Free Management Dissertations - Examine How Consumerism Is Treated In Textbooks & Articles (the Theory)
Examine how CONSUMERISM is treated in textbooks & articles (the THEORY) and its impacts upon a range of different organisations (the REALITY).
Table of Contents
Introduction3
Statement3
Discussion4
Conclusion6
References7
Introduction
The emergence of mass production has enabled companies around the world to produce goods enmasse. With this change in the business world, producers had realized the dilemma of high supply and low demand as people's purchasing power after World War II had been low. To encourage demand, producers engaged in complex marketing strategies which has given rise what is known as consumer marketing today (O'Shaughnessy and O'Shaughnessy 2002). So successful has this strategy been in the past several decades of the 20th century that modern day society has developed a penchant for material accumulation and hedonism. The emergence of the consumer culture has often been blamed as the result of corporate manipulation rather than real consumption. Scholars often speculate the reality of consumerism and its superficial world (McCartney, 2000). They are of the view that consumerism has emerged as a result of the desire for egoistic gratification, a culture that would eventually fade out when society is beguiled by something new. On the other hand, corporations today whose sole efforts are to please the consumers feel that consumerism is a reality that the society has just only been introduced to. Corporations traditionally produced necessity goods neglecting the aesthetic side of society. But companies have become wise to the needs of individuals; materialism; and choices and desires for frequent change. For this reason organizations today have designed their businesses to appeal to the masses arguing that they are satisfying consumer needs for leisure and better lifestyle. They treat consumerism as a brand of awareness whereby corporations produce variety for consumers to choose from.
Statement
Given these opposing views, the following discussion is an exploration of how consumerism is treated in textbooks & articles (the THEORY) and examines the impacts upon a range of different organisations (the REALITY).
Discussion
Consumer society can be defined as "one directed largely by the accumulation and consumption of material goods." (O'Shaughnessy and O'Shaughnessy 2002). From this definition one can deduce that a consumer society is essentially hedonistic; it searches for instant gratification, and unlike traditional belief it is associated with individualistic culture. It is distinguished by the individuals' need for materialism, introversion and self-obsession. According to O'Shaughnessy and O'Shaughnessy (2002) consumer society has given rise to the trend of individuals standing apart from the community obligations and beguiled by the medley of consumer offerings (O'Shaughnessy and O'Shaughnessy 2002).
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