Friendship and consumption
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Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
School of Business |
Master's thesis
Authors
Date
2023
Department
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Marketing
Language
en
Pages
61+2
Series
Abstract
The main objective of this study was to extend anthropological and sociological studies of friendship into the realm of marketing and consumer behavior. Given the limited research into the interplay between friendship and consumption, this thesis sought to explore how these concepts contribute and interact with each other. Undeniably, with the rise of a market-driven society, consumer relationships are To achieve the objectives of this study eleven in-depth interviews were conducted to divulge a deeper understanding of consumer experiences as they pertain to friendship and how friendship is built and fostered through consumption experiences. Interviewees consisted of university-educated young-adult consumers between the ages of twenty-four and thirty. The findings of this study revealed that consumption is deeply embedded in the building blocks of friendship, namely: volition, trust, fidelity, and solidarity. Additionally, friendship helps to define new meaning for consumption as it allows for increased volition in establishing friendships. Similarly, it was unveiled that friendship contributed to an increased moral pressure to consume especially through norm manipulation. Finally, though consumption is ever-present in friendship, true friendship is marked by the ability to set the relationship free from market bonds. The results of this research contribute to the knowledge and understanding of every-changing consumer behavior and how friendship has transformed with the rise of a market-driven society.Description
Thesis advisor
Weijo, HenriGeyik, Pelin
Keywords
friendship, consumption, norm manipulation, volition, market liberation