Luxury watch possession and dispossession from father to son: A poisoned gift ?

Aurélie Kessous (), Pierre Valette-Florence () and Virginie de Barnier ()
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Aurélie Kessous: CERGAM - Centre d'Études et de Recherche en Gestion d'Aix-Marseille - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - UTLN - Université de Toulon, AMU - Aix Marseille Université
Pierre Valette-Florence: CERAG - Centre d'études et de recherches appliquées à la gestion - UGA [2016-2019] - Université Grenoble Alpes [2016-2019]
Virginie de Barnier: CERGAM - Centre d'Études et de Recherche en Gestion d'Aix-Marseille - AMU - Aix Marseille Université - UTLN - Université de Toulon, AMU IAE - Institut d'Administration des Entreprises (IAE) - Aix-en-Provence - AMU - Aix Marseille Université

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Abstract: This research investigates the feelings linked to the transmission of luxury watches from father to son. Based on three studies, an iterative content analysis of individual discourses investigates the three stages of the gift-giving process (Sherry, 1983). Study 1 investigates the gestation stage through the discourse of 15 fathers who offered their luxury watch to their son. Study 2 examines the prestation stage via the "Album On Line" technique on 48 owners. Study 3 explores the reformulation stage through the discourse of 15 sons who received the luxury watch from their father. Results show that the deeper we dig into the stages, the more mixed feelings respondents feel. The first stage is characterized by positive feelings linked to freedom, accomplishment, tradition or legacy. In the second stage, negative feelings linked to family finitude, contempt or resistance, add on to positive feelings. The last stage triggers comparison logic and social pressure and leads to mixed feelings both positive and negative among the sons. Assimilation and contrast effects are identified as high stakes in the individuation-separation process. A fourth stage is suggested: the appropriation stage.

Keywords: Gift-giving; Finitude; Appropriation; Luxury brand; Assimilation/contrast effect; Generativity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (13)

Published in Journal of Business Research, 2017, 77 (212-222), ⟨10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.12.006⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:journl:hal-01452153

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.12.006

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