Understanding poverty and promoting poverty alleviation through transformative consumer research
Author
Blocker, C. P.
Ruth, J. A.
Sridharan, S.
Beckwith, C.
Ekici, A.
Goudie-Hutton, M.
Antonio, J.
Saatcioglu, B.
Talukdar, D.
Trujillo, C.
Varman, R.
Date
2013-08Source Title
Journal of Business Research
Print ISSN
0148-2963
Publisher
Elsevier
Volume
66
Issue
8
Pages
1195 - 1202
Language
English
Type
ArticleItem Usage Stats
68
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277
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Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Consumer research holds potential for expanding society's understanding of how people experience poverty
and mechanisms for poverty alleviation. Capitalizing on this potential, however, will require more exploration
of how consumption experiences shape individual and collective well-being among the poor. This article
proposes a framework for transformative consumer research focused on felt deprivation and power within
the lived experience of poverty. The framework points to consumer choice, product/service experiences, consumer
culture, marketplace forces, and consumption capabilities as research streams with potential to help
alleviate poverty. Future research in these areas will expand pathways for transforming the lives of the
poor by alleviating stress, engaging marketplace institutions, fulfilling life aspirations, leveraging trust and
social capital, and facilitating creativity and adaptation.