Consumers’ perceptions and preferences for traditional cake production technology in Malaysia
(Persepsi dan kecenderungan pengguna terhadap teknologi pengeluaran kuih tradisional di Malaysia)
This study was carried out to investigate the consumers’ perceptions and preferences for traditional cake production in Malaysia based on the different production technologies i.e. traditional and modern. A survey questionnaire was distributed to 1,208 respondents based on purposive sampling strategy in six zones across Malaysia. The study revealed that the majority of respondents preferred both traditional cake production technologies (49%), followed by traditional method (47.8%) and modern method (3.1%). The respondents’ knowledge on traditional cake technology indicated that formulation technology recorded the highest (40.8%), followed by shelf-life technology (15.2%), and quality assurance technology (12.7%). The taste and aroma of cakes (96%) were the main factors influencing consumer purchase decisions in the traditionally produced cakes, followed by the quality of cakes (95.4%) and less colouring used (92.6%). The findings of this study are useful for the technology developers to identify consumers’ preferences in the traditional cake production by developing technologies that help boost the profitability, quality and productivity of a product and beneficial to the industry players, research institutions and
policy makers.
Abstrak
Kajian ini telah dijalankan bagi menilai persepsi dan pilihan pengguna terhadap pengeluaran kek tradisional di Malaysia berdasarkan teknologi pengeluaran tradisional dan moden. Tinjauan kaji selidik melibatkan 1,208 orang responden dengan menggunakan pensampelan tertuju di enam zon di seluruh Malaysia. Kajian ini mendapati majoriti responden memilih kedua-dua kaedah pengeluaran kek tradisional (49%) diikuti kaedah tradisional (47.8%) dan kaedah moden (3.1%). Pengetahuan responden berhubung teknologi pengeluaran kek tradisional pula mencatatkan peratusan tertinggi bagi teknologi formulasi (40.8%), diikuti teknologi jangka hayat (15.2%) dan teknologi jaminan kualiti (12.7%). Rasa dan aroma kek tradisional (96%) merupakan faktor utama yang mempengaruhi keputusan pembelian responden terhadap kek tradisional yang menggunakan kaedah tradisional selain daripada kualiti kek (95.4%) dan kurang penggunaan warna (92.6%) dalam pengeluaran kek tradisional. Dapatan kajian ini amat berguna kepada penjana teknologi bagi mengenal pasti pilihan pengguna dalam pengeluaran kek tradisional dengan membangunkan teknologi yang dapat meningkatkan kebolehuntungan, kualiti dan daya pengeluaran sesuatu produk serta berfaedah kepada pemain industri, institusi penyelidikan dan penggubal dasar.