EUROPEAN MASTER IN BUSINES STUDIES EXPOSÉ
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EUROPEAN MASTER IN BUSINES STUDIES
EXPOSÉ
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The Role of Spirituality on Consumer
Purchasing Behavior: An Empirical Study
with Mexican Consumers
“Just as a candle cannot burn without fire, men cannot live without
a spiritual life”
-Buddha-
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1. Abstract
Purpose: This work aims at examining if and how the elements of an individual’s personal
being, as represented by spirituality, affect people’s behavior that result in consumption.
Consumer characteristics vary with age, income, experience and life cycle position. Generally,
marketers build consumers profiles and strategies based on these characteristics. However, one
important element of consumers has been neglected, and I am referring to spirituality.
The purpose of this study is to discover the role and the impact that spirituality has on the
purchasing behavior of consumers, at two different stages of lifecycle, meaning with this,
assessing two different generations of consumers. For the purpose of this study, each of the
elements of spirituality is going to be analyzed at each step of the decision-making process of
the consumers when purchasing.
Methodology: This thesis is going to be conducted by applying the method of open-ended-in-
depth interviews, consisting of a structured questionnaire previously designed. The interviews
are going to take place in Mexico. The participants will be made up of 10 males and 10 females
divided into two groups. The first group will consist of 5 males and 5 females aged between 18
and 35, range commonly named as Generation Y or Millennials. The second group will be
integrated of 5 males and 5 females aged between 55 and 70, range broadly known as Baby
Boomer Generation. Each group is going to be asked the same questions and a comparison of
their answers is going to be analyzed afterwards.
Value: This work contributes to the academic discourse by providing deeper insights on how
spirituality impacts consumer behavior when purchasing. This study will focus on stressing
how important spirituality is for Mexican consumers at two contrasting stages in lifecycle.
Marketers already have investigated political, economic, technological and societal variables
on the marketing field, however there is need for further exploration on social and psychological
factors, such as those related to spirituality, and how it can influence the individual’s behavior.
This study contributes to a more exhaustive understanding of the elements of spirituality, and
how it could impact on consumer behavior.
Keywords: Spirituality, consumer purchasing behavior, decision-making process, millennials,
baby boomers.
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2. Table of Contents
EXPOSÉ ..................................................................................................................................... 1
1. Abstract .................................................................................................................................. 3
2. Table of Contents ................................................................................................................... 4
3. List of Illustrations ................................................................................................................. 5
4. Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 6
5. Problem Statement ................................................................................................................. 7
6. Purpose ................................................................................................................................... 8
7. Literature Review ................................................................................................................... 9
8. Theoretical Framework ........................................................................................................ 15
8.1 Definitions and Terminology.......................................................................................... 15
8.1.1 Religion as Part of Spirituality ................................................................................. 17
8.1.2 Self-awareness ......................................................................................................... 19
8.1.3 Relation with Others ................................................................................................ 20
7.1.4 Eco-awareness .......................................................................................................... 20
8.1.4 Consumer Behavior ................................................................................................. 21
8.1.5 Consumer Decision-making Process ....................................................................... 21
9. Research Question and Hypothesis ...................................................................................... 23
10. Methodology ...................................................................................................................... 25
10.1 Place of Study ............................................................................................................... 26
10.2 Defining Groups of Study ............................................................................................. 27
10.2.1 Millennials in Mexico. ........................................................................................... 28
10.2.2 Baby Boomers in Mexico. ..................................................................................... 29
11. Plan of Work ...................................................................................................................... 29
12. List of References ............................................................................................................... 30
13. Appendix ............................................................................................................................ 32
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3. List of Illustrations
Figure 1. Self-Illustration of the Components of Spirituality (Karakas, 2010) ........................ 19
Figure 2. Self-Illustration of the Consumer Decision Making Process .................................... 22
Figure 3. Global Spirituality Index. ......................................................................................... 27
Figure 4. Mexican Population Pyramid. ................................................................................... 28
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4. Introduction
Human beings are generally curious by nature, they feel a deep desire to discover new things,
notice their effects, and ascribe meaning to them. The term spirituality has different meanings
and ways of expression. It refers to a particular way of responding to experience, especially
when it stirs strong emotions such as awe and wonder. Some authors define spirituality as a
deeply personal experience of self-discovery, connection to a higher power and other living
things, and an awareness of one’s presence in the living universe as they search for meaning
and purpose in life (Karakas, 2010; Liu and Robertson, 2011; Mitroff and Denton, 1999).
Nowadays spirituality plays an important role in a majority of people’s lives around the world.
We live in a world where technology and unrestrained consumption have led us to reconsider
our behavior patterns and have made us question our actions and attitudes towards ourselves,
towards our fellow human beings and towards the environment. Today we question ourselves
about the impact that we are leaving on the world and on the people around us.
The concept of spirituality represents a more holistic and personal view of one’s self and their
connection to the environment. Alternatively, religion represents institutionalized beliefs which
are bounded by doctrine, tenets, dogma, scripture, structure, authority, and group-level worship
(Zinnbauer etal., 1999). Both concepts are interconnected, present in our life, and as part of our
culture and society. Spirituality has the advantage of being able to encompass and have
applicability to individuals from various distinct religious beliefs.
In most of the countries such as in Mexico, spirituality affects what people trade, how they
trade, and when and where trade occurs (Mittelstaedt, 2002). It is in the origin and shape of
markets that spirituality plays a very important role. Most spiritual and religious traditions
prohibit, discourage, encourage, or obligate the trade of certain products in the marketplace.
For this reason, companies and researchers have to pay more attention on the impact that
spirituality could have on consumers decisions and behavior.
In King’s study (1992) which found society and culture as important determining variables for
spiritual orientation of a person, deduced that continuous interaction with different elements of
society had a subtle and profound impact on an individual’s psyche and spiritual making up.
Other factors in making spiritual orientation of a person were found to be family and
inheritance. The role of family seen in the form of impact of interaction with parents,
grandparents, and the values transferred through them have been found as building blocks of
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spirituality. As it can be shown in the tables of the appendix, religion, family, friends, and
happiness in life are very important factors of spirituality that are strongly present in Mexico
(World Values Survey, 2012). For this reason, it is important to analyze the background of
culture and society in Mexico, so that the study of spirituality could be carried out. In this study
I will analyze the spiritual orientation of a person and how this influence their purchasing
behavior that directly impact the market. Some of these beliefs related to spirituality could
provoke people acting in more ethical and socially desirable way, or at least it is what I want to
prove.
During this research the three different domains of spirituality proposed by Fisher (1999) and
Gomez and Fisher (2003) are going to be evaluated and compared within two different stages
of the life cycle, so that I can also verify that there is a continuous role change in an individual's
life (Blau, 1973). There are some age-specific characteristics to consider in the spirituality of a
person, that could impact in a stronger way on consumer purchasing behavior.
5. Problem Statement
Nowadays, companies and researchers need to understand consumers’ values and beliefs in
order to address the market orientation. Understanding consumer behavior is of vital importance
to researchers as well as to companies across almost all types of industries. Thus, they can
develop and improve their offerings across the market, especially now that we live in a
globalized world in which consumers are offered a whole range of choices. Marketers need to
understand what consumers are looking for, the kind of needs they have, how they think when
evaluating alternatives and how these patterns are constantly changing through time.
This study aims to examine the effects of spirituality on consumer purchasing behavior. Despite
the growing interest in the consequences of spirituality, it is still unclear how consumer’s
perceptions and behavior are impacted by spirituality, so further qualitative research should be
carried out (Singh & Hira, 2017). Understanding the role spirituality and the impact in
consumers purchasing behavior will be helpful for the individual, organization, and society.
Currently, there is need to discover the impact of spirituality not only on emotional well-being,
but also on people’s behavior. The self is conceived almost exclusively as a psychological
device while its spiritual dimension is overlooked, especially in the business environment. For
this reason, and as previously mentioned, the three components of spirituality will be analyzed.
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The first aspect discusses factors having an impact (both direct and indirect) on formation of
spiritual decision orientation of a person. Second aspect includes the relationship of one’s
spiritual beliefs with others and with the existence of God. The third aspect discusses the impact
of spirituality in the environment and nature. Though distinct, yet all these aspects highly
correlate and overlap with each other, in order to identify the respective positive and negative
impacts that the three components of spirituality may have in the purchasing process.
Finally, despite its great popularity, the use of chronological age is problematic for researchers
interested in age-related research, particularly research that examines the attitudinal or
behavioral patterns of the elderly. Hence, this study will examine two different stages in life
cycle and the results of both groups will be compared to have a better understanding of this
complex variable.
6. Purpose
This Master thesis aim is to find the relationship between elements of an individual’s personal
being, as represented by spirituality, and an individual’s actions or behavior that result in
consumption. The purpose is to understand what underlies a consumer's spiritual belief in order
to help firms direct their products to those self-same values.
Understanding the macro-level guidance of spirituality can help develop and embrace the
impact of it on consumers’ perceptions and during their decision-making process while
purchasing. This research could be seen as valuable for assessing the practical applications of
spirituality for the individual, organization, and society.
The main purpose of this study is to explore conceptually the role of spirituality in a particular
stage of consumer’s lifecycle and to spot how this role impacts in their purchasing behavior, so
that marketers can identify and understand the values and characteristics that consumers
consider during their decision-making process.
It is interesting to note that spiritual orientation has been viewed by researchers in relation to
demographics including age. Some of the researchers like Singleton (2004), Mooney and
Timmins (2007), and King (2014) have studied spirituality as comprehended by young adults
in a given context. However, there is no research among older generations, which is going to
be the focus of this research, a comparison between two different generations (millennials and
baby boomers) at a different point in the life cycle.
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7. Literature Review
N° NAME AUTHOR/YEAR SOURCE SUMMARY
1
Cooptation
Through
Conflation:
Spiritual
Materialism is Not
the Same as
Spirituality
Stephen J. Gould,
2006
Consumption Markets & Culture,
Vol.9, pp.63–78.
Doi:10.1080/10253860500481262
This paper explores on the
topic of New Age spirituality.
The transpersonal paradigm
in which the self is subsumed
in terms of something greater,
something spiritual or
interconnected with some
other vital and divine forces
beyond oneself that one
recognizes, and how spiritual
seeking connects through
giving up as much as one can
in the material world so that
one is closer to spirit or God.
2
A Framework for
Understanding
the Relationships
between Religions
and Markets.
John D.
Mittelstaedt,
2002
Journal of Macromarketing
vol. 22, pp. 6–18.
Doi:10.1177/027467022001002
This study discusses how
religions and religious
institutions affect markets in
a variety of ways. The article
explores the variety of effects
of religions on markets and
markets on religions. It
investigates the relationships
of religion and marketing
systems and the importance
of understanding the impact
of culture on marketing
systems and vice versa.
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3
Does Religion
Affect the
Materialism of
Consumers? An
Empirical
Investigation of
Buddhist Ethics
and the Resistance
of the Self
Stefano Pace,
2013
Journal of Business Ethics, 112,
25–46.
Doi:10.1007/s10551-012-1228-3
This paper studies the
propensity to attach a
fundamental role to
possessions and how religion
and religiosity influence
various attitudes and
behaviors of consumers,
including their ethical beliefs
and how this influences
ethical judgments and
decision making of
consumers. This work
provides some contributions
by examining the ways in
which religious ethical tenet,
specifically Buddhism, can
affect the materialism of
consumers.
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The Effects of
Materialism,
Religiosity and
Economic
Development on
Satisfaction with
Life in Global
Consumer
Environments
Kevin Lehnert, J.
Alexander Smith,
Jonathan
Wiseman,
2016
Review of Business
St. John's University
This paper investigates one
aspect of culture: religion,
and the role it plays in
consumer decision making. It
also studies how religiosity
relates to economic
development and to
materialistic desires, as they
affect one's satisfaction with
life. Special attention is given
to external and internal
religiosity and the positive
and negative impact on life
satisfaction.
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5
Exploring notion
of Spirituality
using Grounded
Theory: Young
adult’s
perspective
Reetesh K. Singh,
Hira Rajni,
2017
Research article: Indian Institute
of Management Calcutta
Doi:10.1007/s40622-017-0151-y
This research studies young
adults (postgraduate
management students) using
Grounded Theory approach, a
qualitative analysis technique.
Data is coded and categorized
for meaningful analysis to
understand the notion of
‘Spirituality’ from the
perspective of young adults.
The paper also discusses the
different shades of spirituality
with an emphasis on its
perceived factors of
formation and the
corresponding perceived
impact.
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Spirituality, Moral
Identity, and
Consumer Ethics:
A Multi-cultural
Study
Scott J. Vitell,
Lumina Albert,
Robert Allen
King, Katharine
Howie,
Encarnación
Ramos Hidalgo,
Jean-Francois
Toti, Omneya
Yacout,
2016
Journal of Business Ethics 139,
147–160.
Doi:10.1007/s10551-015-2626-0
This article presents the
results of a cross-cultural
study that examines the
relationship between
spirituality and a consumer’s
ethical predisposition and
examines the relationship
between the internalization of
one’s moral identity and a
consumer’s ethical
predisposition. Finally, the
moderating impact of cultural
factors on the above
relationships is tested using
Hofstede’s five dimensions.
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Spirituality,
Psychological
Capital and
Employee
Performance: An
Empirical
Examination
Corey Fox, Brian
D. Webster,
Wm. Camron
Casper,
2018
Journal of Managerial Issues Vol.
XXX Number 2
The aim of this research is to
know how spirituality of an
organization might affect
organizational outcomes, and
more specifically, aspects of
organizational and employee
performance. This study tries
to prove that Spirituality is
related to Psychological
Capital (self-efficacy, hope,
optimism, and resilience) and
how both impact on the
organization.
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8
Spirituality and
Strategic
Leadership: The
Influence of
Spiritual Beliefs
on Strategic
Decision Making
Kelly A. Phipps,
2012
Journal of Business Ethics, Vol.
106, No. 2
pp. 177-189
The study describes how the
personal spiritual beliefs of a
top-level leader operate in
strategic decision making.
The paper explains why
integrating strategic
leadership and spirituality is
significant for top leaders.
Also, relevant literature on
spirituality is provided.
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From Thought to
Behavior:
"Having" and
"Doing" in the
Study of
Personality and
Cognition
Nancy Cantor,
1990
American Psychologist,
45, 735–750.
Doi:10.1037/0003-066X.45.6.735
This paper stress how
adaptiveness of personality is
raised. To what extent, under
what circumstances, and
through what channels do
individuals work to modify
their schemas, tasks, and
strategies in relation to
behavior. This study tries to
explain the "behavioral
environment" and the
adjustment to the physical
world.
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Domains of
spiritual well-
being and
development and
validation of the
Spiritual Well-
Being
Questionnaire
Rapson Gomeza,
John W. Fisherb,
2003
Personality and Individual
Differences, 35, 1975–1991.
Doi:10.1016/S0191-
8869(03)00045-X
The spiritual well-being
model comprise the domains
of personal, communal,
environmental and
transcendental well-being,
and a single global spiritual
well-being dimension. This
paper aimed at testing
Fisher’s theoretical model
and establishing the validity
and reliability of a new self-
rating questionnaire (Spiritual
Well-Being Questionnaire;
SWBQ), developed to reflect
this model.
11
The mediating
role of spirituality
on professional
values and self-
efficacy: a study
of senior nursing
students
Won Hee Jun,
Gyungjoo Lee,
2016
Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72,
3060–3067.
Doi:10.1111/jan.13069
This paper study the
significance of spirituality in
enhancing self-efficacy
related to professional values.
An exploratory, cross-
sectional design was used in
this study.
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12
Spirituality:
Description,
Measurement, and
Relation to the
Five Factor Model
of Personality
Douglas A.
MacDonald,
2000
Journal of Personality,
68, 153–197. Doi:10.1111/1467-
6494.t01-1-00094
This article focused on the
development and
measurement of a factor
model of the expressions of
spirituality. Furthermore, it
consists of literature that
conceptualizes and measures
spirituality.
13
Does Spirituality
Represent the
Sixth Factor of
Personality?
Spiritual
Transcendence
and the Five-
Factor Model
Rahlp L.
Piedmont,
1999
Journal of Personality,
67, 985–1013.
doi:10.1111/1467-6494.00080
This study reports on the
development of the Spiritual
Transcendence Scale, a
measure designed to capture
aspects of the individual that
are independent of the
qualities contained in the
Five-Factor Model of
Personality (FFM)
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On Consumer
Purchasing
Behavior in
Electronic
Markets
Dennis Kundisch
Philipp Herrmann,
Mohammad S.
Rahman,
2015
Management Science,
61, 831–850.
Doi:10.1287/mnsc.2014.1955
The aim of this paper is to
understand consumer
behavior and to stress the
importance to researchers as
well as companies across
almost all types of industries
to analyze different types of
purchase decisions. This
study analyzes different
aspects of purchasing
behavior associated with
extensive decision making.
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Responsible
Citizens and
Sustainable
Consumer
Behavior: New
Interpretive
Frameworks
Pietro Lanzini,
2017 ProQuest Book
This book covers several
topics of interest to students
and scholars of consumer
behavior, sustainable
consumption, environmental
psychology and
environmental studies in
general.
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16
The Spirituality
Index of Well-
Being: A new
instrument for
health-related
quality of life
research
T. P. Daaleman,
B. B. Frey,
2004
American Psychologist,
58, 64-7
This paper defines spirituality
as a sense of meaning or
purpose from a transcendent
source. It provides a 12-item
instrument that measures
one’s perceptions of their
spiritual quality of life. The
authors review the construct
and validity evidence for the
Spirituality Index of Well-
Being (SIWB).
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Predictors of
Preventive Health
Care Use Among
Middle-aged and
Older Adults in
Mexico: The Role
of Religion
Maureen R.
Benjamins,
2017
Journal of Cross-Cultural
Gerontology, 22, 221–234.
Doi:10.1007/s10823-007-9036-4
This research studies the
relation between religion and
a wide range of health
behaviors among adults of all
ages. The study was designed
to explore how social and
psychological factors, such as
those related to religion, may
influence an individual’s use
of preventive services. The
study focuses on religion
because it is one of the most
important institutions within
the Hispanic culture.
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Grounded theory
research:
Procedures,
canons, and
evaluative criteria.
Corbin, J. M., &
Strauss, A.,
1990
Qualitative Sociology, 13, 3–21.
Doi:10.1007/BF00988593
This paper examines three
methodological questions
that are generally applicable
to all qualitative methods. It
explains how researchers
should report the
procedures and canons used
in their research.
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8. Theoretical Framework
This section of the thesis is targeted at gathering, condensing, contrasting and presenting the
most relevant existing research on the topic of Spirituality, and on consumer purchasing
behavior. It therefore aims at:
- Defining the most relevant conceptualization and theories in this matter,
- Analyzing the interconnection of the elements of spirituality along with the purchase
process, and
- Providing and overview of the impacts on consumer behavior.
This literature review should support the reader in grasping the underlying conceptual
framework, understanding the particular context of the topic and comprehending the
methodology of this study more easily.
8.1 Definitions and Terminology
To begin with, the concept of spirituality must be defined and explained. Due to the subjectivity
people could ascribe to the concept, definitions of different authors are going to be mentioned
in order to clarify its conceptualization. The word spirituality has deep-rooted historical
foundations since the dates of Plato (Hope and Speck, 2007). Since then, although numerous
attempts have been made to define and streamline the notion of spirituality, at both personal
and professional fronts. Scholars have not reached to any standardized, universal or conclusive
agreement. Yet, this has not stopped the scholar to venture in attempting to build an
understanding of the term. Interestingly, examination of the attributes of spirituality reveals its
paradoxes (Fry, 2003; Mitroff & Denton, 1999; Gull & Doh, 2004; English & Gillen, 2000).
To mention some, Fry (2003) conceptualizes spirituality as a fundamental force (incorporating
body, mind, heart and spirit) leading to human existence,’ while Mitroff and Denton (1999)
propound it as ‘the desire to find one’s ultimate purpose in life, and to live accordingly.’ Gull
and Doh (2004) move one step ahead and describe it as ‘an essence of life,’ while on similar
lines English and Gillen (2000) explain it as a phenomenon dealing with ‘beyond an
individual’s self’. Diversity in the meaning of spirituality could be measured by the fact that
literature defines spirituality in as many as seventy different ways (Karakas, 2010).
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Spirituality plays an important part in a majority of people’s lives around the world. As
important as spirituality is to a vast amount of the earth’s population, no consensus on what is
meant by spirituality exists (Dent et al., 2005). Most definitions however, include three
interrelated ideas (Karakas, 2010; Liu and Robertson, 2011; Mitroff and Denton, 1999). First,
spirituality is about self-awareness and the search for meaning and purpose in life. This aspect,
widely referred to in the existing literature as transcendence (Giacalone and Jurkiewicz, 2003),
has also been called self-discovery (Delaney, 2005). Spirituality’s second component is
relationships. These relationships occur between humans and a higher power; humans and other
humans; and humans and other living things. Finally, spirituality is an awareness of a higher
power, as well as the general feeling of holism. This includes recognition that each person is
part of a larger ecosystem which includes nature, the earth and the entire universe. This
dimension has been called many things including eco-spirituality (Rican and Jansova, 2005),
environmental well-being (Gomez and Fisher, 2003), and eco-awareness (Delaney, 2005).
Taking these three general dimensions into account, the authors define spirituality as a deeply
personal experience of self-discovery, connection to a higher power and other living things, and
an awareness of one’s presence in the living universe as they search for meaning and purpose
in life.
While spirituality has been used synonymously with religiosity, the authors along with existing
research in the spirituality domain consider them separate concepts (e.g., Garcia-Zamor, 2003;
Mitroff and Denton, 1999). The concept of spirituality represents a more holistic and personal
view of one’s self and their connection to the environment. Alternatively, religion represents
institutionalized beliefs which are bounded by doctrine, tenets, dogma, scripture, structure,
authority, and group-level worship (Zinnbauer etal., 1999).
Another useful distinction could be made between two fundamental constructs: "pure
spirituality" and "applied spirituality" (Schmidt-Wilk et al., 2000). The term "pure spirituality"
refers to a silent, unbounded, inner experience of pure self-awareness, devoid of customary
content of perception, thoughts, and feelings. The term "applied spirituality" refers to the
domain of practical applications and measurable outcomes that automatically arise from the
inner experience of "pure spirituality". The use of the term "spiritual development" refers to a
holistic process of positive transformation through experience of pure spirituality. This reveals
a contention between inner self and outside world in ascertaining the meaning of spirituality.
This supports Shelly and Fish (1988) who view spirituality in relation to ‘self,’ ‘others’ and
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‘God. It is implied that spirituality is not a linear construct based on some factors; rather, it is a
combination of a variety of factors amalgamated with each other.
8.1.1 Religion as Part of Spirituality
Arriving at this point, there is a very important aspect of spirituality that must be explained and
differentiated. I am referring to the concept of religion.
Religion can be defined, at least in part, as a system for organizing spirituality so that people
can experience it together in a defined setting, and that is with authorized leadership, formal
rituals, and codified teachings (e.g., on free will, reward and punishment, the origin and order
of the world). These elements vary from one denomination (or religion) to another, not only in
their details and sacred texts but also in the rules of participation (e.g., tithing, permitted and
forbidden relationships) and the extent to which participation envelops the individual in a
community of shared ideals and practices (such as periodic gatherings for public prayer and
communal celebration). Many people express yearnings that can be characterized as spiritual,
including yearnings for meaning, purpose, and coherence. Yet both religion and spirituality can
be viewed as parts of a whole (Koenig, 2009; Rasic et al., 2009). Features often seen in both
religion and spirituality are beliefs about the meaning of life, uplifting personal experience,
identification with a group or community, and principles for living well.
Religiosity highlights unique, personal aspects of consumers (Engelland, 2014). This is shown
by religious doctrines, which prescribe behaviors (such as fasting, mode of dress, or limitations
on consumption), with religious experiences and beliefs influencing purchasing decisions
(Kalamas, Cleveland, Laroche, 2014; McDaniel and Burnett, 1990). Understanding what
underlies a consumer's religious belief helps firms direct their products to those self-same
values (Jarafr., et al, 2014). For example, family values are important to born-again Christians.
Further, understanding the macro-level guidance of religion can help develop and embrace the
impact of religion on consumer behavior. Thus, for businesses engaging in a marketplace
understanding the role of religion is imperative.
Religion is also perceived as a more formal, rational, and dogmatic form of institutionalized
spiritual expression (Forman, 2004; Collins & Kakabadse, 2005). Additionally, Pruzan (2004)
holds that spirituality focuses on ‘basic, deep-rooted human values, and a relationship with a
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universal source, power, or divinity’ and that religion is an institutionalized form of this
relationship. Guillory (2001) defines spirituality as ‘our inner consciousness, the source of
inspiration, creativity, and wisdom’. He distinguishes religion from spirituality on the basis of
their nature: ‘Spirituality is a way of being that predetermines how we respond to life
experiences; whereas, religion deals with the incorporation and implementation of organized
belief systems. Religion is actually a form that spirituality takes in practice’ (Guillory, 2001).
Meanwhile, Schley (2008) argues that it is less important to distinguish religion from
spirituality than to identify the respective positive and negative impacts both may have.
Spirituality seems to offer a more open, more inclusive and less divisive framework for people’s
beliefs. We all possess the ability to develop spiritually, but we also live and work in a
materialistic, fast-paced world where conformity, competitiveness and forward-thinking
significantly restrain our aptitude for self-reflection. To be spiritual one should do good things
in all possible ways: spreading awareness and happiness; serving society and its people
unconditionally and selflessly. Spirituality is to create a spiral of good deeds and virtuous acts.
Here, spirituality is not viewed as some separate act; rather, it is found to be an integral part of
life.
Spirituality is not a revolutionary or imposed construct, rather it has a deep-rooted evolutionary
process embedded in family and social setup. In broader sense of the term, an environment
needs to be created to help individuals to ‘be spiritual.’ If spirituality is fundamental for human
existence (Fry, 2003), social context, family and education are fundamental requisites to ‘be
spiritual.’ Existence of spirituality is so subtle and tacit that even though one may not choose
to have it voluntarily, it still gets imbibed and deeply embedded in one’s personality. This
further leads to existence of peace, harmony and happiness among individuals at both personal
and professional levels. It forms an anchor for a person’s individualistic and collectivist
harmony. Spirituality is found acting as a positive force. It has been helpful in changing one’s
outlook toward life by making people happier and positive in their viewpoint and giving them
an inherent joy (Holder et al., 2010) in all that they do.
To sum up, spirituality plays an important part in a majority of people’s lives around the world.
Most definitions however, include three interrelated components and are divided as follows:
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Figure 1. Self-Illustration of the Components of Spirituality (Karakas, 2010)
8.1.2 Self-awareness
First, spirituality is about self-awareness and the search for meaning and purpose in life. This
aspect, widely referred to in the existing literature as self-discovery (Delaney, 2005). This
demonstrates the role that spirituality has in forming an integrated personality, and ultimately
how these factors interact to impact on the well-being of a person.
Business researchers have paid little attention to the importance of the self in moral decision-
making and enactment of a moral decision. However, recent research has begun to consider the
mechanisms between self and moral decision and action (Gozdz & Frager, 2003; Sekerka &
Bagozzi, 2007). Psychology-based studies have integrated the concept of self-more
consistently, and yet the self is conceived almost exclusively as a psychological device while
its spiritual dimension is overlooked.
The self is understood as the unifying element of our identity as individuals, and the founding
resource of morality. The individual self is both the subject and the object of the moral reflection
Components ofSpirituality
Personal
(self-awareness)
Communal(relationship)
Environment/God(eco-awareness)
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that informs our moral decisions, and more generally how we should live (Vice, 2003). The self
commonly represents our personality or the sense of being a person different from other people.
However, many spiritual traditions speak of a higher Self, a part of our being that stands outside
the personality, outside the conscious self, and outside the categories of conscious experience,
including time. There are countless names attributed to this form of self. The ancient Greeks
called it daimon, the ancient Romans, the genius; to the esoteric Kabbalist, it is tzelem, while
to Christians, it is the Christ within. Our sense of being develops along our consciousness of
self.
Layder (2004) contends that the self is ‘how a person regards themselves and how they, and
others, relate to or behave towards themselves’. For Layder (2004), the self is both sociological
and psychological. The self is also essentially, although not exclusively, emotional as well as
flexible and capable of evolution over a life span. Furthermore, Layder (2004) depicts the self
as the center of awareness but also a bearer of something of a spiritual nature, the higher Self.
The self is therefore a complex entity, both stable and dynamic. Human beings are most
essentially spiritual, whether they are conscious of their spirituality or not, and their spirituality
lies in the self.
8.1.3 Relation with Others
Spirituality’s second component is relationships. These relationships occur between humans
and a higher power; humans and other humans; and humans and other living things.
We have some ethics which shape our behavior, our attitude, and that is call spirituality. This
ethics actually comes from family, from your elders. Kim (2016) and others mention that
spirituality depends on three factors like family togetherness, family interdependence and
family coping.
7.1.4 Eco-awareness
Finally, spirituality is an awareness of a higher power, as well as the general feeling of holism.
This includes recognition that each person is part of a larger ecosystem which includes, nature,
the earth and the entire universe. This dimension has been called many things including eco-
21
spirituality (Rican and Jansova, 2005), environmental well-being (Gomez and Fisher, 2003),
and eco-awareness (Delaney, 2005).
Taking these three general dimensions into account, the authors define spirituality as a deeply
personal experience of self-discovery, connection to a higher power and other living things, and
an awareness of one’s presence in the living universe as they search for meaning and purpose
in life.
8.1.4 Consumer Behavior
The field of consumer behavior covers a lot of ground: It is the study of the processes involved
when individuals or groups select, purchase, use, or dispose of products, services, ideas, or
experiences to satisfy needs and desires. The needs and desires we satisfy range from hunger
and thirst to love, status, and even spiritual fulfillment.
In its early stages of development, researchers referred to the field as buyer behavior; this
reflected the emphasis at that time (back in the 1960s and 1970s) on the interaction between
consumers and producers at the time of purchase. Most marketers now recognize that consumer
behavior is in fact an ongoing process, not merely what happens at the moment a consumer
hands over money or a credit card and in turn receives some good or service. The exchange, a
transaction in which two or more organizations or people give and receive something of value,
is an integral part of marketing. Although exchange theory remains an important part of
consumer behavior, the expanded view emphasizes the entire consumption process, which
includes the issues that influence the consumer before, during, and after a purchase.
Our society is evolving from a mass culture in which many consumers share the same
preferences to a diverse one in which we each have almost an infinite number of choices. This
change makes it more important than ever to identify distinct market segments and to develop
specialized messages and products for those groups.
8.1.5 Consumer Decision-making Process
Traditionally, consumer researchers approached decision making from an information-
processing perspective. According to this view, people calmly and carefully integrate as much
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information as possible with what they already know about a product, painstakingly weigh the
pluses and minuses of each alternative, and arrive at a satisfactory decision.
When marketing managers believe that their customers in fact do undergo this kind of planning,
they should carefully study steps in decision making to understand just how consumers weigh
information, form beliefs about options, and choose criteria they use to select one option over
others. With these insights in hand, they can develop products and promotional strategies that
supply the specific information people look for in the most effective formats.
Customers go through several steps between the time they feel the need for a new product and
when they actually buy one. These steps are described as: problem recognition, information
search, evaluation of alternatives, and product choice. Of course, after the decision is taken, its
outcome affects the final step in the process, in which learning occurs based on how well the
choice worked out. This learning process, of course, influences the likelihood that customers
make the same choice the next time the need for a similar decision occurs.
Figure 2. Self-Illustration of the Consumer Decision Making Process
NEED RECOGNITION
INFORMATION SEARCH
EVALUATION OF
ALTERNATIVES
PURCHASE DECISION
POST PURCHASE
EVALUATION
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9. Research Question and Hypothesis
Bearing the abovementioned research gap and the supporting literature in mind, the main
research question I would like to answer in this study is:
How relevant is the impact of Spirituality on the consumer purchasing behavior in Mexico?
My main research question triggers to analyze more detailed information, for this reason the
analysis of the following sub-questions should be explored:
a) Is the impact of spirituality stronger with age?
b) How much influence spirituality has upon consumer needs and desire of goods? (positive or
negative impact)
c) What is the role that spirituality plays in shaping consumer attitudes and opinions when
searching for product alternatives?
d) Do people who claim to be spiritual, tend to make informed purchases with extensive
decision making rather than just impulse purchases?
After assessing the main criteria on which I will base my study, there are several hypotheses
that would need either rejection or support. Also, the hypotheses are going to be the base of the
questionnaire and the data analysis of the interviews.
First of all, the objective of the study is to gather information regarding the feelings and
emotions of respondents towards the three facets of spirituality: self-discovery, relationships,
and eco-awareness. The self-discovery dimension will cover questions regarding the meaning
they give to life. The relationship dimension will explore how they value maintaining and
nurturing the relationships with others. Finally, the eco-awareness dimension will examine if
they live in harmony with nature and if they believe there is a connection with the universe. By
covering the three dimensions of spirituality in the questionnaire, one can conclude whether the
respondents are highly spirituals or not. Moreover, by comparing the results of both generations,
millennials and baby boomers, one can answer the following hypothesis:
H1. Baby boomers present higher level of spirituality than millennials, hence spirituality is
stronger with age.
24
After assessing the degree of spirituality in both groups, one can detect to which extent
respondents feel the desire to buy new and better products and the reasons behind the feeling
of this necessity. The questionnaire will include inquiries such as “what motivates you to buy
a new product?”. Related questions will allow to understand if there is a positive correlation
between spirituality and the desire to buy something new. Therefore, the following hypotheses
could be proven:
H2a. Spirituality has a positive impact on consumer needs and desire of goods.
On the other hand, respondents may have the feeling of scarcity or incompleteness and for that
reason, one assumes that there is a negative correlation between spirituality and the desire to
buy something new. This leads to the following hypothesis:
H2b. Spirituality has a negative impact on consumer needs and desire of goods.
After identifying their needs, people look for information and tend to compare between all the
options that are available (stage two and three of the purchasing process). They evaluate the
entire positive and negatives aspects before actually purchasing a new product. During this part
of the interview, one can notice the difference in preferences between the two interviewed
groups regarding the opinions and thoughts of their options. During this stage of the purchasing
process, the facet of relationship of spirituality will influence in a stronger and more direct way
because personal contacts such as family and friends, account as a source of information; thus,
the influence of spirituality over the mind of the consumer is greater. Respondents could feel
under pressure of their community for instance and try to adapt their elections to fit in the
relationship facet of spirituality. Hence, the following hypothesis is proposed:
H3. The more spiritual consumers are, the more likely they are to engage in responsible and
sustainable consumption
In the stage in which customers decide what to buy and where, they usually make a logical
decision, however many times the final decision does not fulfill the expectations that consumers
were looking for because they made an impulsive decision. As spirituality serves as a
foundation for enhancing self-efficacy because it acts as a reflective tool which helps people
transform their prior experiences and knowledge into competence, then one can conclude that
spirituality should be a positive influence and consumers should make more informed and
conscious decisions. Thus, I decided to address two hypotheses:
25
H4a: If spirituality has a positive influence in decision making process while shopping, then
consumers make more informed purchases.
H4b: If spirituality has a negative impact on consumer decision making process, then
consumers make impulsive purchases.
10. Methodology
The study would be directed by open-ended-in-depth interviews in which there is going to be a
physical interaction with people, so this leads to capture people’s reactions and behavior during
the conversation and I could follow-up with some other questions that can give better
understanding of the situation.
The Interviews will be conducted to collect qualitative data about the level of impact spirituality
could have on consumer purchasing behavior. The interviews are going to be guided by a
structured questionnaire previously designed, this questionnaire will include aspects regarding
the role of spirituality in different stages of people’s life, the level in which people perceives
spirituality, their needs and desires of products, what they consider when comparing options,
and what they think during the purchasing process. The study is going to follow- up with the
questions in order to find out the insights related to the selection of choices at each stage of the
decision-making process.
For the interview, participants will be made up of 10 males and 10 females divided into two
different groups. The first group will consist of 5 males and 5 females aged between 18 and 35,
range commonly known as Generation Y or Millennials. The second group will be integrated
of 5 males and 5 females aged between 55 and 70, range broadly known as Baby Boomer
Generation. Each group is going to be asked the same questions and a comparison of their
answers is going to be analyzed afterwards.
26
10.1 Place of Study
This study will take place in Mexico, for that reason the importance to understand the context
and background of the county. It is relevant to mention that many beliefs and traditions of the
Mexican population have roots on religion and spiritual rituals coming from the Hispanic
culture. People in the country manifest a lot of respect to religious and spiritual institutions. For
example, nearly fifty percent of Mexicans report attending church services weekly, which
places Mexico in the top ten countries in the world for this measure of religious involvement
(University of Michigan News and Information Services, 1997). Furthermore, nearly all
Mexicans report a religious preference, with an estimated 82.7% identifying themselves as
Catholic (Central Intelligence Agency, 2010). Levels of religious salience, or the importance
of religion within a person’s life, are also high. Specifically, 84% of Mexicans reported that
religion was very important or important, while only 2.7% claimed that religion had no meaning
in their lives (Central Intelligence Agency, 2010). Other measures of religion and spirituality
in Mexico, such as believing in a higher power, feeling connected to others and to the
environment, belief in God, respect for priests, trust in the institution, and religious education
in the home, also support the high level of significance given to religion and spirituality within
Mexican culture (Camp, 2000).
Second reason to focus the research in Mexico is based on a global index that unveils the most
spiritual countries around the world. The study looked at a number of different factors,
including quality of life in each country, wellness, mindfulness and spiritual sites. The Global
Spirituality Index analyzed data sets on every country across the globe in order to outline which
destinations offered attractive spiritual experiences. Each country was given a score between 1
to 7 in each category, leaving them with a final ranking number. The ranking considers major
elements such as: quality of life, wellness opportunities, religious diversity, religious freedom,
religious tolerance, spiritual sights and wellness. In this ranking, Mexico was given number 7
worldwide. This been said, we can conclude that spirituality is highly present within Mexican
population, thus is a good opportunity to test the impact it has on the market.
27
Figure 3. Global Spirituality Index. Source: Waifairer Travel. Available at: http://dailyhive.com/montreal/canada-most-spiritual-country-world-ranking-2018
Lastly, the research in Mexico could serve as a guidance in emerging economies in Latin
America, due to similar patterns in their societies. So that further studies could be carried out
to understand better the role that Spirituality plays not only in Mexico but also covering other
countries in Latin America.
10.2 Defining Groups of Study
Mexico is a multifaceted country. According to the last official estimate, the country has a
population of 124,574,795 million (American Central Intelligence Agency, 2017). Mexico
belongs geographically to North America but ethnologically it belongs to Latin America.
Mexico is the most populous Spanish-speaking country in the world. About 78% of the
population live in urban areas. The following chart show the population pyramid in Mexico in
the last update of the American Central Intelligence Agency:
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Figure 4. Mexican Population Pyramid. Source: The world factbook. Available at: https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html
10.2.1 Millennials in Mexico.
This generation, also known as Generation Y, starts from the early 1980 and ends at the
beginning of 2000. This generation is Mexico’s largest demographic group and they want and
expect what their more developed neighboring countries have, particularly in border cities.
Millennials in Mexico are progressive, have different ideas and desires than their parents, are
willing to take risks, and have a different vision of the future. Motivation comes from more
than compensation, they expect their life to be something bigger than a paycheck. It's about
enrichment, fulfillment, and the flexibility to achieve their personal and professional goals on
their own terms. Generation Y consumers have benefited from the increased availability of
customized products and personalized services (Ansari and Mela, 2003; Berry et al., 2010;
Bitner et al., 2000; Peterson et al., 1997). They “want it all” and “want it now,” particularly in
relation to work pay and benefits, career advancement, work/life balance, interesting hobbies
and being able to make a contribution to society. Even though they are the first generation to
have spent their entire lives with technology, they are also involved in the trend of
environmentally friendly consumption.
29
10.2.2 Baby Boomers in Mexico.
This generation starts from the mid-1940s and ends around 1960 and 1964. Baby Boomers are
contemplating their situation and looking for ways to exercise their living inheritance. Baby
Boomers are seeking a place to live where essential outgoings are lower and their incomes
stretch further. Mexico offers attractive options in these respects as property taxes are low,
house maintenance costs are a fraction of those in the U.S., Canada and Europe, and overall
household and living costs can be lower. Many of the Baby boomers in Mexico are retired now
and are financially stable. This generation is looking for leisure experiences and tourism. They
are highly active seekers of religiosity and spirituality.
11. Plan of Work
START DATE DUE DATE TASK STATUS
15/09/2018 05/10/2018 Literature review – reading Done
05/10/2018 10/10/2018 Literature review – writing Done
10/10/2018 18/10/2018 Content writing Done
18/10/2018 21/10/2018 Literature review – buffer Done
- 22/10/2018 Master thesis exposé – hand-over Done
- 31/10/2018 Master thesis exposé – hand-over Done
- 06/11/2018
Exposé Feedback- integration of
improvements Done
01/11/2018 12/11/2018 Interviews codification and pre-test In process
12/11/2018 26/11/2018 Interviews execution -
26/11/2018 03/12/2018 Interviews transcription
04/12/2018 17/12/2018 Interviews analysis elaboration -
17/12/2018 31/12/2018 Interviews analysis writing -
01/01/2019 14/01/2019 Content writing
15/01/2019 18/01/2019 Finalization – proof-reading, printing, buffer -
08/01/2019 18/01/2019 Power point elaboration -
15/01/2019 21/01/2019
Master thesis defense – preparation
presentation -
- 21/01/2019 Master thesis – hand-over -
- 22/01/2019 Master thesis – defense -
30
12. List of References
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Neglected Factors in Preventing Veteran Suicide? Pastoral Psychology, 66, 191–199.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s11089-016-0747-8
Corbin, J. M., & Strauss, A. (1990). Grounded theory research: Procedures, Canons, and
Evaluative Criteria. Qualitative Sociology, 13, 3–21. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00988593
Daaleman, T. P., & Frey, B. B. (2004). The Spirituality Index of Well-Being: a New Instrument
for Health-related Quality-of-life Research. The Annals of Family Medicine, 2(5), 499-503.
Emmons, R. A. 1999. The Psychology of Ultimate Concerns: Motivation and Spirituality in
Personality. Guilford Press.
Gould, S. J. (2006). Cooptation Through Conflation: Spiritual Materialism is Not the Same as
Spirituality. Consumption Markets & Culture, 9, 63–78.
https://doi.org/10.1080/10253860500481262
Gupta, R. K., & Awasthy, R. (Eds.). (2015). Qualitative research in management: methods and
experiences. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Herrmann, P. N., Kundisch, D. O., & Rahman, M. S. (2015). Beating Irrationality: Does
Delegating to IT Alleviate the Sunk Cost Effect? Management Science, 61, 831–850.
https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.2014.1955
INEGI (2015). Religions classification. National Institute of Geography and Statistics [online]
Available at: http://www.beta.inegi.org.mx/app/biblioteca/ficha.html?upc=702825064983
[Accessed 20 Oct. 2018]
Jun, W. H., & Lee, G. (2016). The Mediating Role of Spirituality on Professional Values and Self-
Efficacy: a Study of Senior Nursing Students. Journal of Advanced Nursing, 72, 3060–3067.
https://doi.org/10.1111/jan.13069
MacDonald, D. A. (2000). Spirituality: Description, Measurement, and Relation to the Five Factor
Model of Personality. Journal of Personality, 68, 153–197. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-
6494.t01-1-00094
Minkov, M., & Hofstede, G. (2012). Hofstede’s Fifth Dimension: New Evidence from the World
Values Survey. Journal of Cross-cultural Psychology, 43(1), 3-14.
Mittelstaedt, J. D. (2002). A Framework for Understanding the Relationships between Religions
and Markets. Journal of Macromarketing, 22, 6–18. https://doi.org/10.1177/027467022001002
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Lanzini, P. (2017). Responsible citizens and sustainable consumer behavior: new interpretive
frameworks. Retrieved from https://ebookcentral.proquest.com
Pace, S. (2013). Does Religion Affect the Materialism of Consumers? An Empirical Investigation
of Buddhist Ethics and the Resistance of the Self. Journal of Business Ethics, 112, 25–46.
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1228-3
Piedmont, R. L. (1999). Does Spirituality Represent the Sixth Factor of Personality? Spiritual
Transcendence and the Five-Factor Model. Journal of Personality, 67, 985–1013.
https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-6494.00080
Rinallo, D., Scott, L. M., & Maclaran, P. 2013. Consumption and Spirituality (Vol. 16). Routledge.
Singh, R. K., & Hira, R. (2017). Exploring Notion of Spirituality Using Grounded Theory: Young
Adult’s Perspective. DECISION, 44, 171–178. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40622-017-0151-y
Solomon Michael R. (2014). Consumer behavior, Global edition. Pearson Education Limited
2014. ProQuest Ebook Central,
http://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/unikassel/detail.action?docID=5174936.
The world factbook (2016). People and Society: Mexico. [online] Available at:
https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/mx.html [Accessed 18 Oct.
2018]
Vitell, S. J., King, R. A., Howie, K., Toti, J.-F., Albert, L., Hidalgo, E. R., & Yacout, O. (2016).
Spirituality, Moral Identity, and Consumer Ethics: A Multi-cultural Study. Journal of Business
Ethics, 139, 147–160. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2626-0
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13. Appendix
33
34
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