The segmentation of consumers with regard to attitudes toward the environment and personality traits: The comparison of kohonen maps (Self-organizing map-SOM) and cluster analysis

Increasing concern about the environment all over the world has caused to born a new consumer segments; green or ecological consumers. Increasing competition in today's world has contributed to the rise and development of a different marketing concept besides consumer demands are more selective and increasingly concerned about the destruction of the natural environment. Today's consumer wants different, new and harmless products to nature that are produced and consumed. Green marketing practices are expected to shape traditional marketing strategies by consumers. Therefore, there is a market structure with wide and different characteristics which are interesting and anticipated with green consumption. Consumers have got environmentalist tendencies consist of not only a single market but also subgroups with different attitudes and characteristics.In this study, it is aimed to segment in terms of consumers' attitudes towards various environmental ffactors and their personality characteristics.In this context, the research included environmental friendly product purchasing behavior, environmental activism, environmental knowledge, environmental concern, recycling, perceived consumer effectiveness, altruism, resource saving, economic factor, scepticism variables and personality traits in determining consumer attitudes towards the environment.As a result of the research; consumers are divided into three segments as "potential greens", "greenback greens" and "browns". Key Words: Environmental Friendly Product Purchasing Behavior, Perceived Consumer Effectiveness, Environmental Concern, Altruism, Kohonen Maps (SOM)