Julie L. Ozanne

Alternative Ways of Seeking Knowledge in Consumer Research

Two of the predominant approaches to gaining knowledge in the social sciences are the positivist and interpretive approaches. Different philosophical assumptions and goals underlie both. We are better able to see the strengths and weaknesses in the two approaches by comparing and contrasting different perspectives; this juxtaposition is essential if we are to improve the ways in which we study consumers. In this article, we demonstrate the influence of assumptions on different research processes, cite problems inherent in both perspectives, point out the range of positions within the interpretive approach, and discuss the ramifications of diverse ways of seeking knowledge for consumer research.

The Critical Imagination: Emancipatory Interests in Consumer Research

Critical theory is presented as an interdisciplinary approach to seeking knowledge about consumers. Critical theory holds that social problems often result from groups in society being constrained by social structures and processes that they themselves construct and maintain. Critical research involves grasping both the intersubjective understandings of the groups involved and the historical-empirical understanding of the potentially constraining objective social conditions. Contradictions that are discovered provide the stimuli for change. Through the process of critique and dialogue the critical researcher tries to help people imagine alternative social organizations that facilitate the development of human potential free from constraints. Copyright 1991 by the University of Chicago.

The Low Literate Consumer

Almost half of all consumers read below a sixth-grade level, yet we know little about how these consumers get their needs met in the marketplace. The goal of this qualitative study was to examine the intersection of literacy skills and consumption activities and identify the coping strategies that low literate consumers employ. Those informants who could challenge the stigma of low literacy and employ a range of coping skills were better able to get their needs met. Thus, consumer literacy is conceptualized as a social practice that includes reading and writing skills but also involves the ability to manage ones identity and leverage personal, situational, and social coping skills. (c) 2005 by JOURNAL OF CONSUMER RESEARCH, Inc..

Participatory Action Research

The goal of improving consumer welfare can subtly or dramatically shape the research process, the methods used, and the theories developed. This article introduces the participatory action research paradigm, which is based upon the goal of helping people and employs methodologies that are different from traditional consumer research. Exemplars of action research are analyzed to reveal applications for researchers who want to engage in transformative consumer research. The obstacles and opportunities for doing action research are examined.

Community Action Research

Community action research is an alternative research method that uses the community as the unit of analysis. This approach forges research alliances with relevant stakeholders in the community to explore and develop solutions to local problems. The authors explain this broad research approach and explore the principles that guide this methodology. In particular, the focus of this article is on the complexities and dilemmas of conducting community action research. The authors use the findings from a field study to illustrate these issues.

Transformative consumer research for personal and collective well-being

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Critical Consumer Education: Empowering the Low-Literate Consumer

Consumer education programs assume that consumers have the right to full product information, and well-informed consumers will be able to get their needs met in the marketplace. Adults with limited literacy abilities, however, enter the marketplace without the literacy resources of other consumers and are potentially more vulnerable. Many adult literacy programs assume adult literacy students lack both literacy and consumer skills. The results from an interpretative study suggest adult literacy learners combine a range of social skills and resources and an ability to manage the shame of the low-literacy stigma to get their needs met in the marketplace. Four consumer literacy profiles are discussed, and an alternative form of consumer education tailored to each profile is proposed. We discuss the role of a more critical consumer educational approach in literacy assistance programs and its impact on adult learners’ feelings of self-esteem, empowerment, and agency.

A Child's Right to Play: The Social Construction of Civic Virtues in Toy Libraries

In general, communities throughout the world hold that children have a fundamental right to play. Public policies and laws have long aimed to promote play by providing a range of financial and material resources. Toy libraries are an important resource that can provide children with vital developmental tools for play by allowing families to borrow toys in a process similar to public book libraries. An empirical study of a contemporary group of toy libraries explores how families use toy libraries to construct different social meanings. The toy library is an important way that parents can mediate their childrens relationship with the marketplace. Moreover, different conceptualizations of citizenship are modeled within this institution based on the sharing of collective goods.

The Philosophy and Methods of Deliberative Democracy: Implications for Public Policy and Marketing

Urgent social problems increasingly arise at the intersection of the interests of business leaders, policy makers, and consumers. The authors argue that deliberative democracy offers a fruitful approach for understanding marketings impact on society by revealing the complex and often conflicting network of interests among stakeholders. Deliberative methods hold promise for easing constraints on civic engagement and increasing consumer empowerment. The authors explore the historical and philosophical underpinnings of deliberative democracy. Specifically, they evaluate popular methods and applications of deliberative democracy and examine the implications for public policy and marketing.

AN EVALUATION OF NAD/NARB PURPOSE AND PERFORMANCE

Abstract The effectiveness of NAD/NARB as a self-regulatory mechanism is evaluated under “consumer advocacy” and “advertising advocacy” models. Based on past research and a content analysis of NAD case summaries, conclusions are drawn and recommendations are made. The NAD/NARB has been an effective force for improving advertising given the existing constraints of severe budget limitations and industry expectations, but certain trends toward conservatism and stronger industry orientation are noted.