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The mobile phone industry is a very innovative segment within the ICT sector and the smartphone is becoming the standard configuration among the different types of mobile devices. Technical change and new product proliferation have made this industry extremely dynamic (Cecere et al, 2014; Martins et al, 2019). Global sales of smartphones to consumers totalled 349 million units in Q1 2016, a 3.9% rise over the same period in 2015. Moreover, smartphone sales represented 78% of total mobile phone sales in Q1 2016 (Gartner, 2016). The pioneers of Smartphone manufacturers such as Palm Inc, Nokia and blackberry have lost their business to the firms (i.e. Apple, Samsung) who offer more technologically advanced and customer oriented offerings to the customers. However, those big players in mobile handset market are now facing tough challenges in various markets from emerging competitors. Both Samsung and Apple are losing their market shares to smaller players such as Huawei, Xiaomi and Micromax. For instance, in China, Xiaomi has surpassed Samsung phone market within four years. (Ha, 2016). Therefore, it has become a great challenge for the mobile handset manufacturers to ensure repeat purchasing of their product to defend their market share and stay ahead of competition. Bangladesh performs close to the regional averages across metrics of mobile market development, despite having lower income than neighbouring countries. In 2015, mobile technologies and services generated 6.2% of GDP in Bangladesh, a contribution that amounted to around $13 billion of economic value. The mobile industry also generates more than 760,000 jobs and made a significant contribution to public funding of more than $2 billion in 2015. This economic contribution comes from the direct impact of the mobile ecosystem as well as the indirect impact and the increase in productivity brought about using mobile technologies (GSMA, 2019). Since 2005, full liberalization of the mobile phone sector including the launching of a mobile phone service by a state-owned mobile firm and a strong rival as well as the emergence of an effective regulator brought stiff competition in the sector (Yusuf et al, 2010). The total number of active mobile phone subscribers has reached into 147 million at the end of January, 2018 (BTRC, 2019). The competitive landscape of mobile handset market in Bangladesh has showed rapid ups and downs in previous years. During the period between 2008 and 2012, international brands were losing their business to local brands, Symphony and Walton, which gathered momentum with their over 50% market share. The local brands served customers with low-cost smartphones priced at between Tk3,000 and Tk6,000.In recent years, particularly over the last two years, most international brands made a comeback with their quality products, strong Research and Development (R&D) strategy and after-sale services. There are hardly any districts where international brands have not opened up their showrooms to reach out their products to smartphone users (Husain, 2017).The above mentioned information showed that mobile handset market is a big and potential market in Bangladesh but the market has not got proper attention from the academic researchers
Consumer attitude evaluation is a significant issue in the field of consumer behavior and a vital component for developing any successful marketing program. The attitude construct occupies a centralrole in theories and research regarding consumer behavior(Ajzen, 2008). Few concepts in the marketing literature have proliferated like the concept of attitude. (Argyriou&Melewar, 2011).Kotler et al. (1996) stated that attitude directly influence decision making. Attitude research often describescognitive and affective components of an attitude in relation to an overall evaluation. (Berg et al. 2006). Prior studies have showed that cognitive and affective attitudinal components have significant influence on formation of loyalty where repeat purchasing is in central importance (Touzani and Temessek, 2009; Back and Parks, 2003; Silva and Alwi, 2006).