'On Becoming a Consumer' is an easy-to-read theoretical discussion of the development of consumer behaviour patterns from age zero to 100 months - the time period during which people become bona fide consumers according to the author's consumer behaviour research.

Written by two scholars at the forefront of conducting research on the psychology of consumers and mentoring those new to the field, Becoming a Consumer Psychologist provides a guide to what it takes to become a consumer psychologist, and achieve success in this area. Monga and Bagchi lay out the varied experiences that lead one to be a consumer psychologist in academia, marketing, or public policy. The book discusses the academic route in detail, guiding you on how to apply to schools, including for a Ph.D., what courses to take, and what to expect during your educational experience and after. It also discusses other routes that lead to diverse non-academic career paths in which practitioners apply their knowledge about consumer psychology. The authors' guidance is backed by their own experiences as consumer psychology researchers, mentors, and journal Associate Editors; and the insights that the authors have gathered exclusively for this book from 23 other leading academics and practitioners. This book is essential reading for anyone looking to start their career in consumer psychology, and for mentors and advisors who are guiding students about career choices.

This book offers a new perspective on sociological studies of the consumer society, introducing neglected normative questions relating to the good life and human flourishing - subjects more commonly discussed in fields of moral, political, and social philosophy. With attention to a wide range of subjects, including postemotional law and responsibility, dehumanised consumption and prosumerism, fashion, embodiment, conspicuous consumption, and sustainability, this book analyzes the structural and cultural transformations that can be identified in consumer society. It also offers a critical view of whether consumption is leading to an increased isolation, individualization or commodification of human beings, suggesting an analytical framework for understanding consumer culture and human praxis.

The book demonstrates how consumer development is intertwined with cognitive and motor development; each of the three dependent on the other two. Showing consumer behavior being responsible for body and mind development is new thinking; yet, the examples are clearly presented so that any interested person can grasp them. Presenting consumer behavior in stages of development, while logical, is essentially new also. We are familiar with cognitive development, for example, being described in stages, but not CB. In fact, stages of cognitive development are sometimes used as a framework for explaining consumer behavior but not its development as such. In this sense then, the book might be considered cutting edge as compared to one that offers a slightly different approach to the existing thought on consumer behavior.

Some companies gather and sell personal information to assist businesses in their marketing campaigns. It this American business at its finest, or simply a horrible invasion of our privacy? This shocking book will make readers think twice before writing their next check or going to the grocery store.

Advertising, materialism and consumption are central aspects of contemporary Western culture. We are bombarded with idealised images of the perfect body, desirable consumer goods, and affluent lifestyles, yet psychology is only just beginning to take account of the profound influence these consumer culture ideals have on individuals’ sense of identity and worth. Consumer Culture, Identity, and Well-Being documents the negative psychological impact consumer culture can have on how individuals view themselves and on their emotional welfare. It looks at the social psychological dimensions of having, buying and wanting material goods, as well as the pursuit of media-hyped appearance ideals. In particular, it focuses on: the purchasing of material goods as a means of expressing and seeking identity, and the negative consequences of this psychological buying motivations in conventional buying environments and on the Internet the unrealistic socio-cultural beauty ideals embodied by idealized models. Throughout, different approaches from social psychology are integrated, such as self-completion, self-discrepancy and value theory, to create a comprehensive theoretical framework for understanding the impact of internalising core consumer culture ideals on how individuals see themselves and the implications this has for their psychological and physical health. This book is of interest to anybody who wants to find out more about the psychological effects of living in modern consumer societies on children, adolescents, and adults. More specifically, it will be of interest to students and researchers in social psychology, sociology, media studies, communication and other social sciences, as well as to psychologists, health workers, and practitioners interested in the topics of identity, consumption pathologies, body image, and body-related behaviours.

Dr. Sidney P. Malone is the founder and CEO of New Growth International, a multi-faceted corporation that oversees various non-profit and profit ventures. He has a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration and a Masters in Education Administration and Supervision. In 2004, Dr. Malone was presented with an honorary Doctorate of Divinity by the St. Thomas Divinity School located in Jacksonville, Florida. On August 5, 1990, Dr. Malone along with his wife founded New Growth In Christ Christian Center, a thriving, innovative ministry that ministers to millions of people via television, conferences and weekly meetings. He is also the founder of Ministry Training International, a school of ministry that provides leadership training for all who endeavor to venture into ministry or other non-profit entities. Dr. Malone is the President of Covenant Pastors International, The Malone Group, an investment and consulting company as well as a board member of several local and national organizations. Dr. Malone is married to his beautiful wife, Rochelle and are proud parents of 4 daughters: Dominique, Sydney, Jasmine and Madison. Book Sketch Have you ever wondered why you dont get the results you desire in conflict or money management? The answer is simple: you are being a consumer and not a producer. Dr. Sidney Malones book How to be a Producer, not a Consumer, will pave the way for success that will produce fruits in your life. Success lies around every corner; the key is finding it. Look towards a higher power than yourself, and learn How to be Producer, Not a Consumer.

The Consumer Society Reader features a range of key works on the nature and evolution of consumer society. Included here is much-discussed work by leading critics such as Jean Baudrillard, Susan Bordo, Dick Hebdige, bell hooks, and Janice Radway. Also included is a full range of classics, such as Frankfurt School writers Adorno and Horkheimer on the Culture Industry; Thorstein Veblen's oft-cited writings on "conspicuous consumption"; Betty Friedan on the housewife's central role in consumer society; John Kenneth Galbraith's influential analysis of the "affluent society"; and Pierre Bourdieu on the notion of "taste." "Consumer society--the 'air we breathe,' as George Orwell has described it--disappears during economic downtruns and political crises. It becomes visible again when prosperity seems secure, cultural transformation is too rapid, or enviornmental disasters occur. Such is the time in which we now find ourselves. As the roads clog with gas-guzzling SUVs and McMansions proliferate in the suburbs, the nation is once again asking fundamental questions about lifestyle. Has 'luxury fever,' to use Robert Frank's phrase, gotten out of hand? Are we really comfortable with the 'Brand Is Me' mentality? Have we gone too far in pursuit of the almighty dollar, to the detriment of our families, communities, and natural enviornment? Even politicians, ordinarily impermeable to questions about consumerism, are voicing doubts... [and] polls suggest majorities of Americans feel the country has become too materialistic, too focused on getting and spending, and increasingly removed from long-standing non-materialist values." —From the introduction by Douglas B. Holt and Juliet B. Schor

Hello, I am your customer. Do you see the world like I do? It's simple really. Start with me and everything else follows. Together we can do extraordinary things. Are you ready? 10 building blocks, 30 practical tools, 50 inspirational stories. From Amazon to Banyan Tree, Quintessentially to Zipcars, explore 50 of the world's leading customer businesses. The rise of Air Asia, and the collaboration of Boeing; the segmented focus of Club Med, and the customer vision of Disney; the imagination of Camper, and the desire for the Nintendo Wii; the realism of Dove, and the tribal loyalty of Harley Davidson. The 'genius' of a customer-centric business is that it works from the outside in. It attracts, serves and retains the best customers as its route to profitability and growth. Isn't it about time you started doing business from the outside in?