4IpaUJbnm

ASSESSMENT OF DIFFERENT GENERATION NEEDS
FOR STRATEGIC MARKETING
Babulia (Dodo) MGHEBRISHVILI
Iv. Javakhishvili Tbilisi State University, Goergia.
Abstract
Generations represent people of different ages, but their different behavior in the market doesn’t depend only
on their age. Buying behavior of representatives of different generations is affected also by other factors, and
among them employment situation and incomes are especially important.
In our opinion, nowadays, in Georgia, from the point of view of marketing, the following generations should be
singled out:
Confused generation. We call them so because their representatives didn’t properly comprehend the
essence of market economy. They are over 60 years of age.
Disappointed generation. Despite of their middle age this generation is basically unemployed or selfemployed.
Their age is between 45 and 60.
New Georgians. The representatives of this generation today in the country are employed in public
institutions as well as in private business. Their age is between 20 and 44.
Teenagers. They are 15-19 year olds; most of them are pupils or college or university students. Although
they don’t have their own income; they are a very active segment of the market using their parents’
incomes.
Preschool and school age children (0-14 years of age).
Matching the needs of different generations is one of the most important ways for any business to succeed.
Therefore, we think that in developing their marketing strategies companies should pay great attention to
studies of the generation (or generations) consuming their products.
Keywords: generations marketing, customer, buying behavior.
Introduction
Different generation use the same products in different ways. Fathers, their children,
grandchildren and grand – grandchildren differ with their needs regarding usage of
particular products. This factor causes different influences on the development of different
industries. It is especially clear when discussing great changes in technologies. This is why
we got interested in the theory of generations and generations’ marketing. We also aim at
using practices used in other countries in Georgian reality. First of all we decided to divide
Georgian’s population into generations on the basis of the marketing approach.
Generations, in the marketing context, are composed of the customers of different ages but
their behavior at market is not determined by their age only. Buying behavior of the
representatives of one or another generation is impacted by the other factors as well and
among them, primarily, we consider employment and incomes.
Results of the research
Generational theory was developed in the nineties of the past century in USA. Its founders
are Neil Howe, the economist and demographer and William Strauss, the historian, author
182