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Very Rich Asians: How Does Acculturation Transform the Status Consumption of Wealthy Immigrants?

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Very Rich Asians: How Does Acculturation Transform the Status Consumption of Wealthy Immigrants?

Li, Yushan (2019) Very Rich Asians: How Does Acculturation Transform the Status Consumption of Wealthy Immigrants? Masters thesis, Concordia University.

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Abstract

Do wealthy consumers practice their status consumption differently after immigration? If yes, what’s their motivation behind the transformation. Although previous consumer acculturation studies have investigated immigrants’ consumption behavior, they have only focused on mass consumption, and few of them have discussed the role of social class. Besides, the existing status consumption theory does not account for immigrating consumers. This thesis investigates the transformation in wealthy upper-class Chinese consumers’ post-immigration status consumption behavior in the process of consumer acculturation by using concepts from Bourdieu’s field theory. Results show that Chinese immigrants’ cultural, social, symbolic capital devalue after moving to the United States, which differently affects their status consumption behavior. Also, their social class, as well as their economic capital before and after immigration, mediate the transformation process. This thesis contributes to extend both consumer acculturation theory and status consumption theory by proposing a model of dynamic status consumption.

Divisions:Concordia University > John Molson School of Business > Marketing
Item Type:Thesis (Masters)
Authors:Li, Yushan
Institution:Concordia University
Degree Name:M. Sc.
Program:Marketing
Date:July 2019
Thesis Supervisor(s):Dolbec, Pierre-Yann
Keywords:consumer acculturation; Chinese wealthy consumers; status consumption; Bourdieu field theory; immigration
ID Code:985706
Deposited By: Yushan Li
Deposited On:15 Nov 2019 16:32
Last Modified:19 Aug 2021 01:00

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