Social Class and Social Mobility in China Brand Community

Lecture Structure My background My background Recent research publications Recent research publications Social class and mobility in the U.K Social class and mobility in the U.K Social class and mobility in the U.S Social class and mobility in the U.S The case of China and Brand Community The case of China and Brand Community Future research Future research

My Background 10 years in industry in Marketing and Strategy positions, e.g HSBC, City of London 10 years in industry in Marketing and Strategy positions, e.g HSBC, City of London 8 years as a Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Strategic Management 8 years as a Senior Lecturer in Marketing and Strategic Management Teaching in China since 1998, Tsinghua, Peking, Nanjing, Fudan universities Teaching in China since 1998, Tsinghua, Peking, Nanjing, Fudan universities Media work since early 2010: Financial Times, China Daily, China Radio International, CCTV news Media work since early 2010: Financial Times, China Daily, China Radio International, CCTV news Now, Doctoral Researcher – Nottingham University s School of Contemporary Chinese Studies Now, Doctoral Researcher – Nottingham University s School of Contemporary Chinese Studies

My Research Journal of Brand Management: Hedonic Shopping Values Journal of Brand Management: Hedonic Shopping Values –Impulse buying behaviour common in China –But traditional Chinese culture influential Face Face Guanxi Guanxi –Five Dimensions of Hedonic Shopping Novelty Novelty Fun Fun Praise from others Praise from others Escapism Escapism Social Interaction Social Interaction

My Research Journal of Brand Management Journal of Brand Management –Hedonic Shopping Values Change in Chinese consumer behaviour does not simply mean more individualism and less collectivism Change in Chinese consumer behaviour does not simply mean more individualism and less collectivism More individualism does not necessarily mean less collectivism More individualism does not necessarily mean less collectivism Traditional Chinese culture remains influential even among the Ba-ling-hou and Jiu-ling- hou Traditional Chinese culture remains influential even among the Ba-ling-hou and Jiu-ling- hou

My Research Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality –Chinese Consumer Behaviour Relationship between increased affluence and perception of price Relationship between increased affluence and perception of price Increased affluence leads to increased perception of price or value if purchase bought for friends Increased affluence leads to increased perception of price or value if purchase bought for friends Consumers become more selfish as their affluence increases Consumers become more selfish as their affluence increases

My Research Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality Journal of Social Behaviour and Personality –Chinese consumers value self reward as their affluence increases –Chinese consumers value gaining face publicly as their affluence increases –Publicly consumed brands common form of self reward and gaining face among Chinese consumers

Does Economic Development lead to More or Less Societal Hierarchy? U.K society U.K society –More socially divided and laddered than ever –But … defining and measuring more and more difficult –Occupation probably key indicator –But family background remains important U.S society U.S society –Family background far less important –Material wealth key indicator

Does Economic Development lead to More or Less Social Mobility ? U.K society U.K society –Less and less –Education opportunity far more difficult U.S society U.S society –Less and less –Parental wealth key to sibling success

Social Class and Mobility in China Brand Community A brand community is a community formed on the basis of attachment to a product or marque. Recent developments in marketing and in research in consumer behaviour result in stressing the connection between brand, individual identity and culture. Among the concepts developed to explain the behavior of consumers, the concept of a brand community focuses on the connections between consumers. A brand community is a community formed on the basis of attachment to a product or marque. Recent developments in marketing and in research in consumer behaviour result in stressing the connection between brand, individual identity and culture. Among the concepts developed to explain the behavior of consumers, the concept of a brand community focuses on the connections between consumers.

Social Class and Mobility in China Brand Community A brand community can be defined as an enduring self-selected group of actors sharing a system of values, standards and representations (a culture) and recognizing bonds of membership with each other and with the whole A brand community can be defined as an enduring self-selected group of actors sharing a system of values, standards and representations (a culture) and recognizing bonds of membership with each other and with the whole

Social Class and Mobility in China Brand Community Chinese do much mor than consumer brands Chinese do much mor than consumer brands Chinese consumers publicly display their brand ownership Chinese consumers publicly display their brand ownership Brand ownership represents success and social status Brand ownership represents success and social status

Social Class and Mobility in China Brand Community Increasingly difficult to measure or even define social class in China Increasingly difficult to measure or even define social class in China But … brand ownership is easily measurable But … brand ownership is easily measurable Brand owners combine to form a social class layer Brand owners combine to form a social class layer

Social Class and Mobility in China Brand Community Chinese brand consumers follow the crowd in order to belong to a socially acceptable group Chinese brand consumers follow the crowd in order to belong to a socially acceptable group Brand consumption in China demonstrates the retention of strong collectivist tendencies among Chinese consumers as well as increasing individualism Brand consumption in China demonstrates the retention of strong collectivist tendencies among Chinese consumers as well as increasing individualism A dualism between individualism and collectivism A dualism between individualism and collectivism

Social Class and Mobility in China Brand Community In the future publicly consumed brands will lose their appeal, partly due to many others copying In the future publicly consumed brands will lose their appeal, partly due to many others copying Privately consumed brands will become more important as status symbols even though they do not involve public consumption Privately consumed brands will become more important as status symbols even though they do not involve public consumption Chinese consumers will remain elitist Chinese consumers will remain elitist

Social Class and Mobility in China Brand Community Social mobility very difficult and becoming more difficult Social mobility very difficult and becoming more difficult Hukou system should go ! Hukou system should go ! Socialised health and education a priority Socialised health and education a priority

Brand Meaning Social class/community belonging Social class/community belonging Emotional experience Emotional experience – Constructed according to the situation and role –Shorter time-span –Privately consumed products and services –All consumption becoming more emotional

My current and future research Social class and mobility measurement in China, using brand consumption Social class and mobility measurement in China, using brand consumption Well Being, or Quality of Life or Happinness in China definition and measurement and the relationship with economic/material wealth, especially brand ownership Well Being, or Quality of Life or Happinness in China definition and measurement and the relationship with economic/material wealth, especially brand ownership