Conspicuous consumption research: Thematic evolution, theoretical structure, and future directions

Evrim de Groot, David Philippy (), Burak Tunca () and Felicitas Morhart ()
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Evrim de Groot: Glion Institute of Higher Education
David Philippy: ICP - Institut Catholique de Paris (ICP), CSO - Centre de sociologie des organisations (Sciences Po, CNRS) - Sciences Po - Sciences Po - CNRS - Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique
Burak Tunca: Lund University School of Economics and Management
Felicitas Morhart: HEC Lausanne - Faculté des Hautes Etudes Commerciales (HEC Lausanne)

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Abstract: This article presents a comprehensive review of conspicuous consumption research by examining its past and present to project its future. Drawing on a systematic review of 955 articles on conspicuous consumption, we trace how the field has progressed from its origins in economics to a multidisciplinary domain spanning psychology and marketing. This evolution has led to diverse interpretations of conspicuous consumption and to a disentangling of the concepts of conspicuousness, luxury, and status, resulting in a redefinition of conspicuous consumption primarily in terms of status signaling. This definition is agnostic to specific behavioral manifestations and instead accounts for the malleability of status symbols across time and socio-economic contexts. Building on this conceptualization, we outline avenues for future research that engage with ongoing socioeconomic transformations and offer practical insights that will guide firms in shaping their product portfolios, communication strategies, distribution choices, pricing decisions, and the markets they serve.

Keywords: Veblen; Conspicuous consumption; Bibliometrics (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2026-06-09
Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-05650913v1
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Published in Journal of Business Research, 2026, 215, ⟨10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116307⟩

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:hal:spmain:hal-05650913

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2026.116307

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