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University of Huddersfield Repository Ghurbal, Victoria A. “Communicating Adventure” A Semiotic Investigation of the UK Adventure Subculture of Motorcycling Consumption Original Citation Ghurbal, Victoria A. (2008) “Communicating Adventure” A Semiotic Investigation of the UK Adventure Subculture of Motorcycling Consumption. Doctoral thesis, University of Huddersfield. This version is available at http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/2062/ The University Repository is a digital collection of the research output of the University, available on Open Access. Copyright and Moral Rights for the items on this site are retained by the individual author and/or other copyright owners. Users may access full items free of charge; copies of full text items generally can be reproduced, displayed or performed and given to third parties in any format or medium for personal research or study, educational or not-for-profit purposes without prior permission or charge, provided: • The authors, title and full bibliographic details is credited in any copy; • A hyperlink and/or URL is included for the original metadata page; and • The content is not changed in any way. For more information, including our policy and submission procedure, please contact the Repository Team at: [email protected]. http://eprints.hud.ac.uk/ Title Page “Communicating Adventure” A Semiotic Investigation of the UK Adventure Subculture of Motorcycling Consumption VICTORIA A. GHURBAL A thesis submitted to the University of Huddersfield in partial fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy March 2008 Declaration No portion of the work referred to in this thesis has been submitted in support of an application for another degree or qualification at this or any other university or other institute of learning. ii Abstract Changing cultural trends and increasing pressures and constraints on everyday life have led to a proliferation in the uptake of adventure pursuits in Western society. People are increasingly drawn to involvement in subcultures of high-risk extremity and adventure, and manufacturers, marketers and the media are commonly reflecting a discourse that ‘commodifies’ adventure experience in their wider cultural products and brands. This growth in the consumption of adventure has created an opportunity, and a necessity, for researchers, academics and practitioners alike to become involved in the development of adventure-leisure research and theory. This study takes the UK motorcycling subculture of adventure consumption as a unit of analysis, and employs a ‘holistic’ cultural approach to investigate meaningful consumption processes within, and relative to it. Specifically, it focuses on the role of consumers in contributing to the cultural world of motorcycling adventure consumption as well as the significance of manufacturers, service suppliers and marketers in producing and conveying it. This is achieved through employment of an ‘interpretive semiology’ research philosophy, in which a number of pioneering semiotic and narrative techniques are used and developed, to identify the key communication codes and myths that drive the construction and movement of meaning within, and relative to this consumption subculture. An ‘outside in’ approach is employed to understand the subculture from a wide cross- section of related discourse, and this is combined with an ‘inside-out’ approach, which focuses on the motorcyclist consumer psyche, on consumer involvement in motorcycling activity and use of signifying props, spaces and stories for the construction and signification of meaningful motorcyclist self-identity. Also this approach examines the role of manufacturers, service suppliers and marketers in constructing and signifying brands that purvey cultural messages and construct categories of motorcycling subculture. The results highlight that although UK motorcycling adventure subculture is enshrined with a very rich cultural heritage, it is dynamic in nature, and cultural changes can be identified by analysis of key cultural communication codes and myths. These codes and myths are influenced, and driven, by an interrelationship that exists between consumers, manufacturers, service suppliers, marketers and wider popular cultural discourse and media. They all exist in the same culturally constituted world and meaning is generated and signified through common market places and market stimuli. Overall, this study provides a contribution to adventure-leisure and interpretive, cultural consumer behaviour research and it employs and develops pioneering semiotic and narrative methodologies. It demonstrates how the field of semiotics, with rich theoretical and sometimes complicated underpinnings, can be applied in this context to achieve significant theoretical and practical implications. iii Acknowledgments In the Name of God, the most beneficent and most merciful… Firstly I would like to thank Professor Norman Marr, my Director of Studies through the largest duration of this study, for his continuous emotional and technical support. Particularly, his experience and knowledge of PhD requirements and formatting detail has been of great benefit to me. I would like to pay huge tribute to Geoff Crowther, my supervisor, for his unremitting encouragement, patience and subject specific knowledge and expertise. I have thoroughly enjoyed our stimulating discussions, and his passion for involvement in motorcycle and adventure quests always drives me to complete the investigation with maximum theoretical and practical implications for the industry. I am looking forward to working with him on further research and publications in the future. I would like to thank all company and consumer respondents in the study. I was particularly encouraged by company respondents who showed great interest in the nature and practical outcomes of the investigation. Motorcyclist consumer respondents, as always, were highly welcoming, enthusiastic and motivated to narrate their motorcycle related experiences. Indebted thanks to my husband Dr. Ehsan Ghurbal. Without his continuous patience, encouragement and emotional support, the completion of this study would not have been possible. We have hopes and dreams together, and with God willing, we will always strive to achieve them. Also, to my son Ali who allowed ‘Mama’ to leave him to study at every possible opportunity! Finally, I would like to show my ultimate thanks and appreciation to my parents, John and Angela Smith, whose encouragement and support throughout my life drives me to achieve to the best of my ability. Thank you dad for your ‘precise’ proof reading, and thank you both for always believing in me and being proud of me. iv Table of Contents TITLE PAGE ...............................................................................................................1 DECLARATION.........................................................................................................II ABSTRACT............................................................................................................... III ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ........................................................................................ IV TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................1 LIST OF FIGURES .....................................................................................................5 LIST OF TABLES .......................................................................................................9 1. CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION.....................................................................10 1.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................11 1.2 BACKGROUND AND RATIONALE FOR THE STUDY..........................................11 1.2.1 Conceptual Framework .......................................................................14 1.3 AIM...............................................................................................................15 1.4 OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................16 1.5 FORMAT OF THE THESIS ................................................................................16 2. CHAPTER 2: ADVENTURE AND THE UK MOTORCYCLE MARKET 18 2.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................19 2.2 DEFINING ADVENTURE .................................................................................19 2.2.1 Motorcycling as Adventure..................................................................22 2.3 THE UK MOTORCYCLE MARKET ..................................................................23 2.3.1 Market Size and Trends .......................................................................23 2.3.2 Market Segmentation ...........................................................................25 2.3.3 Supply and Distribution .......................................................................28 2.3.4 Advertising and Promotion..................................................................30 2.3.5 The Consumer ......................................................................................32 2.4 CHAPTER SUMMARY .....................................................................................33 3. CHAPTER 3: SEMIOTICS..............................................................................35 3.1 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................36