Abstract:
Literature survey shows that with, a few exceptions, the consumer behaviour of domestic water consumers has not been a common area of research. This explains the scarcity of information in this specific field. This scarcity was noted in the region and very much so in the context of Mauritius. And yet, such information is very much relevant for the management of the water sector, for the improvement of the service, for policy makers, for personal and social development and for achieving consumer satisfaction. This research brings about information that would contribute in its own way to these areas. The object of this thesis is to study the consumer behaviour in respect of domestic water consumers in Mauritius, to develop new theories and to build a consumer behaviour model.
The thesis, at its outset, gives the background of the research. It contains the description of the water supply situation in Mauritius, its production, its distribution and its management. The brief on the people of Mauritius helps to put in the right context the pluricultural nature of the Mauritian society which is important for the understanding of the consumer behaviour of Mauritians.
The literature survey, inter-alia, gives the historical development of consumer behaviour, its relevance to marketing, and its study as a discipline in its own right. The very scarcity of theories and models of consumer behaviour of domestic water consumers cannot be overlooked. The literature survey, therefore, covers some of the theories and models specifically on commodities. These models along with the literature review serve as theoretical foundation for the present research
The models of consumer behaviour which have been literature reviewed have further enabled to construct an integrated model of consumer behaviour which serves as a framework for the discussion and analysis of the new model which is developed during the course of this research.
The research is one mainly of general interest and can be classified as an exploratory research with a substantial contribution of descriptive research. The research has necessitated the collection of primary data. For this purpose, the objective approach was adopted and a consumer survey was carried out with the use of a direct structured questionnaire. The survey has been supplemented by discussions of focus groups. The analysis of the consumer survey is followed by the testing of the hypotheses, the development of theories and discussions on results obtained. The building of a new model of consumer behaviour based on the findings of the research is then undertaken and discussed.
The thesis covers a wide spectrum from the need of a domestic water connection, consumption of domestic water, post-consumption behaviour to the illegal use of water in Mauritius. The thesis winds up with conclusions and recommendations.
The specific topic of this thesis is a rare one. This research is but a step in the furtherance of knowledge. It stands as an original regional contribution to the science of management and to its development.
