Personal Influences on Consumer Behaviour

Abstract

The second chapter analyses the personal influences on higher education consumer choice, by covering demographics — gender and age, family, income, educational background and lifestyle. The first section covers influences on consumer behaviour based on theoretical models and the meaning of segmentation (the ways a potential market is divided into distinctive groups of consumers with common characteristics and needs). Next, research on the major personal factors affecting consumer behaviour in HE are analysed in detail, with references to empirical findings on each topic. A critical discussion raises ethical issues and the need for further research.