TY - JOUR
T1 - "God, I have so many ashtrays!" Dependences and dependencies in consumer-possession relationships
AU - Masset, Julie
AU - Decrop, Alain
PY - 2016
Y1 - 2016
N2 - This study examines tourist souvenirs which are a typical example of special possessions that may convey deep meanings to consumers’ life. Prior studies assume that consumers have enduring and stable relationships with these possessions because of the latter’s role in identity construction and maintenance. They tend to neglect the influence of passing time and moving spaces on such relationships. They also fail to provide a network perspective by predominantly focusing on the consumer-possession’s dyad. This research aims to bring a holistic and dynamic perspective to the relationships between consumers and their special possessions, referring to Hodder’s concepts of entanglement (dependence) and entrapment (dependency). In a naturalistic interpretive perspective, we follow consumers’ tourist possessions through the three stages of their consumption cycle, that is, acquisition, consumption, and disposal. Findings suggest that consumers may not only develop enduring relationships with their tourist possessions but also liquid ones, depending on whether they are in entangled or entrapped situations. Relationships are ‘liquid’ in the sense that they are temporary, more detached, and less special.
AB - This study examines tourist souvenirs which are a typical example of special possessions that may convey deep meanings to consumers’ life. Prior studies assume that consumers have enduring and stable relationships with these possessions because of the latter’s role in identity construction and maintenance. They tend to neglect the influence of passing time and moving spaces on such relationships. They also fail to provide a network perspective by predominantly focusing on the consumer-possession’s dyad. This research aims to bring a holistic and dynamic perspective to the relationships between consumers and their special possessions, referring to Hodder’s concepts of entanglement (dependence) and entrapment (dependency). In a naturalistic interpretive perspective, we follow consumers’ tourist possessions through the three stages of their consumption cycle, that is, acquisition, consumption, and disposal. Findings suggest that consumers may not only develop enduring relationships with their tourist possessions but also liquid ones, depending on whether they are in entangled or entrapped situations. Relationships are ‘liquid’ in the sense that they are temporary, more detached, and less special.
KW - Consumer Culture Theory, special possessions, entanglement theory, qualitative research, liquid relationships
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84947018513&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.07.024
DO - 10.1016/j.jbusres.2015.07.024
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84947018513
SN - 0148-2963
VL - 69
SP - 94
EP - 109
JO - Journal of Business Research
JF - Journal of Business Research
IS - 1
ER -