Date of Award

2009

Document Type

Master Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Business (Research)

Department

Continuing Education

First Advisor

Dr. Angela Wright

Abstract

This study explores the perceptions held by Irish teenage consumers in relation to branded clothing and investigates the different factors which influence them in their decision-making process. In seeking to expand the understanding of teenage consumer behaviour and the factors that influence their clothing brand choices, this study focuses predominantly on the susceptibility of teenage consumers to peer and reference group influence. This study examines the social and psychological concepts of attributing status, social value and specific purchase intent to clothing brands in relation to teenage consumer decision-making.

This study is therefore interested in exploring the hypothesis that branded clothing is used by some teenagers as a vehicle for social acceptance among their peer group and for communicating status to the external world.

This research is furthermore interested in the supposition that peer pressure may be particularly prevalent amongst those teenagers whose desired social identity is strongly linked to their reference group identity. This research into teenage consumer behaviour and the factors that influence their clothing brand choice expands the understanding of brand conscious Irish teenage consumers.

Access Level

info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess

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