Primary Contributions (1)
term in economics that describes and explains the practice by consumers of using goods of a higher quality or in greater quantity than might be considered necessary in practical terms. The American economist and sociologist Thorstein Veblen coined the term in his book The Theory of the Leisure Class (1899). The concept of conspicuous consumption can be illustrated by considering the motivation to drive a luxury car rather than an economy car. Any make of car provides transport to a destination, but the use of a luxury car additionally draws attention to the apparent affluence of the driver. The benefit of conspicuous consumption can be situated within the idea, postulated by economists, that consumers derive “utility” from the consumption of goods. Veblen identified two distinct characteristics of goods as providing utility. The first is what he called the “serviceability” of the good—in other words, that the good gets the job done (e.g., luxury and economy cars are equally able to...
Encyclopedia of Business Ethics and Society (2007)
five volumes of this ultimate resource recognize the inherent unity between business ethics and business and society, that stems from their shared primary concern with value in commerce. This
Encyclopedia spans the relationships among business, ethics, and society by including more than 800 entries that feature broad coverage of corporate social responsibility, the obligation of companies to various stakeholder groups, the contribution of business to society and culture, and the...