food, drinks, and household chemicals. means of television and social networks, as the As for individual communication, the cheapest and most available information sources. predominant means of communication in Serbia is They prefer and buy products reflecting a the telephone (35% by wire telephony and 24% by communal lifestyle, without building individual mobile telephony). Mature consumers prefer wire value systems. Due to limited purchasing power telephony, while the younger ones prefer SMS and and price consciousness, shopping methods are social networks. Two out of three young persons in oriented mostly to shopping malls and well-known, Serbia list Facebook, forums, blogs and other social highly regarded and prestigious brands, which they network as a relevant information source used consider to be their source of values. For them, when making purchase decisions about products. brands are tools for self-identification and avoiding On the psychological map, the young people’s risk from wrong purchase, but also for establishing evaluation of the image of individual media was special emotional attitudes to the brand. Through researched on the scale intertia-forcefulness, and this, they want to relate to other people using the the scale entertainment-information, and the same brand, and create “value plus”, i.e. a findings are as follows: consumer segment with the same values. It can be . The Internet is the only medium based on concluded that our young people are persons in elements of forcefulness, focus on search for their own identity, and in this sense, they entertainment and information; the young deem behave the way they want to be seen by others. that the image of the Internet comprises the

following elements: contemporaneity, 5. Information Gathering Prior to interactivity and speed; Making Purchase Decisions . The image of television: information and

In gathering daily information in Serbia, the influence; Internet is second to television, and ahead of radio. . The image of radio and periodicals: spontaneity, Young Internet users, however, put it in the first entertainment and friendship; place as their essential information source. It must . The image of dailies: information and seriousness, while billboards are boring. be conceded that, while browsing the internet, they use other media simultaneously – television in the As for promotional messages, their attraction is first place (60%), radio (24%), dailies (8%) and drawn by those that are humorous and periodicals (4%). Viewed across segments, entertaining. television is predominant among the population over the age of 40, while the Internet is the most 6. New Marketing Research important to the younger generation aged 12 to 24. Users in Serbia spend approximately 3 hours a The rapid development of information day on Facebook. The young spend twice as much technologies, computers and Internet time as 40-year-olds. Depending on the Internet, communication, online shopping, social network women tend to spend more time on Facebook and various content downloads have contributed to

Management Information Systems 20 Vol. 6, 4/2011, pp. 015-022 Marketing Research in the Contemporary Consumer Environment changes not only in consumers but also in which is definitely not negligible. Saturation with marketing research communication and methods. face-to-face surveys is increasingly present, and Easy and fast connection between consumers via telephone surveys are taking over due to their the Internet, propensity and spending increasing speed and cost-effectiveness. The use of wire amounts of time in such communication have telephony is also slowly losing importance (less contributed to the fact that exchanging experience than 70% Europeans use wire telephones, and in and communication between individuals in general some countries mobile telephony is present in over is gaining breadth, pace and depth, as shown by the 75% households), with younger consumers using above information. In addition, consumers are mobile telephones only. Accessing this consumer freer and more open when they are anonymous, i.e. segment requires marketing researchers to employ when they are not facing the surveyor, like in the well thought-out approach to requesting and traditional customer survey methods. “Listening in obtaining their opinions and replies. on” individual consumers in such situations This modified marketing research should provides valuable information for customer understand that consumers are no longer understanding. Observing consumers’ opinions, respondents. Consumers are becoming decision feelings, intentions and wishes “dictated” through makers on products and brands. This is something the Internet provides companies and all completely different in relation to earlier approach. stakeholders with valuable information which This is consumer understanding rather than mere simultaneously enable and demonstrate appropriate consumer knowledge. Consumer understanding is ways of understanding and approaching customers. a step forward from consumer knowledge. In order Consumers increasingly do their shopping to understand consumers, it is necessary to online, downloading digital versions of tangible understand their needs, habits, attitudes and products, so that shopping is becoming a matter of thought patters, being always with individual experience, ambience and service. After home and consumers, following how they think, what they work, retail outlets are becoming the third most want and how they live, because consumers very important places in consumers' lives. Modern easily move their hands up or down the technology is becoming a basic need (like food and supermarket isle or shelf, i.e. change their clothing), thus becoming more than luxury or behaviour. pleasure. Consequently, modern technology, In addition to observing consumers and trends particularly the Internet, is gaining importance as in macro- and micro-environment, new marketing consumer environment. research has the task to forecast and predict Traditional consumer research through changes that will happen in consumers, structured and unstructured personal consumption, products, services, as well as in communication, mailed questionnaires and competitors. This is possible when observing telephone surveys are undergoing transformation trends, megatrends and metatrends emerging and due to the use of Internet. Traditional face-to-face dominating in the environment. Admittedly, it is consumer research is shifting towards Internet the task of futurology as well as corporate surveys. Telephone surveys are being replaced by marketing research. Similar to defining previous mobile phone inquiries. What else is different? eras by raw materials such as the Stone, the Bronze Defining the basic set and choosing the sample is and the Iron Age, and then by fields of expansion being shifted to computer owners, computer- such as the Industrial, the Space and the literate consumers, and those who use it Information Age, it is now predicted that human intensively, spending hours in front of the screen potential, as the key development determinant, will and choosing whether they will reply questions or distinguish the forthcoming era as the Mankind simply skip them. Similar to (but not the same as) Age. Transformations caused by technological written communication, there is no “obligation“ to revolution and changes in consumers will also provide information. In this freedom of choice, require changes in the area of business models. The decision and sincerity, there are no awkward paths of change are directed towards defining new situations in which customers must explain why value systems and devising social systems. Experts they have declined to participate in providing deem that the pressure stemming from the information. economic crisis in the first decade of the Panel research, i.e. information panels are millennium can be resolved by accepting talent as shifting towards online panels, and thus marketing the key distinguishing feature of each individual research provides not only speed but cost cutting, employee or human being in general.

Management Information Systems Vol. 6, 4/2011, pp. 015-022 21 Suzana Salai, Ružica Kovač Žnideršić

The “war for talent” will be replaced by the The young people in Serbia have demands “war for talents”. This also applies to new similar to those of all young, sophisticated, urban marketing research. In addition to capital (in and modern consumers. Understanding the capitalism), talent is gaining significance, heralding significance and power of online social the emergence of the Age of Talent, or “talentism”. communities can make an impact on all Talented marketing researchers are becoming dimensions of life and economy. increasingly important, because power will be It can be concluded that our young people are shifted from organisation towards power of persons in search for their own identity, and in this individuals. Liberation of the energy and sense, they behave the way they want to be seen by innovation of the human spirit will contribute to others. Consumers increasingly do their shopping achieving more with less effort. online, downloading digital versions of tangible Marketing research should be channelled products, so that shopping is becoming a matter of towards a new marketing mix instrument, which experience, ambience and service. After home and could be termed as one of the new P’s – work, retail outlets are becoming the third most Personalisation. Based on information gathered by important places in consumers' lives. Modern marketing research, companies can extend 4P’s to technology is becoming a basic need (like food and 5P’s and 7P’s to 8P’s. Companies are thus enabled clothing), thus becoming more than luxury or to offer consumers “unified product and service” pleasure. Consequently, modern technology, based on individual wishes of consumers and particularly the Internet, is gaining importance as prospects. consumer environment.

7. Conclusion

The rising education and information levels, References increasing competition, globalisation and new Beauchamp, L. T., Bowie, E. N., & Arnold, G. D. (2009). Ethical Theory and technologies, particularly the Internet, connect and Business. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. empower consumers, thereby causing a shift of Kovač Žnideršić, R., & Marić, D. (2007). Društvene determinante ponašanja power on the market from producers to final potrošača. Subotica: Faculty of Economics Subotica. consumers. Consumers expect to be preferred as Krkač, K. (2007). Uvod u poslovnu etiku i korporacijsku odgovornost. individuals rather than market segment members. Zagreb: MATE. Salai, S., & Božidarević, D. (2009). Marketing istraživanje. Subotica: Rather than being known as “numbers”, Ekonomski fakultet Subotica. consumers want to be known by their full names. Salai, S., & Grubor, A. (2011). Marketing komunikacije. Subotica: This means that they expect personalisation and Ekonomski fakultet Subotica. adapting the offer to individuals. The traditional TABOO – u i o svetu marketinških komunikacija. (2011). Retrieved March marketing mix is therefore extended from 4P’s and 17, 2011, from TABOO: http://www.taboomagazine.org/upload/documents/ntv/nedeljne_taboo_vesti 7P’s to 5P’s and 8P’s, where personalisation _40.pdf features as the new instrument. Owing to the Internet, the role of consumers is being changed; they are becoming interconnected, more active and demanding in the process of defining the concept of unified value.

Suzana Salai Ružica Kovač Žnideršić University of Novi Sad University of Novi Sad Faculty of Economics Subotica Faculty of Economics Subotica Segedinski put 9-11 Segedinski put 9-11 24000 Subotica 24000 Subotica Serbia Serbia Email: [email protected] Email: [email protected]

Management Information Systems 22 Vol. 6, 4/2011, pp. 015-022