Project Abstract

Family decision-making and purchase roles have been a significant area of interest in consumer behavior research. This study aims to provide an in-depth appraisal of how family members make decisions and allocate purchase roles within the family unit. The research explores the dynamics of decision-making processes, the factors influencing these processes, and the roles individuals play in making purchase decisions within the family context. The study utilizes a mixed-methods approach, combining qualitative and quantitative data collection methods to gather comprehensive insights into family decision-making processes. Qualitative data is collected through in-depth interviews with family members to understand their perspectives, experiences, and attitudes towards decision-making and purchase roles. On the other hand, quantitative data is gathered through surveys to analyze the prevalence of different decision-making styles and the distribution of purchase roles within families. The research findings shed light on the complexity of family decision-making processes, highlighting the interplay between individual preferences, family dynamics, and external influences. The study identifies various decision-making styles prevalent in families, such as autocratic, democratic, and consensus-based decision-making, and examines how these styles impact purchase decisions. Furthermore, the research explores the factors influencing the allocation of purchase roles within families, including gender roles, expertise, income levels, and product preferences. The study reveals that the distribution of purchase roles is often influenced by traditional gender norms, with certain products or categories being associated with specific gender roles. Moreover, the research investigates the role of children in family decision-making processes, emphasizing their influence on purchase decisions and the strategies they employ to sway family choices. The study highlights the importance of understanding children's roles in the decision-making process and the implications for marketers targeting family consumers. Overall, this research contributes to the existing literature by providing a comprehensive analysis of family decision-making and purchase roles. The findings offer valuable insights for marketers and policymakers seeking to understand the complexities of consumer behavior within the family unit. By recognizing the diverse decision-making styles and factors influencing purchase roles, businesses can tailor their marketing strategies to effectively target and engage family consumers.

Project Overview

INTRODUCTION

A family is a group of two or more persons related by blood, marriage or adoption who reside together. There are two main types of family, nuclear and extended family. The nuclear family is the immediate group of father mother and children living together. The extended family includes the nuclear family plus other relatives such as grandparents, uncles and aunts, cousins, and in-laws. The family into which one is born is called the family of orientation, whereas the one established by marriage is the family of procreation. Household is another term frequently used by marketers when describing consumer behavior. Household differs from family, in that household describe all the persons both related and unrelated who occupy a housing unit. Families have higher median incomes than do households because of the greater number of employed individuals in families. For both families and households the four structural variables that impact purchasing decisions most and that are therefore of primary interest to marketers are the age of head of household or family, marital status, presence of children and employment status. However, the way families make decision can be better understood by consulting sociological dimensions such as cohesion, adaptability and communication.