C. Arnone, C. Giaconia, C. Pace and M. Greco
A recent programme of technical collaboration between Alelco, DIE of Palermo and CRES of Monreale has led to the development and operative confirmation of a technique for…
Abstract
A recent programme of technical collaboration between Alelco, DIE of Palermo and CRES of Monreale has led to the development and operative confirmation of a technique for delineating conductive microgeometries on various types of substrates. This technique, using a flexible system of laser microlithography on planar (2‐D) or three‐dimensional (3‐D) surfaces, has led to the development of several types of thin film components for use at both low and high frequencies.
C.G. Giaconia, G. Grasso and C. Arnone
A quantitative investigation of a dipping technique for depositing a thin layer of resist on circularly symmetrical objects is presented. The results obtained are valuable for…
Abstract
A quantitative investigation of a dipping technique for depositing a thin layer of resist on circularly symmetrical objects is presented. The results obtained are valuable for preparing three‐dimensional (3‐D) surfaces suited for spatial microlithographic processes in the 1 to 10 µm linewidth range.
Gunnar Mau, Michael Schuhen, Sascha Steinmann and Hanna Schramm-Klein
This paper aims to analyse how children behave during a purchasing process in a simulated shop and how they put their goals into effect at the Point of Sale (POS). The focus of…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to analyse how children behave during a purchasing process in a simulated shop and how they put their goals into effect at the Point of Sale (POS). The focus of this research is children in Germany aged between 8 and 10 years. The results reveal answers to the following questions: which criteria do the children consider important when buying groceries? How efficiently and effectively do children pursue the goals demanded of them at the POS? This knowledge can support parents, teachers and educational organisations in teaching children consumer literacy.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through interviews and a subsequent observation of the behaviour in a purchase simulation. A total of 436 school children aged 8 to 10 years answered a questionnaire about their behaviour at the POS and perceived demands during the purchasing process as well as their understanding of purchase-relevant concepts. Subsequently, purchase behaviour and decisions in a digitally simulated shopping environment of a supermarket were analysed for a subsample (n = 170). This combination of methods enables the collection of observable decision-making behaviour as well as of the declarative knowledge and the purchasing habits of the children.
Findings
Children often act differently from the way they themselves intended and expected during the purchase decision at the POS. Only a small number of children behaved purposefully, whereas the vast majority was distracted by the great amount of stimuli in the simulated supermarket. The results reveal factors that helped children cope with the shopping task and shielded them against purchase impulses from the stimuli at the POS.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to combine questionnaires about children’s declarative knowledge of the shopping process with observation of the real decision behaviour in a supermarket simulation task.
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Rashmi Singh and Lalatendu Kesari Jena
This paper aims to investigate the effect of parent–adolescent conflict in step versus biological families on family communication patterns (FCPs) and the conflict resolution…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the effect of parent–adolescent conflict in step versus biological families on family communication patterns (FCPs) and the conflict resolution strategy adopted by adolescents during family destinations or holiday planning (where to visit?).
Design/methodology/approach
The literature on family conflict (i.e. parent–adolescent conflict) and the different types of families (step vs nuclear) supported the proposed framework. The survey was conducted in the Indian subcontinent with a sample size of 437 adolescents. SPSS 22.0 was used for factor analysis (exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis) and structural equation modelling was used through AMOS 26.0 for data analysis.
Findings
Significant relationship was observed between the types of families (step and biological), FCP and the resolution strategy chosen by Indian adolescents. Adopting a resolution strategy by adolescents in both families depends on the type of FCP in the family. Adolescents in stepfamilies have socio-oriented FCP and use “positive problem-solving” and “conflict withdrawal” as a resolution strategy. In contrast, adolescents in biological families have concept-oriented families and use “conflict enhancement” as a resolution strategy. It has also been found that adolescents who fall into high-stress categories used conflict enhancement strategies. In contrast, those who fall under low-stress categories used positive problem-solving and withdrawal strategies.
Practical implications
This study will add a new chapter to adolescents’ decision-making literature in line with the previous research. It has practical implications for tourism marketers, academicians/researchers and policymakers. Marketers can segment adolescents into step versus biological families, and the choice of resolution strategies may introduce efficient and competent marketing strategies and promotional campaigns.
Originality/value
This study favours that family type is a robust construct to predict adolescents’ choice of resolution strategy. So, it is one of the most influential variables in adolescents’ resolution strategy adoption.
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Manuel Sotelo-Duarte and Beatriz Gónzalez-Cavazos
This study aims to propose increasing the number of dimensions around current intergenerational influence (IGI) construct and renaming it to intergenerational brand influence…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to propose increasing the number of dimensions around current intergenerational influence (IGI) construct and renaming it to intergenerational brand influence (IGBI). This research describes the development and validation of the items comprising the dimensions of this new construct.
Design/methodology/approach
This study performed a literature review to identify potential dimensions for IGBI based on previous research about IGI. Analysis of items used to measure IGI was conducted to establish a set for each dimension. A structured, self-administered survey was used. Item reduction, measure validation and regression analysis were conducted to measure the predictive validity of the instrument. Moreover, three separate studies were conducted to develop and validate IGBI construct.
Findings
IGBI quantifies the various interactions that contribute to intergenerational brand transfer. The interactions could be classified according to one of the five IGBI dimensions: communication, recommendation, observed behavior, good impression and co-shopping with parents.
Practical implications
IGBI recognizes the relevance of influence behaviors such as children observing their parents buy a brand, children participating in shopping and children attempting to develop a good impression through brand loyalty. The first two behaviors indicate the importance of brands advocating purchase behavior as a family activity. The measure of good impression suggests that consumers use brands to maintain family connections, which should be considered a pertinent brand strategy.
Originality/value
This study develops the aforementioned five IGBI dimensions that describe the interactions between parent–child consumers that result in brand transfer.
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The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of family communication patterns (FCPs) on adolescents’ choice of conflict resolution strategies during family holiday…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of family communication patterns (FCPs) on adolescents’ choice of conflict resolution strategies during family holiday planning.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper is framed by and builds on the literature on the adolescents’ choice of conflict resolution strategies and the FCP. The sample was collected using a survey among 400 adolescents in India. Exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modelling have been used to analyse the data.
Findings
The paper provides a significant relationship between FCP and the choice of conflict resolution strategies. The study findings suggested that adolescents’ choice of resolution strategy depends on the type of communication environment in the family. It has been seen that adolescents have more say in concept-oriented families and use different types of resolution strategies compared to socio-oriented families.
Practical implications
The present study has considerable implications for the marketers and the academicians. Through FCP, marketers will be able to segment the families and, hence, may introduce efficient and competent marketing strategies and promotional campaigns.
Originality/value
The paper offers insights into the choice of conflict resolution strategy by adolescents’ in different FCPs. The study has originality and offers value to marketers as it focuses on adolescents, and explores their perceptions about their influence during the decision process.
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Vytautas Dikcius, Indre Pikturniene and James Reardon
Although there is a common agreement that children participate and impact parental purchase decisions, the research results are rather inconsistent. One of the reasons for the…
Abstract
Purpose
Although there is a common agreement that children participate and impact parental purchase decisions, the research results are rather inconsistent. One of the reasons for the differences in the findings could be attributable to different operationalisations of a child engagement variable in surveys. This study aims to classify the instruments used to measure children engagement in parental purchase decisions and to develop a typology of these instruments.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 67 articles that reported details and results of the surveys where a variable of children engagement in family decisions was operationalised were selected on a systematic basis. In total, 82 measures were extracted, reviewed and assigned to the particular category.
Findings
The typology of measures of children engagement into parental purchase decisions was developed. The features of particular measures, as well as their applicability for different types of child engagement measurement, are discussed.
Research limitations/implications
The sample of articles was limited to nine major scholarly databases and framed for 1985-2015, excluding conference presentations, dissertations, studies and other types of primary research publications.
Practical implications
The analysis demonstrates that authors who had seemingly similar or the same purpose of measuring variable of child engagement into parental purchase decision in fact have used different measures. The differences in measures tend to produce different size of engagement effect. The proposed typology will support scholarly community in establishing more clear definitions and measures of children engagement in parental purchase decision domain.
Originality/value
The typology of measures of children engagement into parental purchase decision is the first attempt to introduce systematised approach toward different domains within the field and their measurement.
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Kafia Ayadi and Isabelle Muratore
This paper investigates children's influence on their mothers' online grocery shopping. As virtual shopping does not provide instant gratification, the authors explore how…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper investigates children's influence on their mothers' online grocery shopping. As virtual shopping does not provide instant gratification, the authors explore how children between the ages of 7 and 11 are involved in the online purchasing process (before, during and after the purchase) with their digital mothers (digimums).
Design/methodology/approach
We collected qualitative data from 27 separate semi-structured interviews of mothers and their children.
Findings
Children's influence during the online buying process exists and can be active, passive and/or proactive. The findings extend knowledge about children's influence by adding the notion of proactive influence where children use an intended approach to anticipate their mother's needs for grocery shopping and take initiatives. Children use less impulsive requests and become smart shoppers using more rational arguments to explain their requests. The online buying process contributes to children's online socialisation: They learn the importance of the shopping list, prices, discounts, brands and so on. Online socialisation at home might take the physical form of using digital devices (i.e. scanning) and entering the credit card code, which contributes to the children's learning.
Originality/value
Online buying virtualises children's relationship to objects, and the screen acts as a kind of filter. This makes their influence strategy less emotional and corporeal and more rational (smart shopper).
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This article seeks to make a critical contribution to the contemporary debate on the active role of children as consumers, exploring the different meanings children confer on…
Abstract
Purpose
This article seeks to make a critical contribution to the contemporary debate on the active role of children as consumers, exploring the different meanings children confer on consumer goods and spaces in retail settings.
Design/methodology/approach
A total of 60 children were unobtrusively observed in ten Italian apparel stores.
Findings
Children tend to subvert the stores' possible uses and symbolizations by actively re‐appropriating the meanings of products, promotional stimuli and spaces through play.
Practical implications
The analysis of children's lived experience of commercial spaces enables retailers to adjust the stores' environment to children's demands, recognising their role as active meaning creators.
Originality/value
The playful re‐appropriation of spaces, products and promotional stimuli emerged as a mechanism through which children learn to consume, reinforcing their knowledge and attitudes about retail settings, products and brands.