Paragliding Adventure Recreation Consumers' Activity Motivation ...

Paragliding Adventure Recreation Consumers’ Activity Motivation, Enduring Involvement and Their Involved Behavior Dr. Hsiao-Ming Chang, Professor, Department of Kinesiology, Health, and Leisure Studies, Chienkuo University Technology, Taiwan Yu-Ting Huang, Corresponding Author, Assistant Professor, Office of Physical Education, Asia University, Taiwan

ABSTRACT This study analyzes paragliding participants’ enduring involvement. Questionnaires were mailed to all paragliding associations and clubs in Taiwan, with a total of 193 effective ones collected. Canonical correlation analysis and multiple regression obtained several findings. First, strong positive correlation exists between participating motivation and involvement: i.e., stronger motivation means enduring involvement. Second, given this significant correlation, their involved behavior, including opinion leadership, innovation, knowledge, and media use, prove stronger if they continue involvement in these activities. Third, participating motivation of paragliding consumers exerts significant effect on enduring involvement. Fourth, enduring involvement of paragliding consumers exerts a significant effect on involved behavior. These findings deepen understanding of paragliders’ enduring involvement in the adventure and leisure industry, which can afford a critical and explicit reference in marketing and advertising for more practical purposes. Keywords: paragliding, involved behavior, enduring involvement, participating motivation, adventure recreation INTRODUCTION Since the turn of the century, adventure recreation activities have gained popularity in Taiwan: e.g., rafting, canoeing, rock climbing, mountain climbing, mountain biking, scuba diving. Paragliding has grown more fashionable as well, yet few studies deal with this sport, and little is known about specific behavior associated with it. Though adventure recreation, especially as tourist activity, is enjoyed worldwide, few studies probe adventure recreation consumer behavior (Schott, 2007). Most overseas scholars adopt the Ewert and Hollenhorst (1989) adventure model in data analysis evaluating such activity, while Schuett (1991) found its independent variable “degree of activity participation” lacking a precise measure scale. He suggested replacing it with “enduring involvement” to ascertain how tourists discover their interests and develop their skills (McIntyre & Pigram, 1992). Among relevant studies, only Li and Ou (2002) investigated personal or professional background, recreation motivation, and preferences for environmental traits of paragliding consumers. Ho, Chung, and Chen (2005) employed the Ewert and Hollenhorst (1989) model to confirm that enduring involvement of paragliders meant higher participating frequency, skill level and awareness of risk. Based on relevant empirical research and psychological theory, Robinson (1992) devised a continuous adventure recreation involvement model, which suggests that those who take part in adventure tourism divide into five stages: (1) psychosocial premise; (2) perceptual process; (3) decision-making process; (4) cognitive/affective process; and (5) involvement in performance evaluation. This process influences continuing adventure recreation involvement. The above-mentioned adventure models of recreation provide an important reference for the direction of future research, whereas few scholars emphasize these patterns for authentication, or make it more specific for development and innovation. Past empirical research focused on correlations, differences, and/or environmental attribute preferences (Ho, Chung & Chen, 2005; Li & Ou, 2002). Some explored demographic and behavioral differences (Oliveira, & Pereira, 2008; Watson & Pulford, 2004) or analyzed regional development paragliding’s impact on regional economy (Costa & Chalip, 2005). Others investigated involvement with regard to sports injury (Bentley, Macky, & Edwards, 2006) and

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psychological impact (Willing, 2008). In addition to behavior of adventure recreation participation, many concerns focus on motivation (Fluker & Turner, 2000; Oliveira, & Pereira, 2008). Little research has explored the importance of behavior(s) in ongoing participation. While previous adventure recreation behavior exerts vital influence (Schuett, 1993), less empirical research explores participation in these activities. Little is known about behavior(s) of continued involvement. Pomfret (2006) suggested that future study analyze involvement impact on participants in depth. Lacking paragliding adventure recreation, adventure recreation participation motives, enduring involvement and/or integrated behavioral study, we must correlate these variables. Besides complementing theoretical study gap, it can also serve as the basis for development of paragliding activities in marketing and promotion strategies. This study analyzes paragliding consumers’ motivation as well as enduring involvement and/or influence. Further analysis focuses on circumstances of their continued involvement. We hope our empirical results provide the recreation service industry with a reference in planning products and services. LITERATURE REVIEW Adventure Recreation and Participating Motivation Ewert (1989) defined outdoor adventure pursuits as self-initiated activities utilizing interaction with natural environment that contains elements of real or apparent danger. While uncertain, outcome can be influenced by participants and/or circumstances (p.6). Ewert and Hollenhorst (1997) defined adventure recreation: “structural components of real or perceived danger and usually involve a natural environment setting in which the outcome is uncertain but influenced by the participant (p.21).” Swarbrooke, Beard, Leckie, and Pomfret (2003) pointed out that certain settings and activities were strongly associated with adventure experience, plus activities associated with adventure physical activity. Weber (2001) stated that definition of adventure tourism traditionally centered on adventure recreation (Hall & Weiler, 1992): e.g., whitewater rafting, kayaking, rock climbing, paragliding, scuba diving, mountain climbing. These differ from traditional outdoor recreation activities because they entail physical danger and outcome uncertainty in engagement (Ewert & Hollenhorst, 1989), and accordingly were characterized by interplay of competence and risk (Martin & Priest, 1986). Based on the above definition and classification, paragliding consumers studied in this project form one part of adventure recreation. Why do people still engage in adventure recreation, despite high risk? According to Hall and Weiler (1992), major motivations for adventure activities were stimulation, self-adventure, self-actualization, contact nature, and social contact. First antecedent to enduring involvement in adventure recreation, adventure and challenge appears in previous studies as a motivating factor (Dowd, 2004; Lipscombe, 2007; Weber, 2001). Li and Ou (2002) evaluated 101 paragliders’ preferences for environmental attributes and found their major motivations were contacting people with the same hobby, challenging skill, affirming self, relaxing body and mind, and flying interest. Sociability and contact nature was the second antecedent (Costa & Chalip, 2005; Creyer et al., 2003; Pidgeon et al., 2003). Schuett (1993) used social orientation as an independent variable affecting enduring involvement. Lastly, Ho, Chung, and Chen (2005) cited social motives as one of four general reasons for paragliding. Social aspects (sociability) may wield strong effect on motivation for paragliding. Lastly, Li and Ou (2002), while refining measures of involvement in adventure recreation, chose “relax body and mind” as one of thirteen domains to concentrate on, which was based on past research and input from experts in the field. These findings were deemed adequate evidence for use of relax body and mind as a motivating variable in this study of enduring involvement in paragliding. Schuett (1993) and McIntyre (1992) strongly supported enduring involvement as a variable motivating individual adventure recreation. Related studies of leisure behavior show strong correlation between motivation and enduring involvement (Iwasaki, Havitz, 2004; Kyle, Absher, Hammitt, & Cavin, 2006). For in leisure activity, it has intermediary effect (McGinnis, & Gentry, 2004). H1.Paraglider consumers’ motivation and enduring involvement positively correlate. H2.Paragliders’ participating motivation has direct positive effect on enduring involvement in paragliding activities.

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Enduring involvement and Involved behavior Enduring involvement is one key variable affecting diverse consumer behaviors and intrinsic characteristics (Kyle, Absher, Hammitt, & Cavin, 2006). Higie and Feick (1989, p.690) define it as “an individual difference variable representing an arousal potential of a product or activity that causes personal relevance” and state: “Enduring involvement is intrinsically motivated by the degree to which the product or activity is related to the individual’s self-image pleasure received from thoughts about or the use of product or engaging in an activity” (p.690). Although enduring involvement is an unobservable state, it does yield observable behavioral outcomes. Empirical studies of adventure recreation do not explicitly indicate such behaviors after people continuously take part in adventure recreation. With adventure recreation and sport consumer behavior, as well as empirical research interpretation, we infer behavior of paragliding consumers’ enduring involvement in such activities may arise. Chang, Lin and Yu (2004) find enduring involvement as joggers’ intervening variables in involvement motivation and leisure behavior: e.g., innovativeness, knowledge, opinion leadership, media use. Researchers employ these to infer that paragliding consumers’ enduring involvement will produce the above-cited behavior. Each consequence is discussed below. Innovation means to change and improve. We commonly define it as introduction of new products, but innovation does not always mean that, although change in technology, service, new marketing channels, product changes, etc. are innovative (Chang, 2008). Hirschman (1980) proposed conceptual framework consisting of three constructs: innovativeness, novelty seeking, and creativity. It was inherent willingness of a consuming population to innovate. Rogers and Shoemaker (1971) viewed innovativeness as a “relative” dimension one had either more or less of than others in a social system: i.e., essentially a continuous variable. Bloch (1986) pointed out that people with strong product class interest (involvement) were likely to learn and innovate after a product was introduced, arguing that awareness of innovation was a fundamental prerequisite for adopting some new product. Paragliding consumers use a parachute and flight equipment. These are neither static nor non-damageable; replacement of equipment is commonplace, especially when manufacturers import and consumers take the opportunity to purchase new equipment. It is thus hypothesized that positive correlation exists between paragliders’ enduring involvement and innovativeness in the paragliding field. The next outcome, knowledge, has similarly received a large amount attention in several areas. Knowledge in this study refers to perceived knowledge. Park, Gardner, and Thukral (1988) defined “perceived knowledge” as self-assessment or feeling of knowing information required to rate brands in a product class. Flynn and Goldsmith (1994) justified inclusion of perceived knowledge in their study because it was a hallmark of opinion leaders, who felt very confident about their levels of knowledge in a product category. In relation to interest or involvement, Srinivasan and Ratchford (1991) noted that knowledge not only correlated with interest, but also led to enthusiastic search for product information. Consumers tended to search more simply because they were interested in the product (cars in their study). In line with these arguments, Chan and Misra (1990) found people deeply involved in a product or product class more likely to show interest in and to accumulate relevant knowledge about that product. Related studies of adventure (Dimmock, 2009; Sibthorp, Paisley, Gookin, 2007), also found participants deeply involved in activities with a high degree of knowledge. In this sense, enduring product involvement will be stable enough to influence amount of information individuals accumulate from various sources over time. Media use has similar linkage to involvement or interest. This term refers to utilizing media relevant to the interest area; enduring involvement is likely to activate vigorous and continuous product information search (Venkartaman, 1990). Avid exercise may motivate people to subscribe to adventure magazines, visit outdoor recreation stores, and seek product information. Since product information contributes to individual knowledge or exercise level (Bloch, 1986; Bloch, Black, & Lichenstein, 1989), those with enduring involvement always welcome new information. Srinivasan and Ratchford (1991) noted positive correlation between information search and interest-related factors like reading “interest” and conversing about it. More involvement brought about more usage of media: e.g., magazines, newspapers. Bloch (1986) regarded highly involved individuals as opinion leaders abler to relate products, participate more often in consumer activity, and derive satisfaction therefrom. Special-interest magazines cater to diverse hobbyists and enthusiasts (Bloch, 1986). He also noted how uninvolved consumers rarely focused on magazines (Bloch, 1986); thus it could be assumed that high circulation numbers mean high level of product


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interest (involvement). Besides making individuals more media-prone, product expertise renders individuals (enthusiasts) more influential among other consumers (Bloch, 1986): i.e., as opinion leaders often mentioned in related literature (Bloch, Black, & Lichtenstein, 1989). Research finds that consumers continuing involvement in some product have deeper knowledge, laying groundwork for opinion leadership (Allen, 2001). Prior study noted that consumers frequently relied on opinion leaders before purchasing (Bloch, 1986; Chang, Lin & Yu, 2004). Interpersonal communication is an important medium for idea exchange in society, and Bloch (1986) stated that opinion leaders generally enjoyed talking with others about their source of enthusiasm. Strong product interest stimulated product-related conversation that might entail purchase recommendation or simple expression of delight in the product category (Bloch et al., 1989). Chan and Misra (1990) cited opinion leaders as more continuously involved with a relevant product class. People highly involved with a product (class) were more likely interested in these, accumulating knowledge of said product(s), and thus viewed as abler to impart relevant opinions (Chan & Misra, 1990). Enduring involvement shows linkage with opinion leadership (Allen, 2001; Venkatraman, 1990) and characteristics regarding paragliding. H3.Enduring involvement and involved behavior (innovativeness, knowledge, media use, and opinion leadership) of paragliding consumers show significant positive correlation. H4.Enduring involvement wields direct positive effect on involvement (innovativeness, knowledge, media use, and opinion leadership). METHODOLOGY Subjects and Sampling Subjects are those who engage in paragliding; those with professional and commercial umbrella visitors to a carpool paragliding coach are not in the scope of this study. Although paragliding clubs are widespread on Taiwan, actual enrollment remains undetermined because some members are difficult to contact. Based on approximate data provided by clubs, some 250 continued said activity, meaning census survey was used. Questionnaires were mailed to these 250 members in Taiwan, but only 193 questionnaires were valid in sampling. Data were collected from 10 paragliding associations and clubs: Ping Tung County Hunter Paragliding Club, Kaohsiung County Sun-Bird Paragliding Club, Keelung City Wild Horse Paragliding Club, Taitung County Paragliding Association, Hualien County Paragliding Association, Yilan County Paragliding Association, Taipei County Paragliding Association, Taoyuan County Paragliding Association, Hsinchu County Paragliding Association, and Nantou County Paragliding Association) from January 1th to Marth 25th of 2009. Part Five of the questionnaire provides background information on subjects. Instruments The research instrument included three parts. First was the scale of motivation (17 items), based on literature by Drivers (1977), who developed recreation experience preference scale (REP), leisure motivation scale developed by Beard and Raghed (1983), and adventure recreation relative research (Ewert, 1989; Ewert & Hollenhorst, 1997; Ho, Chung, & Chen, 2005; Schuett, 1993; Walle, 1997; Weber, 2001). Second, the enduring involvement scale had 12 items, constructed by Zaichkowsky (1994), who developed short item personal involvement inventory (PII). The third part, involved behavior, comprises 22 items (Bloch, 1986; Bloch, Black, & Lichenstein, 1989; Chan & Misra, 1990; Venkatraman, 1990). Three scales all adopt Likert 5-point scale, from strongly agree (5) to strongly disagree (1). Besides, this instrument includes seven demographic attribution items. Statistical Design and Analytical Techniques 1. 2. 3.

Procedures of data processing for effectively retrieved questionnaires are as follows: Item analysis and correlation analysis to examine whether the questionnaire possesses the identification or not. Exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach,s α tests questionnaire validity and reliability. Canonical correlation analysis identifies links among participating motivation, enduring involvement and involved behavior of paragliding consumers.

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Multiple regression analysis examines whether participating motivation of paragliders can predict enduring involvement, then tests predictability of enduring involvement on involved behavior. RESULTS

Description of Sample Among 193 respondents, effective sample size of gender was 181: 158 males and 23 females (12 missing values); 120 married and 73 unmarried (16 missing values). Age of 185 subjects (8 missing values) ranged from 18 to 63, a plurality 31-40 (N=70, 37.8%) years old. For educational level, effective sample size was of 186 (7 missing values); largest group was at college level (58, 31.2%), a few holding masters or doctorates (24, 12.9%). As for monthly income, effective sample size was 185 (8 missing values): NT$40,001-60,000 (N=57, 30.8%); NT$80,001-100,000 (N=10, 3.8%). Moreover, a plurality held jobs in the service industry (44, 23.3%), with a lone retiree (N=1, 0.5%). Most respondents (N=72, 39.1%) indicated that they took part in paragliding at least ten times in the past three months, with few participating 31-40 times (N=7, 3.8%). Table 1 details the sample profile.

Demographic characteristics Gender Male Female Marital status Married Unmarried Age Under 20 21～30 31～40 41～50 51～60 61 and over Education level High school and under Junior College University Postgraduate (master & doctor) Monthly income(NT$)a Below 20,000 20,001～40,000 40,001～60,000 60,001～80,000 80,001～100,000 ≧100,000 Non-income Occupation Military & Government, Services sector Information industry Manufacturing Business Building & Construction industry Housekeeper Health care workers Self-employed

Table 1: Respondent Profile Frequency 158 23

87.3% 21.7%

120 57

67.8% 32.2%

8 26 70 58 20 3

4.3% 14.1% 37.8% 31.4% 10.8% 1.6%

50 54 58 24

26.9% 29% 31.2% 12.9%

17 45 57 29 10 15 12

9.2% 24.3% 30.8% 15.7% 5.4% 8.1% 6.5%

16 44 28 25 14 12 1 2 12

8.5% 23.4% 14.9% 13.3% 7.4% 6.4% 0.5% 1.1% 6.4%


Percentage(%)

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Financial sector Others Times of paragliding/3 months 10 times and less 20times and less 30 times and less 40times and less 50times and less 6 0 times and less 61times and more

7 4

3.7% 2.1%

72 41 23 7 13 16 12

39.1% 22.3% 12.5% 3.8% 7.1% 8.7% 6.5%

VALIDITY AND RELIABILITY OF RESEARCH INSTRUMENTS Item analysis and correlation analysis First, item analysis tested discriminatory power of each scale. We took items significant on the independent sample t-test at p