• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.13-26
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• 2014

The theory of planned behavior proposed by Ajzen predicts that certain behaviors are determined by behavioral intentions which are affected by an attitudinal belief toward the behavior, the subject norms, and the individual's perception of their control over the behavior. This study's aim is to examine consumers' inappropriate complaint behaviors, using the theory of planned behavior. Consumers' inappropriate complaint behaviors are defined by two types, which are low -and high-intensity inappropriate complaint behavior based on the primary data collected from a group of consumer affairs professionals in the business field. The survey questionnaire was administered to 1,000 consumers via an on-line survey. The two models were assessed with path analysis in order to predict consumers' inappropriate complaint behaviors, using the theory of planned behavior. The results are as follows: First, two types of inappropriate compliant behaviors were identified according to the results of an exploratory study conducted by professionals who had been employed at the department of consumer affairs. Second, the theory of planned behavior is adequately fitted to examine the factors related to consumers' inappropriate complaint behaviors. Also, all three variables based on the theory of planned behavior, -perceived behavior control, subjective norm, and attitude-had a significant effect on inappropriate complaint behavior intention. Third, consumers' inappropriate complaint behavior intention played the most significant role in low-intensity inappropriate complaint behavior, whereas attitude was found to play a significant role in high-intensity inappropriate complaint behavior. The significance and implication were discussed in terms of effective customer management strategies.