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HOT OFF THE PRESS

When having
less promotes
greater consumer
product creativity

Dr Mignon Reyneke examines new international research The authors focused the study on
that considers the impact of resource scarcity in difficult the perceived availability of physical
economic times – and how it encourages consumers to find resources for “an individual’s normal
new and innovative ways of using traditional products. growth and maintenance”. In other words,
the amount of resources a consumer
SCARCITY OF RESOURCES IS salaries remain stable. I believe that, feels he or she has available (or PHOTO: GETTY/GALLO IMAGES
something that many South rather than having a temporary feeling unavailable) to maintain an appropriate
African consumers – particularly of needing to tighten their belts, lifestyle and a normal level of growth.
those in lower-income groups – have consumers perceive this as a longer-
been faced with for a long time. term concern and have a general sense THE RESOURCE
Considering the less-than-positive of likely ongoing resource scarcity. SCARCITY MINDSET
economic outlook, this has recently According to Mehta and Zhu, their own
become even more of a concern A recent study by Ravi Mehta, an and various previous studies indicate
across a wider spectrum of Assistant Professor at the University that a scarcity of resources activates
the population. of Illinois, and Meng Zhu, an Assistant consumer decision-making in an
Professor of Marketing at the John interesting way: people become less
Indeed, the current economic woes Hopkins Carey Business School, fixated on the traditional use of products
have left people across all walks of life examined the concept of a general and, hence, are more likely to use them
concerned about how they will continue resource scarcity and the effect of this in creative ways that were originally
to make ends meet as food, fuel and on the creative and non-traditional use not intended by manufacturers and
transport prices continually rise, but of products by consumers. product marketers.

50 strategicmarketing August–September 2016