Family roles in the selection of schools in multiracial Singapore: An examination of demographic differencesographic Differences

• Main Authors: Lalwani, Ashok K., Mehta, Subhash C., TAN, Chin Tiong
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 1999
• Subjects: Family roles; cross-cultural differences; influence of children and others; family decision making; multiethnic Singapore; schools; subculture; household purchases; Asian Studies; Education; Family, Life Course, and Society; Marketing
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/283; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/1282/viewcontent/Family_Roles_in_the_Selection_of_Schools_in_Multiracial_Singapore_PV.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Family roles in deciding household purchases have intrigued marketers for a long time, with researchers calling for more studies on the subject - especially those which look into the roles played by children and others in the decision process. This paper investigates the relative influence of the husband, wife, children, and others in 5 sub-decisions involved in the choice of a school, and distinguishes families reporting different roles on their demographic characteristics. Cluster analysis was used to develop segments on the basis of family roles. Results indicate that children and others have negligible influence in this particular service and that the wife dominates 4 sub-decisions, while the husband dominates one. It is also seen that couples reporting wife dominant decision-making are older and are less susceptible to interpersonal influence than those reporting joint decision-making. Implications for school management are discussed.