FACTOR IDENTIFICATION—AN ANALYSIS OF BUYER BEHAVIOUR DURING THE ACQUISITION OF AN ADVANCED MECHANIZED IRRIGATION SYSTEM

Abstract

The article deals with consumer (farming) purchasing behaviour in the advanced mechanized irrigation industry. The consumer decisionmaking model by Engel-Kollat-Blackwell was used as a basis for the theoretical research, and principal factor analysis was the statistical technique employed to analyse the data. Ten factors (explaining an extremely high cumulative variance of 96.8 per cent) were identified from the rotated factor matrix, and ranked in order of importance. The first five factors, which is considered to be the most important factors (explaining a cumulative variance of 71.1 per cent) were labelled as “Financial planning”, “Managerial aspects”, “Environmental concerns”, “Design aspects” and “Production potential”. The five factors which is regarded as not so important were labeled “Return on investment”, “Operational qualities”, “Dealer orientation”, “Service qualities” and “Past experience”. Three major groups could benefit greatly from understanding buying behaviour within the advanced mechanized irrigation industry. Firstly, agricultural economists, financial institutions and other-advice rendering institutions would be able to inerease the quality of their services to potential buyers (farmers), Secondly, farmers would be able to identify the pitfalls within their own reasoning when they consider the acquisition of an advanced mechanized irrigation system, while thirdly, the marketers of these systems would be able to increase the productivity of their sales personnel if they concentrate their sales activities on the more important criteria identified within this article.

Uittreksel

Die artikel handel oor verbruikerskoopgcdrag in die gevorderde gerneganiseerde besproeiingsindustrie. Die verbruikersbesluit-nemersmodel van Engel-Kollat-Blackwell is gebruik as teoretiese basis. Die data is met faktor-analise ontleed. Tien faktore is geïdentifiseer en geplaas in volgorde van belangrikheid. Die faktore verklaar 'n kumulatiewe variansie van 96,8 persent. Die eerste vyf faktore naamlik: “Finansiële beplanning”, “Bestuur”, “Omgewingsveranderlikes”, Ontwerp” en “Produksiepotensiaal” word as die belangrikste faktore beskou en verklaar 'n kumulatiewe variansie van 71,1 persent. Drie groepe kan voordeel trek uit die beskikbaarheid van inligting wat verbruikerskoopgedrag in die gevorderde gemeganiseerde besproeiingsindustrie beskryf. Eerstens behoort landbouekonome, finansiële instellings en ander verskaffers van advies in staar wees om die kwaliteit van hul dienste aan voornemende kopers (boere) te verbeter. Tweedens behoort dit boere te bevoordeel in hul besluitneming aangaande die aankoop van hierdie besproeiingstelsels. Derdens behoort dit die bemarkers van die besproeiingstelsels in staat te stel om die produktiwiteit van hul verkoopspersoneel te verhoog.