Introduction
There has been a shift in marketing theory, from transactional to relationship-focused marketing. In this essay, the author will give a brief description of this shift, and how this affect the relationship between companies and consumers. In the next part of this essay, the author will discuss how consumer buy product to change or create their identity. As Tuan (1980:472) argues, “we are what we have and what we possess”. Thirdly, the author will discuss the term “working consumer” and give example to facilitate a better understanding on what a working consumer is. In this part, it will be discussed how the consumer have power over companies and In the last part of this essay, the author will discuss the term “prosumer” and how …show more content…
Belk (1988) argues that we are, what we have, and that our possessions can extend the self. Fromm (1976) build up under that statement and argues that our possessions can both give positive emotions and change the way we look at ourselves. In the next part of this essay, the working consumer was described and discussed. The author use Cova and Dalli (2009) nine research streams and concluded that consumer can be seen as working consumers because they play an active role in for example the service process. Cova and Dalli (2009) also argues that consumer tend to be more satisfied if they interact with the company. Manolis (2001) argues that with such interaction consumers become partial employees. Consumer have also power over companies, which was discussed under “consumer’s empowerment”. Consumer can use their power to make companies do things they normally would not do, and the author used an example from Coca Cola to facilitate a better understanding in how consumer have power over companies. In the last part of this essay, the term “prosumer” was discussed. The author argued that the raise of social media have made a shift from consumers to prosumers. Gunelius (2010) also argues that individuals are more involved with companies compared to before. To summarize, Consumer can be seen as working consumer because as Cova and Dalli (2009) argued, they actually work, and they add value to the companies. eBay and amazon are examples on how consumer can be seen as partial employees and how they participate in the value creation in a
There has been a shift in marketing theory, from transactional to relationship-focused marketing. In this essay, the author will give a brief description of this shift, and how this affect the relationship between companies and consumers. In the next part of this essay, the author will discuss how consumer buy product to change or create their identity. As Tuan (1980:472) argues, “we are what we have and what we possess”. Thirdly, the author will discuss the term “working consumer” and give example to facilitate a better understanding on what a working consumer is. In this part, it will be discussed how the consumer have power over companies and In the last part of this essay, the author will discuss the term “prosumer” and how …show more content…
Belk (1988) argues that we are, what we have, and that our possessions can extend the self. Fromm (1976) build up under that statement and argues that our possessions can both give positive emotions and change the way we look at ourselves. In the next part of this essay, the working consumer was described and discussed. The author use Cova and Dalli (2009) nine research streams and concluded that consumer can be seen as working consumers because they play an active role in for example the service process. Cova and Dalli (2009) also argues that consumer tend to be more satisfied if they interact with the company. Manolis (2001) argues that with such interaction consumers become partial employees. Consumer have also power over companies, which was discussed under “consumer’s empowerment”. Consumer can use their power to make companies do things they normally would not do, and the author used an example from Coca Cola to facilitate a better understanding in how consumer have power over companies. In the last part of this essay, the term “prosumer” was discussed. The author argued that the raise of social media have made a shift from consumers to prosumers. Gunelius (2010) also argues that individuals are more involved with companies compared to before. To summarize, Consumer can be seen as working consumer because as Cova and Dalli (2009) argued, they actually work, and they add value to the companies. eBay and amazon are examples on how consumer can be seen as partial employees and how they participate in the value creation in a