Design Audit Research

From the Interview with Isabelle Guyader and Michel Aballea(Decathlon sustainable development director and CEO) "I tell our teams: go on, take some risks!

Push your sustainable development boundaries!”

— Michel Aballea, Decathlon CEO.

Are we sure???

Why work at Decathlon?

Michel Aballea: Firstly, my main reason is the same one that brought me to Decathlon 25 years ago: because I love sport! Our young employees join us primarily because of their love of sport. The second reason is because Decathlon’s purpose, “Innovation lovers, for the happiness of people”, very much resonates with me and makes me want to be part of this adventure. Lastly, our business is keen to boost performance through employee satisfaction, particularly by allowing them plenty of freedom linked to genuine responsibility.

what does it mean to them? what is sport to indians? how well is the right message communicated to different mindset?

If decathlon is all about sport for all and all for sports, how far have we included the elder generation in “all” As the ceo says decathlon’s purpose “innovation lovers for the happiness of people” is the sentiment shared by 65000 decathlon colleagues, then can we also think for them ??

THEY NEED US!!!

Can we explore the horizon of “all” to a growing global problem ‘the ageing population’

Activities & promotions by decathlon applewoods

Who are these old people?

50

20

World Population Data Sheet- 2002 considers aged population as population in the age group of 65+ as old. In the Indian context, the

2 billion

age of 60 years has been adopted by the census of India for the purpose of classifying a person as old, which coincides with the age of retirement in government sector.

673 million 5

200 above 6o yrs, global population

The WHO defines those aged 60 -74 years as elderly. In 1980

2001 77 million

2025

177.4 million

55 million

the UN recommended 60 years as the age of transition for the elderly segment of the population, and has been categorized as

43.17 million

follows: • Young Old- between the ages of 60-75 years.

• Old-Old- between the ages of 75-85 years.

1991

20.19 million

• Very Old- 85 years and above

1951 above 60 yrs, indian population

1981

What is sports to the aeging population?

What else????

active life

fitness

athelete/sports

playfulness

yoga

exercise

mental wellness & community activity

In brief, physical activity describes any movement of the body which uses up energy. So a variety of daily activities such as gardening and housework fall under this banner in addition to actions such as dance, play and so on.

Sport is also viewed as a subset of physical activity but is seen as having specific goals such as improving fitness, well-being, forming relationships or competing against others.

How can sports help them to have a better life?

Dr.Chhanda Dutta

"There's a powerful myth that getting older means getting decrepit, it's not true. Some people in their 70s, 80s, and 90s are out there running marathons and becoming body-builders.”

The chief of the Clinical Gerontology Branch at the National Institute on Aging

***** As per NHS report , UK, “as people get older and their bodies decline in function, physical activity helps to slow that decline," says Dr Nick Cavill, a health promotion consultant. "It’s important they remain active or even increase their activity as they get older. ***Exercise improves more than your physical health. It can also boost memory and help prevent dementia. And it can help you maintain your independence and your way of life. If you stay strong and agile as you age, you'll be more able to keep doing the things you enjoy and less likely to need help.

One of the most surprising findings in recent years is that time spent with friends has a huge impact on ageing well.And nurturing friendships in mid-life may offer some protection against frailty in old age.

Alicia I. Arbaje,

Dr Carol Holland

hand we are dealt at birth account for only a quarter of what determines how long we live.

Director of Aston University's research centre for healthy ageing

"A lot of the symptoms that we associate with old age such as weakness and loss of balance are actually symptoms of inactivity, not age”

(MD, MPH, assistant professor of Geriatrics and Gerontology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in Baltimore).

****Research increasingly suggests that for most of us the genetic

****This means 75% of our later lives could be down to the lifestyle we choose to lead.

Physical exercise in old age can improve brain perfusion as well as certain memory skills. This is the finding of Magdeburg neuroscientists who studied men and women aged between 60 and 77.

Insights: Remaining active can eliminate most of the daytoday problems.

The lifestyle we choose in the old age decides the quality, efficiency and productivity for the remaining span of life.

Sports can be redefined for the elder generation based on type of motivation and incentives that we want to offer them for a healthy life.

Indian Scenario: In a report of yojana.govt.in by Dr.(Smt) Shakuntala.C. Shettar

Madrid International Plan of Action on Ageing (MIPAA).

In India, Sociologically, ageing marks a form

However, this is no longer true in modern soci-

Countries and health care systems will need to find

of transition from one set of social roles to

ety, in which improved education, rapid techni-

innovative and sustainable ways to cope with the

another, and such roles are difficult. Among

cal change and new forms of organization have

demographic shift.

all role transformation in the course of

often rendered obsolete the knowledge, experi-

John Beard, director of the WHO Department of

ageing, the shift into the new role of the ‘old’

ence and wisdom of older persons. Once they

Ageing and Life Course, says that “with the rapid

is one of the most complex and complicated.

retire, elderly people find that their children are

ageing of populations, finding the right model for

In an agriculture based traditional society,

not seeking advice from them anymore, and

long-term care becomes more and more urgent.”

where children followed their parent’s occu-

society has not much use for them.This realiza-

pation, it was natural that the expertise and

tion often results in feeling of loss of status,

knowledge of each generation were passed

worthlessness and loneliness.

on to the next, thus affording older persons a useful role in society.

The growth of nuclear families has also meant a need for changes in role relations.

Neither having authority in the family, nor being needed, they feel frustrated and

Insights: Major causes for inconvience of elderly people * Shift from value based joint families to nuclear families * increasing education and difference in mindset

depressed. If the older person is economi-

* Urbanisation and Industrilization

cally dependent on the children, the prob-

* Disintegration of families because of life style

lem is likely to become even worse.

If ageing is to be a positive experience, longer life must be accompanied by continuing opportunities for health, participation and security. The World Health Organisation has adopted the term “active ageing” to express the process for achieving this vision During the International Year of Older Persons in 1999, WHO launched a new campaign, Active Ageing, which highlights the importance of social integration and health throughout the life course.

Active ageing aims to extend healthy life expectancy and the quality of life for all people as they age, including those who are frail, disabled and in need of care.

WHO has recognised the need to develop a global strategy for the prevention of the abuse of older people

Is it possible for the elder generation to indulge in sports?

Paul Tetrick Age: 83 Cycling

Pat Gallant Age: 63

Jacinto Bonilla Age: 74 CrossFit

Olga Kotelko Age: 94 Passion: Track and Field

Marathon� Swimming TaoPorchon-Lynch Age: 95 Passion: Yoga

INSP IRAT ION S ACR OSS THE WORLD

Yuichiro Miura Age: 80 Passion: Mountaineering

Louis Se

Age: 73 Passion: Kiteboarding

S t e v e Rounds Age: 85 P a ss i o n : Rowing Madonna Age: 83 Triathlons, Ironmans

How efficient are these elder generation? Have these activation / movement already geared up accross the globe?

Ageing isn’t necessarily synonymous with poor health. A 2015 report by researchers at King’s College London debunks the myth that ageing automatically makes people infirm and frail. A fitness industry is developing around this wealthy group. The study of older cyclists found that there was little physical difference between people age 79

Selfridges Bright Old Things Campaign includes Molly Parkin, 82, former fashion editor of The Sunday Times, and William Forbes-Hamilton, also 82,

and those age 55 if they maintained similar levels of exercise Entering your 60s is no longer seen as a period of winding down. In contrast, it’s a stage of renewed optimism, a chance to rethink the decisions of your youth. Minus kids, and with extra spending power, The elder generation are in a position to take risks.

As Stephanie Coontz, professor of history and family studies at The Evergreen State College, put it in a recent New York Times article: “If you are a healthy 65, you can expect another pretty healthy 20 years.”

Alexis Bittar S/S campaign 2015 A new generation of gyms that cater to boomers is on the rise, especially in the US – such as Nifty After Fifty, a gym chain in Los Angeles. People age 55 and older are one of the fastest-growing segments of gym membership, according to research firm IBISWorld.

Unlike their parents’ generation, boomers consider exercise an important part of their routine and they are leading increasingly active lifestyles. IBISWorld predicts that this generation will help push the fitness category to nearly $30 billion by 2018.

Is there a potential market?

30%

30%

Chinese

French

22%

36%

16.1 % (2021)

Americans

Germans

Indians

The study also found that a third of con-

Boomers constitute a third of all

sumers aged over 50 are shopping online,

online and social media users, and 8

spending a total of close to $7bn.

million spend more than 20 hours a

In the US, people over the age of 50 own

While boomers buy technology products

week online - a figure which has

80% of the country’s financial assets and

and services because they can afford to,

are responsible for half of the country’s

they are also embracing it as a way to defy

discretionary spending

growing old, as well as a means to stay

Population more than 60 yrs age

socially According to Nielson Report 70% of disposable income in US within next five years will be of the boomers. They are also set to inherit $15 trillion in next 20 yrs.

and

intellectually

connected,

notes the study.

nearly doubled to 42% in the past year, according to the Nielsen study.

They are motivated to use the internet to stay connected, socialise, shop and for entertainment purposes.

40% of customers paying for wireless internet services.

An earlier WGSN report discussed targeting female baby boomers, highlighting that this consumer group has grown up alongside technology. Moving on, this study now notes that boomers have become a technology driving force, with statistics showing that 41% are purchasing Apple computers.

Can the growing trend of old age concern be an opportunity for decathlon in ahmedabad?

ADANI Group collaborates with Age Venture India to

Unlike the charitable old age homes run by various

TATA ties up with Apollo for health

serve the potential ageing popuplation: SHANTI-

trusts, Shantigram plans to develop modern housing

services

GRAM, SENIOR LIVING PROJECT

specially designed for Senior Citizens that would let

Sensing the mindset of elders of India who above anything value mixing with the younger generation and in company of people with a similar profile, Adani group has decided to develop the retirement home as part of a larger mixed generation community, a concept that will replace ISOLATION with INCLUSIVENESS. This is the chief characteristic of Age Ventures India’s model of retiring homes that made Adani tie up with them.

this segment live and enjoy their twilight years in comfort and grace. A concept now coined to encourage them to “Make their Silver years Golden”.

Tata Housing, on Monday, said it planned to invest Rs.1,200 crore for developing 13 housing projects for

senior citizens in the next five years.

Age Ventures India would provide various services The company had already launched like Common Dining Facilities, Housekeeping, Club its first project, Riva Residences, in room, Medical Care, Transportation & Ambulance Bangalore and work for similar projavailability, Senior Citizen Aid related services, Nurs- ects would soon commence in more ing, Care givers and other related services like assis- cities, including Chennai, Mumbai, tance with bills payments, bank matters and Security, Kolkata, Ahmedabad, Delhi and among other services.

What about fitness & sports partner?

Pune.

Opportunities for DECATHLON applewoods: Why? How? Decision making is decentralised Liberating Decathlon, a drive spearheaded by Michel Aballea and

The CEO s vision : Innovation Lovers

his team, enables each employee to take responsibility for their

Innovation is clearly stated in Decathlon’s purpose: “Innovation lovers,

own area of activity. Each employee makes decisions whilst being

for the happiness of people”. We innovate in order to make sport more

finely attuned to the consequences of these

accessible to as many people as possible, by means of ingenious,

Customer input events

attractive products sold at a competitive price.

From the product design stage through to visiting our stores and web-

Decathlon doesn’t just sell sports items, theyalso organise regular

sites, all employees share one common objective: to offer our sports

customer input events in our stores. These events invite customers to come and join in or discover various sporting activities.

They’re fun, friendly occasions for all ages.

622 customer input events were organised in 2014, i.e. 108 fewer

customers a different experience “ The principle idea is to innovate in a sustainable and systematic sustainable development: RAISING AWARENESS AND MOBILISING EMPLOYEES

than in 2013. More stores took part but they organised fewer events. 190 French stores took part in 2014, compared with 205 in 2013. It can be a leveraging factor for the Decathlon Applewoods to work towards the concern issue of aeging population.

Awards and Publicity platforms to motivate individual chapters Passion magazine, decathlons in-house publication available in all countries, devotes one of its chapters to our efforts in sustainable

International events

development.

Decathlon Neelambur in India organised its first ever Vital Sport

The Green Awards are an important occasion in the sustainable

event. This day saw employees, customers and sporting associa-

development calendar, rewarding the best sustainable development

tions get together to discover a range of new sports. It was also an

initiatives. This year’s event saw two packaging projects, a logistics

opportunity to strengthen ties between Decathlon and local sport-

and property project in Russia and a customer input event dedicated

ing associations.

exclusively to sustainable development: the Gr’In Day.

Insights & Pitch How to reach to elderly groups?

Despite their brand loyalty and the fact that the vast majority of

A study completed by Age UK found that 67% of mature British

these elderly generation consume goods and services in line with

consumers felt that advertising portrayed them negatively and 75%

their traditional pattern so it becomes an important consifderation

did not relate to advertising at all. The biggest challenge is appeal-

for researchers and marketers to understand their behavioural and

ing to older consumers without engaging with them explicitly

buying pattern for any design interventions.

through their age.

So, communicating the intend/concern to elderly group should

Nielsen says that elderly group are as likely as younger cohorts to

begin with desire, and building a foundation of real knowledge in

experiment with new product. There is clearly a desire for products

regards to their lifestyle preferences Reaching out to most of the elderly groups isn’t much challenging,

and services that meet this group's interests, needs and aspira-

however: they are easy to target through mass-messaging, as they

brands are failing to cater the needs of the elder generation.This

always are well connected amongst their groups and influence each other.

As older age, they will continue to evaluate their product preferences but are not afraid of stepping outside their comfort zone. We should therefore consider boomers as optimistic and ageless, and a consumer who believes “their best years are still ahead of them�.

tions. This implies to the fact that inspite of a potential market, highlights the importance of context and demographic related indepth research using design thinking principles. The proposed research will be conducted to understand the socio-cultural background of the elderly group in Ahmedabad to generate insights on their aspiration, drivers, motivation and influences which holds a major contribution of their buying behaviour and decisionmaking.