A research on the evaluation of consumers’ voluntary simplicity lifestyle tendency in the Covid-19 period

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to examine the tendency of consumers towards a voluntary simple lifestyle in the period of Covid-19. Within the scope of this purpose, in the study, firstly the literature on the subject has searched and then, through the online survey method, it has been tried to reveal the tendency of the consumers towards the voluntary simplicity lifestyle in the Covid-19 period. As a result of the study, it can be stated that consumers have been in a positive tendency in planned shopping, simple life and longevity since the Covid-19 period. In addition, according to the results from the study, it can be claimed that planned shopping, simple life, longevity, self-sufficiency and material wealth factors differ statistically significantly according to some demographic variables.

Keywords

• Consumer behavior
• Consumer tendency
• Voluntary simplicity lifestyle
• Covid-19

References

1. Alexander, S. (2011). The voluntary simplicity movement: Reimagining the good life beyond consumer culture. The International Journal of Environmental, Cultural, Economic and Social Sustainability, 53, 1689–1699.
2. Alexander, S. and Ussher, S. (2012). The voluntary simplicity movement: A multi-national survey analysis in theoretical context. Journal of Consumer Culture, 12 (1), 66-86.
3. Argan, M., Argan-Tokay M., and Sevim, N. (2012). Tükenmeden tükettiren yaşam tarzı: Gönüllü sadelik, E. Akkiliç, V. Özbek and F. Koç (Ed.), in 17th National Marketing Congress Proceedings (pp. 201-220), Balıkesir: Elman Kitap Yayın Dağıtım.
4. Babaoğul, M. and Buğday, E. B. (2012). Gösteriş tüketimine karşı gönüllü sadelik. M. Babaoğul, E. B.Buğday, A. Şener (Ed.), in Tüketici Yazıları III (76-87). Ankara:T ÜPADEM.
5. Ballantine, P. W. and Creery, S. (2010). The consumption and disposition behaviour of voluntary simplifiers. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 9(1), 45-56.
6. Bayat, M. and Sezer A. (2018). Bireylerin gönüllü sade yaşam tarzları ve yaşam doyumlarının, geleneksellik değeri açısından değerlendirilmesi: Düzce üniversitesi örneği. İş Ahlakı Dergisi, 11(1), 69-87.
7. Bekin, C., Carrigan, M., and Szmigin, I. (2005). Defying marketing sovereignty: Voluntary simplicity at new consumption communities. Qualitative Market Research: An International Journal, 8(4), 413–429.
8. Cengiz, H. (2014). Gönüllü sade yaşam davranışının ölüm tüketimi davranışına yönelik tutumlar üzerine etkisi: Türk ve Amerikan kültürleri arasında bir karşılaştırma (Doctoral Thesis, Eskişehir Osmangazi University, Eskişehir). Retrieved from: http://openaccess.ogu.edu.tr:8080/xmlui/handle/11684/966?locale-attribute=en

9. Chowdhury, R. M. M. I. (2016). Religiosity and voluntary simplicity: The mediating role of spiritual well-being. Journal of Business Ethics, 152, 149-174.
10. Craig-Lees, M., and Hill, C. (2002). Understanding voluntary simplifiers. Psychology & Marketing, 19(2), 187–210.
11. Elgin, D. (1993). Voluntary simplicity: Toward a way of life that is outwardly simple, New York.: Quill Publishing.
12. Elgin, D. and Mitchell, A. (1977). Voluntary simplicity. The Co-Evolution Quarterly, 3, 5-18.
13. Ergen, A. (2014). Maddi değerler, gönüllü sade yaşam biçimi, çevre bilgisi: Sürdürülebilir tüketim davranışı açısından bir araştırma (Doctoral thesis, Marmara Üniversitesi, İstanbul). Retrieved from: http://dspace.marmara.edu.tr/handle/11424/18185?locale-attribute=tr
14. Erdoǧmuş, I., and Karapinar, E. (2015). Understanding levels of voluntary simplicity in Turkey. Bogazici Journal, 29(2), 1–19.
15. Ezell, D. (2019). Consumer well-being: A typology and examination of voluntary simplicity (Doctoral thesis, The University of Mississippi, Oxford). Retrieved from: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/1580/
16. Gregg, R. (1936). Voluntary simplicity. Visva-Bharati Quarterly, reprinted in Manas in 1974.
17. Hellore, L. L. (2008). Voluntary simplicity - the next step in business ethics development? Ekonomiska Samfundets Tidskrift, 61(3), 123
18. Huneke, M. E. (2005). The face of the unconsumer: An empirical examination of the practice of voluntary simplicity in the United States. Psychology & Marketing, 22(7), 527-550.
19. Iwata, O. (2006). An evaluation of consumerism and lifestyle as correlates of a voluntary simplicity lifestyle. Social Behavior and Personality, 34(5), 557–567.
20. Iwata, O. (1997). Attitudinal and behavioral correlates of voluntary simplicity lifestyles. Social Behavior and Personality. 25(3), 233-240.
21. İrge, N. T. and Karaduman, İ. (2018). X ve Y kuşaklarında gönüllü sadelik algısının tüketici karar tarzlarına etkisi. İşletme Araştırmaları Dergisi, 10(3),120-143.
22. Karaca, Ş. and Gümüş N. (2018, April). Tüketicilerin gönüllü sadelik algılarının demografik özelliklere göre incelenmesi: Sivas örneği. Paper presented at 2nd International Congress of Eurasian Social Sciences.http://www.icoess.com/Content_Files/Content/indirilecek%20dosyalar/ICOESS%202018%20Tam%20metin%20bildiri%20kitab%C4%B1%20%C4%B1sbn.pdf
23. Karaca, Ş. (2013). Tüketicilerin yeşil ürünlere ilişkin tutumlarının incelenmesine yönelik bir araştırma. Ege Akademik Bakış, 13(1), 99–111.
24. Kaynak, R. and Ekşi, S. (2011). Ethnocentrism, religiosity, environmental and health consciousness: Motivators for anti-consumers. Eurosian Journal of Business and Economics, 4(8), 31-50.
25. Kızılderili, C. (2020). Gönüllü sadelik hareketini benimsemiş ailelerin tüketim motivasyonlarının keşfedilmesi (Unpublished master thesis). Akdeniz Üniversitesi, Social Science Institute, Department of Marketing, Antalya.
26. Köker, N. E. and Maden, D. (2012). Hazcı ve faydacı tüketim bağlamında tüketicinin ürün temelli yenilikçiliği algılaması: Amprik bir araştırma. İşletme Araştırmaları Dergisi, 4(2), 94-121.
27. Kurtuluş, S. Karapınar, E. and Özkan, E. (2019). Organik ürün tüketicilerinin tipolojisi: Gönüllü sadelik, çevre bilinci ve değerler açısından pazar bölümlerinin incelenmesi. Tüketici ve Tüketim Araştırmaları Dergisi, 11(1), 107-142.
28. Moisander, J. and Sinikka, P. (2002). Narratives of sustainable ways of living: Constructing the self and the other as a green consumer. Management Decision, 40(4): 329-342.
29. Monopolis, A. N. (2010). Voluntary simplicity, authentic happiness, and ecological sustainability (Unpublished doctoral thesis). University of California, California.
30. Moore, L. (2009). Educating simplicity: The ideal lifestyle of voluntary simplicity and the promotional role of government (Master thesis). Retrieved From: https://mspace.lib.umanitoba.ca/xmlui/handle/1993/21349
31. Nolen, T. P. (1994). Choosing voluntary simplicity as a lifestyle (Unpublished doctoral thesis). The University of North Carolina, Greensboro.
32. Özgül, E. (2011). Tüketicilerin sosyo- demografik özelliklerinin hedonik tüketim ve gönüllü sade yaşam tarzları açısından değerlendirilmesi. Ege Akademik Bakış, 11(1), 25-38,
33. Özgül, E. (2010). Tüketicilerin değer yapıları, gönüllü sade yaşam tarzı ve sürdürebilir tüketim üzerindeki etkisi. H.Ü. İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Dergisi, 28(2), 117-150.
34. Peyer, M., Balderjahn, I., Seegebarth, B. and Klemm, A. (2017). The role of sustainability in profiling voluntary simplifiers. Journal of Business Research, 70, 37-43.
35. Read, R. (2018). Voluntary simplicity: Strongly backed by all three main normative-ethical traditions. Ethnical Perspectives, 25(1), 649-675.
36. Sertoğlu, A. E., Bozoklu, Ç. P., and Korkmaz, S. (2016). Voluntary simplicity, values and lifestyles: A case of Ankara-Turkey. Beta Pazarlama Teorisi ve Uygulamaları Dergisi, 2(1), 21–50.
37. Shama, A. (1980). How marketers can cater to “voluntary simplicity” segment. Marketing News, 13(19), 2-3.
38. Shaw, D. and Moraes, C. (2009). Voluntary simplicity: An exploration of market interactions. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 33, 215-223.
39. Umut, M. Ö., Topuz, Y. V. and Velioğlu, M. N. (2015). Çöpten geri dönüşüme giden yolda sürdürülebilir tüketiciler. Celal Bayar Üniversitesi Sosyal Bilimler Dergisi, 13(2), 263–288.
40. Uygun, M., Akın, P.D. and Güner, E. (2018). Gönüllü sade yaşam tarzı, alışveriş motivasyonu ve marka deneyimi arasındaki ilişkiler, TUJOM, 3(3), 199-222.
41. Zaritska, N. (2015). Downshifting as alternative lifestyle practices and result of individual voluntary life strategies: Case of Ukrainian society. Teorija in Praksa, 52(1-2): 220-235.
42. Zavestoski, S. (2002). The social - psychological bases of anticonsumption attitudes. Psychology & Marketing, 19 (2), 149-165.