Research on consumer decision making from Walker College Marketing Professor Ilgim Dara Benoit was recently published in the Journal of Consumer Marketing.
In the paper, The mitigating role of holistic thinking on choice overload demonstrate how and why holistic thinking mitigates the negative impact of large assortments on satisfaction, Benoit and Elizabeth Miller, a co-author from the University of Massachusetts Amberst's Isenberg School, demonstrate how and why holistic thinking mitigates the negative impact of large assortments on satisfaction.
According to their research, marketers with large assortments can mitigate choice overload and increase satisfaction of consumers by promoting the hedonic features of products and encouraging holistic thinking. Similarly, consumers can reduce the negative impact of overload feeling by approaching their consumption more holistically.
Benoit is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Marketing at Appalachian State University. Her research interests revolve around three main themes: creativity, affect, and information processing, which she generally studies within the context of consumer decision making and/or advertising. Prior to academia, Benoit spent several years working in the industry in Turkey, including experiences as a brand manager at Hyundai, a brand manager assistant at Goodyear and as an account manager at directComm Marketing Group.
About Business Faculty Research
Walker College of Business faculty produce and disseminate extensive research through both academic and professional communities. In the last five years, faculty members have published approximately 400 peer-reviewed academic journal articles, 130 conference proceedings and made more than 400 conference and professional presentations in 170 different venues. In total, the faculty has produced more than 700 individual intellectual contributions in basic discovery research, more than 400 contributions in applied or integrative research and 240 contributions in teaching and learning research. For more information, visit business.appstate.edu.