T h e happiness-to-consumption ratio: An alternative approach in the quest for happiness; [A razão entre felicidade/consumo: Uma abordagem alternativa na busca da felicidade]; [La razón felicidad/consumo: Un enfoque alternativo en la búsqueda de la felicidad]

Paper Details

Authors:

DOI: 10.1016/S0123-5923(10)70121-2

Journal: Estudios Gerenciales

Year: 2010

Publisher: Universidad Icesi

Document Type: Article

Open Access: All Open Access; Gold Open Access; Green Open Access

Cited by: 11

Abstract

The huge amounts of money spent every year in purchasing material goods do not seem very effective in increasing consumers' happiness. Indeed, higher income and correspondingly expensive consumption do not make people much happier, which implies that current consumerism is extremely inefficient in terms of producing happiness. Extant research and exploratory analyses suggest that people could improve their happiness-to-consumption efficiency through activities that let them achieve a sense of mastery and belonging, and by engaging in experiential and social consumption. Based on preliminary results hereby discussed, the article proposes research questions to be investigated by means of a cross-cultural study, anticipates potential contributions to the field, and suggests future research possibilities. © 2010 Universidad Icesi. All rights reserved.

Keywords

Consumption; Entropy; Happiness; Individualism; Materialism

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