Unit 1 - The Leisure Industry Today

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Overview

Key factors influencing access, participation and barriers in the leisure industry
You need to understand how a number of different factors have led
to the rapid growth of the leisure industry. These include:
• leisure time available
• disposable income
• preference for active or passive leisure activities
• improved mobility/access to transport
• demographic changes
• trends in consumer preference
• technological developments
• economic developments
• the influence of media and marketing
• local, national and European Union government policy.
Lack of these factors or their negative impact may create barriers to
access and participation in the leisure industry. You need to know
how these factors can create barriers, such as the lack of leisure time
available or the negative influence of the media.
You need to consider what other barriers can exist, such as lack of
provision in particular areas or for particular age groups.

How will I be assessed?

Level 1 - Some basic research has been carried out. Limited analysis of some of the key factors that influence access, participation and barriers to the industry. Little or no reference to different market segments. Candidates use written expression which may be used in a non-specialist way.

Level 2 - Research from some different sources. Most key factors are identified. Some reference to different market segments. Begins to analyse the effects of these factors on access, participation and barriers. Candidates use written expression with some
specialist vocabulary to organise information.

Level 3 - Detailed research from a variety of sources. Some appropriate analysis of the key factors and their influence on access, participation and barriers in different market segments. Candidates use written expression with suitable specialist vocabulary to organise and interpret information.

Level 4 - Well developed research from a wide variety of sources. Appropriate analysis of the key factors and their influence on access, participation and barriers.
Candidates use written expression with appropriate specialist vocabulary to analyse information.

Assignment

1. Explain how key factors, such as those listed below, have affected consumer access, participation and barriers to leisure.

• Amount of leisure time
• Disposable income
• Preference for active or passive leisure activities
• Trends in consumer preferences
• The influence of media and marketing
• Demographic changes
• Social trends and life stages
• Car and home ownership
• Health awareness
• Technological developments

You should make reference to the different market segment

Assignment Support

1. Introduction – what are you investigating? 

2. Market Segments – discuss these (what is a market segment? Why are markets segmented? What are the different market segments?)

Socio-Economic Groupings
Grouping by social class is often used to differentiate groups according to income and occupation.
Class A - Senior managers and professionals (MDs / Doctors / Lawyers)
Class B - Intermediate or middle-level managers and professionals (teachers / accountants / leisure centre managers)
Class C1 - Supervisory or junior management, admin or clerical positions including office managers
Class C2 - Skilled manual workers (electricians / carpenters)
Class D - Semi skilled and unskilled manual workers (cleaners / construction workers)
Class E - Others on low income, including casual workers and those on benefits.

Age
Different age groups

Family circumstances

• child
• adult
• young couple
• early nesters
• settled nesters
• empty nesters
• elderly couple
• single elderly person

3. Discuss access, participation and barriers caused by the majority of the following:

• Amount of leisure time
• Disposable income
• Preference for active or passive leisure activities
• Trends in consumer preferences
• The influence of media and marketing
• Demographic changes
• Social trends and life stages
• Car and home ownership
• Health awareness
• Technological developments

Refer to different market segments in your assignment (e.g. gender, age, socio-economic groupings, lifestyle and family circumstances)

Amount of leisure time – how has leisure time changed over the years? What are the factors that have caused this? (Collins Leisure Studies Text Book has a good section about this).
Gender  - how does gender affect access to leisure in terms of leisure time? How does gender affect participation rates with regards the amount of leisure time? How is gender a barrier to leisure in terms of amount of leisure time available?
Age - how does age affect access to leisure in terms of leisure time? How does age affect participation rates with regards the amount of leisure time? How is age a barrier to leisure in terms of amount of leisure time available?
Social/economic grouping - how does social/economic grouping affect access to leisure in terms of leisure time? How does social/economic grouping affect participation rates with regards the amount of leisure time? How is socio/economic grouping a barrier to leisure in terms of amount of leisure time available?

Disposable income – What has happened to disposable income over the years? (p39 of Collins Leisure Studies Textbook and http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=7438 – on the table look at the median level of disposable income). What has happened to spending on leisure?
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=7479&Pos=&ColRank=2&Rank=272

What is the distribution of disposable income – there is an increasing link between the haves and have nots. Is there a link between socio-economic status (e.g. between rich and poor) and spending on leisure?
You can find more information here:
http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/news/article.html?in_article_id=405390&in_page_id=2
You should also consider

• Gender - income by age/gender: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/xsdataset.asp?More=Y&vlnk=142&All=Y&B2.x=44&B2.y=10
  Table 14 on this page - http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/unitedkingdom.php?aid=821
  
  
• Age - income by age/gender: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/xsdataset.asp?More=Y&vlnk=142&All=Y&B2.x=44&B2.y=10
  Spending on leisure by age: http://www.ifs.org.uk/elsa/report06/ch9.pdf (p5 in document)
  
  Young people spend £460 per week: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=2208
  
  
• Socio-economic status
  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=334 - this graph shows inequality in disposable income. http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_social/Family_Spending_2007/FamilySpending2008_web.pdf (p70 for key then look at some of the data sets to see the difference in spending on different leisure activities by different groups) -  how does this affect access, participation and barriers to leisure?  
• Life style
  http://www.dcsf.gov.uk/research/data/uploadfiles/RR487.pdf - p66 onwards to find out about student expenditure
• Geographical location and Spending
  http://www.statistics.gov.uk/pdfdir/fsreg1108.pdf

Preference for active or passive leisure activities – Participation in homebased leisure by gender and socio-economic status - http://www.statistics.gov.uk/STATBASE/ssdataset.asp?vlnk=3703
Particiption rates in arts events by a range of groupings: Table 14 on this page - http://www.culturalpolicies.net/web/unitedkingdom.php?aid=821

Trends in consumer preferences - for example the growth from the mid-1990s onwards in eating out and a gradual decline in entertaining at home, trends which have sharpened in subsequent years, particularly in relation to the take-away food market.

The influence of media and marketing -
Demographic changes – We have an ageing population - http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/8318010.stm There is an increase in the proportion of people over 60. The demographic factors involved in the leisure and recreation industry apply particularly to the 'aging' population. The over-60s have more wealth and more free time than ever before - not for nothing have they been dubbed the ski (Spending Kids' Inheritance)-ing generation, spending money on hobbies and travel rather than leaving a full nest-egg for their children when they die. From the viewpoint of industry operators, however, the increase in the numbers of elderly, possibly fragile, visitors to leisure attractions such as gardens, museums etc. frequently means making necessary improvements to accessibility. P39 in Collins AS Leisure Studies supports this section.

Social trends and life stages – see p40 of Collins AS Leisure Studies for info.

Transport / Car and home ownership – see p40 of Collins AS Leisure Studies for info.

Health awareness - see p41 of Collins AS Leisure Studies for info.

Technological developments – Use of ICT in the home -
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/CCI/nugget.asp?ID=1710&Pos=&ColRank=2&Rank=224 e.g. growth of digital TV and Internet -
http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?ID=8 .

Internet: http://www.statistics.gov.uk/StatBase/Product.asp?vlnk=5672

• How does age have an effect on access, participation and a barrier?
  - http://www.ifs.org.uk/elsa/report06/ch9.pdf digital tv (p12)
  - http://www.ifs.org.uk/elsa/report06/ch9.pdf computer access (p13)
• How does gender have an effect on access, participation and a barrier?
• How does socio-economic status have an effect on access, participation and a barrier?
  

The Smith Institute 2003 report on Sport, active recreation and social inclusion is a detailed analysis of how disadvantaged sectors of society can be encouraged to participate in active recreational pursuits. It includes papers on:

• sport improving education
• regenerating communities through sport
• social role of sport opportunities and challenges
• sport: fit for health?
• sport and pfi/ppp
• role of private sector health clubs
• modernisation of Sport England

Learning Resources