November 27, 2004
A-gong may not have trudged to school through freezing snow, but it is generally assumed he could endure much more hardship than his grandkids. ACNielsen conducted a survey recently into the spending habits and concerns of these two generations that, due to Taiwan's transformation over the last fifty years from an agricultural economy to an industrial one and from an authoritarian regime to a democratic government, have experienced radically different social, political and economic worlds.
Young people aged 18-24 years old are popularly called the "strawberry generation" in Taiwan because, though they are stylish and attractive, they can not bear pressure without being blemished. The "silver-haired generation" is the population over fifty years old, a segment of Taiwanese society that is growing rapidly and will inevitably have an increasing impact on life in Taiwan.
AC-Nielsen says there are 2.59 million of the 18-24 year-old strawberries in Taiwan, making up 16% of the population. The survey reveals that this segment of society earns little, while spending most of what it makes. The average strawberry makes
NTD 12,800 a month, but spends
NTD 9,300, about 70% of its income. The strawberry's main preoccupations are school and work.
The surveyors report that there are 2.28 million people over the age of fifty in Taiwan, accounting for 14% of the population. More cautious, Taiwan's silver-haired citizens bring home a monthly average of
NTD 25,000, but spend just
NTD 10,000, only 40% of their income. Their primary concerns rest with their health and the success of their children.
Supposedly highlighting the strawberry's abhorrence of tough work, the survey shows that 55% of this generation quit their first job within three months. It also reveals that 47% say they would quit and give up a high salary if they found they were unhappy in their work.
(United Daily News)
E-mail this page.
Invest in Taiwan
