Pacific B usiness R eview I nternational
A Refereed Monthly International Journal of Management Indexed With THOMSON REUTERS(ESCI)
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DR. GASHAW TIBEBE Assistant Professor Department of Marketing Management College of Business and Economics University of Gondar Gondar, Ethiopia E-mail:- gashawtibeb@gmail.com |
TIGIST AYENEW Lecturer Department of Hotel Management College of Business and Economics University of Gondar Gondar, Ethiopia |
This research aimed to assess the effectiveness of integrated marketing communication for high involvement product purchase decision the case of Gondar university employees with the intention adding some knowledge to the area of study since this thematic area is still novice in Ethiopian context. To be at this end, the researcher employed quantitative approach of descriptive research design to provide numerical results which enables to measure variables in the study and also to test the research hypothesis for better prediction of the result as well. At the same time stratified random sampling techniques was used to determine the sample population for the study accordingly, the primary data was gathered from the 362 sample population through structured survey type closed ended Likert format questionnaire whereas, the secondary data for this study was collected through critical review of published and unpublished documents related with the research problem. Thus, the collected data using both sources were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics along with structural equation model to test the research hypothesis. The result showed that word of mouth, personal selling and advertisement are significantly effective for high involvement product purchase decision of the consumer. As a result, the researcher recommends the consumer to focus on this significant communication tools as integrated while they decide to purchase high involvement product.
Keywords: Integrated Marketing Communication, Purchase Decision, Effectiveness, High-Involvement.
1.1 Background of the Study
The need and appearance of promotion have been increasing dramatically due to its effectiveness in creating a communication between a seller and a potential buyer or others in the channel to influence attitudes and behavior (Wong et al., 2005). Today, this promotion aspect of the marketing mix elements has become sophisticated and being a general name for all promotional tools which are called Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC). It is defined as, the process of integrating all marketing communication activities in a manner of synergy in order to derive the greatest enhancement and coherence of marketing communication effort at a time of transactions between the organization and its consumer (Pickton & Broderick, 2005).
The move towards IMC is one of the most significant marketing developments that occurred during the 1990s; nowadays it is growing daily and continues in advance (Joseph, 2009). IMC tools are becoming more elaborate in to many forms, however, the focus of this study is on the most well-known communication elements includes: (Advertising, Sales Promotion, Publicity/Public Relations, Personal Selling, and Direct marketing) as a major promotional-mix element that marketers use to communicate with their target markets, (Belch & Belch, 2003).
In consideration with high involvement products, the dependent variable is finally going to be defined as when a person’s have high level of participation in the processes of searching information or anticipates the product purchase, that have a personal relation and there is a high risk about it (Ghafelehbashi et al., 2011).
Accordingly, integrating communication elements would benefits both the organization and the consumer, for the firm, IMC is effective in order to avoid duplication, take advantage of synergy among promotional tools, and develop more efficient and effective marketing communications programs and it is one of the easiest ways for a company to maximize the return on its investment in marketing and promotion (Belch &Belch, 2003).
The effectiveness of IMC is therefore depending on how well marketers achieve an organization’s marketing goal and how satisfied the customers are with the products and services (Thong, 2010). Even though, a few studies have been showed the effectiveness of IMC, however, it is in the infant stage particularly in Ethiopia. Therefore, additional investigation related to this area is really needed which inspired the researcher to carry out this paper.
1.2 Statement of the Problem
Above all, customers need information about the features of the product or service, its price and how they can access it, to make informed purchase decision. Thus, if customers are able to get the necessary information about the product timely and adequately, they may feel that they are buying a product or service that can fulfill their needs. This means having good and effective communication channels adds value to the product or service of the company also adds value to the customers because they have confidence on their purchase (Potluri, 2008).
Even more, when the customers are decides to purchase some products and service; they are involving in searching information according to the nature of the products (Ghafelehbashi et al., 2011). Their Involvement is also measured by level of consumer engagement and their active processing in evaluating promotional tools about the products and services (Keller & Kotler , 2006), which is further grouped in to two, high involvement and low involvement products.
The concept of low involvement product is that an individual frequently purchases the product with less contemplation and effort, not a major impact on their expenses, lifestyle and self-concept, normally low-priced whereas, high involvement products on the other hand may have different meanings for people with different cultural backgrounds or economic condition of a specific country (Emert, 2015). For instance, a product which may be considered as high involvement in Ethiopia may not be in the United States of America as a result of difference in economy and other factors.
Moreover, high involvement products, takes into account a lot of assessment by the consumers as they are highly priced and also reflect a major deal for one’s lifestyle, self-concept and consumers want their products to be durable and reliable to compensate the price paid for it. And the marketers should also offer the similar strategy though attracting their customers to purchase high involvement products (Subhani et al., 2012).
Consequently, the focus of this research is mainly on high involvement products on which a person anticipates the purchase that have a personal relation to it, having high price, complex feature and there is a high risk about it for instance, such products include computers, refrigerators, washing machines, TVs, music system, cars, DVDs, are valuable items which purchase rarely and create many involvements as stated by (Ghafelehbashi et al., 2011), he also stated that high involvement cause persons to achieve motivation for information processing and comparing different items.
As a result, the researcher is believed that the effectiveness of IMC tools determine the consumer purchase decision on high involvement product than low involvement product. Among those products, TVs, Refrigerators and Smart phones are the focus of this study as a common high involvement product.
Therefore, due to the above listed product features consumer may need to evaluate more than single promotional tool which leads them whether intentionally or unintentionally applying the concept of integrated marketing communication in their purchase decision. But it is true that all integrated marketing communication tools will not be equally valuable for consumer purchase decision of high involvement products. Thus, the effectiveness of integrated marketing communication become highly important for the customer high involvement product purchase decision and it needs to be investigated more.
Therefore, to add some value to the existing knowledge, this study investigates the performance or the effectiveness of IMC on high involvement products from consumers purchase decision perspectives in UOG employees.
1.3. Objective of the Study
The general objective of this paper is delimited on investigating the effectiveness of Integrated Marketing Communication on high involvement products purchase decision.
More specifically the researcher attempt to;
1. Assess the Effectiveness of Advertising on high involvement products purchase decision.
2. Explore the Effectiveness of personal selling on high involvement products purchase decision.
3. Examine the Effectiveness of direct marketing on high involvement products purchase decision.
4. Evaluate the effectiveness sales promotion on high involvement products purchase decision.
5. Investigate the effectiveness of word of mouth communication on high involvement products purchase decision.
6. Examine the effectiveness of public relation on high involvement product purchase decision
1.4. Research Hypothesis
1. Advertising has a positive effect on high involvement products purchase decision.
2. Personal Selling has a positive effect on high involvement products purchase decision.
3. Direct Marketing has a positive effect on high involvement products purchase decision.
4. Sales Promotion has a positive effect on high involvement products purchase decision.
5. Word of mouth communication has a positive effect on high involvement products purchase decision.
6. Public relation has a positive effect on high involvement products purchase decision.
2.1 Integrated Marketing Communication
Recently, the concept of IMC is being treated as a child of circumstance (Omotayo, 2012). And it is an interesting concept and becomes well known in today’s world and its significance is more appreciated. Due to the fast pace of technological innovations, IMC is going to be a very dynamic discipline (Porcu et al., 2012). As Pickton and Broderick (2005), indicated that by integrating a range of promotional mix elements so that they work in harmony or synergy with each other, opportunities are created to improve the effectiveness of the total marketing communications effort.
Specifically, Schimp (2000), summarized facts of IMC as; it affects behavior with the use of any or all forms of contents as well as achieving synergy and builds relationship within the company and the customers.
Integrated Marketing Communication (IMC) defined as it is a term that was developed mainly to address the need for businesses to offer clients more than just standard advertising (Muhanji & Ngari, 2015). He also mentioned that IMC recommends that marketers focus at the customer first his or her preferences, buying patterns, media exposure, and other factors and then customer is exposed to the products that fits its need through mix of communication methods which the customer find more attractive and credible.
IMC is focuses on the coordination of all the elements of marketing communications to achieve synergy and consistency. The emphasis is on the effective delivery of outbound communication activities in order to achieve ‘one sight, one sound’ in the overall IMC program (Kliatchko, 2008).
2.2 IMC Tools
The integrated marketing communications mix consists of, but is not limited to, the five major modes of communication: advertising, sales promotion, public relations and publicity, personal selling and direct marketing (Kaijansinkko, 2003).
Advertising is one of the most widely used communication tools and it is Well known by its Pervasiveness and non-personal in nature, It is important promotional tool, particularly for companies whose products and services are targeted at mass consumer markets (Omotayo, 2012).
Direct marketing is a system of marketing by which an organization communicates directly with target customers to generate a response or transaction. And its objectives can be achieved through techniques such as direct mail, telemarketing, hand bills, and Internet (Omotayo, 2012).
Sales promotion is non-personal form of communication that comprises various marketing techniques that are often used tactically to provide added value to an offering such as, free offers, price deals, premium offers with the aim of accelerating sales and gathering marketing information (Fill & Jamieson, 2006) and it is divided in to two broad categories consumer promotion and trade promotion.
Joseph, (2009), defines Personal selling as the Personal presentation by the firm’s sales force for the motive of making sales and building customer relationships. In addition, personal selling as an interpersonal communication tools which involves face-to-face activities undertaken by individuals, often representing an organization in order to inform, persuade, or remind an individual or group to take appropriate action this is basically form companies’ sales representative.
Organization systematically plans and distributes information in an attempt to control and manage its image and the nature of the publicity it receives, it is really engaging in a function known as public relations. Public relation is defined as “the management function which evaluates public attitudes, identifies the policies and procedures of an individual or organization with the public interest, and executes a program of action to earn public understanding and acceptance (Belch & Belch, 2003).
Word of mouth (WOM) has been acknowledged for many years as a major influence on what people know, feel and do. It is more influential on, awareness, expectation, perception, attitudes, and has a more emphatic influence on the purchasing decision than other marketer - controlled sources (Buttle , 1998).
2.3 IMC Effectiveness
Since, integrated marketing communication allowed a two way of communication, the producers can easily communicate with their customers and satisfy their needs because by applying integrated marketing communication, they can easily measure their promotional activity and get feedback from their customers as well (Kemal, 2011).
Each element of the promotions mix has different capacities to communicate and to achieve different objectives. The effectiveness of each tool can be tracked against the purchase decision process. Here consumers can be assumed to move from a state of unawareness through product comprehension to purchase (Fill & Jamieson, 2006).
This process suggests that the principal task is to move people from levels of unawareness to awareness when they are exposed to marketing communication and through developing interest and desire, move them to take action – especially in the form of product purchase (Pickton & Broderick, 2005), in contrast, with the consumer level of involvement, products that usually have a high level of buyer involvement the hierarchy appear to follow a Think-Feel-Do (cognitive, affective and behavior) order. First buyers consider the various aspects of the problem to be solved then they work out a preferred alternative of solving the problem and finally they carry out any necessary action.
Thus according to the characteristics of various promotional tools for instance, advertising and public relation are worthy for getting the attention of the customer, personal selling and word of mouth communication are good in leads the customer desire in to action, whereas, sales promotion and direct marketing on the other hand relatively important tools throughout the entire stage.
2.4 Consumers Product Purchase Decision Involvement
The type decision making that consumer use to purchase a product does not necessarily remain constant rather it varies accordance with the product characteristics (McDaniel et al, 2010).
Consumer are usually involved with routine, limited as well as extensive decision making process according to the level of involvement (high and low), time to take (short or long), cost incurs (low or high), information search from (internally, externally or both) and number of alternative available (one, few or many). If consumers make a routine purchase of good and service, then it is termed as low involvement products because these products are more familiar and needs little time to search and low cost to purchase and also there is one or few alternatives available. By contrast, high-involvement decisions carry a higher risk to buyers if they fail, are complex, and/or have high price tags. A car, a house, and an insurance policy are examples. These items are not purchased often but are relevant and important to the buyer. Buyers don’t engage in routine response behavior when purchasing high-involvement products. Instead, consumers engage in what’s called extended problem solving, where they spend a lot of time (Tanner & Raymond, 2010). Also there is a time delay in high involvement and complex purchases decision in comparing different aspects such as the features of the products, prices, and warranties as an example automobile, personal computers and durables (Rajasekhar & Makesh, 2013).
Ø Empirical study
As Kothari, (2004) indicated that empirical research is appropriate when evidence is required that certain variables affect other variables in some way. It is considered to be the most powerful support possible for a given hypothesis. For the purpose of this study the effectiveness of independent variables on the dependent one will be discussed to some extent though analyzing different researches and articles as follows.
A study conducted by Ali, (2016) with the objective of evaluating the Effectiveness of Creative Advertisements for High Involvement Products on the basis of Recall, attitude and Purchase intention on cars and car insurance as a high involvement product the of Pakistan though experimental design and quantitative research approach. The result of the study has shown that Ads are more effective in causing positive attitude toward Ad and better Ad recall, however, the presence or absence of creativity didn’t have any major impact on willingness to buy or purchase intention.
Cakir and Cetin, (2013) condacted a study on “The Effects of Word of Mouth Communication on the Consumers’ Travel Agency Choices” under descrivitive reserch design and public survey was employed with consumers of at least 18 years old in Aydin provincial centre and the result of the study showed that that word-of-mouth communication is effective for consumers’ travel agencychoices.
Chakrabortty et al., (2013), also studied on the Effects of Sales Promotion and Advertising on Consumer’s Purchase Behaviour. The finding of the study showed that sales promotion is most effective on the consumers who walking around and it can leads the consumer’s mind to brand switching. And also it found as sales promotion and advertising is much more effective in low involvement category products where a simple promotional activity can lead the consumers to buy a product.
A review literature conducted by Ström, (2012), related with the value of mobile markeing for consumers and retailers as a direct markting tools with the specific objective of what is the value of mobile marketing for retail consumers, what is the value of mobile marketing for retailers, and how can potentials in mobile marketing be realized by retailers.
Banerjee Arijit (2013), carried out a reserch on the Role of Personal Selling in Home Insurance in Indian Market focuses on urban home owners. The aim of this research were to find out whether personal selling is beneficial for home insurance market and the main reason for which customers are away from home insurance. The result has been drawn as personal selling strategy is the most beneficial marketing communication tool that should be incorporated by Indian home insurance firms to increase clients’ patronage, generate higher income and profit.
Even if most of the empirical results give an idea on the effectiveness of each IMC tools, only few of them are seen in relation to high involvement products moreover, as per the researcher information, there seems few or no research on the effectiveness of IMC on high involvement products purchase decision has been done in the case of Ethiopia, specifically in the study area which inspire the researcher to conduct a research.
The other main concept in this paper is conceptual framework of the study which links for every single part of the research drawn as follows.
2.5 Conceptual Framework
The study has been conducted at the University of Gondar (UoG), Gondar town. University of Gondar established in 1954 as a Public Health College and Training Center (PHC&TC) in the historical medieval city of Gondar. UoG has passed through various levels of development regarding its scope, status and the influence it has (UoG, 2013). Currently, University of Gondar has over 23,000 students both in undergraduate and postgraduate programs, and it organized by a total of 6,696 employees under 1,955 academic, 3,745 administrative, 159 Technical and supportive and 837 health professional staffs.
In order to meet the objective of the study, cross-sectional survey types of descriptive research design is framed because the researcher is interested in describing the existing situation under study. As a result, quantitative data collection methods, such as survey is used to gather primary data from the study respondents. Through using descriptive research the researcher examine the effectiveness of IMC in relation to high involvement products among University of Gondar employees.
Since this study is targeted on quantitative approach, probability sampling techniques were applied to select respondents for survey questionnaire by using stratified random sampling as the target population is finite in number.
Ø According to Yamane, (1967) the sample size is determined by using the formula
The researcher employed this formula with confidence interval 95% and 5% margin of error.
In this case there are a total of N = 6696 employees available in the Gondar university within 5 campuses. Therefore, the sample size for this study is calculated as follows,
=
,
n= 377
In general, a total of 70 sample employees were taken from Maraki campus among the overall 1232 administrative, academic and technical staffs, from the second stratum Tewodros campus there are 1720 employees engaged within academic, administrative and technical staff job category from this only 96 of them are selected to be participate in the study, the third stratum, Fasil campus this strata has a total of 805 employees among this the researcher take 46 employees from the three categories. Finally, from the strata of Meles and GCMS campus there are a total of 491 and 2448 employees respectively so the researcher select 27 and 137 sample size respectively. As a result, from the overall 6696 total permanent employees in five strata the researcher included 377 sample employees in the study.
Depend on quantitative research approach; the study was being employed secondary and primary data collection methods to produce reliable data. Secondary data was collected through critical review of published and unpublished documents related to the research problem. In this study 360 questionnaires were distributed to the target population to find out the effectiveness of IMC tools, such as advertising, personal selling, direct marketing, sales promotion, public relation and word of mouth communication on purchase decisions of high involvement products the case of UOG employees.
Since the study is reseat entirely on quantitative approach, descriptive analysis and inferential analysis were used to analyze the collected data. Therefore, quantitative data that was generated from questionnaires to a database and subjected to statistical analysis using 20 version SPSS software.
As the researcher mentioned, the primary collected data through survey questionnaire is analyzed in descriptive and inferential statistics by using SPSS 20 and SEM in AMOS and the result is discussed as follows.
4.1 Structural equation model
Amos (Analysis of Moment Structures) is an easy general approach to data analysis through structural equation modeling (SEM), it enables to hypothesis testing problems Simultaneous analysis of data from several different populations, performs the computation and display the result graphically within a minute and useful for assessing the model fit with the analysis (Arbuckle, 2007). SEM is a highly flexible and comprehensive method in allowing multiple test to determine model fit such as, chi-square, Comparative Fit Index (CFI), Non normed Fit Index (NNFI), Root Mean Squared Error of Approximation (RMSEA) (Suhr, 2006).
In addition to the above characteristics, a SEM model is also identifying the relationship between exogenous and endogenous variables. The independent variable is called Exogenous latent variables in the case of using SEM, exogenous variable cause fluctuations in the values of endogenous or dependent variables in the model. (Byrne, 2010). Moreover, we can see the value of observed and latent variables in this model. Observed variables are variables which are observed directly in SEMs and are also usually continuous. Latent variables on the other hand are not directly observed and continuous variables and have an infinite number of values. Therefore SEM enables to express latent variables in terms of observed variables (Bacon, 1997).
4.2 Model Fit Summary
The goodness-of-fit statistics is used to evaluate how much of the variance of each endogenous variable is being explained by the model (Baum , 2016). These measures provide the most fundamental indication of how well the proposed theory fits the data which includes Chi Squared test, degree of freedom (df), Goodness of fit (GFI), Root mean square error of approximation, Root mean square residual (RMR) Normed Fit Index (NFI), and Comparative Fit Index (CFI).
In most cases since the chi square is indicated a badness of –fit, the smaller its value implies that the better fit whereas df, and RMR said to be fit with the value of 0.00 which is less than <3.00 and the value of RMR on the other hand <0.08 which is also with the value of 0.00 respectively similarly the value of GFI, NFI and CFI are all 1.00 which is > 0.90, then the overall model used in this study is fit with the data.
Above all the recommended value of the model fit is adapted from (Degoma A & Shetemam E, 2014).
Table 1: model fit summary
|
Fit Measures |
Recommended Values |
Values from the Model |
Conclusion |
|
Chi-square (X²) |
P≥0.05 |
0.00 |
Not Fit |
|
Chi-square (X²)/df |
≤3.00 |
0.00 |
Fit |
|
Goodness-of-Fit (GFI) |
≥0.90 |
1.00 |
Fit |
|
Norm Fit Index (NFI) |
≥0.90 |
1.00 |
Fit |
|
Comparative Fit Index (CFI) |
≥0.90 |
1.00 |
Fit |
|
Root Mean Square Residuals (RMR) |
≤0.08 |
0.00 |
Fit |
Source, survey data
Figure 2: Effectiveness of IMC for high involvement product
Source: survey data
In Summary, the study contains 1 Observed, endogenous or dependent variables that is High involvement product and 6 observed exogenous or independent variables includes advertisement, direct marketing, sales promotion, personal selling, word of mouse communication and public relation. There is 1 unobserved, exogenous variable which is named as e1 in the diagram sometimes called latent variable this variables are can be measured if the researcher use structural equation model unless it cannot be considered since it is unobserved variable by its nature. However, due to its unreliableness for the study Public Relation is not being considered in the analysis of the variables thus, the numbers of exogenous variables are reduced in to 5. In order to determine the relationship between the observed exogenous and endogenous variables with latent factor,
4.3 Discussion of the hypotheses testing
As the researcher discussed earlier one quality of structural equation model is enable the researcher to test a research hypotheses and it is the most suitable analyses for the study because it is able to reduce measurement error, test latent (unobserved) and observed variables independence relationships and assess simultaneous overall tests of model fit (Haron , 2015). Therefore here the researcher discussed the proposed hypothesis by using this model.
As shown in the table below C.R. column, sometimes called the t-value is the critical ratio used to test the acceptances of the research hypothesis it obtained by dividing the covariance estimate by its standard error and thus, by using a significance level of 0.05, any critical ratio that exceeds 1.96 in degree would be called significant (Arbuckle, 2007).
Table 15: Hypothesis result from structural equation model
|
Hypothesis |
From |
To |
Estimate |
Standardized Coefficient(β Value)/ S.E |
T-Value/ C.R. |
Supported/Not Supported |
|
H1 |
Advertisement |
High involvement product |
.092 |
.092 |
2.045 |
Supported |
|
H2 |
direct marketing |
High involvement product |
.046 |
.046 |
1.395 |
Not Supported |
|
H3 |
Sales promotion |
High involvement product |
.018 |
.018 |
.513 |
Not Supported |
|
H4 |
Personal selling |
High involvement product |
.202 |
.202 |
5.037 |
Supported |
|
H5 |
WOM |
High involvement product |
.620 |
.620 |
11.832 |
Supported |
P** = 0.05
Source: survey data
Therefore as the finding showed that the t- value for advertisement is more than the recommended value 1.96 that is 2.045 which means that advertisement is moderately effective for the consumer purchase decision of high involvement product (the dependent variable) significantly with a P value of 0.041 which is p<0.05 and with a Beta value of 0.092, this indicated that if the independent variable, advertisement is increased by one, then the dependent variable high involvement product is increased by 0.092 which causes lesser effect on the dependent variable. This result is more or less supported the idea of (Fill & Jamieson, 2006) which advertising is somewhat effective in causing positive attitude and awereness but less in purchase decistion of the product as the result is almost near to the cut-off point. Therefore, the
first research hypothesis (advertising is effective for purchase decision of high involvement products) is supported but not significant.
The result also showed that the t- value for direct marketing is 1.395 which against the recommended value 1.96. As a result direct marketing is not effective for the consumer purchase decision of high involvement product (the dependent variable) with a Beta value of 0.046; this indicated that if the independent variable, direct marketing is increased by one, then the dependent variable high involvement product is increased by only 0.046, as a result the second hypothesis (direct marketing is effective for purchase decision of high involvement products) is not supported because consumers perceived that the transaction made with direct marketing is risky, however it deliver emotional and entertainment values especially in telemarketing ( Strom 2012).
The t- value of sales promotion for high involvement product is less than the suggested level of 1.96 which is 0.513 with a Beta value of 0.018, this indicated that if the independent variable, sales promotion is increased by one, then the dependent variable high involvement product is increased by 0.018, which does not make any change accordingly, sales promotion is not effective for the consumer purchase decision of high involvement product hence the third hypothesis is also not supported. As the same as the finding of (Chansiri , 2009) using sales promotion on high involvement product is not affected customer brand engagement than low involvement product. Together with the finding of (Hadera , 2013) that sales promotion is not significant for the customer saving habit.
Personal selling is on the other hand achieved a t- value 5.037 with much great than the recommended value 1.96 which means that personal selling is significantly effective for the consumer purchase decision of high involvement product with a Beta value of 0.202, at P= .000 indicated that if the independent variable, personal selling is increased by one, then the dependent variable high involvement product is increased by 0.202 or 20% The result of this study is also in line with the work of (Arijit, 2013), which emphasize on, the benefit of personal selling as the most important marketing communication tools which helps the customer to get exact quality of the service they require about home insurance, which is regarded as high involvement. Therefore, the forth hypothesis is supported and significant.
Finally, the t- value for word of mouth communication is surprisingly more than six times of the recommended value 1.96 that is 11.832 which means that word of mouth communication is the most significantly effective communication means for the consumer purchase decision of high involvement product with a Beta value of 0.620, this indicated that the independent variable, word of mouth communication in this study is highly affected 62% or 0.620 of the purchase decision of high involvement product apart from the other communication tools discussed in the study accordingly the finding of (Cakir & Cetin , 2013) that is word of mouth communication is effective for the consumer choice of travel agency. Consequently, the hypothesis on (word of mouth communication is effective for purchase decision of high involvement product) is also supported thus.
Finally, the research hypothesis of the study has been discussed by comparing the statistical values of the each variable it is concluded as;
Word of mouse communication and high involvement product are positively and significantly related, hence, word of mouse is the highest predictor for purchase decision of high involvement product than the other integrated marketing communication tools. Which indicated that consumer in their product purchase first refers the information from whom they purchase before, from the most they trust more like their best friends, families and relatives regarding the product they purchase.
Consequently, personal selling with high involvement product are significantly and positively associated takes the second most important integrated marketing communication tool for the consumer purchase decision of high involvement product. Thus next to word of mouth, consumers considered the information they get from sales person before they decide to the particular product.
Advertisement also placed as the third important tools next to word of mouth and personal selling and it positively and significantly predicted the dependent variable high involvement product. The information which is disseminating through TV, radio, magazines or newspaper or other can only influence little on the customer high involvement product purchase decision compared to the above tools. However, the other integrated marketing communication tools such as sales promotion or direct marketing are not significantly predict the dependent variable in this study because they are characterized for instance, sales promotion as effective for immediate purchased products which is called low involvement product. In like manner, as a result of lack in confidence in purchase the product through this product especially in Ethiopia, direct marketing remains in creating awareness and interest to the product as well as let the customer to know, compare with variety of the product especially through the internet.
The researcher recommends the manufacturers should consider the importance of word of mouth communication especially in case of high involvement product and spend more efforts better than others tools and attempt to create positive word of mouth since it is uncontrollable once it is created negatively. Personal selling, as it is the second important for the purchase decision of high involvement product, manufacturers should also communicate effectively with their distribution agent, wholesalers or retailers, give them training as needed , provide detail information about the product since they directly or indirectly determine the consumer purchase decision of the product.
The product manufacturers should also focus on their advertisement strategies of product through TV, radio or in other forms, since a few consumers believe what they see and modify the message in the way that will be able to influence the customer to purchase the product. Moreover, it is advisable to use those promotional tools alongside for better result in communicating the customers.
Since this research is carried on the effectiveness of integrated marketing communication for the consumer purchase decision of high involvement product, further the researcher recommends the consumer to evaluate a promotional tools such as word of mouth, personal selling and advertisement which has been found as a significant communication tools while they decide to purchased high involvement product .
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