Home Within Me: Feelings of an “Inner Home” as Indicator for Consumer Well-being?

In an increasingly globalized, digitalized and perceived unmanageable world, consumers strive for belongingness, identification and security and re-discover the importance of home. Home is central to peoples’ individual as well as collective identities and their self-development (McCracken, 1989). Home, however, is a multi-dimensional concept and reaching a universal definition is nearly impossible (Moore, 2000). Therefore, this research project aims to answer the following research questions: 1) What is the meaning of home? 2) How do consumers experience home? And 3) What is the role of products and consumption rituals for experiencing home? To answer these questions, two qualitative studies covering 32 in-depth autobiographical interviews were conducted to elicit emotional, symbolic and cultural meanings and experiences related to home. Interviews took place in the same geographical area in Austria and the sample consisted of 15 locals (study 1) and 17 first generation immigrants (study 2) to identify possible commonalities and differences. This research adds to existing literature by 1) empirically confirming the existence of dimensions of home (e.g., physical, social, temporary) theoretically discussed in literature and by 2) identifying a new dimension of home: Inner home which is only experienced within bodies and minds of consumers. Specific consumption practices (e.g., mindfulness, multi-sensory perception, intuition, reduction of consumption and technology) allow consumers to experience inner peace, balance, and spirituality. Experiencing an inner home strongly connects to individual identity and being oneself, which is one precondition for the functioning of an increasingly cultural diverse society.