The Inconspicuous Self: Exploring the Role of Inconspicuous Consumption within Luxury Services
(2024) SMMM40 20241Department of Service Studies
- Abstract
- Purpose: The relationship between inconspicuous consumption and consumers’ self-identities within luxury hospitality services has been largely overlooked, which calls for further investigation. Consequently, this study aims to explore the understanding of the relationship between the phenomena of inconspicuous luxury consumption of hospitality services and individuals’ self-identities.
Methodology: The purpose of the study is achieved with a qualitative method based on an IPA approach, taking on a constructionist ontology and an interpretative epistemological lens. Primary data has been collected through 14 semi-structured interviews. An abductive approach has been used to be able to draw conclusions based on both the empirical material... (More) - Purpose: The relationship between inconspicuous consumption and consumers’ self-identities within luxury hospitality services has been largely overlooked, which calls for further investigation. Consequently, this study aims to explore the understanding of the relationship between the phenomena of inconspicuous luxury consumption of hospitality services and individuals’ self-identities.
Methodology: The purpose of the study is achieved with a qualitative method based on an IPA approach, taking on a constructionist ontology and an interpretative epistemological lens. Primary data has been collected through 14 semi-structured interviews. An abductive approach has been used to be able to draw conclusions based on both the empirical material and the presented literature.
Theoretical perspectives: To the greatest extent, the theoretical framework is based on scientific articles. The theoretical framework consists of a concept about customer value types within luxury consumption, and theories about self-identity, including the notion of self-identity, self-congruity theory and cultural capital.
Empirical foundation: The study’s empirical data consists of data that has been collected through 14 semi-structured in-depth interviews, which has then been thematized and then analysed on the basis of the theoretical frame of reference. During the interviews, questions were asked to understand how people make meaning of their inconspicuous consumption of luxury services. More specifically, questions were asked about their consumption behaviour, and about different dimensions of their self related to their consumption behaviour.
Conclusion: Identities of inconspicuous consumers are complex and multifaceted. Inconspicuous consumption is primarily aligned with luxury consumers’ actual selves and actual ideal selves, as it brings the necessary discreteness and subtleness of their consumption of luxury hospitality services. Additionally, they prefer not to align their social selves’ with those who use luxury as a means of showing off. Instead, such consumers value the actual experience in the consumption of luxury services, as those aspects contribute to increased and sustained self-consistency. Inconspicuous consumers find value in luxury hospitality services that reflect their sophisticated and authentic personalities, and prefer being surrounded by people who possess the same hedonic means of consumption as themselves. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
http://lup.lub.lu.se/student-papers/record/9172657
- author
- Palm, Hjalmar LU and Yusha, Victor
- supervisor
- organization
- course
- SMMM40 20241
- year
- 2024
- type
- H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
- subject
- keywords
- Inconspicuous consumption, luxury, luxury services, self-congruity, self-concept, identity
- language
- English
- id
- 9172657
- date added to LUP
- 2024-08-28 13:26:57
- date last changed
- 2024-08-28 13:26:57
@misc{9172657,
abstract = {{Purpose: The relationship between inconspicuous consumption and consumers’ self-identities within luxury hospitality services has been largely overlooked, which calls for further investigation. Consequently, this study aims to explore the understanding of the relationship between the phenomena of inconspicuous luxury consumption of hospitality services and individuals’ self-identities.
Methodology: The purpose of the study is achieved with a qualitative method based on an IPA approach, taking on a constructionist ontology and an interpretative epistemological lens. Primary data has been collected through 14 semi-structured interviews. An abductive approach has been used to be able to draw conclusions based on both the empirical material and the presented literature.
Theoretical perspectives: To the greatest extent, the theoretical framework is based on scientific articles. The theoretical framework consists of a concept about customer value types within luxury consumption, and theories about self-identity, including the notion of self-identity, self-congruity theory and cultural capital.
Empirical foundation: The study’s empirical data consists of data that has been collected through 14 semi-structured in-depth interviews, which has then been thematized and then analysed on the basis of the theoretical frame of reference. During the interviews, questions were asked to understand how people make meaning of their inconspicuous consumption of luxury services. More specifically, questions were asked about their consumption behaviour, and about different dimensions of their self related to their consumption behaviour.
Conclusion: Identities of inconspicuous consumers are complex and multifaceted. Inconspicuous consumption is primarily aligned with luxury consumers’ actual selves and actual ideal selves, as it brings the necessary discreteness and subtleness of their consumption of luxury hospitality services. Additionally, they prefer not to align their social selves’ with those who use luxury as a means of showing off. Instead, such consumers value the actual experience in the consumption of luxury services, as those aspects contribute to increased and sustained self-consistency. Inconspicuous consumers find value in luxury hospitality services that reflect their sophisticated and authentic personalities, and prefer being surrounded by people who possess the same hedonic means of consumption as themselves.}},
author = {{Palm, Hjalmar and Yusha, Victor}},
language = {{eng}},
note = {{Student Paper}},
title = {{The Inconspicuous Self: Exploring the Role of Inconspicuous Consumption within Luxury Services}},
year = {{2024}},
}