Revisiting the Family Life Cycle: Modifications and Implications

The family life cycle often has been considered a viable segmentation tool. The volatile changes throughout the 1970’s and the 1980’s in the composition of the American household make the traditional family life cycle quite obsolete as a segmentation tool. This paper explores the major demographic shifts in light of their impact on the family life cycle. A revised family life cycle, that takes into consideration the emerging demographics, is also presented.