Wided Batat

Consumer ethnicity three decades after: a TCR agenda

Abstract Research into consumer ethnicity is a vital discipline that has substantially evolved in the past three decades. This conceptual article critically reviews its immense literature and examines the extent to which it has provided extensive contributions not only for the understanding of ethnicity in the marketplace but also for personal/collective well-being. We identify two gaps accounting for scant transformative contributions. First, today social transformations and conceptual sophistications require a revised vocabulary to provide adequate interpretive lenses. Second, extant work has mostly addressed the subjective level of ethnic identity projects but left untended the meso/macro forces affecting ethnicity (de)construction and personal/collective well-being. Our contribution stems from filling both gaps and providing a theory of ethnicity (de)construction that includes migrants as well as non-migrants.

Rethinking religion in the context of ethnicity and well-being

Identifying the “religion–ethnicity–well-being” nexus as an understudied topic in marketing and consumer behavior research, we propose three main trajectories for future research: Firstly, given the politics of religions, there is a need for studying societies that suffer from and are affected by religioethnic tensions and also different types of risks that threaten people’s well-being in such contexts. Secondly, future research should investigate how and why markets may generate and mediate religioethnic prejudices and antagonism that put society’s well-being at risk. Thirdly, with the upsurge of transcultural alternative religiosities/spiritualities, researchers should examine how through the processes of religious hybridization and hybrid consumption people change their existing consumption patterns and how alternative religiosities/spiritualities influence their sense of well-being, particularly in contexts where religious shifts are contested.

Comment les adolescents définissent-ils leurs propres compétences en matière de consommation ? Une approche par les portraits

L’objectif de cette recherche est de montrer l’intérêt du concept de « compétence » dans l’étude du comportement de l’adolescent-consommateur, au travers d’un cas empirique. Cet article étudie le sens que les adolescents attribuent à leur compétence de consommation à partir d’une analyse interprétative de 18 portraits d’adolescents âgés de 11 à 15 ans. Les résultats permettent d’identifier onze dimensions de la compétence de consommation.

Harnessing the power of religion : broadening sustainability research and practice in the advancement of ecology

Sustainability research in the macromarketing literature has been largely limited to exploring sociocultural values and norms, business practices, public policies, and economic conditions. Although the concept of ‘values’ constantly recurs in the literature, religious perspectives have received little attention. By presenting an alternative interpretation of what have traditionally been construed as anthropocentric religions, this study highlights the underutilized potential of religions as effective vehicles for initiating cultural transformation towards sustainability. The article calls for contextualized approaches to ecological sustainability that take into account the values and worldviews of target communities, which are often shaped by religious systems. The article concludes that including religions in the sustainability discourse can benefit macromarketing theory and practice in a variety of ways.

New paths in researching “alternative” consumption and well-being in marketing: alternative food consumption / Alternative food consumption: What is “alternative”? / Rethinking “literacy” in the adoption of AFC / Social class dynamics in AFC:

In line with the Fifth Transformative Consumer Research Conference held at Villanova University, USA, in 2015, we chaired a dialogical track that involved seven international researchers working on “alternative food system.” Among many other subjects that emerged from brainstorming, three overarching themes were identified as significantly important for furthering research on “alternative” consumption and well-being. Manna, Ulusoy, and Batat explore the meanings behind alternative food consumption and discuss the role of ideology and anti- and post-sociocultural structures in shaping AFC meanings. Peter, Batat, and Ulusoy propose to rethink “literacy” in the adoption of AFC and offer a framework that represents a blueprint in the definition of literacy considering the adoption of other sustainable alternative behaviors (e.g. vegetarian diet, car pooling, recycling). Finally, Vicdan, Batat, and Hong explore social class dynamics in AFC. The three essays suggest potential areas of research with a focus on alternative modes of consumption and well-being and contribute to the theoretical conceptualization in marketing theory.

Rethinking Consumer Vulnerability Through a Multidisciplinary Approach: An Extended Abstract

Contemporary marketing and consumer research literature focuses heavily on the concept of consumer vulnerability revealing differences in its explanation and no unique approach to its definition (Hamilton et al. 2015). The existing concepts of consumer vulnerability provide different perspectives to its explanation: state-based vulnerability, such as individual, situation-specific, temporary experience (Baker et al. 2005), shared and community-embedded experience (Baker et al. 2007), a combination of state-based and class-based vulnerability (Commuri and Ekici 2008), or a process theory model (Baker and Mason 2012). Yet, current marketing literature lacks a multidisciplinary approach to the concept of consumer vulnerability that may offer a comprehensive understanding of its social and market(ing) potential stemming from moral and political obligations toward individuals’ vulnerability. Indeed, a multidisciplinary approach might be helpful in elucidating how philosophical concepts (recognition, relational vulnerability, personal dependency, autonomy, etc.) are contextualized through consumers’ social relations as well as how personal fragility and relevant concepts such as fear, anxiety, dependency, etc., appear in varied social situations influencing consumption practices and public policies.

From Tourism Destination to Mundane Consumption of Place: An Asian Introspection of France

Abstract This research uses interpretive phenomenology to investigate the effect of visitor–destination interactions and image formation. It seeks to understand the processes that lead the visitor to make sense of his destination experience for her/himself and to others, and transmit that image through his story. A subjective personal introspective SPI and longitudinal observation have been used to collect data and acquire an insider perspective on the image of France as a place experienced by an Asian researcher who is living, experiencing, working, visiting, and traveling in France. The results of this research tend to move the understanding of destination image formation forward by taking a holistic approach that allows researching personal image perception and construction from genuine insider perspective as it is qualified by the individual within his own experiences. The main contribution of this research is to show how the image of a destination might evolve from a tourism destination to a mundane consumption place. This idea emphasizes the transformation of a tourist to a nontourist consumption place.

Alternative food consumption (AFC): idiocentric and allocentric factors of influence among low socio-economic status (SES) consumers

ABSTRACT This paper explores the factors that drive consumer demands for alternative food consumption (AFC) options in western society (i.e. plant-based, organic and local diets) as means to achieve sustainability and a state of food well-being. Specifically, we propose a holistic framework in order to identify factors that influence its adoption: idiocentric (functional, ideological and experiential) and allocentric (situational, sociocultural and institutional). The proposed framework provides a basis for discussion on how marketing can contribute to the establishment of AFC in western society and contribute to sustainability and food-well-being among low socio-economic status (SES) consumers. Marketing and public policy implications of this framework are discussed in light of food consumption by low SES consumers, a target particularly vulnerable to flawed states of food well-being.

Building Understanding of the Domain of Destination Image: A Review

Research on the image of destinations began in the early 1970s with Gunn’s work in 1972 on how destination image is formed and Hunt’s work in 1975 on how destination image is measured which since then and after destination image today remains one of the prevalent topics among researchers (Stepchenkova and Morrison 2008; Gallarza et al. 2002; Pike, 2002). While the topic of destination image is popular among authors in human science disciplines, it is difficult to define what a ‘destination image’ exactly is, as this term has been defined and used differently in a variety of contexts and disciplines (Gallarza et al., 2002; Pearce, 1998; Echtner and Ritchie, 1991).

Young Consumers within a Marketplace Surrounded by Technologies: Understanding the Domain of Teenage Consumers Vulnerability

Today’s young consumers are facing a risk related to technologies usages. That’s why it seems interesting to get a deeper understanding of young consumer weaknesses in the consumer society. In order to develop a better understanding of young consumers vulnerability, it is important to explore their perception of the areas and the behaviours associated with the vulnerable young consumers. In the marketing literature, consumer vulnerability has been defined in various ways (Baker et al., 2005; Ringold, 2005); however, attaining consensus on a definition is difficult due to its complexity.