Amandeep Takhar

Consuming Bollywood: Young Sikhs social comparisons with heroes and heroines in Indian films

Abstract This interpretivist study uses social comparison and social identity theory to consider how members of the British Sikh community are consuming Bollywood films (the Indian movie industry). In applying social comparison theory to this ethnic context, we seek to extend knowledge of how this theory relates to cultural identity construction. In terms of social identity and acculturation, the social function of Bollywood films and their popular consumption provide a valuable narrative space to negotiate and ‘remoor’ ethnic identity. Three key themes emerged to illustrate the ways in which the social comparisons that Bollywood encourages are influencing the identities of third generation British Sikhs: (1) social comparison and ideals of romance; (2) gender differences: making comparisons to heroes and heroines; and (3) British versus Indian self: Bollywood as a medium for identity reconstruction.

Rich descriptions: evoking informant self-reflexivity in marketing and consumer research

Abstract This study seeks to extend knowledge of reflexivity theories by moving beyond a sole focus on researcher reflexivity (Bettany & Woodruffe-Burton, 2009) in considering the significance of informant self-reflexivity. It explores the promotion of informant self-reflexivity as a means to generating more in-depth interpretive data. Following the call for a ‘structured, disciplinary impetus to begin’ (Bettany & Woodruffe-Burton, 2009, p. 675) in relation to reflexivity, this paper draws on insights from two longitudinal studies, and develops some guidelines that could encourage informants to comprehend fully and realise their views and thoughts through the injection of reflexivity into the research design. Three key themes emerged as being significant within the research encounter: (1) stimulate discussion and promote co-research, (2) empower informants by building trust, and (3) ethical and moral dilemmas in reflexivity.

Bollywood Cinema’s Global Reach: Consuming the ‘‘Diasporic Consciousness’’

Using the British Sikh community as its research context, this article explores the influence of the Bollywood film genre on what Vertovic refers to as the “diasporic consciousness” in relation to this community. Bollywood attempts to speak to the diaspora by conveying a new sense of “Indian-ness,” one that is less about citizenship and more about imagined identity and community. The authors investigate what they have termed the “Indian imaginary” and how the values embedded therein impact on the lives of young British Sikhs. The findings discuss three emergent core themes: (1) reaffirming pride in Indian heritage; (2) evoking romance and longing; and (3) reinforcing family values and a sense of kinship within the British Sikh diaspora. The overall contribution of the article is twofold. First, it illustrates how the globalization of Bollywood affects the Indian diaspora at a local level. Second, it shows how Bollywood provides an important space for negotiating and reconciling various tensions between family-based and more individualistic value systems. Ultimately, then, Bollywood offers young British Sikhs a particular, hybridized representation of courtship and marriage that is both romantic and familial, and that serves to reconcile Eastern and Western marital relationship ideals and oppositional cultural discourses.

Consuming family quality time: the role of technological devices at mealtimes

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore how technological devices impact on family mealtime rituals. The intention is to understand how the consumption of technological devices transforms eating practices, and how the meanings of family quality time are continuously evolving through the consumption of mobile media devices. Design/methodology/approach – Insights are drawn from two independent, ethnographic studies that adopted an interpretive approach which employed multiple methods, including 63 visual diaries; 40 written diaries; observations in schools, homes, and Sikh temples (73 items observed), and 66 in-depth interviews. Both studies involved children, aged between 13 and 17 years within the UK, and were conducted for a period of over 12 months each. Informants were recruited through interaction with schools, Sikh temples and the Sikh community. Findings – The findings reveal interplay between family quality time, and the consumption of technological devices such as smartphones, laptops, t...

The Marketing of Start-Up Capital to Women Entrepreneurs in South Africa

Women entrepreneurship plays a critical role in economic growth and development (Mitchelmore and Rowley 2013; Still and Timms 2000). In fact, research on economic growth is incomplete without recognising the contribution of women entrepreneurship. Whilst the participation of women in the small business sector is growing rapidly (McGregor and Tweed 2002), there is a dearth of research on this subject within developing countries (Roomi and Parrott 2008) as most studies have focused on women entrepreneurship in developed countries (Bhatt-Datta and Gaily 2012). This is largely attributed to the fact that entrepreneurial efforts by women have gone unnoticed and their contributions have been under appreciated (Bhatt-Datta and Gailey 2012). In Sub-Saharan Africa for example, women owned small businesses produce more than eighty per cent of food production (Woldie and Adersua 2004). Previous studies have focused on how females are choosing entrepreneurship in favour of the corporate ladder (Kephart and Schumacher 2005); the lack of public policy and programmes relating to women entrepreneurs in India (Chandra 1991); the entry and performance barriers for women entrepreneurs in Tanzania taking a governmental perspective (Rutashobya 1998). However, research relating to the marketing of start-up capital targeting women entrepreneurs within developing countries is scarce (Carter and Peter 1998; Nichter and Goldmark 2009).