Abstract
The adolescent is considered an active element in family purchases, with an important participation in the decision phase. However, the study of higher involvement products for his/her own’ use have been neglected. The adolescent presents, in this category of products, generally, a higher knowledge than his parents, which can constitute an important resource in his participation in those purchases. Literature has evidenced the existence of diverse cultural dimensions, namely individualism-collectivism and power distance as having an interesting contribute to consumer behavior understanding. Thus, adolescents became an increasingly attractive segment for companies, because they are considered as an active element and have influence the most important consumption unit, the family. In these, the role of the adolescent is not deeply explained, having often been devalued or relegated. The adolescent tend to have a higher knowledge than his parents, which can constitute an important resource in his participation in those purchases, when comparing with their parents. Furthermore, products for adolescents’ use have not yet been properly studied.
The main objective of this research is to examine the influences of the individualism-collectivism’ and power distance’ national cultural constructs, and consumer socialization effects in adolescent’s influence on clothes for their own use’ purchase decision.
In the empirical phase, a quantitative research method is utilized in high schools in Lisbon district, Portugal. 1,000 questionnaires were delivered in classrooms during May 2018. Adolescents’ students were instructed to deliver questionnaires to their mothers for response, and 726 validated questionnaires were returned.
Results on logistic regression analysis point to individualistic culture, television influence, family type and adolescents’ product knowledge as explanatory variables for adolescent clothes’ purchase. For the mother, adolescents living in individualistic culture, having television influence, within single-parent families being positively related to the adolescent’s influence on family purchase decisions, reinforcing the relevance of family type. Also, adolescents with greater product knowledge being positively related to the adolescent’s influence on family purchase decisions, valuating the adolescent’ product knowledge. More, older adolescents do have more influence on family purchases than younger adolescents, also valuating the family type as an explanatory variable for clothes for adolescent’ use.
This research provides several contributions of this study to knowledge in this area field. First, the relevance of including the adolescent in purchases for his own use is reinforced.
Second, when considering adolescent’ clothes, marketing managers should direct their efforts to those adolescents who live in individualistic cultures, to those adolescents who are more influenced by television, with greater product knowledge, and with ages between 15 and 19 years old. Those results are innovative in this research domain.
Third, this research also contributes significantly to companies pointing to consider adolescent has an active participation on family purchase decisions. Having the adolescent relevant role on family buying decisions, it is important that marketers focus their efforts on his/her satisfaction, mainly when considering products for their own use.
