Two Essays by Robert Alfonso

UNDERSTANDING HOW CONSUMERS NAVIGATE RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN COMMUNITIES: TWO ESSAYS BY ROBERT ALFONSO ARIAS DISSERTATION Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration in the Graduate College of the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 2019 Urbana, IL Doctoral Committee: Professor Cele C. Otnes, Chair and Director of Research Professor Aric Rindfleisch Professor Carlos Torelli Professor Madhubalan Viswanathan Professor David B. Wooten, University of Michigan ABSTRACT In this dissertation, I explore the spectrum of positive and negative consumer experiences within brand communities. Specifically, I study how consumers proactively pursue positive experiences, and how they reactively manage negative experiences in this social marketspace. In Essay 1, I offer an integrative perspective with which to study belonging in consumption. Specifically, I utilize qualitative data from written narratives and an 11-month ethnography to illustrate a belonging process within an established brand community. I investigate how individuals navigate this process, and how people deliberately control what and how they consume to belong. In so doing, I specifically demarcate belonging-laden constructs, and describe their interrelationships. In my second essay, I draw from theory regarding the management of organizational conflict to illuminate tensions between focal consumers and the firm. Importantly, I illustrate how the firm’s relationship with other brand community members (i.e., other consumers, marketing agents, service providers) influence the focal consumer’s experience. I advance scholars’ conceptualization of the brand community, and I argue that in addition to examining positive consumer experiences within this social context, academics should also investigate the negative experiences that occur in such a community. Specifically, I contend that conflict is a pervasive force in this marketplace context which requires rigorous study. Utilizing interviews, observation, and archival data, I contribute to extant theory by delineating how conflict emerges within a brand community. I explain consumers’ emotional and cognitive reactions to such conflict, and I illuminate how consumers choose to navigate it. I conclude explicating theoretical and practical implications. ii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS The task of communicating the appreciation I feel for everyone who helped me along this journey is a daunting one, but here is my attempt. First and foremost, I need to thank my mother Sanjuana Silva. Her diligence, resilience, adaptability, positivity, and compassion are qualities I strive to internalize every day. Without my mother to model these attributes for me, this dissertation would not have been possible. The impact of her unwavering faith in my academic career is truly immeasurable. For these reasons (and many more), I dedicate this dissertation to her. Relatedly, I thank my father Alfonso Arias for his guidance. His lessons on thinking critically and analyzing problems are skills I apply daily. I thank my sisters Elisa Lopez and Cristina Arias for keeping me grounded. Observing their tireless efforts in parenthood and work has been inspirational. To my sisters’ children, for their playfulness and their trust in me as I strive to be a positive uncle for them. I am grateful for my extended family as well—namely, the Silva, Arias, and Lopez families for their support. I also recognize my family members from past generations, appreciating their ambitions and sacrifices that contributed to the course of my life thus far. I am forever grateful for all of the educators I came across in life—most notably, my advisor Cele Otnes. Her persistent support in my development as a scholar and her concern for me as a person were absolutely necessary for me to complete this dissertation. I could not begin to express my appreciation for her willingness to read each draft I sent her with a discerning, insightful lens. Moreover, Cele’s contagious, positive energy sustained my motivation in ways I did not know I needed. I am thankful for my other committee members as well. Madhu greatly expanded my worldview through his generous support in my research interests, as he allowed me iii to travel with his research teams in Uganda, Tanzania, and India. Aric’s ability to holistically view the university truly helped me develop a better understanding of my career, and challenged me to think of ways to make significant contributions. Carlos’s willingness to meet with me and discuss my research interests from the critical lens of an experimentalist influenced my own thinking when designing studies (of various methodologies), and when positioning my work in the field. I also thank David Wooten for his willingness to serve on my committee and offer feedback; I am particularly grateful for his early support of an uncommon research method I proposed. I am grateful for other UIUC professors as well, for their role in shaping my thought processes. Specifically, I am extremely grateful for Tiffany Barnett White for believing in me as an undergraduate student, and for her influence in helping me enter the doctoral program. And I value Bill Qualls, for his generosity, his willingness to be my mentor, and for being someone I could confide in without judgement. To scholars (both at the student and professorial levels) within and beyond the UIUC academic system, for taking the time to discuss research ideas and offer moral support. I would like to thank the Business Administration department staff and the UIUC Graduate College staff, for reliably helping me resolve a variety of challenges; and I especially thank Diana Gonzalez in this regard, for guiding me through the nuances of the program, and for being another friend in which I could trust. I am also grateful for my educators earlier in my academic career such as grade school teachers like George Grenchik, high school teachers including Jeffrey Krieg and Katie Daane, and undergraduate mentors including Tommy Whittler, Jaime Noriega, and Luciano Berardi, for their ability to challenge and expand my world perception. In addition to my family, mentors, and educators, I am very appreciative of great friends, who continually help me grow as a person and stay poised when times are particularly iv challenging. Some particular friends I would like to acknowledge are Alvin Marshall, Arturo Aguirre, Vuong Nguyen, Michael Nguyen, Ishva Minefee, Devon Kruse-Wu, and Michael Canelo, for their concerns and insights, both professionally and personally. I appreciate my friends’ families, as they supported me in various ways. I appreciate the individuals and institutions that support business scholarship, including but not limited to, Kenneth P. Santee, John M. Jones, the UIUC Graduate College, and the individual whom I had the great privilege to meet, Anthony J. Petullo. Moreover, I am grateful for other university organizations that helped sustain my persistence and offer opportunities for personal growth; these include the DePaul University Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program, the UIUC Summer Research Opportunities Program, the UIUC chapter of the Association of Latino Professionals For America, the UIUC Undergraduate Research Apprenticeship Program, and the Illini Boxing Club. Finally, I would like to express my gratitude for all of the research participants and intermediaries who entrusted me with their thoughts and emotions. I am truly indebted to all of the individuals mentioned above and I am humbled by the amazing amount of generosity I witnessed in my life that brought me to this milestone. The people above (and many others) demonstrated generosity with their funds, time, patience, energy and many more sources of value. For everyone who helped me grow as a scholar and a person, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. It is said that it takes a village to raise a child, and I feel blessed to have been raised by an amazing community of caring individuals. Thank you. v TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER 1 Introduction to Dissertation .............................................................................................................1 Dissertation Structure...........................................................................................................5 Relevant Belonging Literature .............................................................................................5 Overview of Essays............................................................................................................11 References ..........................................................................................................................15 CHAPTER 2 Essay 1: Theorizing and Illuminating the Belonging Process within a Consumption Context….19 Review of Belonging Literature.........................................................................................20 Research Context ...............................................................................................................26 Methods..............................................................................................................................28 The Belonging Process ......................................................................................................34 Discussion ..........................................................................................................................57 Conclusion .........................................................................................................................63

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