Purchasing Behavior Patterns in Detached Islands : A Case Study in Kishiku-cho, Goto Islands, Nagasaki Prefecture

Abstract

Since the I97Os, influenced by nationwide socio-economic changes, detached islands in Japan have been declining the economic base. In detached islands, physical characteristics such as detachedness and narrowness have accelerated these processes. Especially, declining the economic base of detached islands caused shutdowns of local retail shops so that it made consumption life to be more difficult. In this paper, the author shows purchasing behavior patterns in Kishiku-cho as a case region of detached islands, makes clear factors which affected these patterns. Firstly the data of purchasing behaviors were collected by distribution of questionnaires to households living in Kishiku-cho. Summary of this survey are as follows : women perform the greater part of purchasing ; the mode of transport utilized for purchasing is almost a car; lower order goods such as foods and drinks are purchased frequently at the neighborhood retail shops in Kishiku-cho ; middle ones such as books and stationery are purchased at either the neighborhood or distant retail shops in Fukue-shi, a central city of this region; and higher ones such as clothes and furniture are purchased at Fulcue-shi. More higher ones, high class clothes and accessories are purchased at Nagasaki-shi and Fukuoka-shi which locate out of the island. Underwear and childwear are purchased through mail order by some employed women. Secondly in order to elucidate factors which affected the purchasing behavior patterns, the author analyzed the influences of the socio-economic attributes of women and their residence location upon these patterns by Quantification Theory II. The main finding of this analysis is that the distribution of purchasing opportunities and occupational character of women influence upon these patterns. The distribution of purchasing opportunities relates to there are few opportunities forhigh order goods at Fukue Island. In terms of the occupational character of women, occupational properties such as the working hours and the location of working place are affected the purchasing behaviors. Women engaged in farming and self-employment tend to purchase goods at the neighborhood retail shops, because their working hours are long and uncertain so that times allocable to purchase are short, and working place is within Kishiku-cho. Those who are employed construction and service establishment tend to purchase at retail shops out of Kishiku-cho, mainly in Fukue-shi. This reasons may be that their working place is Fukue-shi or their working hours are certainly. Those who are worked at the local government or public organizations purchase at the neighborhood retail shops, because their working place is within Kishiku-cho. Those who must make mainly domestic affairs have flexbility for times allocable to purchase, but tend to purchase at the neighborhood retail shops. These relationship between working and purchasing plays important rolls in the purchasing behaviors. As a result of so far examination, it made clear that the time allocation of employed women and the decreasing of purchasing opportunity mainly prescribe the purchasing behavior patterns in Kishiku-cho. Moreover, the characteristics of these patterns in detached islands are that when it is impossible or difficult to purchase some goods in the island, the detachedness strongly restrict purchasing out of the island through time and economic constraints, and the purchasing through mail order is useful.