"Child's Play"; Pestering Power Influencing a Parent's Purchasing Behavior in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Aims: For years, there has been extensive attention in both theoretical and sociological literature regarding a child's ability to exert influence on behavior; in both developed and developing countries, a child's pester power has well recognized by interested parties. Pester Power, often known as the 'nag factor,' refers to adolescent shopping requests directed at their parents. Methodology: Due to the scarcity of information available on this social phenomenon in Sri Lanka, this paper focuses on conceptualizing a consistent set of factors and determinants discovered after an extensive literature review from a large number of sources and providing a foundation for future research that addresses an empirical and practical gap. Results: This paper presents a concept model that can be used by Sri Lankan sociological as well as theoretical academicians and researchers to predict the pester power of Sri Lankan youth and adolescents. The model includes demographic, socio-psychographic, and informative factors that could influence the pester power of Sri Lankan youth and adolescents. Originality: Because this is the first study of its kind in Sri Lanka, marketers and academics will be able to focus their attention on the growing behavior of young consumers in Sri Lanka in relation to the FMCG market by using this consistent set of factors. Conclusion: Despite the fact that Sri Lanka has a very traditional culture that places a premium on conformity to group norms and social acceptance and thus confirms a collectivistic culture in which children are expected to be subservient, there is this new wave of incredibly energetic, more informed young children who make their own consumer decisions. Empirical evidence on the increasing participation of children in family purchasing and their conversion into active consumers in a rapidly expanding market in south east Asian countries is predominant.