Sustainability in the fashion industry has become a widely discussed issue. Various actors in theindustry, brands, designer labels, fashion magazines and other media sources, as well asconsumers all contribute to this matter. Although a considerable amount of research has focusedon consumer behavior and consumption patterns, the way the fashion industry affects thesefactors has been neglected. Moreover, many studies show that consumers claim to beecologically conscious, but that they disregard this aspect when consumption actually occurs.This study aims to contribute to a better understanding of the relationship between consumersand institutions and how it affects sustainable fashion consumption. The understanding of theseprocesses is done using several approaches such as Kawamura’s (2005) theory about the fashionsystem and Arnold and Thompson’s (2005) view on consumer culture theory. To obtain adeeper insight into the fashion industry, qualitative interviews with fashion mediarepresentatives and consultants within sustainability development are conducted. To ascertainthe consumer perspective a focus group discussion is moderated. Findings show how a wholesystemapproach is needed for the fashion industry to become a more sustainable environment.

La théorie de la diffusion de l’innovation s’est constituée au cours du XXeme siècle autour de modèles qualitatifs et quantitatifs qui ne prennent pas en compte, sinon à la marge, l’influence des valeurs et des normes dans la genèse de l’adoption des innovations. A partir d’une hypothèse de recherche, la « structure complexe » d’Edgard Morin et Jean-Pierre Dupuy, et d’une synthèse épistémologique, ce travail de recherche propose une échelle de mesure expérimentale des « cités » de Boltanski et Thévenot et l’intégration de l’influence des conventions comme variables antécédentes de l’adoption des innovations dans un modèle d’équations structurelles inspiré d’une modélisation classique de comportement du consommateur, la théorie de l’action raisonnée de Fishbein. Appliqué au terrain des émissions de télévision, ce modèle indique que l’adoption des émissions dites de « téléréalité » et le bulletin télévisé de la météorologie répondent à des influences normatives différentes qui impliquent des comportements différenciés chez le téléspectateur lors de la consommation de ces programmes. La modélisation de l’influence des conventions ouvre la voie à une classification inédite des émissions de télévision, en fonction des influences sociales, et, en lien avec l’audience, à une meilleure anticipation du succès des nouveaux formats télévisuels. / The theory of the diffusion of innovations has been built during the XXth century around qualitative and quantitative models which does not take into account, otherwise barely, the influence of values and norms on the genesis of innovations. From a research hypothesis, the “complex structure” thought by Edgar Morin and Jean-Pierre Dupuy and an epistemic synthesis, this thesis proposes an experimental measure scale of the Boltanski and Thevenot’s “worlds” and the implementation of sociological forms, “the conventions”, as variable of the innovation adoption in a structural equations model inspired from the Fishbein’s Theory of reasoned action. Built on the field of Tv programs, this model shows that the adoption of “reality TV programs” are linked with specific sociological influences. These sociological influences involve atypical behaviors of TV viewers in front of the screen. The model of the influence of the “conventions” on consumer behavior opens the way to a new classification of TV programs as well as an improved prevision of the success of new formats.

Studien har utgångspunkt i den föreslagna upplösningen av det svenska spelmonopolet. Lagregleringen föreslås träda i kraft i början av 2019 för att tillåta privata spelaktörer att både agera och marknadsföra sig på den svenska spelmarknaden på lika villkor som de statligt ägda spelbolagen idag har. Genom att ge de privata aktörerna tillträde på den svenska marknaden menar svenska myndigheterna att man genom licenser kan kontrollera att samtliga aktörer agerar måttfullt med sin marknadsföring. Spelberoende är klassats som ett folkhälsoproblem och belastar därmed samhället både ekonomiskt och ur en hälsosynpunkt. Utifrån ett konsumtionskulturellt perspektiv beskriver och bidrar studien med en djupare förståelse för representationers innebörd i spelbolags reklamfilmer samt vad spel har för betydelse utifrån dessa. En kvalitativ innehållsanalys på 12 reklamfilmer har genomförts. Det empiriska materialet har sedan analyserats och tolkats med hjälp av konsumtionskulturella teorier. Studien visar på att budskapen som reklamfilmerna kommunicerar skiljer sig åt beroende på vilken spelform som marknadsförs. Reklamfilmer för lotterispel är missvisande då de bland annat endast skildrar vinnare. De säljer drömmen om en ny identitet och självförverkligande samt att det kan uppnås genom spelande. En vinst anses möjliggöra mer konsumtion vilket tillskriver individen en högre social status i ett konsumtionssamhälle. Kasinospel och betting säljs och marknadsförs som en upplevelsebaserad produkt med spelande som aktivitet i fokus. Vidare påvisar studien att reklamfilmernas representationer av manliga attribut befäster och förstärker stereotypa föreställningar om manlighet och spelande som en manlig aktivitet. Studien påvisar problematik med de kriterier i lagförändringen som spelbolagen förväntas förhålla sig till. Kriterierna ämnar kontrollera att marknadsföringen präglas av måttfullhet. De är dock vagt formulerade och lämnar tolkningsutrymme för både konsumenter och rättssystemet. Tolkningarna av de kommunicerade budskapen skapar konnotationer hos mottagaren som blir svåra att kontrollera. Spellicensutredningens föreslagna kriterier för att upprätthålla måttfullhet i spelbolags marknadsföring är baserade på okunskap och förenklade föreställningar om hur reklam egentligen fungerar. / The study is based on the proposed dissolution of the Swedish gambling monopoly. The regulation is suggested to take effect in early 2019 in order to allow private actors to both act and promote themselves on the Swedish gambling market on equal terms as the state-owned gambling companies. The purpose of granting private gambling companies access to the Swedish market is, according to the Swedish authorities, to by a gambling license system make sure that all actors promote their business moderately. Gambling is classified as an addictive disease, and thereby burdens society both economically and from a health point of view. With a consumer-cultural approach, the study describes and contributes to a deeper understanding for the meanings’ of the representations in gambling companies’ commercials and what meaning gambling has from a cultural point of view. A qualitative content analysis of 12 commercials from gambling companies has been made. Theories in consumer-culture have been applied to analyze the empirical data. The study finds evidence that the messages communicated by the commercials differ depending on the type of gambling being marketed. Commercials promoting lotteries are misleading as they only portray winners. They sell the dream of a new identity and self-realization which can be achieved through gambling. Winning on a lottery is considered to enable more consumption which gives the individual a higher social status in a consumer society. Casino gambling and betting is promoted as an experience-based product with focus on the gambling as an activity. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the commercials’ representations of male attributes consolidate and amplify stereotypes of masculinity and gambling as a male activity. The study shows problems with the criteria in the regulation that the gambling companies are expected to abide by. The purpose of the criteria is to ensure that marketing is characterized by moderation. However, they are vaguely formulated and leave interpretation for both consumers and the judiciary. The recipient creates connotations of the interpretations of the communicated messages that become difficult to control. The proposed criteria for maintaining moderation in gambling companies’ marketing are based on ignorance and simplified notions about how advertising really works. The study is written in Swedish.

Submitted by JOSIANE SANTOS DE OLIVEIRA (josianeso) on 2018-12-11T11:40:22Z No. of bitstreams: 1 Douglas Araujo Klock_.pdf: 716663 bytes, checksum: 63e83c55fd9b26ff1e9beb8d58dedd7c (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2018-12-11T11:40:22Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Douglas Araujo Klock_.pdf: 716663 bytes, checksum: 63e83c55fd9b26ff1e9beb8d58dedd7c (MD5) Previous issue date: 2018-08-23 / Nenhuma / De forma geral, os estudos de consumo colocam a mulher sob três prismas distintos: como coadjuvante, ao considerar que suas atividades de consumo dependem do masculino; buscando condições de equidade, ao analisar o momento que ela se masculiniza para uma determinada situação de consumo; ou em posições conservadoras, ao estudar o consumo em seus papéis de mãe, esposa ou em eventos ligados ao lar. Alinhado com Pierre Bourdieu, que defende a existência de uma espécie de dominação masculina na sociedade operando por meio de mecanismos bem definidos e seus reflexos podem ser vistos no comportamento de consumo. Especificamente, a cerveja e o bar, no Brasil, são frutos dessa dinâmica preestabelecida, onde a mulher é vista como um objeto dentro de um ambiente historicamente masculinizado. O objetivo desta dissertação é, justamente, analisar o consumo feminino de cerveja em bares da cidade Porto Alegre e, ainda, verificar a possível influência de padrões sócio-historicos de consumo, descrevendo o comportamento feminino dentro do contexto estudado. Para isso, foi realizada uma pesquisa qualitativa, inspirada em estudos etnográficos, no momento do consumo de cerveja por mulheres em bares da cidade, identificando os significados e as representações do consumo feminino de cerveja. Os resultados foram estruturados em três partes para discussão. Primeiro, por meio das mitologias de mercado, que interferem no consumo. Na segunda parte, por intermédio dos discursos e o reflexo no comportamento feminino. A terceira parte traz o contexto e o produto pela lente das entrevistadas. Este estudo incentivou contribuições teóricas no avanço sobre a visão das mulheres nas pesquisas de consumo em uma posição privilegiada dentro de um ambiente masculinizado, sugerindo a existência de desdobramentos para novas investigações. Sob a ótica profissional, o estudo inspira um conjunto de sugestões práticas para tornar as experiências de consumo feminino de cerveja mais inclusivas, usando o posicionamento da marca, a atuação de mercado das empresas do setor e o surgimento de novos produtos. / In general, consumer studies place women under three different prisms: as a coadjuvant, when considering that their consumption activities depend on the masculine, seeking conditions of equity when analyzing when it masculiniza to a situation of consumption or in conservative positions, by studying consumption in their roles as mother, wife or in household-related processes. Aligned with Pierre Bourdieu who advocates the existence of a kind of male domination in society, operating through well defined mechanisms and their reflexes can be seen in consumer behavior. Specifically, beer and bar in Brazil are reflections of this pre-established dynamics, where the woman is seen as an object within a historically masculinized environment. The objective of this dissertation is to analyze the female consumption of beer in bars in the city of Porto Alegre and to verify the possible influence of socio-historical consumer patterns, describing the female behavior within the studied context. For this, a qualitative research was carried out, inspired by ethnographic studies, at the moment of the consumption of beer by women in bars of the city, identifying the meanings and the representations of the female consumption of beer. The results were structured in three parts for discussion: first through market mythologies that interfere with consumption. In the second part through the discourses and the reflex in the feminine behavior. The third part brings the context and the product through the lens of the interviewees. This study encouraged theoretical contributions in advancing the position of women in consumer studies in a privileged position within a masculinized environment, suggesting the existence of unfoldments for new studies. From a professional point of view, the study inspires a set of practical suggestions to make female beer consumption experiences more inclusive using brand positioning, market performance of companies in the sector and the emergence of new products.

Klädkonsumenter spelar en aktiv roll i konsumtionsutvecklingen och besitter en kraft att förändra klädkonsumtionen. Över tid har olika motreaktioner till dagens klädkonsumtion etablerats och Product-Service Systems (PSS) erbjuder alternativa konsumtionsmöjligheter. Under PSS faller kollaborativ klädkonsumtion och klädbibliotek, som syftar på byte av ägarskap eller delat ägarskap av modeprodukter. I studien presenteras Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) som riktar sig mot dynamiken i kulturella och sociala synpunkter. CCT används som teori för att identifiera kopplingar till PSS-perspektiv och huruvida klädbibliotek kan utvecklas till en bredare konsumtionskultur. Syftet med studien är att undersöka inställningen hos yngre kvinnliga klädkonsumenter till att använda klädbibliotek, genom att titta på kulturella påverkande faktorer. Genom kvalitativa semistrukturerade intervjuer visar resultat på att interna och externa kulturella faktorer bidrar till ökad medvetenhet inom hållbarhet. Allt fler klädkonsumenter förespråkar hållbara konsumtionsalternativ, vilket innebär att klädbibliotek kan få en ökad spridning. / Clothing consumers play an active role in the consumption development and have the power to change clothing consumption. Over time, various counter reactions towards today's clothing consumption have been established and Product Service Systems (PSS) offer alternative consumption opportunities. PSS includes collaborative fashion consumption and clothing libraries, which refer to an exchange of ownership or shared ownership of fashion products. The study presents Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) that aims towards the dynamics of cultura land social perspectives. CCT is used as a theory to identify connections to the PSS perspectiveand whether clothing libraries can evolve into a wider consumer culture. The purpose of this study is to investigate the attitude of younger female clothing consumers to use clothing libraries, by looking at cultural influencing factors. Through qualitative semistructured interviews, the results show that internal and external cultural factors contribute to an increased awareness of sustainability. More and more clothing consumers advocate sustainable consumption options, which means that clothing libraries can increase its spread.

[pt] O mercado da saúde privada no Brasil vem se transformando nos últimos anos. Ao mesmo tempo que se observou um importante crescimento do número de vidas atendidas por planos de saúde privados, houve também uma concentração de mercado em operadoras e prestadores de serviço de saúde. O crescimento no número de vidas cobertas por planos privados de saúde teve em seu principal motivo uma penetração nas camadas da população de média e baixa renda, motivados tanto pela formalização do emprego, por ser o Plano de Saúde como um dos principais benefícios concedidos pelo empregador, como também pelo aumento real da renda do trabalhador, por meio da qual ele também passa a adquirir um plano de saúde. Considerando a notoriedade de que a saúde pública brasileira carece de um melhor atendimento, não sendo a primeira opção entre os portadores de planos de saúde, esse estudo exploratório teve o intuito de analisar os simbolismos associados ao serviço de saúde suplementar por consumidores de baixa renda. Para isso, foram realizadas 21 entrevistas em profundidade com consumidores de baixa renda que possuem ou possuíram planos de saúde. A análise dos dados discute os sentimentos e simbologias associados à posse de um plano de saúde e seu status social associado ao plano de saúde, a valorização das empresas que oferecem planos de saúde entre seus benefícios corporativos e a comparação entre os planos de saúde e os serviços públicos de saúde. A partir de tal análise, foi possível chegar a algumas conclusões. / [en] The private health market in Brazil has been changing in recent years. At the same time as there was a significant increase in the number of lives served by private health insurance, there was also a market concentration in private health plans and providers. The growth in the number of lives covered by private health plans had in its main motive a penetration in the layers of the population of middle and low income, motivated by both the formalization of employment, being the Health Plan as one of the main benefits granted by the employer, but also by the real increase in the worker s income, where he also starts to personally acquire health plan. Considering the notoriety that the Brazilian public health needs a better service, not being the first option among health plan holders, this exploratory study had the purpose of analyzing the symbolisms associated with the supplementary health service by low income consumers. For this, 21 in-depth interviews were conducted with low-income consumers who have or have had health insurance plans. Data analysis discusses the feelings and symbologies associated with the possession of a health plan and its social status associated to the health plan, the appreciation of the companies that offer health plans as one of their corporate benefits and the comparison between the private health plans and the Public health services. From this analysis, it was possible to reach some conclusions.

[pt] Esta dissertação buscou contribuir para análise de como os consumidores da classe C consomem shopping centers. Para alcançar tal objetivo, primeiramente foi revisada a literatura sobre Consumer Culture Theory para proporcionar um contexto relativo à análise, depois estudou-se o consumo no segmento de baixa renda, especificamente o conceito de Nova Classe Média (classe C), segundo Neri (2008), e suas implicações para o comportamento do consumidor. Adicionalmente, buscou-se entender na literatura a questão sobre o comportamento dos consumidores da baixa renda, especificamente da classe C, com relação aos shopping centers. Foram conduzidas 22 entrevistas em profundidade com entrevistados em quatro shopping centers da região metropolitana do Rio de Janeiro, todos tendo como público principal consumidores de baixa renda. Na análise dos dados, foram estudadas as entrevistas de membros da classe C, sendo codificadas utilizando o programa Atlas-ti. Os temas e descrições foram relacionados com a teoria fundamentada para, então, se chegar a interpretações dos significados dos mesmos. Os principais achados foram: é mais importante frequentar o shopping para os entrevistados que a compra no shopping; apesar da preferência pelo ambiente do shopping, os entrevistados demonstraram maior intenção de compra nos ambientes varejistas de rua; a internet influenciou mudanças no comportamento dos consumidores da classe C em relação aos shopping centers; e mesmo tendo a expectativa de não reduzir a frequência de idas ao shopping devido à redução de renda, os consumidores da classe C acabaram frequentando menos os shopping após uma redução de renda. / [en] This study sought to contribute to the understanding of how class C consumers consume malls. Firstly, in order to achieve this goal, literature on Consumer Culture Theory was reviewed to provide context to the analysis. Then, consumption by the low-income segment, specifically the New Middle Class (class C), according to Neri (2008), was studied and its implications on consumer behavior. In addition, available literature regarding the behavior of low-income consumers, specifically of class C consumers, with respect to shopping malls was analyzed. A total of 22 in-depth interviews were conducted with respondents in four shopping malls in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, all having as main target segment low-income consumers. In data analysis, interviews from class C consumers were studied and encoded using the Atlas-ti software. The themes and reports were related to the contextual theory to then arrive at interpretations of the meanings of such accounts. The main findings were: visiting the mall was more important than buying in the malls, as purchase intent in street retail environments was higher than in malls despite the preference for shopping environment; the internet has influenced changes in class C consumer behavior with respect to shopping malls; and even though the expectation of consumers is that their mall visitation frequency will not be reduced as a result of a decrease in income, class C consumers ended up reducing the amount of visits to the mall after an actual income reduction.

En publicerad studie avslöjar en överraskande brist på konsumenters medvetenhet kring storleken på deras garderober. Denna insikt pekar på en växande överkonsumtion och ett behov av att förenkla våra livsstilar. Tidigare forskning inom textil- och modeindustrin har visat att sektorn är en betydande förbrukare av resurser och en källa till föroreningar. Med tanke på en växande överkonsumtion och branschens miljöpåverkan, ämnar studien att undersöka vad konsumenters uppfattningar om hållbar klädkonsumtion och identifiera hur konsumenterna ser på begreppet hållbarhet när det gäller deras klädkonsumtion. För att besvara syftet används en kvalitativ metod och insamling av data genomfördes via garderobsundersökningar, som sedan följdes upp med semistrukturerade intervjuer med informanterna. För att tolka resultaten har de teoretiska perspektiven, consumer culture theory samt det performativa perspektivet använts. Resultatet av studien visar att det finns en mångfald i tolkningen av begreppet "hållbara kläder", vilket är starkt påverkat av individuella föreställningar och den kulturella och sociala kontexten. I resultatet kunde även en klyfta mellan föreställningar och köpbeteende identifieras, där konsumenternas faktiska köpbeteende inte alltid speglar deras uttalade värderingar kring hållbarhet. Trots uttalade önskemål att konsumera mer hållbart mode möter konsumenterna hinder i form av bristande tillgänglighet av information och priskänslighet. Insikter utifrån resultatet understryker ett behov av ökad tillgång till pålitlig information från företag. Bristen på tillförlitlig information från företag utgör en betydande utmaning för konsumenter som strävar efter att göra hållbara val och hindrar konsumenterna från att agera enligt sina värderingar. / A published study reveals a surprising lack of consumer awareness regarding the size of their wardrobes. This insight points to growing overconsumption and a need to simplify our lifestyles. Previous research within the textile and fashion industry has observed that the sector is a significant consumer of resources and a source of pollution. Given the increasing overconsumption and the industry's environmental impact, the study aims to investigate consumers' perceptions of sustainable clothing consumption and identify how consumers view the concept of sustainability in relation to their clothing consumption. To answer this purpose, a qualitative method was used, and data collection was conducted through wardrobe surveys, which were then followed up with semi-structured interviews with the informants. To interpret the results, the theoretical perspectives of consumer culture theory and the performative perspective were applied. The results of the study show a diversity in the interpretation of the concept of "sustainable clothing", which is strongly influenced by individual beliefs and the cultural and social context. The results also identified a gap between perceptions and purchasing behavior, where consumers' actual purchasing behavior does not always reflect their stated values regarding sustainability. Despite expressed desires to consume more sustainable fashion, consumers face obstacles such as a lack of accessible information and price sensitivity. Insights from the results highlight the need for increased access to reliable information from companies. The lack of reliable information from companies poses a significant challenge for consumers striving to make sustainable choices and prevents them from acting according to their values.

The purpose of this dissertation is to demonstrate how individual consumers negotiate in the collective community in order to co-create value. By making use of the concepts of ‘resources’ from the Service Dominant Logic of Marketing and ‘cultural lens’ from Consumer Culture Theory, this dissertation considers both individual and collective interaction in order to demonstrate the roles of individual consumers in the value creation process and how the value creation process works. A comprehensive and up to date review of literature provides a guide to the theory and a path for research. This dissertation employed netnography to understand social and cultural aspects of consumption from an online football fan community. The data collection also included participant and non-participant observations, and local fans interviewings. Hermeneutical framework of interpretation was used to analyse data. The findings show that consumers can co-create value among themselves through the roles of ‘provider’ and ‘beneficiary’. It shows the dynamic movement of individual consumers within the continuous learning process of value creation. This dissertation demonstrates that brand community plays a role as a platform of value creation. Consumers can co-create value among themselves through the process of engaging, educating and enriching. The finding demonstrates active roles of consumers in value creation process. This dissertation also discusses how inequalities between resources of consumers in brand community can cause conflicts among them and how these conflicts stimulate consumers to co-create the collective resources. Within this process, consumers have collectively balanced the power through the social interaction in order to eliminate the domination and conflicts. This dissertation extends the previous researches in value creation within brand community by demonstrating how individual consumers engage and negotiated in value creation process. It contributes to respond working consumers and double exploitation through ‘sacrifice’.

Whilst the idealisation of extreme slenderness is widely recognised as a problematic issue, the negative portrayal of larger individuals is rarely criticised for its link with stigmatisation and problems with self-esteem. To the contrary, the representation of larger individuals in dehumanising terms – whether in news reports, advertising and research accounts – is generally regarded as a necessary means to encourage the pursuit of a ‘better’, ‘healthier’ self. However, these negative stereotypical portrayals – generally excluding the perspective and consent of those depicted – can also have adverse effects on human dignity, legitimacy and self-esteem of those thus depicted. Building on the work of fat studies scholars, as well as feminist marketing researchers, this research project seeks to contribute to the inclusion and rehumanisation of fuller-figured individuals, by involving them in the dialogue of visual and research representation. To do so, this research invited a group of fuller-figured women living in the UK and Canada, to ‘envision’, ‘model’, and ‘review’ their own self-presentations, primarily via the use of self-directed portraits, blogs, and conversations. Whilst the inclusion of their embodied perspectives is expected to contribute to humanising the representation of larger individuals – and offer a glimpse into what could be if we started considering women ‘of size’ as authors of their own depictions – it also contributes in filling a gap left by consumer researchers who have overlooked the way larger individuals make sense of their selves, bodies and well-being. As such, this research contributes to existing consumer research theories by explaining the ways individuals can envision their selves/bodies in the shadow of, but also in contrast with, the dominant marketplace promotion of slenderness. In terms of contribution, this research illustrates the relevance of therapeutic and embodied perspectives to understand the self, the body and to engage in acts of consumption. A new ‘self-nurtured’ discursive position offers challenges to the meanings generally attributed to larger individuals, and to the traditional approaches taken by consumer researchers to solve the ‘obesity crisis’. Overall, this research provides empirical, methodological and theoretical contributions to the field of consumer research. It also offers practical implications for the representation of larger individuals, and recommendations for those interested in the social marketing of health to enjoin people of all sizes in mindful acts of self-care and consumption.