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Between Aisles and Identity: Exploring sojourners’ acculturation in retail spaces

Himmelsbach, Charlotte LU and Bernath, Mirjam Elisabeth LU (2025) BUSN39 20251
Department of Business Administration
Abstract
Purpose: The objective of this study is to explore sojourners’ acculturation process within the
context of retail spaces and gain a deeper understanding of market-mediated spaces in consumer
acculturation.
Methodology: The study employed a qualitative research approach. In total, 15 semi-structured
interviews with sojourners from eight Asian countries were conducted. The analysis of the data
was guided by the approach of Rennstam and Wästerfors (2018).
Theoretical Framework: To gain an understanding of how sojourners navigate their
acculturation process within retail spaces, this study draws on two interrelated Spatial Theories
to analyze the empirical data. Lefebvre’s (1991) ‘Spatial Triad’ is utilized to explore embedded
power... (More)
Purpose: The objective of this study is to explore sojourners’ acculturation process within the
context of retail spaces and gain a deeper understanding of market-mediated spaces in consumer
acculturation.
Methodology: The study employed a qualitative research approach. In total, 15 semi-structured
interviews with sojourners from eight Asian countries were conducted. The analysis of the data
was guided by the approach of Rennstam and Wästerfors (2018).
Theoretical Framework: To gain an understanding of how sojourners navigate their
acculturation process within retail spaces, this study draws on two interrelated Spatial Theories
to analyze the empirical data. Lefebvre’s (1991) ‘Spatial Triad’ is utilized to explore embedded
power structures within space, and Soja’s (1996) ‘Thirdspace’ perspective to grasp the vastness
of spatial possibilities.
Conclusion:
The study reveals that sojourners have an ‘explorative identity’ as we conceptualize it, moving
between cultural identity and exploration and navigating retail spaces in three different ways.
(1) They develop certain market competencies and knowledge. (2) They turn towards a variety
of acculturation agents to overcome barriers they face within the unfamiliar retail setting and
allow them to explore. (3) They reproduce familiarity by re-envisioning spatial settings and
gaining access to familiar groceries and thereby resisting imposed acculturation. Retail spaces
as market-mediated spaces reveal themselves as active acculturation agents that can support and
restrict the acculturation efforts of sojourners. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Himmelsbach, Charlotte LU and Bernath, Mirjam Elisabeth LU
supervisor
organization
course
BUSN39 20251
year
type
H1 - Master's Degree (One Year)
subject
keywords
sojourner, retail spaces, grocery store, space, market-mediated space, consumer acculturation, imposed acculturation, consumer acculturation agents, identity
language
English
id
9207241
date added to LUP
2025-07-01 12:19:26
date last changed
2025-07-01 12:19:26
@misc{9207241,
  abstract     = {{Purpose: The objective of this study is to explore sojourners’ acculturation process within the
context of retail spaces and gain a deeper understanding of market-mediated spaces in consumer
acculturation.
Methodology: The study employed a qualitative research approach. In total, 15 semi-structured
interviews with sojourners from eight Asian countries were conducted. The analysis of the data
was guided by the approach of Rennstam and Wästerfors (2018).
Theoretical Framework: To gain an understanding of how sojourners navigate their
acculturation process within retail spaces, this study draws on two interrelated Spatial Theories
to analyze the empirical data. Lefebvre’s (1991) ‘Spatial Triad’ is utilized to explore embedded
power structures within space, and Soja’s (1996) ‘Thirdspace’ perspective to grasp the vastness
of spatial possibilities.
Conclusion:
The study reveals that sojourners have an ‘explorative identity’ as we conceptualize it, moving
between cultural identity and exploration and navigating retail spaces in three different ways.
(1) They develop certain market competencies and knowledge. (2) They turn towards a variety
of acculturation agents to overcome barriers they face within the unfamiliar retail setting and
allow them to explore. (3) They reproduce familiarity by re-envisioning spatial settings and
gaining access to familiar groceries and thereby resisting imposed acculturation. Retail spaces
as market-mediated spaces reveal themselves as active acculturation agents that can support and
restrict the acculturation efforts of sojourners.}},
  author       = {{Himmelsbach, Charlotte and Bernath, Mirjam Elisabeth}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Between Aisles and Identity: Exploring sojourners’ acculturation in retail spaces}},
  year         = {{2025}},
}