Business Commons^™

Furniture Manufacturing And Marketing: Eight Strategic Issues For The 21st Century, Steven H. Bullard, C. D. West

Faculty Publications

“Take change by the hand, or it will take you by the throat.” Attributed to Winston Churchill, this brief sentence emphasizes the need to understand and embrace change in general. What important “changes” will impact furniture production and marketing in the 21st century? And what can furniture manufacturers and marketers do to “take change by the hand” today and in the future?

Age: The Most Important Factor In Upholstered Furniture Buying Plans, Steven H. Bullard

Faculty Publications

Age is highly related to income. lifestyle and other critical factors in consumer behavior. In a recent survey of over 2.000 U.S. households. age proved to be the most important determinant of up· holstered furniture purchasing plans. Consumers less than 45 years old. for example. are more than three times more likely to plan purchases of upholstered household furniture than those 65 and older.

Is Wood Good?, Steven H. Bullard

Faculty Publications

I n U.S. households there is currently a very strong belief that "wood is good" in upholstered furniture. In a recent surve)' of the upholstered furniture buying plans of over 2.000 U.S. households:

• 88.4 percent of the respondents said the material used in frame construction was important, and ...

• 85.4 percent said they preferred wood over metals. Fiberglas or other frame materials.