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Source: Southwest Decision Sciences Institute
Resulting in 1 citation.
1. Gwin, Carl R.
Gwin, Carol F.
North, Charles M.
Orman, Wafa Hakim
Understanding Religious Choice: A Product Attributes Model Application
Presented: Oklahoma, City, Southwest Decision Sciences Institute 2009 meetings.
Also: http://www.swdsi.org/swdsi2009/Papers/9B03.pdf
Cohort(s): NLSY79
Publisher: Southwest Decision Sciences Institute
Keyword(s): Educational Attainment; Geographical Variation; Regions; Religion

Permission to reprint the abstract has not been received from the publisher.

Also presented at the 2009 annual meeting of the Western Economic Association International.

This paper investigates how consumer preferences play a role in a person's choice of a “brand” of religion. Understanding how consumers make tradeoffs in selecting between religions is critical to developing a model of consumer choice in this important area of everyday life. We approach this topic theoretically by using the product characteristics paradigm initially developed by Lancaster (1966) and analyzed as a "Product Attributes Model" by Gwin and Gwin (2003). In a product attributes model, consumers choose from a set of brands that embody a bundle of product attributes rather than choosing from among a set of one-dimensional products. By incorporating the multidimensionality of religious goods into the consumer choice problem, the product attributes model is ideal for analyzing religious choice among differentiated alternatives in a competitive market. Using religious data from two surveys, we use attribute maps to identify existing consumer preferences and current religious brand (denominational) positioning. Our results show that understanding the dimensions of religious choice can guide religious denominations in developing the appropriate combination of belief and religious activities for their target consumer. Our framework can also help denominations determine if they need to re-position their church to better meet their consumers' needs or to grow as a church.

Bibliography Citation
Gwin, Carl R., Carol F. Gwin, Charles M. North and Wafa Hakim Orman. "Understanding Religious Choice: A Product Attributes Model Application." Presented: Oklahoma, City, Southwest Decision Sciences Institute 2009 meetings.