The McCarthy study is particularly useful for managers because it is short and
well written, and it focuses on the issues relevant to managerial decision making.
Although academic consumer demand studies do not always meet these criteria,
they can be useful starting points for managers. While the results of academic
research studies may sometimes be too general for managerial decision making,
they can be suggestive of strategies that managers should pursue. For example,
McCarthy found that vehicle characteristics, quality, and consumer search variables
were important influences on automobile demand.