The surpluses and shortages in consumer behavior theory and research

Abstract

This paper attempts to take an inventory of the accomplishments and shortfalls in consumer behavior research and theory as we say goodbye to the decade of the seventies. The inventory is taken with respect to the focus, the process and the purpose of generating consumer behavior knowledge. There has been too much focus on the rational problem solving approaches to understanding consumer behavior as opposed to nonproblem solving approaches. Similarly, too much attention has been given to individual consumer in contrast to the dyadic or group behaviors. With respect to the process, the dominance of descriptive as opposed to normative processes is clearly evident. Similarly, use of borrowed concepts from other disciplines rather than self-generating its own constructs is also very evident. Finally, the purpose has been definitely managerial rather than disciplinary. Similarly, more research has been conducted to generate empirical knowledge than to generate theoretical richness or elegance. The paper then suggests areas where we seem to have enough research and theory and where we have too little research and theory in consumer behavior.