Marketing to illiterate consumers: Implications for Marketing Managers
This research involved a qualitative study of the implications for managers and/or employees who conduct business with low-literate consumers. The focus of this research was determined by the research question. The research question asked the following: What are the implications for marketing managers dealing with functionally illiterate consumers? Previous research studies were used to support this investigation. We analyzed the responses of two managers and/or employees who have had any experience with low-literate consumers, whether personal or impersonal. Each manager and/or employee participated in a one-on-one interview involving a mapped out script probing the manager and/or employee on his or her responses to low-literate consumer issues (i.e. calculations, reading comprehension). After the managers and/or employees completed their interviews, we evaluated the information given and compared them to previous findings. We found that managers do recognize this type of illiteracy among their consumers and methods they can use in order to better serve this underrepresented market segment. The findings from this research study, along with previous studies, help to develop implications for marketing managers, present and future.
School:
Dillard University
Department:
Marketing / Management Information Systems
Research Advisor:
Madhu Viswanathan
Department of Research Advisor:
Department of Business Administration
Year of Publication:
2004