Positional goods and asymmetric development

2007 ◽  
pp. 44-63
Keyword(s):  
Positional Goods

scholarly journals Positional Goods and Legal Orderings

2017 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Ugo Pagano ◽  
Massimiliano Vatiero
Keyword(s):  
Positional Goods

Competition

2020 ◽  
pp. 39-56
Author(s):  
William Ian Miller
Keyword(s):  
Round Table ◽  
King Arthur ◽  
Garden Of Eden ◽  
Positional Goods ◽  
Rank Ordering ◽  
The Status ◽  
Seating Arrangements

This chapter discusses the unavoidability of competition, even among those who renounce the more common forms of competitions for honor, wealth, and so forth. It starts with a discussion of the Garden of Eden and conditions of zero scarcity therein, with but one scarce item: the forbidden fruit. Then the chapter goes on to positional goods, rank-ordering people, which leads to a discussion of seating arrangements, musical chairs, and the failure of King Arthur to resolve the matter with a round table. It then provides a treatment of Christian attempts to avoid honor competitions by elevating humility to the status of one of the chief virtues. But that ends in humility contests and we are back to square one. The chapter ends with a sublime text from Gregory of Tours about a truly humble miracle-working young monk and the efforts to keep him humble despite his miracle-working powers.

Inequality and Green Growth

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Daniel J. Fiorino
Keyword(s):  
Social Factors ◽  
Economic Inequality ◽  
Wealth Inequality ◽  
Growth Strategy ◽  
Political Systems ◽  
Green Growth ◽  
Positional Goods ◽  
Ecological Performance ◽  
Ecological Protection

This chapter examines the role of economic inequality in influencing a society’s capacity for ecological protection and green growth. Its premise is that for two similar political systems differing only in their degree of inequality, the less unequal one will have advantages. Although there still is limited research on the role of income and wealth inequality in influencing ecological performance, evidence suggests that more economically equitable societies hold an advantage. This is partly due to economic factors, such as the tendency in more unequal societies to promote consumption based on status competition and positional goods, but there is evidence of political and social factors as well. High economic inequality increases social mistrust and distance, which undermines the ability to collectively value public goods. Any green growth strategy should account for the sources of and effects of inequality.

Does Facebook usage lead to conspicuous consumption?

2016 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 231-248 ◽  
Author(s):  
David G. Taylor ◽  
David Strutton
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Online Survey ◽  
Conspicuous Consumption ◽  
Marketing Strategies ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Psychological Constructs ◽  
Media Usage ◽  
Positional Goods ◽  
Facebook Usage ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this study is to demonstrate how Facebook usage is positively related to envy and narcissism, which in turn increase users’ desire for self-promotion and propensity to engage in conspicuous consumption. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected via an online survey, with 674 usable responses collected from Facebook users of all ages. Findings The results support the hypotheses that increased Facebook usage is positively related to envy and narcissism. These two psychological constructs lead to stronger desires for self-promotion, spurring the behavioral response of conspicuous online consumption. Research limitations/implications The findings are limited to the self-reported behaviors of a limited sample. Despite the limitations, the findings identify a process by which increased Facebook usage results in an increased desire to promote oneself through conspicuous consumption. Practical implications An understanding of the psychology linking social media use to conspicuous consumption can aid managers in developing marketing strategies to encourage the purchase and usage of positional goods. Specifically, more frequent users may be targeted by advertisers wishing to encourage the purchase and display of their products. Social implications Facebook usage appears to elicit emotions – such as narcissism and envy – that most researchers would consider socially undesirable. Originality/value An emerging stream of research suggests that social media usage elicits both positive self-comparisons with others (i.e. narcissism) and negative (i.e. envy). This study is among the first to empirically test this effect on the purchase and consumption of positional goods.

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