(A Research on The Examining of The Relationship Between Consumer Innovation and The Need for Social Approval)

Abstract

Purpose – The main purpose of this study is to determine the relationship between the social approval needs of consumers and their innovative tendencies and to offer suggestions to the businesses that will offer new products to the market. Design/methodology/approach – For this purpose, a total of 402 consumers from Y and Z generation were surveyed. These surveys were conducted on selected consumers through with convenience sampling method. Pearson Correlation analysis was used to examine the relationships between the scores obtained from the scales. Within the scope of the research, linear regression analyzes were performed to determine the effect of need for social approval on consumer innovation. Empirical Results – According to the results of the study, it was found that the levels of social approval and consumer innovation of the Z generation consumers were higher than the Y generation consumers and that there was a significant and positive relationship between the level of social approval need and consumer innovation. Discussion – Businesses are obliged to take into account the wishes and needs of consumers while presenting a new product to the market and this obligation entails the recognition of innovative consumers that make it easier to understand what their expectations are from a new product. Consumer innovation and the determination of the factors that affect this tendency make it easier for businesses to find answers to the questions that will enable them to develop strategies for new products. It is thought that consumers affect the interaction in social environments and the need for approval from this interaction and the level of this need affect their personal relationships, as well as their consumption behavior and innovative tendencies.