PIRJO LAAKSONEN HENNA JYRINKI (Eds) The Roots and Fruits of the Nordic Consumer Research VAASAN YLIOPISTON JULKAISUJA ________________________________ SELVITYKSIÄ JA RAPORTTEJA 163 VAASA 2010 III Julkaisija Julkaisupäivämäärä Vaasan yliopisto Joulukuu 2010 Tekijä(t) Julkaisun tyyppi Pirjo Laaksonen & Henna Jyrinki Artikkelikokoelma (toim.) Julkaisusarjan nimi, osan numero Vaasan yliopiston julkaisuja. Selvityksiä ja raportteja, 163 Yhteystiedot ISBN Vaasan yliopisto 978–952–476–332–5 Markkinoinnin yksikkö ISSN PL 700 1238–7118 65101 Vaasa Sivumäärä Kieli 268 Englanti Julkaisun nimike Pohjoismaisen kuluttajatutkimuksen juuret ja hedelmät Tiivistelmä Käsillä olevaan julkaisuun on koottu ensimmäisen pohjoismaisen kuluttajakonfe- renssin (The First Nordic Conference on Consumer Research) pääpuhujien esi- tykset (juuret) sekä yhdentoista osallistujan konferenssipaperit (hedelmät). Konfe- renssi pidettiin Vaasassa, 10.–11.6.2010. Julkaisu alkaa pääpuhujien esityksillä. Näissä luodaan kuva neljän Pohjoismaan kuluttajatutkimuksen kehityskaarista. Kjell Grønhaug kertoo norjalaisista tieteen- alamme juurista, Klaus Grunert käsittelee tanskalaista kehitystä, Liisa Uusitalo luo katsauksen suomalaisen kuluttajatutkimuksen rakentumiseen ja Solveig Wik- ström kuvailee ruotsalaista kuluttajatutkimuksen historiaa. Pohjoismaisen kuluttajatutkimuksen hedelmät tuodaan esiin yhteensä yhdentoista konferenssissa esitetyn paperin avulla. Nämä paperit käsittelevät moninaisia ai- heita, mukaan lukien kestävää kehitystä, puutarhanhoitoa, hyvinvointipalveluita, designia ja tuotekehitystä, televisio-ohjelmia ja lemmikkejä. Metodologiat vaihte- levat aina rakenneyhtälömallinnuksesta lyhytelokuviin tutkimusaineistona ja lap- siin osallistuvina tutkijoina. Niinpä, tällä julkaisulla kerrotaan varsin monipuolista ja -tahoista tarinaa niin historiallisesta kuin nykyisestä pohjoismaisesta kuluttaja- tutkimuksesta. Asiasanat Kuluttajatutkimus, Pohjoismainen näkemys, tutkimuksen kehitys V Publisher Date of publication Vaasan yliopisto December 2010 Author(s) Type of publication Pirjo Laaksonen & Henna Jyrinki Selection of Articles (eds) Name and number of series Proceedings of the University of Vaasa. Reports, 163 Contact information ISBN University of Vaasa 978–952–476–332–5 Department of Marketing ISSN P.O. Box 700 1238–7118 65101 Vaasa, Finland Number Language of pages 268 English Title of publication The Roots and Fruits of the Nordic Consumer Research Abstract The publication gathers together key note speeches (roots) and full papers (fruits) presented in The First Nordic Conference on Consumer Research. The confe- rence was held in Vaasa, 10-11 June, 2010. The publication starts with key note speeches that represent four perspectives on development of consumer research in Nordic countries; Kjell Grønhaug telling about Norwegian roots, Klaus Grunert approaching Danish development, Liisa Uusitalo giving a flash to the early and present years of Finnish consumer stu- dies, and Solveig Wikström describing Swedish progress. The fruits of the Nordic consumer research are brought out by eleven papers in total. The papers address various topics including sustainability, gardening, life- care services, design and product development, television programs and compa- nion animals. The methodologies vary from structural equation modeling to short films as data and children as co-researchers. Thus, through this publication it is told a story of a versatile and multifaceted consumer research in Nordic countries both historically and contemporarily. Keywords Consumer research, Nordic perspective, development of research VII FOREWORD Pirjo Laaksonen, Henna Jyrinki University of Vaasa On 9-11 June 2010, we organized the first Nordic Conference on Consumer Research in Vaasa, Finland. These proceedings combine together the four keynote speeches and eleven of the full papers presented in that conference. This publication begins as the conference itself by this foreword. We researchers always look into the future, we strive to create something new, to innovate and to contribute. We are eager to keep track of the winds of change and often reluctant to turn back to look from where we came from. This might raise the question, why then to organize a conference focusing on the Nordic roots (and fruits) of consumer behavior research? Why should we look backward and why should we even attempt to limit our perspective to the boundaries of the Nordic countries? Consumption is embedded in culture and it is well recognized that we need to focus on the cultural influences and singularities. The Nordic countries have a lot in common within the context of consumption. Similarities can be found for example in the basis of the welfare society, legislation, distribution channels, values and life-styles. These similarities have been strengthened through the mobility within Nordic countries. Do these similarities give us a reason or at least a possibility to investigate closer the Nordic consumer? Are we as Nordic consumers different from those in other cultures: do we consume differently, do we value, prefer and enjoy different aspects in consumption? We need that knowledge not only to be able to justify the transference of research results from other cultures into the Nordic context, but also in order to be able to view developments in consumer research in a relativistic manner. So, one aim of this conference is to ask whether there is something in common in the consumers and consumption in the Nordic countries that we should be aware of. I am not so optimistic that I expect these two days to give a complete answer to the question. However, if the question is raised there will probably be those who attempt to answer it in the future. Another important reason for organizing this conference is an attempt to place us Nordic researchers into socio-cultural context. By this I do not mean only the fact that in this way we meet each other, which of course is of utmost importance - even in these days of ubiquitous attendance of social media. The socio-cultural context is created by its history. I agree that we Nordic researchers have not been exceptionally keen to refer to each others’ publications and it may be that we are VIII not at all well aware of what the neighbors are doing. However, there may be something that the citation indexes do not reveal. Maybe there is something stemming from the historical links where professors have received chairs in the neighboring countries and where visiting researchers and lectures have neighbored for a while. There have been contact points across the Nordic countries in the past which I’m sure the presentations of today and tomorrow will reveal. But besides these concrete contact points between the researchers there is a more mental connection. Namely, if we as consumers are modified by the socio- cultural context we live in, are we not that as researchers as well? If so, there should be something in common between us. Do we share something in our ways to position our research, in the presumptions we do, in our mindsets, in preferences or values for example? Is there some kind of tacit knowledge that we transfer without explicitly knowing it in our research and into the new generations of Nordic consumer researchers? Again, I do not think these questions are to be answered within these few days and through the research presented in this conference. However, the social interaction provided in this conference can assist each and every one of us to reflect these issues. The third reason for looking at the roots of the Nordic consumer behavior research is to honor all those who have been pioneers in this challenging area of research. It is them we are to thank for much. In academic research we strive to ride on the crest of wave and seek novelty, we grab into trendy issues, we try to find virgin ways and arenas that no-one has ever touched before. This is of course a driving force behind the development of a science. It has led to a situation where we have multiple paradigms, research orientations, theories and methodologies. Also it has led to the investigation of novel subject areas and deviant and special groups of consumers. This kind of pluralism and versatility in research is welcomed. However, this leads to a situation where the field of research and researchers is fragmented and where we may have limited contacts across the scholars of different camps. Does this also limit our view of consumers and consumption as well? On the other hand, one can ask if it is possible to achieve a comprehensive understanding of consumers and their behavior? In the late 1960’s and early 1970’s there were attempts to develop a holistic models of consumer (choice) behavior, Flemming Hansen from Denmark being among the earliest developers of these models. The conclusion was drawn that consumer behavior is too complex to be captured into a single theory or model. Rather than to attempt to find a single, overall theory and a single framework that ties consumer behavior together it is preferred to proceed with a repertoire of paradigms, theories and methodologies. IX Anyway, the impossibility to frame consumer behavior in a unified theory and model should not be interpreted to mean that we should not strive to develop a comprehensive understanding on consumers and their behavior. However, it may be that this can be gained only through experience. It is the years of thinking and investigating, it is the myriad of mistakes and the often sparse but luscious moments of success