Papers of BAS

Papers of BAS. Humanities and Social Sciences

Vol. 6, 2019, No. 1

Inherent consumer innovativeness:

Essence, dimensions and gender differences

Tatyana Yordanova

Abstract. The article presents the results of a study focusing on inherent consumer innovativeness and the gender differences in terms of its construct and dimensions in a Bulgarian context. The data were collected on the basis of a sample of 1,106 respondents aged between 22 and 65, randomly selected. The results reveal average levels of expression of inherent innovativeness and its dimensions. The highest mean values were reported on the dimension of cognitive innovativeness, followed by these on the dimensions of independent decision making, consumer’s novelty seeking and sensory innovativeness. Furthermore, significant gender differences in innovativeness and its dimensions, except the sensory innovativeness dimension are established. In details, female consumers are more receptive to innovation, intensively seek information about new product alternatives, prioritize cognitive marketing incentives, and rely more on the support of the social environment when deciding to adopt innovation, as opposed to male consumers.

Keywords: inherent consumer innovativeness, gender differences, cognitive innovativeness, sensory innovativeness