ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on the utility of the means-end chain theory for the analysis of involvement. At the conceptual level, a number of ideas on how the paradigm can provide academics with a new alternative to operationalize involvement are developed. We suggest that it is necessary to extend the conceptualization of involvement from the means-end chain perspective beyond value attainment. Several characteristics of the hierarchical value map (HVM) are introduced as potential indices of involvement. We discuss their nature, their interdependencies, and their contribution to the assessment of involvement.
