How power distance belief,self-construal,and relationship norms impact conspicuous consumption

Building on the idea that luxury products can signal the owner's status to others, this research elucidates how fundamental and pervasive social factors—power distance belief (PDB), self-construal, and relationship norms—dynamically impact consumers' preferences for conspicuous consumption. Through three experiments, we found that (1) high-PDB consumers are more likely to prefer conspicuous consumption compared to low-PDB consumers, and this effect is mediated by their need for status; (2) the relationship between PDB and conspicuous consumption is enhanced under interdependent self-construal, attenuated under independent self-construal, and mediated by consumers' need for status; (3) these effects are moderated by relationship norms, such that the positive effect of PDB on conspicuous consumption under interdependent self-construal is attenuated when communal relationships (vs. exchange relationships) are salient. Our conceptualization and findings contribute to the literature on the dynamics of individuals' status-related behavior in social psychology and related fields, and provide important practical applications for luxury businesses.     

Marketing in an identity-threatened world: Consumer coping strategies and indulgent consumption

The ability to cope with social identity threats is a crucial consumer capacity. But are all coping methods equally beneficial? Our work examines two dominant coping strategies—where individuals either highlight positive dimensions of the self (self-focus strategy), or where they emphasize other out-groups' worse performance (others-focus strategy). We demonstrate that while the two strategies are equally effective at repairing the threatened identity, the others-focus strategy leads to greater indulgent consumption for those who hold the threatened identity strongly. We also provide evidence of the underlying mechanism, showing that accessibility drives the differences in the indulgent consumption consequences of these coping strategies, which makes it possible for marketers to externally alter such effects. Specifically, we show that if marketers externally raise the accessibility of outgroups-related concepts, for example, via an advertising message or environmental design, the impact of the others-focus strategy on indulgence is diminished.     

Consumer value of virtual music festivals

Virtual music festivals (VMFs) are a great opportunity for the music industry to improve high quality digital events; as an alternative consumption phenomenon, VMFs can reach hybrid audiences and help in the challenge of digitalization. This study aims to investigate the multidimensional structure of consumer value in VMFs (intra-variable perspective), as well as the effects of value on cognitive versus affective satisfaction and loyalty (inter-variable perspective). Using a qualitative–quantitative approach—focus group and survey with festival attendees (n = 246)—, a value structure of VMF is tested with partial least square–SEM as a reflective-formative-formative third-order model. Benefits and sacrifices are second-order constructs, while five positives (escape, novelty, enjoyment, musical content, and socialization) and two negatives (monetary and nonmonetary costs) are first-order ones. Results show VMFs value as a multidimensional trade-off, where socialization is not contributing to value, but a balance between cognitive (musical content) and affective (enjoyment, and less escape and novelty) exists. Furthermore, consumer value intensifies both cognitive and affective satisfaction, but just the former affects loyalty. These findings provide new insights to better understand the decision-making processes of virtual festival attendees.     

Sense of belonging,international migrants’ spending,and implications for their subjective well-being

A lack of a sense of belonging in the host country has become one of the most common challenges facing international migrants in today's sociopolitical environment. Our two online experiments with 881 international migrant workers in the United States jointly demonstrate that, to cope with their lack of a sense of belonging in the host country, international migrants may spend money suboptimally: more on material purchases but less on experiential and prosocial purchases. More importantly, our studies suggest that prosocial purchases are more effective than experiential purchases in increasing international migrants’ subjective well-being. This is because prosocial purchases can lead to both relatedness need satisfaction and beneficence, with each independently contributing to international migrants’ subjective well-being. Our research suggests that public policymakers should address the social exclusion international migrants experience when moving to a new country because it can have a negative impact on their subjective well-being. Our research further suggests that one way to mitigate social exclusion is to encourage international migrants to spend money on others rather than themselves.     

Tourist accommodation,consumption and platforms

The expansion of mediated accommodation on peer to peer (P2P) platforms, such as Airbnb, has generated extensive economic impact and structural changes in all the destinations involved. This study proposes an innovative analysis which estimates the economic impact associated with the expenditure of tourists staying in traditional hotel establishments in comparison to the impact of those staying in tourist housing mediated through P2P platforms. This research analyses fieldwork based on 1343 surveys carried out in the city of Granada, one of the main tourist destinations in Spain. Through the application of the input–output methodology we found that tourists staying in tourist housing mediated through P2P platforms generate a greater impact as a consequence of longer average stays and more heterogeneously distributed consumption. Their average expenditure is similar to that of tourists in hotels, but the indirect impact generated is greater. Consequently, we can better comprehend the economic impact associated with these platforms and their real effect. Public planners have to consider this information as part of the regulation and restriction of this activity.     

Is energy consumption sensitive to foreign capital inflows and currency devaluation in Pakistan?

This study investigates the relationship between foreign capital inflows and energy consumption by incorporating economic growth, exports and currency devaluation in energy demand function for the case of Pakistan. The long-run and short-run effects are examined via ARDL bounds testing procedure. Foreign capital inflows and currency devaluation (economic growth and exports) decrease (increase) energy consumption in long-run. The results confirm a feedback effect between foreign capital inflows and energy consumption. These findings would be helpful to policy makers in designing comprehensive economic and energy policies for utilizing foreign capital inflows as a tool for optimal use of energy sources to enhance economic development in long run.     

国民收入分配对投资消费失衡的影响分析

投资消费失衡严重制约了我国国民经济持续健康发展,国民收入在企业部门、政府部门、住户部门之间的不合理分配是导致我国投资消费失衡的根本原因。国民收入分配对投资消费失衡影响的数理分析和实证分析表明,对投资率、消费率最有影响的是企业部门在国民收入分配中的比重,其次是政府部门在国民收入分配中的比重,影响最小的是住户部门在国民收入分配中的比重。     

Shifting Taxes from Labor to Consumption: More Employment and more Inequality?

This paper investigates the effect of shifting taxes from labor income to consumption on labor supply and the distribution of income in Germany. We simulate stepwise increases in the value‐added tax (VAT) rate, which are compensated by revenue‐neutral reductions in income‐related taxes. We differentiate between the personal income tax (PIT) and social security contributions (SSC). Based on a dual data base and a microsimulation model of household labor supply behavior, we find a regressive impact of such a tax shift in the short run. When accounting for labor supply adjustments, the adverse distributional impact persists for PIT reductions, while the overall effects on inequality and progressivity become lower when payroll taxes are reduced. This is partly due to increases in aggregate labor supply, resulting from higher work incentives.     

税收政策与居民消费需求——基于结构效应视角的新思考

本文运用税收经济效应原理系统阐释所得税、商品税与财产税对居民消费需求的作用机制,在考察我国税制结构整体状况及其对居民消费需求负面影响的基础上,通过建立动态面板数据模型与采用GMM估计方法实证估计税收政策对居民消费需求的结构效应,结果发现：一方面,财产税挤入居民消费;另一方面,商品税和所得税均挤出居民消费需求,但开征利息税能够显著降低个人所得税对居民消费需求的抑制效应。基于理论分析与实证估计结果,本文认为,政府为了提高税收政策对居民消费需求调节的针对性与激励效果,应充分发挥税收政策的结构效应,积极推进与实行“有增有减”的新一轮税制改革,构建与扩大居民消费需求相协调的税制结构。     

休闲产业:国内研究述评

休闲产业研究在我国尚处于起步阶段。目前国内对休闲产业的研究主要集中于休闲产业的概念和范围、休闲产业的地位和作用、休闲消费、影响我国休闲产业发展的主要障碍和对策等几个方面,今后研究的重点应转向建立休闲产业统计体系、揭示休闲产业和消费结构的变化规律、检验休闲产业的就业功能及其与建设和谐社会的关系上来,在研究方法上应注重从定性分析转向定量分析。