Incorporating Transformative Consumer Research Into the Consumer Behavior Course Experience

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Ed Petkus, JrIncorporating Transformative Consumer Research Into the Consumer Behavior Course Experience

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Incorporating Transformative Consumer Research Into the Consumer Behavior Course Experience

Ed Petkus Jr.1

Abstract

In contrast to understanding consumer behavior for the benefit of business organizations, transformative consumer research (TCR) seeks to understand consumer behavior for the benefit of consumers themselves. Following Maris (2008) call for the incorporation of TCR in doctoral programs in marketing, this article outlines the relevance of TCR to the undergraduate consumer behavior course experience and develops topical and structural recommendations for implementation. Empirical evidence indicates positive student perceptions of TCR-based course projects in terms of complementing traditional projects, personal relevance, awareness of social responsibility issues, and marketing applications.

Keywords

transformative consumer research, experiential learning, consumer behavior, social responsibility

Mrs. ___ understands enough about nutrition to know that her children eat far too many processed foods and far too few fruits and vegetables. She reads anything she can find about healthy eating and often talks to her friends about it. She under-stands nutritional labels and is skilled at evaluating alterna-tives in the context of food shopping. She is seriously motivated to buy healthy food, and despite her relatively low income, she is willing to pay more for it.

But Mrs. ___ lives in what is known as a food desert. She has no car, and the only stores to which she has access via walking or affordable public transportation are conve-nience stores (which, of course, not only sell mostly pro-cessed food but sell it at a higher price). There is one store that she could walk to that sells some whole foods, but it involves crossing under a bridge where some dangerous peo-ple hang out (her friend was attacked there 6 months ago). So despite a consumer decision-making process that results in a strong intention to buy healthy food, Mrs. ___ is in a situa-tion that forces her to make choices that are less than favor-able to her and her familys well-being.

This scenario describes a consumer behavior context that is significantly different from the contexts typically addressed in a more traditional, managerially focused consumer behavior curriculum. These situations and ones like them raise impor-tant implications for consumer researchersconsiderations involving not only why and how people make (and are some-times forced to make) the choices they do but what the impact of those choices is on their well-being. The question is, Is there a place for such considerations in the consumer behavior

curriculum? Drawing on the body of knowledge known as transformative consumer research, this article seeks to shed light on that question.

What Is Transformative Consumer Research?Transformative consumer research (TCR) refers most sim-ply to consumer research whose mission is to improve peo-ples welfare. A formal definition is found on the TCR link from the Association for Consumer Research (2010) web-site: (TCR) is a movement within our association that seeks to encourage, support, and publicize research that benefits consumer welfare and quality of life for all beings affected by consumption across the world. The scope of TCR includes both micro- and macro-level consumer considerations. In setting the broad context for increased attention to TCR con-siderations, Mick (2008, p. 377) remarks, These are . . . the times in which the ideology and practice of consumption have multiplied across the earth to levels of complexity, sub-tlety, and influence that were unimaginable just a few decades ago.

In short, TCR addresses the avoidance of negative con-sumer outcomes and the realization of positive consumer

1Ramapo College of New Jersey, Mahwah, NJ, USA

Corresponding Author:Ed Petkus Jr., Ramapo College of New Jersey, Mahwah, NJ 07430, USAEmail: [email protected]

at UNIV FEDERAL DA PARAIBA on August 23, 2014jmd.sagepub.comDownloaded from

Petkus 293

outcomes. General TCR topic areas include vulnerable pop-ulations (e.g., the poor, illiterate, elderly, etc.), negative con-sumer behaviors (e.g., smoking, poor nutritional habits, high-risk behaviors, etc.), and positive consumer behaviors (e.g., environmentally responsible behavior, volunteer work, organ donation, etc.) (Mari, 2008; Mick, 2006). TCR repre-sents a countervailing approach to the traditional managerial perspective in consumer behavior; in contrast to understand-ing consumer behavior for the benefit of business organiza-tions, TCR involves understanding consumer behavior for the benefit of consumers themselves.

Although Mick (2006) can be credited with developing the TCR concept, Mari (2008) must be credited with intro-ducing the TCR theme to marketing education. However, Maris (2008) discussion is entirely limited to doctoral-level marketing education. This article seeks to extend the Mari (2008) discussion to undergraduate marketing education. This article will argue that undergraduate marketing educa-tion, specifically the Consumer Behavior course, represents an effective context for the implementation of TCR.

TCR in the Consumer Behavior Course: Relevance and JustificationIn the marketing education literature, Mari (2008) singularly provides the direct justification for the curricular consider-ation of TCR. However, there is a body of scholarship out-side the realm of marketing education that addresses the importance of a consumer welfare perspective in consumer research. Thus, a primary justification for the incorporation of TCR rests on the assumption that the consumer behavior curriculum seeks to tap into the consumer research body of knowledge in its totality.

Although the purpose here is not to review the entire TCR body of knowledge, several TCR research themes can be identified. For example, Bazerman (2001), examining social issues that affect consumers, identifies three areas of consumer decision making that provide opportunities for exploitative marketing practices: negotiations (e.g., for automobile pur-chase), financial services, and auctions. Another stream of research focuses on the ways in which consumers increase their psychological well-being by constructing individual and collective self-identities (e.g., Schau & Gilly, 2003; Thompson & Hirschmann, 1995). Other transformative con-sumer research topics that have been addressed include dif-fusion of innovations in less-developed countries (Arnould, 1989), the role of materialism in the consumer dynamics of homeless people (Hill, 1991), consumer assimilation among immigrants (Mehta & Belk, 1991; Penaloza, 1994), drug addiction experiences (Hirschmann, 1992), consumer scam victimization (Deighton & Grayson, 1995), and the con-sumption of natural foods and alternative health products (Thompson & Troester 2002).

These articles are cited here because they are among the classics in the fieldgroundbreaking in terms of TCR theme (and methodology in some cases). Much more recent scholarship has carried on in this tradition. In 2007, the first Transformative Consumer Research Conference was held at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth University; the second TCR conference was held in summer 2009 at Villa-nova University. General themes for the conference sessions included the following:

Poverty Materialism Developing Markets Sustainable Consumption Empowering Consumers to Live Healthier Lives Food and Health At-Risk Groups Social Justice Immigration, Culture, Ethnicity

The Association for Consumer Research website offers a Transformative Consumer Research link that provides an extensive resource for the most current scholarship in this area.

In addition to consumer research, scholarship in the con-text of macromarketing is also relevant to transformative consumer research. Echoing some of their earlier work (e.g., Wilkie & Moore, 1999; Wilkie, William, & Moore-Shay, 1997), Wilkie and Moore (2006) address the responsibility of the marketing discipline to address issues of the interface between marketing and society at large, including the influence of, and on, public policy decisions. They call for a renewed acknowledgement of the importance of a macromarketing perspective in understanding the effects of marketing sys-tems on society.

More broadly, the social responsibility and ethical themes of TCR suggest that its incorporation in the consumer behav-ior curriculum could enhance the degree to which students embrace and understand social responsibility and ethical fac-tors in marketing. To the extent that such learning outcomes are important in the marketing curriculum (e.g., Petkus, 2007; Singhapakdi, 2004; Yoo & Donthu, 2002), TCR can make a further contribution to their establishment, serving as the consumer-side complement to marketer-side social responsibility and ethical decision-making considerations.

In short, the existence of a robust body of prior (and emerging) scholarship makes a strong case for the relevance of the TCR perspective in the domain of marketing in gen-eral and consumer behavior in particular. It follows, then, that an infusion of the TCR perspective into the undergradu-ate consumer behavior course experience is justified. The body of knowledge is there, ready to be tapped for the devel-opment of rich undergraduate learning experiences. The next


294 Journal of Marketing Education 32(3)

question is, How, specifically, can the TCR perspective be implemented in the consumer behavior curriculum?

Implementation of TCR Perspective in the Consumer Behavior Course ExperienceTopical Relevance

The first step in implementation is to match basic consumer behavior course topics with the TCR body of knowledge. Table 1 outlines selected potential correspondences among

general consumer behavior course topics and TCR dimensions/topics. Although the course topics listed in Table 1 are intended to be rather generic (and thus flexible in application), most consumer behavior textbooks offer content that is explicitly relevant to TCR. For example, Solomon (2008) includes a section called The Dark Side of Consumer Behavior that draws directly on TCR literature. Topics covered include con-sumer terrorism (e.g., deliberate introduction of harmful sub-stances into consumer products, such as the Tylenol/cyanide case), addictive behavior (physical and psychological), com-pulsive consumption, consumer exploitation, illegal consump-tion activities, and anticonsumption behavior (deliberate

Table 1. Consumer Behavior Topics, TCR Dimensions, and Related Learning Experiences

Consumer Behavior Topic Relevant TCR Dimensions/Topics Examples of Learning Experiences

Sensory systems/multisensory perception

The effect of hedonic consumption on well-being and safety

In-class discussion of personal examples/anecdotes related to negative outcomes of hedonic consumption The effect of hedonic consumption on

economic efficiencyConsumer socialization

and learning Consumer socialization designed to increase

well-being for children and vulnerable groupsResearch project designed to develop

recommendations for using consumer socialization to positive outcome

Motivation Motivational conflicts among positive versus negative behaviors (e.g., risky shift)

Reflective essay to illustrate motivational conflict (and potential resolution)

Materialism/conspicuous consumption

Relationship to debt incurrence and other economic efficiency issues

Secondary research project summarizing current consumption/economics issues

Self-concept/self-esteem Relationship of self-esteem, body image, and so on, to consumer choices that affect physical/emotional health

Qualitative (interview) research project that explores relationships among relevant factors

Consumer decision-making model

Availability of full and accurate consumer information

In-class development of consumer decision-making scenarios that demonstrate disconnects among model dimensions (small groups or general discussion)

Disconnects among attitudes, behavioral intentions, and actual behavior

Consumer attitudes Cognitive dissonance related to conflicts among positive versus negative behaviors

Reflective essay that applies TCR factors to the various attitude models and their specific components (e.g., role of subjective norms in multiattribute attitude models)

Attitude change as related to avoiding negative outcomes and realizing more positive outcomes

Personality/lifestyle Effects of personality and lifestyle on positive versus negative consumer well-being outcomes (e.g., smoking cessation)

Qualitative research project that explores relationships among personality, lifestyle, and TCR-related behaviors

Reference group/social influence

Peer pressure resulting in negative outcomes In-class discussion of personal examples/anecdotes related to social pressures, and so on Social pressures leading to economic

inefficienciesConsumer social

responsibility Negative externalities of consumption (e.g.,

child labor, illegal or harmful ingredients), carbon footprint, effects of industrial agriculture, disposal issues

Research project that addresses any of many consumer social responsibility issues; in-class discussion of relevant current events; broad final course project

Cultural influences Identification of cultural differences among vulnerable groups and all aspects of negative versus positive consumer well-being outcomes

Reflective essay that explores cultural influence related to TCR topics; broad final course project

Global issues Cultural homogenization Reflective essay that explores global issues related to TCR topics; broad final course project Harmful effects of export of lifestyle

dimensions (e.g., Western diet)

Note: TCR = transformative consumer research.


Petkus 295

sabotage or defacement of marketing activities such as ciga-rette billboards). Other textbook treatments of specific TCR-related topics include consumer misbehavior (Babin & Harris, 2008) and consumer advocacy and public policy issues related to consumer behavior (Lindquist & Sirgy, 2008). In addition, most consumer behavior textbooks include treat-ments of broader contextually relevant issues such as market-ing ethics and social responsibility.

Learning ExperiencesIf one accepts that TCR dimensions and topics are relevant to the consumer behavior course curriculum, the next step is to develop specific learning experiences for implementation. These learning experiences generally fall into two catego-ries: in-class experiences and homework/project work. Table 1 offers examples of potential learning experiences for each of the consumer behavior topics and TCR dimensions. These examples are intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive; indeed, any type of learning experience or assignment could poten-tially be applied to any of the topics, based on instructor inter-est, preference, and course structure.

Also, it is very important to emphasize that the overall degree of TCR implementation is very flexible: It could range from creating an entire course that is TCR themed to occa-sionally introducing TCR dimensions on an a la carte basis. Indeed, innovative teaching methods may be applied to the TCR context; for example, Stern (2008) discusses a course innovation in which students undertook a discovery walk in which they directly observed the consumption contexts of minority consumers. Again, instructor preference, school or college or department mission, and student interest are some factors than can help determine the degree of TCR integra-tion in the course. The following sections will offer some illustrative examples of (a) in-class learning experiences and (b) student projects from my own experience in fall 2008 and spring 2009 (the semesters in which, inspired by Mari (2008), I integrated TCR formally into the curriculum). For context: I teach at a medium-sized public liberal arts college in the northeast United States; the School of Business is the largest of the five schools at the college; we have roughly 225 mar-keting majors.

In-class learning experiences. In-class TCR-related experi-ences include (a) discussions of TCR themes and dimension and (b) the completion of in-class experiential exercises. In my experience, in-class discussions of TCR topics have been vibrant, with generally broad participation. In the interest of full disclosure, an advantage in my classes is that the stu-dents were primed to understand TCR topics because their final project, to be discussed later, was TCR themed, so they were familiar with the TCR perspective starting with the first-day discussion of the syllabus. In general, student famil-iarity with the specific topics, as well as students overall

level of involvement with social issues, would likely be fac-tors in the level of participation in class discussion and the depth and breadth of student input in those discussions.

In my own classes, I emphasized the congruence of TCR themes with the liberal arts mission of our college (our school of business mission also incorporates integration of business education and the liberal arts). However, any mar-keting educator seeking to enhance the degree of relevance of TCR dimensions can call on (a) current events and/or (b) students own life experiences. For example, the semes-ters in which I implemented TCR dimensions happened to coincide with the economic recession of 2008-2009, which opened up many chances for discussion of how economic difficulties relate to consumer behavior in terms of motivation, attitude formation, and consumer decision-making dynam-ics. In addition, a number of my students were able to share stories that related to TCR themes. In one notably affecting example, a students father had recently died from obesity-related conditions; the student was forthcoming with many details about his fathers consumption choices (in terms of food, exercise, and other lifestyle factors), which provided rich fodder for discussion (and inspired that students group project topic for the course).

In-class exercises represent an even higher level of TCR application than does a general discussion. Several times during the two semesters, I dedicated the last 20 to 30 min-utes of class to having the students form small groups and apply the days material to a minicase that is TCR themed. For example, the class was asked to devise a draft of a community outreach strategy that would help children learn how to understand the basics of nutritional labeling for the foods they eat. The goal of this exercise was to have students apply concepts involving consumer socialization and con-sumer learning. The outcomes of this exercise involved mul-tifaceted appeals drawing on cultural, social, and educational factors in consumer socialization and consumer learning (as well as a complementary application of integrated marketing communication basics). Another example of an in-class TCR exercise had students rewriting and redesigning advertise-ments for beauty products. The goal of this exercise was to apply chapter material dealing with body image, self-esteem, and sex roles in order to redesign the ads so that they told the truth. The main TCR-related outcome of this exercise was that it helped the students understand the links between marketing/advertising strategies and consumers psycholog-ical well-being; however, the in-class time was perhaps too limited for the students to fully execute their ideas (some-thing to consider for any in-class exercise or assignment).

Student projects/out-of-class assignments. Although in-class experiences serve to reinforce course material and demon-strate its application in the TCR context, homework assign-ments and research projects provide an opportunity for even deeper immersion in and exploration of TCR themes.



Assignment breadth and depth can obviously vary greatly, as can the degree to which the assignment incorporates TCR themes. TCR-based learning experiences are also a natural match for service-learning opportunities, in which commu-nity organizations that deal with negative consumer out-comes or vulnerable groups (such as, e.g., local food pantries, local chapters of Consumer Credit Counseling Services, Better Business Bureau, etc.) benefit from direct student projects and consultations.

In my courses, the deepest and broadest immersion in the TCR perspective came in the final group project. For this assignment, student groups select a TCR-related consumer phenomenon and complete both secondary and primary research with the goal of developing recommendations both to consumers and to any relevant organizations or companies (all students in the courses completed the TCR-themed proj-ect). The project also requires students to apply any funda-mental consumer behavior concepts that are relevant to the topic. Students choose their own topics (though I give them a list of broad themes, as shown in the outline in the appen-dix); indeed, they are encouraged to choose a topic in which they have some personal interest, if possible.

An important aspect of the final project is the emphasis on developing marketing solutions (or the mitigation of market-ing efforts that exacerbate problems) to close the loop from analysis to recommendation. In other words, it is not enough to raise these issues; ultimately, the goal is a more comprehensive learning experience that incorporates mar-keting applications, in the form of specific recommendations to both consumers and organizations (companies, govern-ment organizations, etc.), based on the analysis. Each group is required to complete 20 primary data events (personal interviews, surveys, etc.) to enhance their analysis and sup-port their recommendations. The project outline (see the appendix) is designed to follow the broader topical outline of the course.

The TCR-based topics group projects for fall 2008 and spring 2009 fell into three broad categories. Six of the proj-ects addressed consumer well-being in the context of diet and fitness; seven projects addressed consumer well-being in the context of addictive or harmful behaviors. Five of the projects focused on economic and/or technological issues. The specific project topics are detailed in Table 2.

As indicated above, an important aspect of the project is the recommendations that students generate based on their analysis. Because they develop recommendations for both consumers themselves and for organizations (businesses, government organizations, consumer advocacy groups, and schools) that are relevant to the particular phenomenon, the students are forced to think through the entire consumption/marketing cycle that relates to the phenomenon. This adds an integrative aspect to the project, as students apply marketing strategy and integrated marketing communication concepts

and functions. For example, the students who completed the project that addressed the effects of consumer technology on exercise made recommendations to consumers that involved compensating for sedentary technology experiences with physical activity (including direct time correspondences and making decisions that, if possible, combined the two). They also recommended a public awareness campaign (facilitated through the Ad Council and the Presidents Council on Phys-ical Fitness) that communicated the importance of balancing the consumer technology experience with physical activity and a similar campaign, directly targeting younger children, to be delivered in the elementary schools.

Students Perceptions of TCR Implementation: Empirical EvidenceFor some, the justification for implementing TCR in the con-sumer behavior course curriculum would come from its very nature; that any effort to impart social responsibility into the marketing curriculum is fundamentally, even morally, justi-fied. However, I was interested in the students reaction to the TCR orientation of the projects. In June 2009, I sent all the students who had completed the projects (i.e., both the fall 2008 and spring 2009 sections) a single-question online survey that simply asked, In your Consumer Behavior course, you completed a final group project in which you researched a topic that dealt with consumer well-being.

Table 2. Transformative Consumer ResearchBased Project Topics (Fall 2008/Spring 2009)

Broad Project Theme Specific Project Topics

Consumer well-being (diet/fitness)

Diet versus exercise for weight management

Effect of technology on exercise Organic food consumption: College

students Vegetarianism/veganism Workplace factors in obesity Water: Consumption and conservation

Consumer well-being (addictive/harmful behaviors)

Prescription drug addiction Smoking cessation Performance-enhancing drugs Workplace factors in obesity Video game addiction Gambling addiction Body modification

Economic/technological issues

Online banking and personal finance management

Economic challenges for new college graduates

Recessionary spending Online shopping: Senior citizens Internet safety


Petkus 297

Please describe how you feel about doing a project with this type of objective. Please include as much detail as possible in your response. Forty-four out of the 60 students responded, and they were nearly evenly split between the two semesters (21 from fall 2008 and 23 from spring 2009); given that the two courses were in the same academic year, there is no rea-son to expect that there would be any significant differences between the two groups.

The valence of the responses was overwhelmingly pos-itive, which was not surprising because, as the projects unfolded during the semesters, there was a generally positive feeling about the TCR orientation (likewise the comments in the course evaluations). Beyond that confirmation, I was interested in the students feelings regarding the learning outcomes that they had realized in completing the project. A content analysis of the responses identified four main themes. First, many students noted the favorable contrast that the TCR project provided with respect to more traditional marketing/business-oriented projects. A second theme was personal relevancestudents commented that they could relate personally to the TCR topics and that this enhanced their learning of the concepts. Third, students reported that the TCR project helped increase their awareness of consumer well-being issues and social responsibility factors in market-ing. Finally, several responses discussed the practical mar-keting applications that emerged from the project (which is encouraging in terms of the overall objectives of the con-sumer behavior course). It is also important to note that two students commented that they would have liked to either have had a choice between doing a traditional project or com-pleted a project that somehow combined the traditional with the TCR approach (indeed, this speaks to the flexible nature of the degree of TCR implementationcommunication with students as to the amount of choice that they would like to see). None of the student comments were critical or disdain-ful of the project (though I acknowledge that there is no way to account for potential nonresponse bias). Table 3 offers some verbatim examples of the students responses for each of these four thematic categories.

Final ReflectionsThe total body of consumer research literature is indeed vast, and no instructor can hope to cover all of it in a semester-long consumer behavior course experience. Adding a TCR per-spective to ones course thus might require that something else be foregone. However, merely exposing students to the potential for such consumer research, and to the consumer well-being issues that are raised, should result in some of the learning outcomes discussed in the previous section. More-over, TCR topical coverage would not be limited to the consumer behavior course; any course that covers consumer behavior topics and/or social responsibility topics could

potentially find opportunities for implementation. It is impor-tant to emphasize here that the TCR implementation described herein is intended to be illustrative, not exhaustive. Over time, given some level of increased TCR implementation, we

Table 3. Students Response to TCR Project (Fall 2008/Spring 2009)

Students Response to TCR Project: General Themes Examples of Verbatim Responses

Contrast with traditional marketing projects

More appropriate . . . not everything when dealing with marketing is about sales; it is important to learn this

Better way to keep students thinking and involved in the topic

Far more interesting than traditional business-oriented project

When the assignment was given and I was informed that we would have to give recommendations to improve consumer well-being I became extremely excited a refreshing change

Different research than other classes which broadened my learning horizon

Provides students with a holistic viewPersonal relevance We are all consumers . . . we learn more

about ourselves as consumers The project was more personally

relevant . . . these types of topics help us as consumers to make better decisions

Doing research that reflected and related to my self and my attitudes

Allowed us to relate the project more to ourselves than another project might

Awareness of social/social responsibility issues

Conducting the research forces you to become aware of issues you may not otherwise think about . . . it encompasses ethics, law, as well as social sciences

Presented an opportunity to look outside of the box beyond the actual product and address the ways in which in affect the consumers life

Will better our ability to work in a socially responsible capacity

Marketing applications

This project forces you to fix problems or potential problems and think of ways to help consumers

Making recommendations allowed us to use our creativity to its best potential

In learning how we are able to better our consumers well-being, we were, inevitably, going to increase sales and market share

A deeper understanding of marketing concepts

Note: TCR = transformative consumer research.



should look for future scholarship to expand on the consider-ations introduced herein. Also, it is important to reiterate that this is not a call for a complete, radical overhaul of the con-sumer behavior curriculum; TCR can serve as a balance to the predominant managerial focus, but not necessarily a replace-ment. Again, ultimately, the degree to which TCR is incorpo-rated into the consumer behavior curriculum will likely be driven primarily by the individual instructors level of inter-est in the perspective.

Such considerations open the door to a new and broader question: Should a TCR perspective be part of a larger social responsibility focus in the overall marketing curriculum? Most marketing curricula have embraced marketing ethics across most, if not all, courses. Marketing curricula are increasingly embracing sustainability issues. Is TCR the next step in the evolution (enlightenment?) of the marketing cur-riculum? The student responses to the TCR project experi-ence seem to indicate that this may be the case (see Table 3). Examples of student responses include conducting the research forces you to become aware of issues you may not otherwise think about . . . it encompasses ethics, law, as well as social sciences; presented an opportunity to look out-side of the box beyond the actual product and address the ways in which in affect the consumers life; and will better our ability to work in a socially responsible capacity. Although more research would need to be done in this area, the logical extension from TCR themes to social responsibility consid-erations does not appear to be too far a stretch.

Of course, Mrs.___ does not care what we call it. She just wants to get some healthy food for her kids.

AppendixExample Outline for TCR Final Course Project

MKTG 310 Consumer BehaviorGeneral Outline for the Final ProjectTransformative Consumer Research: Analysis of Consumer

Experience, with Recommendations to Increase Con-sumer Well-Being

Introduction1. Description of the Phenomenon/Experience of

Interest2. Brief Historical Perspective

Part 1: Individual and Decision-Making Perspective1. Perception/Multi-Sensory Issues2. Motivation & Values Analysis3. Self, Personality, Lifestyle, and Attitudinal

Factors4. Decision-Making Dynamics

Appendix (continued)

Part 2: Sociocultural Perspective1. Sociodemographic Factors2. Cultural Influences3. Global/Multicultural Factors

Part 3: Recommendations to Organizations and Consumers

Please recall that the overarching theme of the project is transformative consumer research, with a mission of enhanc-ing the well-being of people/society. Some topical areas that you might address include

Economic efficiency Health/nutrition/fitness Environmental/social responsibility Consumer education (children/youth) Consumer safety Psychological and social well-being Vulnerable groups (poor, elderly, illiterate, etc.)

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author(s) declared no conflicts of interest with respect to the authorship and/or publication of this.

Funding

The author(s) received no financial support for the research and/or authorship of this article.

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Incorporating Transformative Consumer Research Into the Consumer Behavior Course Experience