2011 Awards for Excellence

Citation

(2012), "2011 Awards for Excellence", Young Consumers, Vol. 13 No. 1. https://doi.org/10.1108/yc.2012.32113aaa.005

2011 Awards for Excellence

Article Type: 2011 Awards for Excellence From: Young Consumers, Volume 13, Issue 1

The following article was selected for this year's Outstanding Paper Award for Young Consumers

"Applying lead user theory to young adults''

N. OosterlooGroningen, The NetherlandsJ. KratzerFakultÌt VII Wirtschaft und Management, Institut fÏr Technologie und Management, Technische UniversitÌt Berlin, Berlin, GermanyM.C. AchterkampFaculty of Economics and Business, Department of Marketing, University of Groningen, Groningen, The Netherlands

Purpose -- The purpose of this paper is to identify lead users within social networks of young adults between 14 and 17 years of age.Design/methodology/approach -- A questionnaire and the SAGS-„method were used to collect data within seven high schools in the north of The Netherlands. These data were used to empirically test five hypotheses using the variables which could enable the identification of lead users. A multiple regression analysis was used to test the predictive value of the variables. The analysis was complemented with a qualitative analysis of the collected data.Findings -- The main characteristics which identify lead users among adults can also be used with young adults. Those young adults who are more likely to be a lead user, are more ahead of a trend and have a higher amount of expected benefit. They also display more expertise than other young adults.Research limitations/implications -- The variable of perceived information benefits could complement the variables used for identifying lead users among young adults, but further research is necessary. Because the focus is on only one specific product, the generalizability of the results from this research is limited. Further research should include different products or services in different domains of interest. The variables of perceived information benefits and efficiency did not have a significant positive relation with lead userness, but further research is needed.Practical implications -- The identification of lead users could be valuable to organizations that focus on young adults in the age range 14 to 17 years and could lead to significant commercial benefits. Young adults are a large potential market and the identification of lead users within this target group could help organizations.Originality/value -- Research on lead user theory is mainly focused on adults or organizations. This article tries to fill this research gap by focusing on young adults. It is an extension of the research of Kratzer and Lettl, Kunst and Kratzer and Molenmaker et al. who focused on children from eight to 12 years old.

Keywords Innovation, Marketing strategy, Social networks, Young adults

www.emeraldinsight.com/10.1108/17473611011025975

This article originally appeared in Volume 11 Number 1, 2010, pp. 5-23, Young Consumers

The following articles were selected for this year's Highly Commended Award

"An exploration of adolescent snacking conventions and dilemmas''

Tino Bech-Larsen, Birger Boutrup Jensen, Susanne Pedersen

This article originally appeared in Volume 11 Number 1, 2010, Young Consumers

"Impulse buying and cognitive dissonance: a study conducted among the spring break student shoppers''

Babu P. George, Gallayanee Yaoyuneyong

This article originally appeared in Volume 11 Number 1, 2010, Young Consumers

"The influence of vicarious role models on purchase intentions of Botswana teenagers''

Rina Makgosa

This article originally appeared in Volume 11 Number 1, 2010, Young Consumers

Outstanding Reviewer

Dr Douglas L. FugateWestern Kentucky University, USA