س୯ҥύξεᏢ Ҿ཰ᆅ౛Ꮲ റγፕЎ Department of Business Management National Sun Yat-sen University Doctorate Dissertation - زᆵ᡼ߙϿԃԛЎϯ੃຤ဂКၨࣴ ஷӻ௼ᆶࢬՉॣ኷ଓࢃ௼ϐჴ᛾ Comparison Research of Taiwan Adolescent Subculture Consumer Groups: Empirical Studies of Otaku and Pop Music Fans ғǺࠬ҉ఴزࣴ Yung-Sung Chiang ࡰᏤ௲௤ǺጰᏦঞ റγ Dr. Hsien-Tang Tsai 101 1 ύ๮҇୯ ԃ Д January 2012 II Acknowledgement I am heartily thankful to my advisor, Dr. Hsien-Tang Tsai (蔡憲唐博士). His profound knowledge on and commitment to the highest standard of research inspire me most. I am grateful to the assist, patience and guidance from Dr. Pao-Tiao Chuang (莊寶鵰博士), Dr. Yun-Cheng Huang (黃允成博士), Dr. Iuan-Yuan Lu (盧淵源博士), and Dr. Tsuang Kuo (郭倉義博士), the members of the committee for the dissertation. I am thankful for all professors who ever taught me during the period of the doctoral program. I am also grateful to the assistants in the Department of Business Management at National Sun Yat-sen University, they kindly assisted and encouraged my final efforts on dissertation despite of their enormous work loadings. Finally, this dissertation would not have been possible without my dear family’s supports. Yung-Sung Chiang at National Sun Yat-sen University in January, 2012 III Abstract High accessibility to internet technology and popularization of focus media has given rise to various emerging subcultures among the younger generation who constantly seek novelty and unique lifestyles. The Otaku subculture is one such adolescent subculture, a culture of avid ACG (animation, comic, games) collectors, while pop music fans belong to another youth subculture deeply involved in gathering and tracking the lives and performances of pop music stars. As the adolescent is becoming the most purchasing power consumer group of fashion product, this research aims at comparing the traits of the above two adolescent subcultures and their influences on buying behavior tendencies toward subculture-specific merchandises. This research is also attempting to develop an analytical model through comparison of two studies. The research framework is constructed based on the assumption that the traits of adolescent subcultures influence the subculture-specific consumptions and is examined on two studies of Otaku and pop music fans subcultures respectively. The same investigation methods are applied in two studies. First, the review of prior studies and findings of focus group interview with sample of five representative adolescents were integrated into a tentative model. Then, the questionnaire was developed based on the tentative model and the focus group interview findings, and sample of survey in two studies are 105 and 101 respectively. Survey data were examined by factor analysis and structural equation modeling for the verification of the tentative model, and finally a revised model is developed based on comparison of two studies results. Results show that the personality, values and lifestyle of subculture’s main traits dimensions IV influence their buying behavior, although the Otaku and pop music fans take part in different activities and embrace different personality traits and values. The results also verify a feasible generalized analytical model for measuring the influences of the traits of specific adolescent subcultures on their buying behavior. This research offers some implications for consumer behavior and marketing communication including (1) comprehensive customer investigation is needed to understand what adolescents think and want; (2) providing attractive content and (3) adopting modern media to attract and access adolescent subculture group; (4) marketing communication appeals should match adolescents self-images to get their identification; and (5) providing total subculture solution in integrated marketing programs. Key Words: Adolescent Subculture, Otaku, ACG, Pop Music Fans, Star Chasing, Exploratory Buying Behavior Intentions V 摘要 網路科技與分眾媒體的興起，使得尋求新奇性與特殊生活型態的新世代青少年形成各 種不同的新興次文化。對 ACG(動畫、漫畫與電玩遊戲)產品具有狂熱收藏習性的「御宅族 」就是其中一類青少年次文化，而蒐集流行音樂偶像歌手各種資訊與演出動態且瘋狂參與 各種追星活動的「流行音樂追星族」，則是另一類青少年次文化。鑒於青少年逐漸成為流 行商品最具消費力的族群，本研究目的即在透過二類青少年次文化的實證研究，探討與比 較青少年次文化的族群特質與該特質對次文化特定商品消費行為傾向之影響，並嘗試由二 個研究的比較中建立可一般化的分析模式。 本研究架構建立在「青少年次文化的特徵被視為影響特定次文化商品消費的因素」之 假設基礎上，並透過御宅族與流行音樂追星族二個次文化的研究來驗證此一假設。二個研 究依循同樣的研究程序。首先，參照以往研究與五人的焦點群體訪談結果彙整建構暫時性 模式，並藉以作為設計問卷量表的基礎；然後，再對二種次文化族群分別選取 105 人與 101 人作為問卷訪談對象。問卷訪談資料再透過因素分析、結構方程模式，驗證暫時性的分析 模式，據以提出修正模式，以作為建立一般化的分析模式參考。 研究結果顯示，御宅族與流行音樂追星族各具有不同的人格特質、價值觀、參與不同 的活動，然而二類青少年次文化的實證研究皆證實：青少年次文化的人格特質、價值觀、 生活型態確為影響其特定嗜好商品消費傾向之因素。研究結果證實，本研究提出之衡量青 少年次文化特質對其狂熱的消費行為影響之分析模式具有實際可行性。本研究也提出在消 費者行為與行銷溝通方面的管理意涵，包括：(1)完整的顧客調查對於了解青少年的想法及 其慾望需求是相當必要的；(2)提供具吸引力的行銷內容與(3)採用青少年常用的現代化媒體 來吸引與接觸青少年次文化族群；(4)行銷溝通訴求應強調呼應青少年的自我形象以取得他 們的認同；(5)在整合行銷方案中提供青少年次文化的完全解決方案。 關鍵詞：青少年次文化、御宅族、動漫商品、流行音樂追星族、探索性消費行為傾向 VI Table of Contents Acknowledgement..........................................................................................................................III Abstract ..........................................................................................................................................IV 摘要 ............................................................................................................................................VI Table of Contents ......................................................................................................................... VII List of Figures ................................................................................................................................IX List of Tables................................................................................................................................... X Chapter 1 Introduction .....................................................................................................................1 1.1 Research Background.........................................................................................................1 1.2 Research Objectives...........................................................................................................7 1.3 Research Flow....................................................................................................................9 Chapter 2 Literature Review .......................................................................................................... 11 2.1 Adolescent Subculture ..................................................................................................... 11 2.2 Otaku: The Emerging Adolescent Subculture I................................................................18 2.3 Pop music Fans: The Emerging Adolescent Subculture II...............................................25 2.4 Exploratory Buying Behavior Tendency..........................................................................30 Chapter 3 Research Design ............................................................................................................34 3.1 Research Framework........................................................................................................34 3.2 Research Method..............................................................................................................36 Chapter 4 Empirical Study I: Otaku Subculture ............................................................................43 4.1 Prior Studies of Otaku......................................................................................................43 4.2 Focus Group Interview.....................................................................................................44 4.3 Tentative Model for Effect of Otaku’s Traits on ACG Buying Behavior.........................47 4.4 Questionnaire Survey.......................................................................................................48 4.5 Revised Model for Effect of Otaku’s Traits on ACG Buying Behavior ..........................65 Chapter 5 Empirical Study II: Pop music Fan Subculture .............................................................68 VII 5.1 Prior Studies of Pop Music Fans......................................................................................68 5.2 Focus Group Interview.....................................................................................................69 5.3 Tentative Model for Effect of Pop Music Fans’ Traits on Star-chasing Consumption.....73 5.4 Questionnaire Survey.......................................................................................................74 5.5 Revised Model for Effect of Pop music Fans’ Traits on Star-chasing Consumption.......92 Chapter 6 Comparison of Results and Discussion .........................................................................95 6.1 Comparisons of Traits ......................................................................................................95 6.2 Comparisons of Research Process ...................................................................................96 6.3 Comparisons of Model Verification and Implication for Consumer Behavior ................99 6.4 Suggested Model for Understanding Adolescent Subculture Buying Behavior............102 Chapter 7 Conclusions and Recommendations............................................................................103 7.1 Conclusions....................................................................................................................103 7.2 Managerial Implications.................................................................................................108 7.3 Future Research.............................................................................................................