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Consumer well‐being and social responsibility of subsistence entrepreneurs in subsistence marketplace

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  • Fara Azmat
  • Ramanie Samaratunge
  • Ahmed Ferdous

Abstract

Business malpractices, such as the sale of overpriced, underweight and adulterated foodstuffs and essential commodities, can pose serious threats to subsistence consumers' wellbeing, given they are more vulnerable than their affluent counterparts. Drawing on 40 interviews with subsistence entrepreneurs in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, our findings provide insights into the interplay between religiosity and social responsibility of entrepreneurs. We further explore how socio‐economic conditions and local embeddedness—two important characteristics of individuals in subsistence marketplaces—moderate the relationship between religiosity and social responsibility of entrepreneurs, providing implications for consumer welfare at the macro‐level. Our research makes a distinctive contribution to three streams of literature relating to social responsibility, subsistence marketplaces, and consumer affairs, with specific policy implications.

Suggested Citation

  • Fara Azmat & Ramanie Samaratunge & Ahmed Ferdous, 2021. "Consumer well‐being and social responsibility of subsistence entrepreneurs in subsistence marketplace," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(1), pages 8-30, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:jconsa:v:55:y:2021:i:1:p:8-30
    DOI: 10.1111/joca.12308
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Shobod Deba Nath & Kazi Md. Jamshed & Javed M. Shaikh, 2022. "The impact of the COVID‐19 pandemic on subsistence consumers' well‐being and coping strategies: Insights from India and Bangladesh," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(1), pages 180-210, March.
    2. Madhubalan Viswanathan & Ronika Chakrabarti & Paul Ingenbleek & Srinivas Venugopal, 2021. "Introduction to the special section on subsistence marketplaces," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 55(1), pages 3-7, March.
    3. Preeti Nayal & Neeraj Pandey & Justin Paul, 2022. "Covid‐19 pandemic and consumer‐employee‐organization wellbeing: A dynamic capability theory approach," Journal of Consumer Affairs, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 56(1), pages 359-390, March.

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