Internet‐enabled youth and power in family decisions

Abstract

Purpose The relationship between knowledge and power appears to be assumptive in marketing; the study reported here attempts to justify this assumption. Design/methodology/approach The study is set in a family decision context. The research divides families according to the domain‐specific internet use of sons, and then the analysts inspect family decision‐power patterns for a range of products. Analysis is by factor analysis in the first instance, followed by ANOVA to test the research hypotheses. Findings The relationship between the internet‐enabled, domain‐specific knowledge acquisition of young consumers and their consequent increase in power in group decisions is supported. Research limitations/implications Academics need to adjust their existing beliefs about family decisions, given the impact technology is having on knowledge patterns. Practical implications Marketers not only must be cognizant of the increasing power of youth in family purchase decisions as technology changes knowledge structures, but also must realize the potential of technological promotion channels for reaching this newly empowered target audience. Originality/value The concept that knowledge leads to power is not original, but the application of the idea to consider the structure of group decisions in a family context is. Most observers accept that the youth market is large and growing in its own right. It also seems possible, though, that many young consumers will have even more importance than previously considered because of their increasing influence within their family group.

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