Product patriotism: How consumption practices make and maintain national identity

Nathalie Spielmann, Jennifer Smith Maguire and Steve Charters

Journal of Business Research, 2020, vol. 121, issue C, 389-399

Abstract: In today's society, globalization and global flows are ubiquitous and undeniable. Consequently, it is possible to question the role and importance of national identity in consumption choices. This research inductively develops a theory for product patriotism, defined as how consumers construe their identity through nationally-iconic product consumption. A typology is proposed, outlining four possible virtual national identity positions consumers may occupy relative to their stocks of cultural capital, relational orientation toward the nation and situational contingencies. Product patriotism as a framework is distinct from past research that a) narrowly focuses on spectacular or positive forms of nationalistic consumption, b) segments consumers based on nationalistic or patriotic traits, and c) focuses mostly on brands. The novel framework of product patriotism provides new insight into the social patterning of consumers' reflexive, negotiated decoding of national identities, the dynamism of national identity, and the enduring significance of consumption when enacting national identities.

Keywords: National identity; Product attachment; Patriotism; Place attachment; Consumption practices (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jbrese:v:121:y:2020:i:c:p:389-399

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.05.024

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