A Generalized Normative Segmentation Methodology Employing Conjoint Analysis

Since the pioneering research of Wendell Smith (1956), the concept of market segmentation has been one of the most pervasive activities in both the marketing academic literature and practice. In addition to being one of the major ways of operationalizing the marketing concept, marketing segmentation provides guidelines for a firm’s marketing strategy and resource allocation among markets and products. Facing heterogeneous markets, a firm employing a market segmentation strategy can typically increase expected profitability as suggested by the classic price discrimination model which provides the major theoretical rationale for market segmentation (cf. Frank, Massey and Wind 1972).