The smartphones’ market is characterized by its fast evolving environment. In such an environment, the key concern for each company is how to continually encourage consumers to upgrade to the latest version before their existing model expires, which also highlights the importance of continual product enhancement. Consumers choose high-tech products not only for their functional values, but also for their symbolic values. This phenomenon is even more prevalent among products that tend to be conspicuously consumed. The high portability and multi-functional capabilities of smartphones make their use highly visible to users’ social surroundings, and consumers may choose to upgrade their existing smartphones for the perceived symbolic values provided by newer and enhanced models. The great success of the iPhone inspired the current research to further investigate the antecedents of upgrade intention and to uncover the symbolic value that smartphones provide to consumers. Reference group conformity is not the only way to fulfill symbolic values of selected products. Consumers also have the tendency to actively express their ideal self-image through acquiring and displaying material symbols and an ideal self-image sometimes also refers to a self-image with higher social status. Building upon the Theory of Planned Behavior (Ajzen, 1991), the proposed research model also explores the possible moderating effect of status consumption on the TPB model. A survey will be administered to university students (smartphone users) to collect primary data to measure the effectiveness of the new proposed research model. The results of this study provided a better understanding of consumers’ upgrading purchase intentions toward smartphones. Additionally, this study finds that status consumption is partially related to smartphone purchases, which could also be extended to other technological products categories.

The development of the global luxury market, nearly showing a decade growth of high degree, primarily refering the consumers of luxury market.It expanded not only high status but also general status and it¡¦s different from our past cognitive. Consumption is not a bad thing, but recently consumers change their shopping motives and want to show their status and obtain the identity of others by pursuiting the consumption patterns of higher classu, it will cause the disequilibrium between consumption and status. Therefore, this study explores the relationship between the socialization of status consumption and luxury attitude, and then extended to understand the impact of various media in the consumer socialization process, to identify the major cause of the disequilibrium. This object of the study expandes to the general consumers, it refers to widely understand the consumers actual cognition¡Bemotions and behavior whether he bought luxury goods or not. And exploring the relationship of luxury attitude and status consumption,in which you can understand the role of government in the consumer market and effect. After the questionnaire analysis, we found it is positive relationship between the luxury attitude and the status consumption,and it also has significant relationship between the attitude the consumer socialization process of media¡Gage¡Bthe school pattern in high school ¡B the cognition of government policy and luxury attitude. In conclusion, the luxury¡§cognition¡¨ and¡§emotion¡¨"are major causes to influence status consumption,it said the consumer to do the consupmtion behavior is depending the inherent performance.If consumers do not face their own wrong consumption mode, the overall social climate of the country will not upgrade.

The role that brands play in the lives of consumers has changed dramatically over time, from purely functional to instrumental, symbolic and hedonic in nature. Literature supports that brands are major contributors to, and reflections of, consumer identities. Despite this, literature referring to adolescents, brands and identity is lacking. Adolescents are emerging as the most brand-orientated, consumer-involved and materialistic generation in history. This research sought to understand the role of brands in adolescent identity through: i) sourcing literature to understand the role of brands in the formation and manifestation of adolescent identity, and ii) empirically deepening our understanding of how adolescents use brands to form and manifest their identities in an emerging market context. In a qualitative research study using focus groups, the views of four high- and low-income groups of female adolescents were investigated, compared and contrasted. Differences and commonalities were evident among groups around current brands owned versus brands aspired to, whether brands are consumed for the self or for others, and the role of reference groups. The findings showed differences between the high-income groups, suggesting that variances exist due to differing social standings. The findings further suggested commonalities between the low- and high-income adolescents from a lower social standing. These findings suggest the importance and need for further research in understanding the adolescent consumer psyche and proposes ethical considerations on the part of marketers. / Dissertation (MBA)--University of Pretoria, 2012. / Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) / unrestricted

Young Black professionals (Buppies) have taken the South African market by storm. These individuals and their parents come from suppressed and poverty-stricken pasts. Since the abolishment of the Apartheid regime, they have been provided with remarkable prospects and have been given the opportunity to participate in the economy. They are a vastly growing consumer segment. However, very little information is available on their needs, desires and motivation. With their newfound wealth and higher-paying professional positions they are now able to spend money on luxury items and in so doing, express how far they have come to the outside world. The purpose of this study was to investigate and describe this dynamic market’s motivations to consume. In order to provide more insight, research was done on their motivation to engage in conspicuous and or status consumption. Previously, these constructs were used interchangeably. However, later research conducted by O’Cass and McEwen (2004) proved these constructs to be empirically different. By determining Buppies’ motivation to engage in conspicuous and or status consumption; this study contributes to the fields of consumer motivation, marketing and retail. It provides insight into the driving force behind the purchasing decisions of this emergingmarket. The theoretical background to the study comprises of a literature review providing detail on conspicuous consumption and status consumption. Some additional information is also provided on studies conducted in the past relating to the motivation to engage in these forms of consumption. The information gathered on conspicuous and status consumption is then used to formulate a conceptual framework and the research objectives in which all of the key concepts and their relationships are clearly outlined. Exploratory survey research design was employed in this study to provide insights into Buppies’ conspicuous and status consumption of clothing brands. The sample consisted of 246 (n=246) Black urban consumers between the ages of 24 and 36, living in Gauteng and currently working in a professional position. Non-probability sampling methods were employed, which included purposive and snowball sampling. Respondents completed an online self-administered questionnaire. To further ensure an appropriate sample, the online questionnaire was also distributed in paper-based format. Since a quantitative research approach was utilised the questionnaire was structured in such a way as to obtain descriptive and inferential statistical data. The questionnaire was then distributed to Buppies, after which descriptive and inferential statistics were used to accurately describe the phenomena. The results of the study indicated that Buppies are more inclined to be motivated by aspects of status consumption than that of conspicuous consumption. Buppies proved to be very aware of the image that they project and how they are seen by others thus indicating that they are motivated by high self-monitoring. The results also indicated that although Buppies do enjoy being part of a group, they do not necessarily desire to communicate their belonging to a specific reference group by utilising clothing as a social cue. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / tm2015 / Consumer Science / MConsumer Science / Unrestricted

Cette recherche s'intéresse à la façon dont les modes de pensée influencent les préférences des consommateurs pour les produits de luxe. Dans une série d'expérimentation, nous montrons que lorsque les consommateurs sont plus susceptibles de pensée de manière intuitive, ils utilisent davantage le signal lié au luxe dans leur processus de décision. Afin de montrer l'effet de ce signal comme indicateur heuristique, le mode de pensée des consommateurs a été manipulé. Dans un mode de pensée intuitif, les individus ont tendance à utiliser significativement plus le signal lié au luxe comme un signal heuristique dans la prise de décision. / In this research, we discuss consumers’ preference for status products which is affected by their mode of thinking. In a series of experiments, we show that when consumers are more likely to rely on intuitive system thinking, they use status signal more often as a cue in their decision making process. In order to show the effect of the status signal as a heuristic cue, we manipulate consumers’ mode of thinking. Using an online questionnaire, we show that being in intuitive mode of thinking leads individuals to disproportionately rely on status signals as a heuristic cue in their decision making process.

The rebound effect refers to the phenomenon that energy savings from improvements in energy efficiency are lower than expected due to unintended second-order effects. Grasping specific mechanisms related to the rebound effect requires a good understanding of interactions between heterogonous agents on multiple markets. Otherwise, policies aimed at reducing energy use may render counter-expected and unforeseen consequences. In this paper, we propose a formal model, where technological change results from interactions on two markets: between consumers and producers in the market for final goods, and heterogeneous power plants in the electricity market. The analysis provides insights to the role of technological change, supply-demand coevolution, and status-driven consumption in explaining the rebound effect. The model is employed to compare effectiveness of economic policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions associated with production of consumer goods, namely: a tax on electricity and "nuclear obligations" to produce ten percent of electricity from nuclear energy. (author's abstract)

This empirical study investigated how interpersonal influences (normative receptiveness and informative influences) and impersonal influences differ across different population groups in terms of status consumption of clothing brands. The theory of consumer socialisation directed the study and was used to describe consumers’ susceptibility to interpersonal and impersonal influences by encompassing its two major components: the learning processes and socialisation agents. The interpersonal influences, normative receptiveness and informative influences together with the impersonal influences were included in the conceptual framework and hypotheses. The theory of consumer socialisation was selected as it provides a suitable framework to explain how consumers are socialised over time through interpersonal and impersonal agents so that they come to prefer or purchase certain products such as status clothing brands. A survey research design was followed. Data were collected with a structured self-administered questionnaire, developed from existing scales. Non-probability sampling techniques, convenience and quota sampling were used to include an appropriate sample size. Trained field workers distributed the questionnaire to the target population in suburbs in Tshwane. A total of 1014 (N=1014) usable questionnaires were completed. The sample consisted of males and females living in Tshwane, 19 years and older from all population groups. The data were captured and coded and then analysed with the help of a statistician who made use of descriptive and inferential statistics. The EFA retained three factors: normative receptiveness, impersonal influences and informative influences. The results from the CFA confirmed that the measurement model fit was good. Subsequently, GLMs were performed to assess if differences exist in interpersonal and impersonal influences across the different population groups’ status consumption of clothing brands. The findings showed that normative receptiveness, informative and impersonal influences had a statistically significant effect on the status consumption of clothing brands. From the three independent factors, normative receptiveness had the greatest effect on status consumption and showed significant difference across population groups when factoring in gender, education, age and income into the GLM models. Impersonal influences showed minor significant differences across population groups’ status consumption when gender was considered in the GLM model. Even though informative influences affected status consumption, no significant differences could be found across the different population groups when factoring in demographic factors. Findings can be useful for retailers and marketers to direct their market segmentation strategies and target consumers who would engage in status consumption. Normative receptiveness elements such as word of mouth from reference groups and social comparison in advertisements can add value to clothing brands’ campaigns. / Hierdie empiriese studie ondersoek of invloed interpersoonlike invloede (normatiewe ontvanklikheid en informasie invloede) en onpersoonlike invloede verskil oor verskillende bevolkingsgroepe in heem in terme van statusverbruik van klere-handelsmerke. Verbruikersosialiserings teorie het die studie gerig en is gebruik om verbruikers se ontvanklikheid vir interpersoonlike en onpersoonlike invloede te beskryf, deur die twee hoofkomponente die leerprosesse en sosialisering agente te inkorporeer. Die interpersoonlike invloede, normatiewe en informatiewe invloede, saam met die onpersoonlike invloede is in die konseptuele raamwerk en hipoteses ingesluit. Die teorie verbruikersosialisering is gekies aangesien dit 'n geskikte raamwerk verskaf om te verduidelik hoe verbruikers deur interpersoonlike en onpersoonlike agente gesosialiseer word met verloop van tyd om bepaalde produkte te verkies of te koop soos status klere-handelsmerke. ’n Opname navorsingsontwerp is gevolg. Data is met behulp van 'n gestruktureerde selfgeadministreerde vraelys ingesamel. Die vraelys is ontwikkel uit bestaande skale. Niewaarskynlikheid steekproeftegnieke, gerief en kwota, is gebruik om 'n geskikte grootte steekproef in te sluit. Opgeleide veldwerkers het die vraelys aan die teikenpopulasie in voorstede van Tshwane versprei. ‘n Totaal van 1014 (N = 1014) bruikbare vraelyste is voltooi. Die steekproef het uit mans en vroue, 19 jaar en ouer van alle bevolkingsgroepe, woonagtig in Tshwane, bestaan. Data is vasgelê en gekodeer waarna analises/ontledings met behulp van 'n statistikus gedoen is. Die statistikus het van beskrywende en inferensiële statistiek gebruik gemaak. Die EFA het drie faktore: behou naamlik, normatiewe ontvanklikheid, onpersoonlike invloede en informatiewe invloede. Die resultate van die CFA bevestig dat die meting model se passing goed was. Daarna is GLMs uitgevoer om te bepaal of daar verskille in interpersoonlike en onpersoonlike invloede oor die verskillende bevolkingsgroepe se statusverbruik van klerehandelsmerke bestaan. Die bevindinge het getoon dat normatiewe ontvanklikheid, informatiewe en onpersoonlike invloede 'n statisties beduidende effek op die statusverbruik van klere-handelsmerke gehad het. Van die drie onafhanklike faktore, het normatiewe ontvanklikheid die grootste invloed op statusverbruik gehad en toon ook beduidende verskil oor bevolkingsgroepe wanneer geslag, onderwys, ouderdom en inkomste in die GLM modelle ingebring is. Onpersoonlike invloede toon geringe beduidende verskille oor bevolkingsgroepe se statusverbruik wanneer geslag in die GLM model ingebring is. Selfs al het informatiewe invloede ‘n invloed op verskillende bevolkingsgroepe se statusverbruik was daar geen betekenisvolle verskille gevind wanneer demografiese faktore ingesluit is nie. Bevindinge kan nuttig wees vir kleinhandelaars en bemarkers om hul marksegmentasie strategieë te rig en om spesifieke teikenverbruikers wat statusverbruikers is te bereik. Normatiewe ontvanklikheid elemente soos mondelingse oordrag van inligting deur verwysingsgroepe en sosiale vergelyking in advertensies kan waarde tot klere handelsmerke veldtogte voeg. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2017. / Consumer Science / MConsumer Science / Unrestricted

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