Increasing the independence of vulnerable consumers
With many consumers being at a disadvantage, transformative service research (TSR) has emerged in the services marketing research area, with a focus on services designed for vulnerable people. Vulnerable consumers, such as the elderly, overweight and obese consumers, cancer patients, and people with disabilities, are those considered as powerless in consumption experiences and have gained increasing attention in the literature, with scholars examining different ways to provide support to these individuals.
Previous research has provided insights into the challenges this customer segment face, such as risks of scams, higher levels of debt, lower financial literacy, and higher rates of unemployment. However, there is limited understanding of how these consumers can be better supported in their consumption of, and interaction with, service providers. Knowledge gaps also exist in support for people with disabilities in their transition to the workforce, and research on consumers with disabilities in general is under-represented in the marketing literature. Moreover, despite social support being identified as having positive impacts on the independence, health and well-being, and employability of vulnerable consumers, only two previous studies have examined these effects of social support.
This current research contributes to TSR on vulnerable consumers and the overall research goal of service inclusion for all consumers. It does so by examining the influence of social support on the transition into the workforce of young adults with disabilities (YAWDs), one segment of the vulnerable consumer population. Specifically, it investigates the path to independent mobility that enables YAWDs to not only travel to work but also continue and maintain their position by travelling independently to their employment every day. The study proposes a conceptual model through which risk aversion, anticipated positive emotions, and perceive behavioural control drive vulnerable consumers’ independence behaviour.
Method and sample
A survey was administered to 200 young Australian adults aged 18-35 years with a physical and/or neurological disability, such as Cushing’s syndrome, amputation, spina bifida, and cerebral palsy, and were either employed or seeking employment. Recruited through an online panel, Survey Sampling International, this sample was selected as a representation of vulnerable consumers as they often experience challenges and feel powerless in gaining employment and transitioning to the workforce.
Previously validated scales and reliable scales were employed in the survey. Participants were asked to complete their demographic details and questions using seven-point Likert scale to measure the constructs. A five-point Likert scale was then used to assess social support. Participants were then split into high and low social support groups using a median split method for analysis, which used partial least squares (PLS-SEM), a component-based modelling technique. Multiple tests were conducted to verify the validity of and absence of bias in the dataset.
Key findings
- The pathway from risk aversion to anticipated negative emotions to attitudes to behaviour was stronger for those with low social support, which can help minimise risks.
- The anticipated positive and negative emotions both impacted attitudes, which drove the behaviour. However, the emotions themselves did not drive the behaviour alone, indicating the important mediating role of attitudes.
- Perceived behavioural control was more likely to drive attitudes toward independent mobility for those with high social support. As YAWDs feel they have more control over a situation with the support they receive, their attitudes and behaviours are in turn influenced.
- Conversely, those with low social support perceive lesser behavioural control. Their behaviours were then more likely to be driven by anticipated negative emotions rather than the control.
Recommendations
Overall, the findings suggest different drivers of independence behaviour for YAWDs with high and low social support. These findings have several managerial implications to help increase the independence and thus well-being of vulnerable consumers.
For vulnerable consumers with high social support, marketers should develop approaches to increase their control over a given situation. These approaches could be showing successful journeys; focusing on ways to solve problems arising along the journey, such as by including links to real time traffic information or encouraging engagement with other travellers; showing services in action to demonstrate how the service could be used; highlighting the functionality incorporated into public transport designs to show how they could benefit from the services offered. When integrated with a social media campaign, the campaign should provide links to different tools available to help vulnerable consumers with journey planning
and problem solving. It could also incorporate a live chat functionality with service providers or consumers with lived experiences. The anticipated positive emotions, such as satisfaction and gratification, resulting from travelling independently should also be highlighted, as these can also drive positive attitudes to independent behaviour.
For vulnerable consumers with low social support, marketers should mitigate their risk aversion, as this impacts their negative emotions, attitude, and behaviour. Since addressing all elements in this pathway is too much for one marketing campaign, it is recommended to focus on individual elements in the pathway to continually strengthen it. For example, campaigns could show mobility in action with methods for problem solving to reduce perceived risk or show successful journeys to elicit a sense of satisfaction and minimise negative emotions.
For both groups with high and low social support, information about how to access transport and the types of options available could be provided, in the form of active training and mentoring or scenario style experiences using virtual reality or 3D designs. Moreover, internal marketing campaigns within organisations, such as government, transport and disability support providers are important to help employees understand the lived experiences of those with disabilities.
Researcher
More information
The research article is also available on eprints.