Conspicuous Consumption: A Review of Consumer Behaviour Research

This article reviews research on conspicuous consumption and consumer behaviour by Memushi, Zhang and Kim, Furukawaet. et. al., and Kaufmann, Vrontis, and Manakova. It discusses common themes, different themes, study limitations, and future research directions.

Running Head: Article Review 1
Business Research

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Assessment 1: Structured Abstract
This structured abstract review the topic of conspicuous consumption- consumer behaviour by
research studies conducted by Memushi , Zhang and Kim, Furukawaet. et. al., and Kaufmann,
Vrontis, and Manakova.
A brief summary of the theory and progression in the field
Zhang and Kim, 2013 proposed a study that influencing aspects that consequences customer’s
attitude of Chinese consumer towards buying luxury fashion goods and purchase intent. The
main aim of this article is to find out the being the behaviour of the customers towards the luxury
goods. Author has developed a hypothesis in order to make an effective research. This research
is included 161 respondents in which the regression analysis in which the results of this research
is indicated the brand consciousness, fashion innovativeness and social comparison among
Chinese customers.
Zhang and Kim, 2013, has developed hypothesis to reach at the result in an effective way in
which 6 hypothesis have made on brand consciousness, social comparison, fashion
innovativeness, fashion involvement, attitude and purchase intent. Author has developed the
model in this research paper so that the better understanding could be made regarding the
proposed topic.
After the study of Zhang and Kim, it can be seen that the research is more focused on the attitude
of the customer towards purchasing the luxury products. Among those researchers, Memushi,
Furukawaet. et. al., and Kaufmann, Vrontis, and Manakova proposed that there is a number of
terms such as motivation, luxury goods, signaling, conformity, status consumption and brand

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consumption. All three following studies have given depth examination by their findings and
have endeavored to look at the theory from diverse dimensions.
Discussion of Common themes
The study of Zhang and Kim suggests that the range of profitability and diversity has increased
in the markets related to the luxury consumptions market. The huge buying potential of
consumers has begun to get the attention of the marketing practitioners. Author has focused on
various factors under this research in which the author has elaborated the importance of the
brand consciousness and materialism related towards purchasing luxury fashion goods. Align
with Zhang and Kim study all the other three studies also have identified parallel aspects which
manipulate the conspicuous consumption.
Study of Memushi investigates that in developing countries, the rate of conspicuous consumption
can be higher due to extreme inequalities in income. This article has focused on the primary
consumptions of the customers towards luxury consumptions. Consumer buying behavior is
affected because of the changed range of luxury goods. However, the taste of them is same no
matter what process they are offering as they need the best quality so that they keep maintain the
status. Furukawaet. et. al., proposed a research in which the quantitative research method is
being used by them in order to increase the better understanding of the use of conspicuous
consumption in customer behaviour. Finally, Kaufmann, Vrontis, and Manakova proposed an
article in which they elaborated the symbolic consumption and need for uniqueness that defines
customers to be driven through the desire for the maintaining the status.
Discussion of Different themes

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However, it is not an easy task to investigate the different theories in these articles because all
four of them find out the aspects impact on consumer conspicuousness. It has been found that the
Furukawaet. et. al., and Kaufmann, Vrontis, and Manakova have a different perspective towards
the theory. the study of Memushi , Zhang and Kim are directly focused on the specific country
by taking emphasize of luxury brands and consumer behaviour. Although the Furukawaet. et. al.,
and Kaufmann, Vrontis, and Manakova provide the depth information regarding the same topic
which can affect the customer behaviour.
The study of Memushi proposed a table in which an author has elaborate the conspicuous
consumption during the time. The different theory has been used under this research so that the
detail information regarding this assignment has been made. Their study highlights a more
effective in comparison of other studies as a collection of data was gathered from real customers
based on their real transaction experiences.
The article of Kaufmann, Vrontis, and Manakova focused on the positive relationship between
status consumption, uniqueness, identity and perceived quality which practice was done in
Russia. With the help of the combination of qualitative research and quantitative research, the
research is able to provide the difference Russian luxury consumptions and western culture.
Discussion of Study limitations & how limitations differ across the research designs
Zhang and Kim recognize the lack of researches which is made on the conspicuous consumption
based on the conceptual model and hypothesis. The research limitation for this article is that it
can focus on various models to analyze the conspicuous consumption. Along with that, the same
challenge is faced by Kaufmann, Vrontis, and Manakova in which the researcher is focused on
the conspicuous consumption. It has been analyzed that to overcome this drawbacks, hypothesis

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was made on the basis of the survey method of the interview on both studies. Even though
Memushi’s article has elaborated the reason and motivation to conspicuously consumption but
they can more focus on the consumer behaviour due to these factors.
Furukawaet. et. al., elaborates the fashion trends and their impact on the consumer behavior
which is the major cause of limited their investigation for only two kinds of products which
made by the quantitative method.
Discussion of future research directions (commonalities & difference)
It has been suggested by Zhang and Kim to move ahead for further studies to find out other ways
of marketing to search out how conspicuous consumption affect the behaviour of the consumer
buying. Similarly, Memushi suggests that the products of conspicuous management should be
divided as per the demand of the customers because education also comes under this
consumption. Furukawa et. al., suggests for a quantitative study with a huge population.
Kaufmann, Vrontis, and Manakova encourage defining a study to investigate the impact of the
luxury brand on the buying behavior of consumer.

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References
Furukawa, T., Miura, C., Miyatake, K., Watanabe, A. and Hasegawa, M., 2017. Quantitative
trend analysis of luxury fashion based on visual impressions of young Japanese
women. International Journal of Fashion Design, Technology and Education, 10(2), pp.146-157.
https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/17543266.2016.1221145?
scroll=top&needAccess=true&journalCode=tfdt20.
Kaufmann, H.R., Vrontis, D. and Manakova, Y., 2012. Perception of luxury: Idiosyncratic
Russian consumer culture and identity. European Journal of Cross-Cultural Competence and
Management, 2(3-4), pp.209-235.
http://www.academia.edu/2913695/
Perception_of_Luxury_Idiosyncratic_Russian_Consumer_Culture_and_Identity_European_Jour
nal_of_Cross-Cultural_Competence_and_Management.
Memushi, A., 2013. Conspicuous consumption of luxury goods: literature review of theoretical
and empirical evidences. International Journal of Scientific & Engineering Research, 4(12),
pp.250-255.
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
263078922_Conspicuous_Consumption_of_Luxury_Goods_Literature_Review_of_Theoretical_
and_Empirical_Evidences.

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Zhang, B. and Kim, J.H., 2013. Luxury fashion consumption in China: Factors affecting attitude
and purchase intent. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 20(1), pp.68-79
http://202.116.197.15/cadalcanton/Fulltext/21243_2014319_102457_153.pdf.