رفتار مصرف کننده در بازار مخابراتی تلفن همراه ایتالیا

This paper investigates the characteristics of Italian cell phone users. A multidimensional segmentation approach was adopted, using concurrently three sets of variables: consumer/user lifestyles, use motivations and product/service attributes. Data on a national sample (1067 individuals) were collected and factor and cluster analysis were then performed on the database. The study led to the identification of three user segments, each with a diverse combination of the segmentation variables. Findings provide implications for the mobile telecommunication industry and could suggest strategic choices to mobile operators—especially cell phone producers—and constitute the basis for their strategic positioning.

Since the 1990s, the mobile telecommunication industry has significantly extended its boundaries. The cell phone now has a multiform identity: it may become a portable computer, dedicated to professional customers; sometimes it has a few predetermined keys to allow easy use for other consumers (e.g., elderly individuals); it can take on multiple forms for entertainment and communication among young people. At the same time, the use functions have multiplied and there has been technological convergence with other media (computer, television and the Internet): besides the basics of mobile telephoning, at present the mobile phone manages short message services (SMS), multimedia messaging services (MMS), music, video games, software for professionals, photo camera, video camera, television programs, movies, and information. It supports every kind of accessory function, from the more common (alarm, calculator, address book, etc.) to the more original: it becomes an audio guide to visit museums, a navigator for motorists, or a book narrator (downloading digital recordings of famous texts). Product design can vary from a valuable luxury item to a trendy cell phone for teenagers. It satisfies needs for relationships, but also security and affiliation; it has created new languages1 and new rules for community membership and interactivity. On the demand side, the evolution of mobile communication consumption is an overwhelming phenomenon,2 as reported in the recent international literature (Botelho & Costa Pinto, 2004; Hodge, 2005; Iimi, 2005; Kim, Park, & Jeong, 2004; Kim & Yoon, 2004). In Italy, recent investigations (Censis, 2005; ISTAT, 2006) show increasing use of the cell phone against a general dip in purchases. This paper explores the Italian demand for mobile phones through the use of a multidimensional segmentation approach. In particular, it poses the following questions: (1) Do differences exist among Italian mobile phones users leading to the identification of different market segments? (2) More specifically, is it possible and useful to describe them adopting a multidimensional approach? Thus, it aims to contribute to a better understanding of consumer behavior in Italy. The paper is organized as follows. Section 2 presents the theoretical background and rationale of the multidimensional segmentation approach. The following sections show the segmentation analysis of the mobile communication market in Italy: Section 3 describes the research design and Section 4 presents the results of the empirical study on a national sample. These are interpreted in Section 5. Finally some concluding remarks are provided in Section 6.

The Italian mobile telecommunication market has grown very fast. Over the years consumer demand has become ever more mature and sophisticated. By performing an empirical survey on data from a national sample, this paper provides a snapshot of the Italian demand for mobile phones. An in-depth analysis of consumers can prove useful for mobile operators—especially cell phone companies—attempting to expand their market (reach new consumers) as well as retain their current customers, since it can help firms to understand market demand, formulate their strategic choices, and gain a better positioning of their products/services. Paper results suggest that a multidimensional segmentation approach can really help to identify consumer characteristics and assist telecommunications companies’ strategic decision making, providing a very useful foundation for their marketing strategies. Consumers appear to be usefully analyzed through the simultaneous use of the three different dimensions: lifestyles, use motivations, and product/service attributes. Indeed, there exist marked differences among mobile phone users according to each of them. The analysis led to the identification of three different market segments which came into contact with the cell phone in different times, ways, and ages, and therefore have a different approach to the product and use it differently (supported by separate and sometimes even conflicting attributes). Each segment has very specific characteristics as to lifestyles, use motivations, and product/service attributes. A key finding is that there are several, very diverse consumer segments to be satisfied by companies and that therefore in the market there is room for several products/services, provided that these are truly differentiated and specific, hence serving different market segments.22 However, even though a sophisticated understanding of cell phone users appears to be necessary for mobile suppliers (especially those who seek to grow), operators do not often resort to multidimensional segmentation analysis, probably because they find it rather complex to perform and time consuming: it requires specific competences and the awareness of its strategic effectiveness. Fairly often telecommunications companies make use of simple segmentation approaches adopting limited sets of variables, easy to collect and interpret. These approaches are much easier to perform but also definitely less informative and therefore less useful than multidimensional methods. With a multidimensional framework, such as the one provided in this paper, relevant information about consumer segments is revealed: that specifically referring to the mobile phone (use motivations and preferred product/service attributes) and, through the analysis of lifestyles, that regarding consumer behavior and necessary for reaching potential customers through appropriate marketing actions (interests, media exposure, main beliefs, attitudes).23 Telecommunications companies carrying out simple, not comprehensive segmentation analysis may be missing market opportunities. Moreover, basing segmentation analysis on their customer database, mobile suppliers look at current rather than potential demand, disregarding the chance to reach new demand segments. In addition, this paper has important implications for interfirm alliances. Indeed, it shows that each of the identified demand segments—especially that labelled Techno-fun—has complex requirements which call, on the supply side, for multiple competences not available inside the single firm and therefore for the creation and development of interorganizational partnerships (also including firms not traditionally operating in the telecommunications industry), aiming to combine different but complementary knowledge assets.24 Finally it should be noted that segments are unlikely to be stable over time and in different situations, and that the more specific the segmentation bases and different the characteristics of markets and consumers, the less stable the segments will be (Wind, 1978, p. 326). Further research could apply the proposed segmentation approach to other, geographically different mobile telecommunication markets: it would be interesting to carry out a comparative analysis of different market characteristics based on the results of the multidimensional segmentation approach. Moreover, due to the fact that users and technologies continuously evolve, this type of analysis should be repeated over time.