The Social Deconstruction of a Paradox: Using Social Theory to Succeed within a Niche Market
Abstract
This exploration into the motivations of consumers through the
context of social theory was inspired by Dr. Stauffer's interest in the
seemingly restrictive appeal of a healthy, vegetarian fast food restaurant.
Without his initial curiosity and continuous guidance, including the
suggestion of the title, I would not have been able to realize the
importance and potential benefits of the project, nor would I have
personally gained as much from the experience of its formation.
I had been working with Ope's for a number of months before
the project began and found myself repeatedly returning to my first night
of orientation, when Dr. Oppenlander explained that he was purposely
not advertising as a vegetarian restaurant and was trying to avoid such a
label. His reasons may have been rationalized from a business
perspective, but by taking it a step farther, I found a significant
correlation between the advantages and disadvantages of niche
marketing and the concept of social identity explored by the theories of
social constructionism and social cognition. Although social cognition
is a psychological theory, it has been used in conjunction with sociology
before. By establishing a position of enriching a business perspective
through the introduction of social theory, I was able to highlight
parallels among the fields. Though the connections seemed obvious
once I began, I found little work published with a similar purpose.
Collections
Related items
Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.
-
"Going Social" How to Positively Influence the College Choice Decision of Best-Fit Admitted High School Seniors : A Social Media Marketing Plan for Kalamazoo College Office of Admission
Curtiss, Suzanne (2013)Due to increased competition among higher education institutions for best-fit students, college admission offices are turning to social media to differentiate their respective institutions' competitive offerings. Based on ... -
The Social Deconstruction of a Paradox: Using Social Theory to Succeed within a Niche Market.
Letzmann, Andrea (2002)When a new business tries to introduce a combination of ideas that seem conflicting, deconstructing the social meaning of those concepts is necessary to the ultimate goal of creating a more full public understanding. ... -
Step-at-a-Time Socialism: A Study of Socialism inMilwaukee 1893 to 1910
Chipley, Louise (1977)This study of Milwaukee socialism will cover the period from 1893, the year that.Austrian immigrant Victor Berger, the chief organizer, propagandist, and theorist of Milwaukee's brand of socialism became editor of Vorweearts, ...