ABSTRACT
This chapter distinguishes between subjective attributes and objective characteristics, between beliefs of different kinds and between different types and levels of characteristic. However, at this level there are still some broad characteristic groupings which are extremely important to anyone planning a marketing or production strategy. There are some characteristics which do not add to the enjoyment of the product. These may be fillers and makeweights, like water, which add to the volume of the product. Consumers often use proxy characteristics as an indication of quality, when the characteristics they really value are invisible. The many types of characteristics, the overlaps and double counting, and the difference between objective and subjective perceptions of quality, mean that mechanistic models of quality will certainly get the wrong answer. Any useful model must be built up for the product being examined, and must take into account the characteristics and attributes relevant to that product at that level in the marketing chain.
