1. Is the sampling method adequate? Is the attitude-measuring scale sound? Explain.
2. Using the computerized database with a statistical software package, calculate the means of the three automotive groups for the values variables. Do any of the values variables show significant differences between American, Japanese, and European car owners?
3. Are there any significant differences on importance of attributes?
4. Write a short statement interpreting the results of this research.
5. Are any of the value scale items highly correlated?
6. Should multivariate analysis be used to understand the data?

A marketing vice president with General Motors once commented, “Import-committed buyers have been frustrating to us.” This type of thinking has led industry analysts to argue that to successfully compete in the luxury car segment, U.S. carmakers need to develop a better understanding of consumers so that they can better target market segments and better position their products via more effective advertising. Insight into the foreign-domestic luxury car choice may result from examining owners’ personal values in addition to their evaluations of car attributes, because luxury cars, like many other conspicuously consumed luxury products, may be purchased mainly for value-expressive reasons.
Industry analysts believe it would be important to assess whether personal values of consumers could be used to explain ownership of American, German, and Japanese luxury cars. Further, they believe they should also assess whether knowledge of owners’ personal values provides any additional information useful in explaining ownership of American, German, and Japanese luxury cars beyond that obtained from their evaluations of the cars’ attributes.