Religion is an indelible force in society, yet research examining its influence on consumption, particularly in the context of financial well-being is lacking. Thus, this paper presents a conceptual framework of factors influencing, and outcomes associated with, the effects of religion on financial well-being. Specifically, this paper introduces a conceptual framework aimed at understanding how religion influences financial decisions and well-being, both from a consumer and a business perspective. Focus groups were conducted with consumers and financial practitioners to support the development of the conceptual framework. Most novel to this framework is the identification of potential process mechanisms explaining this relationship, including trust, affect, risk propensity, and perceived personal control. The framework concludes with potential interventions targeted at consumers and businesses to improve financial well-being. This propositions-based conceptual framework serves as a research agenda to guide and aid scholars, consumer advocacy groups, policymakers, and marketers in promoting greater financial well-being.
Purpose The purpose of this paper is to explore how spirituality impacts on the consumption choices of consumers who are adopting a sustainable lifestyle. Design/methodology/approach This is a longitudinal study of urban-based consumers who are actively engaged in living sustainably. To effectively study these lifestyles, a multi-modal research design was used, which combined photo-elicitation, journaling, interviews and observational data. Findings Spirituality and material consumption are traditionally depicted as being in opposition, with research finding a decrease in conspicuous consumption when spirituality is enhanced. This research demonstrates sustainability-mindful consumers who are reversing this trend by enacting their deeply held ideological beliefs through their consumption choices. The merging of ideology with consumption elevates even mundane purchases to be acts of meaning and purpose. Practical implications With an unwillingness to compromise on their beliefs, there is a growing gap between these consumers’ demands and what the market is offering. The study found evidence of these consumers developing their own consumables in direct response to a lack of appropriate market alternatives. Originality/value This study demonstrates consumers for whom spirituality is at the centre of their consumption choices. Further, it provides evidence that supports Maslow’s theory of being motives (self-actualization and self-transcendence), in which people are motivated by the desire to fulfil their highest life potential. This research suggests opportunities for those businesses that are willing to meet consumers’ transcendent needs through more transparent and socially responsible practices.
Throughout a garment’s life cycle, the use and end-of-life phases are crucial in determining its environmental impact, due to the resources that would be utilised and waste produced during maintenance and disposal. Consumption patterns differ among countries and cultures; however, in New Zealand, there is limited published information to date. To address this gap, an anonymous online poll was conducted examining laundry practices, lifetime wear events and disposal practices for woollen and synthetic-blend knitted jumpers, which are predominantly used as winter clothing in New Zealand. The survey revealed considerable differences in the ways woollen and synthetic garments were worn, maintained and discarded. Over its lifetime, although woollen garments were worn a greater number of times, they were washed less. At the end of life, both types of jumpers showed significant reuse percentages. This information is useful for accurately modelling the inventory needed for assessing the environmental implication of apparel, using the life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. By comparing New Zealand’s washing and disposal practises to those of other countries, this study found significant differences, highlighting the need for country-specific data for future LCAs.
Everyday products are becoming increasingly complex, at a time when the population is progressively ageing. These trends highlight the importance of teaching future designers to create inclusive and meaningful experiences for ageing users interacting with digital technologies and smart products. This paper presents a pedagogical approach to evaluate and analyse the affective interaction with smart products. Through the development of active problem-solving scenarios, students learn to understand the multidimensional aspects of emotions and cultivate the skills and dispositions needed to empathise with users. The training requires students to capture users' emotions through mixed methods and visually analyse the data in ways that are adapted from the initial stages of a PhD research project and grounded in the literature. Visualisations seek to enhance students' knowledge of how these methods can provide complementary information and how to analyse and interpret the collected data. The proposed model seeks to inform design education on effective ways to design with new technologies for more meaningful and positive emotional experiences.
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