Comportamiento del consumidor en la disposición de productos en un entorno colectivista

Abstract

Product disposal is a process that begins with the consumer’s decision to stop using a still-usable product. The current thesis consists of four studies and their respective articles focusing on this consumer behavior. Empirical work formed the foundation of the four articles, consisting of 35 in-depth interviews and two surveys conducted in Quito, the capital of Ecuador. Ecuador is a South American developing country with a collectivist culture. The first article entitled, “Consumer behavior in the disposition of disliked gifts,” delves into the predictor variables for consumers selecting disposal methods. The second article, “Clothing disposal in a collectivist environment: A mixed methods approach,” aims to establish predictors of the amount of clothing that consumers dispose of outside the household. The third and fourth articles are entitled, “Clothing disposition by gifting: Benefits for consumers and new consumption” and “Clothing disposal system by gifting: Characteristics, processes and interactions.” Both of these articles address the primary clothing disposal method in Ecuador: clothing disposal by gifting to family, friends and acquaintances. The first of these two articles aims to identify the benefits obtained by consumers through this form of clothing disposal and to elucidate on the relationship between these benefits and new purchases. The second of these articles focuses on the study of clothing disposal by gifting as a system. In addition to these four articles, the current thesis also includes introduction and conclusion chapters.