Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.trends From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: trends Fri, Jul 10 1992 Date: Fri, 10 Jul 92 05:13:31 EDT Message-ID: 07-10 0000 DECISIONLINE: Trends & Marketing USA TODAY Update July 10-12, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network BLACK ARTIFACTS ARE POPULAR: There's a burgeoning market in Black ethnic collectibles. Items ranging from books and historical papers to toys, sculpture, African artifacts and more go on display at Philadelphia's third annual Black Memorabilia:Collectibles Show and Sale. It takes place August 1st at the Penn Tower Hotel. Another show comes to Washington, D.C. October 17. Call 301-559-6363 for more info. FIRMS TEAM UP ON ELDER CARE: By one estimate, roughly one of four American workers is providing some care for an older adult on top of earning a paycheck and meeting other family responsibilities. A growing number of U.S. businesses - and to some extent federal and state officials - are looking for ways to meet the needs of workers and their aging relatives. (For more, see special Care package below.) SUMMER MOVIEGOING STRONG: Despite the recession, summer moviegoing is going strong. The first six weeks of the season's box office were up 9% over the same period last year for a total of $753 million. Daily Variety reports that's the second-best tally through the first six weeks of summer ever, behind 1989's record $897 million. FOREIGN INTEREST SETTLES DOWN: Overseas investors aren't ready to resume their lost love affair with U.S. real estate. Japanese investment in U.S. real estate, for example, fell from $16 billion in 1988 to $5 billion last year. But foreign investors may be interested in an occasional fling. An Arthur Anderson survey shows foreign bargain hunters are starting to sniff around now that commercial real estate values are down. ROMANCE NOVEL READERSHIP WIDENS: In a departure from past practices, well-educated working women are now buying and enjoying romance novels, fueling 50% of last year's sales. The profile of an average devotee of romance novels is now that of a college-educated woman with postgraduate experience with an income of $30,000. HOUSEHOLD SIZE LEVELS OFF: In 1850, the average number of people living in a U.S. household was 5.5. The 140 years since then have seen a slow, steady decline, bottoming out at 1990's 2.62. According to the Census Bureau, the average household dwelling was inhabited by 2.63 people last year, the same number as 1990. CENSUS SHOWS DEMO TRENDS: The Census Bureau reports there were 93.3 million households last year, an increase of about one million since 1990. Although household size has leveled off, people are having fewer children than in decades past. In 1970, about one family in six had three or more children. In 1990, only one family in 14 had that many. MORE WAKE UP AND SMELL COFFEE: The proliferation of espresso bars and coffee cafes across America reflects a trend that is taking place at the kitchen table as well. According to a report from the Specialty Coffee Association of America, 22% of the U.S. population buys specialty coffee. Biggest drinkers: Residents in New England, Middle Atlantic and Pacific regions and people with household incomes over $35,000. BIG BUSINESS ON BROADWAY: Box office receipts on Broadway for the 1991-1992 season were the highest in history, part of an upward trend. Receipts for 1986-87 were $209 million; $253 million in 1987-88; $262 million in 1988-89; $283 million in 1989-90. They dipped in 1990-91 to $267 million, then went up to $292 million in 1991-92. SPECIAL PACKAGE ON CARE: COMPANIES RESPOND TO NEED: Just as businesses reacted to the child-care needs of employees through the 1980s, corporate America is beginning to address the issue of caring for older adults. "In the last six years there has been a growing recognition among employers that employees have care-giving responsibilities for older adults," said Robert Levin, director of the National Eldercare Institute on Business and Aging. UNIQUE PROGRAMS OFFERED: Companies are responding to the needs of the elderly through a variety of programs. Examples: A Michigan furniture company will pay for a geriatric nurse to assess the needs of an employee's parent. A bank in Hawaii and an insurance company in Connecticut are reimbursing - to some degree - employees' out-of-pocket expenses to care for an older relative. BUSH ON DIFFERENT AGENDA: Expanded leave policies, flexible work schedules, job sharing, part-time work options and alternative job redesign are options that an increasing number of companies are adopting. Despite the efforts of corporate America to address the elder care issue, more needs to be done, experts say. President Bush recently vetoed a "family leave" bill. (End of package.) CORRECTION: A survey showing more businesses intend to buy notebook PCs was conducted among PC Week subscribers. An item in Thursday's Decisionline was wrong. Trends & Marketing Editor: Michele Coleman. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM