Thesis
Religious consumption : an investigation into the ways in which the current financial crisis has affected the consumption of mass amongst Catholic consumers
- Creator
- Awarding institution
- University of Strathclyde
- Date of award
- 2010
- Thesis identifier
- T13289
- Qualification Level
- Qualification Name
- Department, School or Faculty
- Abstract
- This study aims to build theory, and make a theoretical contribution to the consumer culture theory (CCT) sector of marketing by furthering the work done within CCT upon sacredness, but from the under-researched perspective of the religious consumer. Likewise, it aims to understand the perspectives of the religious consumer on the ways in which the current global financial crisis has affected religious institutional consumption. And investigate if religion is a way of coping for religious consumers in times of adversity such as during a financial crisis. This paper adopts an interpretative paradigm looking at gaining deep understanding rather than seeking a positivistic general law for this phenomenon. The methodology adopts a single case study approach, using pluralism in methods, with a quantitative cluster analysis of census data from the Archdiocese of Glasgow, alongside qualitative in-depth interviews with parishioners from the single case study parish. The main findings on sacredness from this study were that sacredness differs for the religious consumer, and is religiously connotated, with sacredness being viewed by the religious consumer as more intangible in nature and the objects evoking that sacredness being vessels, but not sacred within themselves. The idea of sacred and secular blurring from the core paper within CCT on sacredness (Belk et al, 1989) was believed to be correct to an extent. However, respondents disagreed with the secularisation of the sacred concept, seeing that more as evolution and modernization of the church than secularisation. Likewise, religious consumers see the sacralisations of the secular as more drawing parallels between the two, with the belief that most people, particularly religious consumers know the difference between what secular society deems sacred and what is truly sacred. The main findings with regards to increasing institutional consumption correlating with the recession, it was found from the cluster analysis that fifteen parishes in the Archdiocese of Glasgow are growing in light of the recession, and that one of these parishes is the case study parish. Respondents believe the recession to be a player but not the predominant cause of the increase, with the belief that environmental issues, global unrest, as well as increasing immigration also play roles. It was believed however, that the main contributor to the increase was the liturgy and leadership offered within the parish. Religious respondents shared optimism that the recession could bring opportunity. For in light of a shared fear of declining values within society and increasing massconsumerism, it was believed the recession would help religious consumers and possibly non-religious consumers to reassess what was really important in life. Finally it was found that religious consumers do not consume religion as a coping strategy but more as a strategy for life. Time constraints made the 'single case study approach' the best choice for this research project, however, perhaps future research could expand this project into a multiple case study. Furthermore, due to the under-researched nature of the marketing and religion relationship there is scope for further research in this area. The representation of the religious consumer is a unique quality of this research study as CCT studies to date within the areas of sacred and religious consumption have predominantly focused upon the non-religious consumer. Additionally, this research makes contemporary theoretical contributions to sacred, religious, and coping consumption theories within CCT.
- Resource Type
- DOI
- Date Created
- 2010
- Former identifier
- 948392