These efforts depend on close cooperation with the research teams in Initiatives 'Computational Intelligence' and 'Statistical Modelling'. In the first stage it is imperative to rely on simulated data, to gain a proper understanding of the operation of various neurocomputing architectures. Report on Research Initiative Nr. Within the interdisciplinary framework of the Artificial Economy project this research group is elaborating the components of the simulation environment modelling the consumer behaviour on disaggregate level. During the first tri-annual research period the foundations for a new managerial approach to market segmentation and product positioning were established.
Perceptions are subjective and group-specific.
They influence the purchase decision and are loosely connected to physical attributes in many product classes. PBMS rests on the assumption that consumer preferences are not the sole determinants of consumer behaviour. The current perceptual profiles of the product brands are equally important. The marketing group is also advancing the methodology for response-based segmentation capable of taking the consumers unobserved heterogeneity into account. Satisfaction promotes brand loyalty.