Some theoretical aspects of consumer behavior models
Abstract. The article investigates problems and prospects for the development of the theory of consumer behavior and the experience of government regulation in different countries of the world. Trends in the development of consumer behavior in the countries considered in the article, to a certain extent, confirm conclusions made during the study. It is argued that at present the share of consumer spending is significantly higher for those countries that implement a more liberal government policy regarding government regulation of consumer behavior. The work emphasizes that no matter how diverse consumer behavior is, it is still subject to certain patterns, which gives the right to talk about the possibility of regulating it to ensure economic stability and development.
Keywords: consumer behavior, expenses, savings, households, government regulation. Highlights:
- the development of the theory of consumer behavior is still far from its completion, moreover, the emergence of new theories and concepts leads to even more questions, as each new theory opens up a new layer within this multidimensional phenomenon in the economy. This implies that the very object of research within the framework of the theory of consumer behavior still requires specification;
- the question of the need to assess the role of consumer activity in changing consumer behavior remains open. The experience of recent decades shows that consumers have become increasingly interested in the results of economic development and more responsive to changes. This indicates an increase in consumer activity and suggests a possibility of an even greater increase with the development of consumer society, which will lead to an increased influence of consumer behavior on all processes taking place in the economic system;
- government policy in the field of regulating consumer behavior is an important element of economic policy in the context of an increase in the share of consumer spending in GDP. However, with the growth of the consumer activity within the framework of the welfare state, the regulator has fewer and fewer tools for direct intervention in the consumer choice process, which implies the need to search for new indirect methods of influence that allow modeling consumer behavior depending on certain conditions;
- consumer behavior is highly dependent on the stability of the economy and changes dramatically during the crisis. It can be assumed that with the growth of the consumer activity, the sensitivity of consumer behavior to changes in the economic system will increase. Given the fact that consumer spending accounts for about 50% of GDP, such drastic changes in the context of the crisis can destabilize the situation and lead to extremely negative consequences. In this regard, it is necessary to form a state mechanism capable of stabilizing consumer behavior and preventing the growth of panic;
- it should be emphasized that no matter how diverse consumer behavior is, it still obeys certain patterns, which gives the right to talk about the possibility of regulating it to ensure economic stability and development.
Victor A. Litovchenko - Samara State University of Economics, Samara, Russia