The product effect: do designed products convey their characteristics to their owners?

Malaysia is unique within the Islamic world in developing a motor car industry that is geared towards both internal and export markets. After achieving initial success, its export performance has failed to match that of its international competitors. Factors that are suspected to contribute to this failure is in the technology and styling of its models. Moreover, with the implementation of AFTA (Asean Free Trade Area) in Malaysia, the car industry is expected to face the influx of inexpensive established brands from ASEAN countries which will gradually dominate the local market. The research was cross-cultural and tested for possible differences based on nationality and gender. It used qualitative and quantitative techniques consisting of a Car Positioning Task using Semantic Differential scales and a derivation of the Room Effect method in order to investigate the perception of cars and its effect upon the perception of its owner. The pilot and actual surveys using Room Effect method were carried out with international participants. The results indicated that it is reliable and can be used to reveal cultural and gender differences. The research also indicated that the Room Effect method is practical for application to the car industry.