1. Revisiting Consumer Empowerment
- Author
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Eleni Papaoikonomou, Amado Alarcón Alarcón, Anàlisi social i organitzativa, Gestió d'Empreses, and Universitat Rovira i Virgili
- Subjects
Social connectedness ,media_common.quotation_subject ,Power (social and political) ,Voting ,0502 economics and business ,0276-1467 ,050602 political science & public administration ,Economia i empresa ,Sociology ,Marketing ,Empowerment ,media_common ,Consumption (economics) ,business.industry ,Consumidores éticos ,ethical consumers ,05 social sciences ,Consumidors ,Public relations ,Economía y empresa ,Focus group ,0506 political science ,communities ,Economics and business ,Consumidors ètics ,Sustainability ,Macromàrketing ,050211 marketing ,consumer empowerment ,Macromarketing ,business ,Macromárketing - Abstract
DOI: 10.1177/0276146715619653 URL: http://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/0276146715619653 Filiació URV: SI Memòria This article explores the notion of consumer empowerment in ethical consumption communities, known as responsible consumption communities (RCCs) in Spain. Although consumer empowerment has previously been discussed in the ethical consumer field, mainly in relation to notions of voting in the marketplace, it has yet to be explored thoroughly. In particular, the concept of empowerment should be moved beyond an individualized lens of analysis, acknowledging connectedness of persons. A combination of qualitative techniques was employed, including focus groups, in-depth interviews, observation, and documentary analysis. Our empirical case shows that consumer empowerment should be understood not in relation to consumption, but in relation to new forms of social organizing and experimentation that emerge around consumption.
- Published
- 2016
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