Some possibilities include shopping, buying, assembling possession assortments, storing or organizing possessions, using possessions, sharing possessions, disposing of possessions, and consumers talking with other consumers about the marketplace. Both direct observation and consumers' own observations of their behavior can provide useful data. These observations can form the basis of truly knowing consumers' behaviors and are the seeds from which consumer theories and conceptualizations can emerge. Beyond the obvious benefits of enhancing both our understanding of consumer behavior and the prestige of our discipline, a greater diversity in research approaches and greater emphasis on core consumer phenomena can enhance researcher productivity, particularly of young scholars. I think consumer behavior is one of the most exciting disciplines in academia.
Graduate students enter their doctoral training with enthusiasm, joy, and openness.
We would all benefit if we could find ways to encourage the diversity of interests and approaches that graduate students naturally bring to the study of consumer behavior. The discipline would be richer, and the joy of discovery would be maintained by individual scholars for a longer period of time if we old-timers who make decisions on dissertation approval, publication acceptances, and job offers could find a way to nurture this diversity.