The intellectual structure of the anti-consumption and consumer resistance field: An author co-citation analysis

Purpose – Given the variety of approaches characterising the research area of anti-consumption and consumer resistance, the purpose of this paper is to conduct a literature review to explore the structure of this interesting research domain and to better understand its origins, current state of development, and future trends.Design/methodology/approach – An author co-citation analysis was performed using the SSCI of the Thomson-ISI database. A sample of 48 authors was identified, and the co-citation frequencies were analysed.Findings – The study reveals the former and present structure of the anti-consumption and consumer resistance field of inquiry. Two levels of analysis, five areas of interest, and nine theoretical approaches were acknowledged. These results are useful in providing future direction, particularly in terms of the research gaps and the expected topical areas of interest.Research limitations/implications – Although quite rigorous, co-citation analysis is subject to some limitations that can bias the results of the research: primarily, the inability to distinguish between good citations and bad citations.Originality/value – The study contributes to a clear-cut representation of the field of anti-consumption and consumer resistance. From an academic perspective, it provides clear tools for researchers to identify potential new directions as well as to locate their work within the field. It also provides a useful approach for new researchers, as they can identify the main approaches and areas of interest. From a practical point-of-view, it can serve as an introduction to the field for students and managers.