Timestyle profiles - a quantitative study exploring consumer segmentation based on timestyle dimensions

Abstract

Timestyle profiles - a quantitative study exploring consumer segmentation based on timestyle dimensions

Purpose of the study:

Timestyles - the unique ways in which people perceive and use time - have a significant impact on various aspects of consumer behaviour. However, research on the topic has been scarce and usually focused on studying one timestyle dimension at a time. The objective of this study is to contribute to the understanding of timestyles by exploring consumer segmentation based on multiple timestyle dimensions. An existing scale is used as a basis to identify the dimensions of timestyles and to study their interaction. Based on these dimensions, individual timestyle profiles will be created and their differences will be investigated in terms of demographics and Internet usage behaviour.

Methodology:

The data for the study was collected in 2011 using an online questionnaire. A total of 4227 responses were obtained and the data was representative of both genders and ages between 15 and 64. The data was analysed with quantitative research methods including correlation analysis, principal component analysis, cluster analysis, cross-tabulations, t-test and analysis of variance.

Findings:

The findings of the study validate the eight dimensions of the Timestyle Scale and suggest that an additional dimension measuring polychronic time attitude could be added to the scale. Based on these nine dimensions four timestyle profiles were created, representing consumer segments that have different timestyles; analytical schedulers, active achievers, spontaneous dwellers and traditional task-oriented. The timestyle profiles were found to be related to age and initial support was found for their ability to predict Internet usage behaviour related to exploratory Internet use, entertainment use and mobile Internet adoption. The study argues for the importance of studying timestyles as comprehensive constructs and supports the idea that timestyles can provide a meaningful way of segmenting consumers to understand differences in media use and consumer behaviour. Keywords Timestyles, time perception, temporal orientation, Internet use, media use, consumer behaviour, quantitative research, consumer segmentation