Work

Understanding the origin and evolution of affinity as a multidisciplinary concept: A conceptual approach to consumer affinity

Year: 2022

Type: article

Abstract: The use of the term affinity has been gradually spreading in several disciplines from multiple viewpoints. Among all these approaches, the concept of consumer affinity, which explains how consumers' positive dispositions toward a particular foreign country affect their purchase decisions of products from that origin, has recently emerged in the marketing discipline. In addition to the scarcity of theoretical and empirical studies on this concept, the marketing literature lacks a systematic review detailing the origin, evolution, and relevance of this notion and the remaining gaps to be investigated in this field. This study aims to examine the complex nature of consumer affinity and the difficulties that arise in its analysis at a conceptual and methodological level to examine its nature, characteristics, dimensionality, and relationship with other variables. To this end, through a systematic review using the PRISMA protocol, this study provides an integrated framework of the existing literature, analyzing the etymological origin and conceptual foundations of consumer affinity, its publication trajectory, and the main contributions to its study. Finally, this paper provides a roadmap for future research based on the convergences, inconsistencies, and knowledge gaps identified in the literature.

Source: Psychology and Marketing

DOI: 10.1002/mar.21718

Authors: M. Mar Serrano‐Arcos, Raquel Sánchez‐Fernández, Juan Carlos Pérez‐Mesa, Petra Riefler

Institutions: University of Almería, BOKU University

Language: English

Topic: Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification

Subfield: Marketing

Field: Business, Management and Accounting

Domain: Social Sciences

Open Access status: green

Funder: Consejería de Economía, Innovación, Ciencia y Empleo, Junta de Andalucía

OpenAlex ID: W4292879120