Rethinking consumer resistance through institutional entrepreneurship

摘要

This article adopts an institutional view to rethink consumer resistance. Two types of consumers who resist market domination are identified: “rebels” and “entryists.” Rebels are able to consume but do not want to and oppose all or part of the market, whereas entryists want to consume but are kept out of the market. These two categories of resistant consumers are regarded as institutional entrepreneurs because they attempt to shape established institutions. Rebels are game changers, their resistance aims at disrupting market and consumption practices while entryists are justiciaries, their resistance aims at empowering those who are left behind. Implications for marketing of this renewed vision of consumer resistance are discussed in this article.