The world has been ageing fast. In the major of the countries, mature consumers grow faster than ever before. There are two reasons to explain this: first is the increase of life expectance and on the other hand, the decrease of born ratio. The combination of these two facts has produced a gray planet. Learning how to deal with this will be a challenge in the next decades, once the mature market is attracting the attention of both academic researchers and businessmen all around the world due to their importance as a consumer group. A strong characteristic of this group is its heterogeneity, that suggests the existence of several important subgroups for marketers. This study employs a segmentation technique based upon lifestyles, purchase behavior and demographics characteristics to subdivide the consumer market composed of people aged 49 plus living in the Uberlândia and Uberaba, important cities in Minas Gerais State. The analysis of the data sample was based on multivariate statisticals techniques. Factor Analysis was used to identify the major important groups of variables that compose the purchase behavior and the lifestyle of mature consumers. Then, Cluster Analysis was applied to identify and to characterize the segments. Results indicated the existence of five clusters: elderlies reserved, retirees not worried, secure workers, balanced active, well-educated youngers. This study contributes to the knowledge of the mature consumer, helping future researches about this subject. Besides, it provides information to marketers directing and positioning their products, better fitting them to the lifestyle and purchase behavior of the mature market. / O mundo passa hoje pela maior revolução demográfica de sua história. Em um grande número de países, a proporção de consumidores mais idosos cresce a um ritmo jamais visto no passado. O envelhecimento é fruto do aumento da expectativa de vida e da queda na taxa de natalidade: a combinação desses dois fenômenos está produzindo um planeta grisalho. Aprender a lidar com este fato é um dos grandes desafios nas décadas que vêm pela frente, pois o mercado maduro vem atraindo a atenção de pesquisadores e de homens de negócios em todo o mundo por conta da crescente importância que vem assumindo como grupo consumidor. Uma das mais fortes características desse grupo é sua heterogeneidade, o que faz supor a existência de diversos subgrupos de importância para marketing. Assim, o presente trabalho adota a segmentação segundo perfis de estilos de vida, comportamentos de compra e características demográficas para subdividir o mercado dos consumidores com mais de 49 anos de idade residentes nas cidades de Uberlândia e Uberaba - MG. Com uma abordagem quantitativa, foram utilizadas técnicas estatísticas multivariadas para analisar os dados levantados junto a uma amostra desses consumidores. A Análise Fatorial foi utilizada para identificar as variáveis mais representativas do comportamento de compra e estilo de vida dos consumidores maduros. Posteriormente, a Análise de Agrupamentos permitiu separá-los em clusters, identificando-se cinco segmentos: idosos reservados, aposentados despreocupados, trabalhadores seguros, ativos equilibrados e jovens instruídos. Este estudo aprofunda o conhecimento do consumidor maduro nas cidades de Uberlândia e Uberaba, contribuindo para futuras pesquisas, além de proporcionar às empresas informações para melhor direcionar e posicionar seus produtos aos consumidores maduros, segundo seu estilo de vida e comportamento de compra. / Mestre em Administração

The mature market presents challenges to marketers because much of the information about the marketplace is based on younger consumers, differing from older consumers in many important ways. The research project was commisioned with two main objectives: to determine what is required to cater for customers falling into the age bracket of 60-75, enabling marketers to successfully target the mature consumer and retain these customers. A qualitative methodology was selected to collect and analyse information to enhance understanding of the perceptions with regard to the functional, social and emotional needs of the mature market sector. Abraham Maslow is known for postulating the 'Hierarchy of Needs Theory', stating that human beings are motivated by their unsatisfied needs. It is necessary to understand and investigate the relative importance of the functional, emotional and actualisation components of mature consumer needs. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology ))

<p>This thesis investigates the way to implement a valuable e-commerce solution. With the growing importance of information technologies in business practices, more and more companies are adopting e-commerce as a selling and ordering process. However, depending on the market environment, the level of success of the implementation may differ. The purpose of this study is therefore to examine what are the conditions required for a successful B2B e-commerce implementation in different market contexts.</p><p>Theories related to the impact of markets' contexts on e-commerce, the business process, and the drivers and enablers of e-commerce have been considered. Thereafter the current situation of Star Laundry Solutions (SLS) has been studied. The context of different markets – France, United Kingdom, Turkey - where they have dealers, the business process drivers of implementations and success factors of a valuable e-commerce solution have been investigated. The result of the empirical studied are analyzed in comparison with the theoretical findings. Through this method, the main research question of the thesis, namely “What are the necessary conditions to implement a value-adding e-commerce solution in different market contexts?” can be answered.</p><p>Several conditions have been identified in order to succeed the implementation and bring value to the different players along the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the end-customer. The market should first answer different criteria. Further, future users of the web solution must support the implementation, trust between parties must also emerge from the implementation, and additional information must be provided on the website such as product numbers (PNCs), products' availability and delivery times.</p><p>The provided recommendations of this thesis regarding the features of the web solution, the range of products that dealers and importers should be able to order online and the range of companies that should be allowed to use the web solution in Turkey.</p>

The mature market presents challenges to marketers because much of the information about the marketplace is based on younger consumers, differing from older consumers in many important ways. The research project was commisioned with two main objectives: to determine what is required to cater for customers falling into the age bracket of 60-75, enabling marketers to successfully target the mature consumer and retain these customers. A qualitative methodology was selected to collect and analyse information to enhance understanding of the perceptions with regard to the functional, social and emotional needs of the mature market sector. Abraham Maslow is known for postulating the 'Hierarchy of Needs Theory', stating that human beings are motivated by their unsatisfied needs. It is necessary to understand and investigate the relative importance of the functional, emotional and actualisation components of mature consumer needs. / Thesis (M.A. (Psychology ))

This thesis investigates the way to implement a valuable e-commerce solution. With the growing importance of information technologies in business practices, more and more companies are adopting e-commerce as a selling and ordering process. However, depending on the market environment, the level of success of the implementation may differ. The purpose of this study is therefore to examine what are the conditions required for a successful B2B e-commerce implementation in different market contexts. Theories related to the impact of markets' contexts on e-commerce, the business process, and the drivers and enablers of e-commerce have been considered. Thereafter the current situation of Star Laundry Solutions (SLS) has been studied. The context of different markets – France, United Kingdom, Turkey - where they have dealers, the business process drivers of implementations and success factors of a valuable e-commerce solution have been investigated. The result of the empirical studied are analyzed in comparison with the theoretical findings. Through this method, the main research question of the thesis, namely “What are the necessary conditions to implement a value-adding e-commerce solution in different market contexts?” can be answered. Several conditions have been identified in order to succeed the implementation and bring value to the different players along the supply chain, from the manufacturer to the end-customer. The market should first answer different criteria. Further, future users of the web solution must support the implementation, trust between parties must also emerge from the implementation, and additional information must be provided on the website such as product numbers (PNCs), products' availability and delivery times. The provided recommendations of this thesis regarding the features of the web solution, the range of products that dealers and importers should be able to order online and the range of companies that should be allowed to use the web solution in Turkey.