Our society is in the change. A decline in the birthrate, ageing and a shrinking population have moved during the last years rightly in the centre of the public discussion and shift the demographic frame in a not known way up to now. The demographic change is a sign of this time and will exercise a big influence on the social development.
Demographic developments can lead to the fact, that market relations as well as the size and the growth of markets change substantially by what new markets and new sales opportunities can originate from (cf. Kuß/ Tomczak, 2004, p.76f). Because the demographically conditioned changes of the markets slowly take place, it is already today important for enterprises to explore the needs and preferences of the older customer group. Previous to the background of the demographic change, the good and service offer just as internal processes of development and not least the communication with the customer must be considered. This is the only way enterprises can early position themselves to work on this already growing and in future gigantic market (cf. Heitzer-Priem/ Hertling/ Ratazzi-Förster, 2011, p.13).
Market research can help the decision maker to recognize trend statements (forecasts), timely market changes and consumer trends and to act accordingly (cf. Steinmetz/ Weis, 2008, p.18). Especially marketing research at the macroscopic level provides the informational base for marketing strategies and for the strategically early detection (cf. Baumgarth, Benecker, 1999, p.5). In this work, especially the area „socio-cultural environment“ (e.g. value change, demographic population development as for example the ageing of the society or the increase of the single households in Germany) should be examined. The demographic developments and their influence on the consumer behavior is the topic of this work. In addition, the first part of this Assignment deals with the topical and future demographic developments in Germany. Subsequent to that, their effects on the consumer's behavior should be shown closer. Since more exact forecasts cannot be made with regard to the migration and immigration because of the strong variations at the moment, this work limits itself primarily to the present and future consumer behavior of the „about 50 year-old“ group. The aim of this work should be, to give an overview about the demographic development in Germany and some concrete effects on the consumer behavior by means of forecasts.
Inhaltsverzeichnis (Table of Contents)
- Introduction
- The demographic developments in Germany
- Development of the population
- Fertility
- Mortality
- Migration
- Declining population
- Different age structures
- Development of the private households
- Development of the population
- Effects on the consumer behaviour
- Lifestyle and self-perception of the generation 50+
- Buying power and consumption structure
- Conclusion and outlook
Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte (Objectives and Key Themes)
This work aims to provide an overview of the demographic development in Germany and its concrete effects on consumer behaviour using forecasts. It explores the impact of demographic changes on the market relations, sales opportunities, and the needs of older customer groups. The key themes of this work are:- Demographic changes in Germany
- Influence of demographic developments on consumer behavior
- Importance of understanding the needs of older customer groups
- Impact of demographic changes on the market and sales opportunities
- The significance of market research in understanding consumer trends and adapting marketing strategies
Zusammenfassung der Kapitel (Chapter Summaries)
Introduction
The introduction highlights the significance of demographic changes and their influence on social development. It emphasizes the need for businesses to understand the needs and preferences of older customer groups in response to the changing market dynamics.The demographic developments in Germany
This chapter delves into the current and future demographic developments in Germany, analyzing factors like fertility, mortality, and migration. It highlights the declining birth rate, increasing life expectancy, and the expected increase in deaths in the coming years. The chapter also examines the impact of these developments on the age structure of the population and the changing nature of private households.Effects on the consumer behaviour
This chapter focuses on the effects of demographic changes on consumer behaviour. It examines how the lifestyle and self-perception of the generation 50+ have changed, and how these changes impact their buying power and consumption structure.Schlüsselwörter (Keywords)
This work focuses on the demographic developments in Germany, their impact on consumer behavior, and the significance of market research in understanding and responding to these changes. Key terms include: demographic change, consumer behavior, market research, aging population, generation 50+, birth rate, mortality, migration, buying power, consumption structure, and market opportunities.- Quote paper
- Steffen Plutz (Author), 2012, The demographic developments in Germany and their effects on consumer behaviour, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/192330
