Emotional intelligence

The ability to recognise that we have emotions, name them, and control them enough to enable us to choose how to behave.

My Emotional Intelligence

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As the above table shows, my emotional intelligence is strongly linked to an ability to fairly judge a situation, and to give respect to those opinions that are valid. I believe that this module has helped me to identify and develop my own management style, which I would describe as an “action-orientated democratic”.

Action-orientated consultative

• Makes decisions after canvassing of opinions

• Supportive of team members, encourages development.

• Accessible and approachable with problems.

• Ensures that action is agreed at the end of meetings.

The above characteristics are how I would describe my own leadership/management style. However there are some caveats to this style; in order to be successful the leader must have the mutual respect, trust and confidence of team members.

Cultural and Consumption Conclusion

There is clearly a link between Taste, social class and consumption, however it is becoming increasingly threatened. Since the period in which Bourdieu constructed his theories of distinction and taste, much has changed. The progression of consumption theory over time, has led to more and more variables been associated and investigated in relation to consumption behaviour. The founding economic models that considered only price, volume and costs, then later social sciences added individuals tastes and preferences, limited variables too some extent made it relatively easy to see patterns and relationships with consumption.

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However now, there are many complicated and interconnected factors that can dominate consumption behaviour instead of these basic principles. The effect of intelligent marketing and advertising that aims to associate their brands and products with specific segments of the population are increasingly eminent. With the likes of Shelia’s Wheels car insurance, the master label of consumption is exclusively the female gender, with Lucozade the main attribute to the purchase is the ‘athlete desire’ these marginalising strategies exist everywhere in society and include a vast multitude of variables including age, ethnicity, pride, attractiveness, sex, love, and sexuality. In regards to sexuality, does been gay affect consumption, and if so does this have more of an effect than social class? In this instance, it is very difficult to identify the master identity, or the “main internalised self concept” that defines an individual. This presents a problem for retailers as would an individual’s consumption behaviour be more affected by being gay, or by being middle class and which should advertisers target? In todays society, each individual is much more multidimensional than being simply a working class or middle class consumer, and in predicting current consumption behaviour, retailers now have to cross examine a vast range of demographics and psychodemographics. Although, social class and taste may be integrated into many of these identifying variables, the direct relationship is much more concealed and is no longer a reliable measure to determine consumption behaviour.

Today’s society is an information society dominated by the Internet. This raises many issues, first, does the online website of a middle class store, still hold its middle class values? This is truly a difficult question, with online retailing, there are a lot less barriers to access, although some websites such as Chanel.com are clearly designed to appeal to a stylish, wealthy consumer and so to some extent will only attract the higher classes. Another question to ask is, is it possible for a purely online organisation, to have no class associations, therefore appealing to all, possibly, Amazon.co.uk, ebay.co.uk might just fit this description, so to summarise, increasing levels of consumption online could see the link between social class and consumption relatively redundant.

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Cultural consumption - Part 5

Cultural consumption is seen to be determined mainly by taste. Taste then directs consumption towards distinct objects, items and events that each have different symbolic status. “Highbrow” objects which act as markers of distinction such as: fine arts, classical music and literature and “lowbrow” objects such as popular music, DVDs, and large clothes brands. The purchase of these goods, acts to reinforce the social power system in society and maintain the ruling class dominance. In other words, consumption of cultural objects are traditionally considered to be used to reinforce social boundaries and dividers. (Veblen 2003; Bourdieu 1984; Kane 2004)

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Despite the influence of price or value at any given store, the customer will always judge the appeal of the store by the perceived class of customers and the perceived treatment from staff. This perception may not be accurate, however if the consumer believes it, then it will have the same effect as if it was true on consumption.

What is interesting to note is that is it acceptable for middle-class consumers to shop in low class discount stores such as Poundland as almost a novelty. However, it seems socially unacceptable for a lower class consumer to shop in a middle class store. The system is clearly beneficial to the higher classes, since it is accessible for the middle classes to occasionally move out of their privileged position, to achieve a special purchase, however upward social mobility, even temporarily, is rare for the lower classes, unless accompanied by a middle class individual.

Each major department store, furniture store, or supermarket has a different “pulling power” on different status groups. Although it is likely that many stores oscillate class boundaries to some extent.  The social status of the department store becomes the primary basis for its definition by the consumer. The consumer is unlikely to enter a store where they might feel out of place, or unwelcome. In this instance social class identification acts are a predetermining factor in consumption decisions.

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Marketing and Culture - Part 4

In contrast, Dominquez and Page (1981) state that class centres around an individuals occupation, and status is seen to be linked to the family and its social position in the community. This social position is based on a perceived superiority amongst peers based on type and value of the home, as well as the family’s perceived level of educational attainment and background. In general Dominquez and Page see class as a large influence in individual consumer decisions, however status is seen to impact more upon the long term consumption decisions such as buying a house or car behaviour.

Martineau (1958) in his study found that there are fundamental differences in attitudes toward the home between the two lower classes: The Upper-Lower class man was found to see his home as his castle, his anchor to the world and so he loads it down with hardware and solid heavy appliances as his symbols of security. The Lower-Lower class individual was found to be far less interested in his castle and is more likely to spend his income on luxury goods, and those which yield satisfaction.

In addition, Martineau in his study asked a question, “Suppose your income was doubled for the next ten years, what would you do with the increased income?” They found that the higher the individuals class position, the more likely he is to save, however the lower their class position the more likely they will spend the increased income.

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Another important area of this discussion is the impact of advertisements on consumption behaviour. Many advertisements are designed to appeal to a particular social class more than others (although adverts are not exclusive to a certain social segment). For example, some adverts make clear the status benefits of a product or service, for example Computeach, demonstrate that there IT training can improve the individuals lifestyle, income and therefore status in society, which is a very desirable dream for many who perceive there social position to be low in society. It is underlined by the system of consumerism, designed to make individuals buy more products, marketed as consumption symbols that hold some cultural significance that will help an individual improve there position is society.

Many advertisements use advanced marketing techniques that circumvent some restrictive mechanisms, yet allowing another. For example, Cadburys options adverts, paint the picture of a woman, high in cultural capital and wealth with men waiting on her hand and foot, suddenly then the women snaps out of her dream and returns her comfortable yet modest home, with the resulting message of accepting that the dream of a high position in society may not be possible, yet a small substitute of this can be achieved through consuming their product.

Tumin (1967) presents a useful insight into this desire for social status. Tumin states that if an individuals social status is determined by his fulfilment of various ‘status criteria’, then the individual is seen to stress the importance of those he fulfils while he minimises the importance of those unfulfilled. For example, if the individual has a small home, but his children attend respected private schools, then they will call attention to his children and defend his modest home as cosy, snug, easy to tidy etc. In relation to consumption behaviour, this effect can be seen in purchasing if an individual has a flash car, yet has cheap furniture in there house, then they are much more likely to offer a lift, than to invite others into there home.

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Marketing and Consumption  - Relationships with Internet Marketing - Part 3 

Bourdieu struggles to explain how preferences and opinions could differ amongst individuals who occupy what he would define as identical positions in social space. This is reflected in some of his survey results, which show only minor variations between various occupational or educational groups, even though these results form the basis of his thesis. If Bourdieu’s reasearch was not so focused upon identifying the relationship between social class and consumption, a wider analysis would should that these individuals occupying the same social space, would have differences in consumption based on ethnicity, sexuality, gender, life-cycle stage, personality, whether they were the only child or part of a large family, all these innate and socialised factors will contribute to consumption, yet are largely overlooked by Bourdieu.

 In addition many of Bourdieu’s theoretical arguments are based upon equivocal evidence. It seems that in the majority of cases the focus of Bourdieu’s arguments are designed to persuade the reader into his own line of reasoning, rather than to present an objective empirical case.

Bourdieu argues a strong causal relationship between social class and consumption.

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Bourdieu explains this relationship through individuals ‘habitus’ or position in culture and society. The habitus is a set of acquired tastes shaped by many forces, particularly social class. A taste for fine wine, classical music and great works of art are examples of markers of distinction, separating the consumption patterns of the classes. (Webb, Schirato, Danaher 2002)

Broadly speaking, consumption of the ruling class becomes the most distinguished in society, and desire for these consumption symbols (large house, expensive car) go far in explaining the reinforcement and reproduction of class domination throughout the subordinate classes. This consumption of symbols of social status creates cultural capital, which serves as a measure of social class and as a means to distinguish an individuals social identity in society.

 Cultural capital serves as an important link between the individual’s earned and socialised achievements and their taste for cultural products.

Bourdieu (1984) and later Alasuutari (1997) argue that cultural capital shapes an individuals taste. Furthermore they state that cultural capital unlike economic capital increases when being used and stems from favourable conditions such as family, peers and education.

 Weber (1946) described social class as a multidimensional phenomenon. He argued that class and status are the principal stratification dimensions in society. Weber’s definitions of class are largely limited to economic capital, alternatively status is seen to be more associated with social distinctions and lifestyle.

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Marketing and Culture - Part 2

Continued from Online Marketing and Culture

Bourdieu’s work particularly highlights the consumption choices made by the French middle class (Bourgeoisie). He explains that many of these aesthetic choices are distinctions, i.e. choices made in opposition to that of other classes. Meaning that in some occasions, consumption behaviour will not be determined by the best value for money, or buying the best product, instead consumption is seen to be based upon the consumers judgement of the symbolic status held by the object, and its effect upon displaying their social class position to others. However, lets stand back for a moment and consider its relevance. When buying groceries, does a consumer judge the symbolic status of fruit? Generally no, to clarify it seems that symbolic status and judgments are only made to those products seen to have some form of cultural capital, such as fashionable clothes, expensive cars, that the Bourgeoisie are seen to attach high symbolic value.

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The extent to which consumption communicates the status is still relatively unknown, however it is clear that there are some instances where consumption patterns communicates a persons class and status more than others. The most prevalent area is Fashion, it had been found to affect perceptions of individuals in a number of ways, including judgments of social status (Douty 1963, Lasswell and Parshall 1961), personality (Gibbons and Schneider 1980), demographic and lifestyle characteristics (Gibbons and Hanson 1969) and attractiveness (Hamid 1972).

Bourdieu (1984) argues that the social world, functions simultaneously as a system of power relations and as a symbolic system in which everyday distinctions of taste become the basis for social judgement. He emphasized how social classes, especially the ruling class, preserve their social position and power across generations despite the myth that contemporary society boasts equality of opportunity and high social mobility, achieved through educational attainment. In other words, the existence of a meritocracy is seen as a myth.

Bourdieu’s work incorporates research from the founders of sociolgical theory.
From Weberian theory he retained theories of domination and symbolic systems in society, as well as the idea of social orders which was eventually transformed by Bourdieu into his theory of fields. From Marxist theory he took the concept of capital, generalised with respect to all forms of social activity, and not just economic capital
From Durkheimian theory, he acquired a deterministic approach and, through Mauss and Lévi-Strauss he preserved theories of structuralism, which emphasised the tendency of social structures to reproduce themselves. With such a pedigree of theory contributing to Bourdieu’s work, it is easy to see the appeal of accepting Bourdieu’s work without criticism, however there are significant criticisms that need to be stated.

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Online Marketing and Cultural Consumption

The significance of social class in understanding consumption patterns started to gain acceptance in the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, with several key contributions from academics such as Martineau (1958) and Coleman (1960).

Throughout the 1960’s and early 1970’s, research into social class and consumption was merged with the growing field of research into consumer segmentation. Broadly speaking, at this time there was a high emphasis on finding a superior correlate with consumption patterns and social class was perceived to be the best candidate. In addition, many argued that social class was a superior basis for segmentation than income (Hisrich and Peters, 1974), contrary to much of the traditional economic consumption theories.

In the following years a large academic debate emerged between social class vs. income as the optimum basis for determining consumption behaviour, including academics such as Wasson (1969) and Myers & Mount (1973). This debate is still largely unresolved and is now clouded with more advanced consumption research such as psychodemographics and online marketing. 

Despite this debate, it is widely accepted that social class continues to be an important issue in consumption theory, however the ease of which social class is subsumed by other research strands suggests that the concept is a fundamental issue, however it is one that is also subject to a variety of interpretations.

Much empirical research is limited by inaccurate conceptualisation. The process of using a standard social class scale to determine respondents social status, then the relationship is investigated between the respondents social status and some consumption item such as a product or brand. This process has a variety of criticisms; intervening variables such as the age and life-cycle stage are largely ignored. In addition, these bivariate statistical techniques assume all except the independent and dependant variables remain ceteris paribus, which in reality is totally untrue.

In addition, it is difficult to understand the contribution of some research, since much research assumes a patriarchal family in which the male head is the sole wage-earner and is most likely at the peak of his earning capacity. This assumption, greatly limits any generalisations into social mobility and status attainment, as well as the impact on social position from life-cycle changes.

Another issue that has been argued to have close links with consumption, is the notion of Taste. ‘Taste’ is somewhat of an ambiguous term, it can be described as a procedure of judging, a personal preference and something one possesses (Warde, 2005). Despite these definitional differences, taste is widely appreciated as being vital for making ‘distinctions’ between consumers, especially between social classes.

In the famous book “Distinction: A Social Critique of the Judgement of Taste” Bourdieu (1984)[1979] explains the differences in taste, constructed through associations with positions in the social class structure..  What effect will this have on online marketing services? Is online marketing connected to social class? Education is another important factor in a online marketing strategy and ppc strategies

Bourdieu’s work was influenced by Max Weber and Karl Marx. Bourdieu is an heir to much of traditional sociology, which he undertook to synthesize. From Max Weber he retained the importance of domination and symbolic systems in social life, as well as the idea of social orders which would ultimately be transformed by Bourdieu into a theory of fields. From Karl Marx he took the concept of capital, generalized with respect to all forms of social activity, and not merely economics. From Emile Durkheim, finally, he inherited a certain deterministic and, through Marcel Mauss and Claude Lévi-Strauss, structuralist style that emphasized the tendency of social structures to reproduce themselves

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