Perceived Function: An Investigation into a Product Advantage between Aesthetics and Function

Satoru Goto; Yuuki Shigemoto; Shuichi Ishida

doi:10.4067/S0718-27242019000200033

Authors

Satoru Goto College of Business Administration, Ritsumeikan University, Ibaraki, Osaka
Yuuki Shigemoto Faculty of Contemporary Society, Toyama University of International Studies, Toyama
Shuichi Ishida Graduate School of Technology Management, Ritsumeikan University, Ibaraki, Osaka

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.4067/S0718-27242019000200033

Keywords:

Function, Aesthetics, Perceived function, Utilitarian and hedonic value

Abstract

This study involved an empirical comparison of product competitiveness driven by aesthetic and technological innovations in a mature market. This study began with a theoretical idea that users may perceive and evaluate technology development through the visible form of a product. Statistical analyses of user reviews of digital cameras showed that the impact of technology development on competitiveness was greater than that of aesthetic changes. The results demonstrated that users did not leverage product appearance for the recognition of technology development. Moreover, the findings show that specification information had a greater influence on product advantage when users did not visually perceive technological improvement. These results may indicate that manufacturers have not yet fully exploited product design for maximising product advantage in the mature market.

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