การแบ่งส่วนตลาดผู้บริโภคที่มีจิตสำนึกของการบริโภคอย่างยั่งยืนในอำเภอเมืองเชียงใหม่

Abstract

The purposes of this study were to examine market segmentation for sustainable conscious consumers in Mueang Chiang Mai district and to investigate characteristics of each group of sustainable conscious consumers. Data were collected from 425 samples according to quota sampling method, classified by age groups. The tool to collect data was questionnaires, composing of questions on sustainable conscious consumption in 3 dimensions: environmental consciousness, social consciousness, and economical consciousness. Data obtained were analyzed by factor analysis to figure out factor score, and derived factors under the principle that the Eigen value was greater than 1. The cluster analysis was, then, applied to divide consumers into groups. The factor score obtained were, later on, analyzed by the use of K-Mean Cluster Analysis. The results of the study and the analyses indicated that the assessment of sustainable conscious consumers in Mueang Chiang Mai district could be sorted out into 7 principles: social consciousness, environment-friendly consciousness, debt-free consciousness, saving and worthwhile consciousness, functional consciousness, non-sharing consumption consciousness, and long term financial planning consciousness. Consumers were divided into 4 groups: Group 1 including 59.1% of consumers with sustainable consciousness, Group 2 including 24.2% of neutral consumers, Group 3 including 8.2% of the beginners of sustainable conscious consumer, and Group 4 including 8.5% of consumers with self-absorbed in individual economy affairs. The consumers in these 4 groups were significantly different at 95% of confidence interval, especially in demographic characteristics namely age, marital status, number of children, education background, career, and average monthly income. The group of consumers with sustainable consciousness (Group 1) was the group of those who intentionally took their consumption into full consideration of effects in 3 dimensions: environment, society, and economy. They were 31-70 years old, and married. In similar numbers, they had and did not have children. For those who had children, the number of children was 1 child or more. Their education background was referred to the high vocational certificate/diploma or equivalence to Bachelor’s degree. The majority was self-employed/business owner, freelance and private company employee, and earned income at the amount of lower than 30,000 Baht. Next, the group of neutral consumers (Group 2) was the group of those who concerned a little bit on environmental, social, and economic effects; but without debt-free, saving and worthwhile consciousness. The consumers in this group were 18-30 years old, single, and did not have children. For those who had children, they had only 1 child at the maximum. Their education background was Bachelor’s degree. Some of them were students and some were government officials/state employees. They earned monthly income at the amount of lower than 15,000 Baht. For the group of the beginners of sustainable conscious consumer, they started to think about effects in 3 dimensions: environment, society, and economy; but without long-term financial planning. They were 18-30 years old, single and without children. Their education background was Bachelor’s degree. Most of them were students and earned average monthly income at lower than 10,000 Baht. Lastly, it was the group of consumers with self-absorbed in individual economy affairs (Group 4). The consumers in this group took consumption without any consciousness on environment and society; but paid mainly concern self-economy. Their age, marital status and education background were similar to the consumers in Group 3; but the consumers in Group 4 earned higher income, in the range of 15,000 Baht or lower.