Call for papers: "The Market for Luxury Goods in Emerging Countries"

For a special issue of the International Journal of Economic Policy in Emerging Economies.

Recent years have seen an enormous increase and interest in research on emerging economies. The disposable income that is used for the consumption of so-called luxury goods and services is a less debated issue.

However, recent betterment in terms of disposable income and the growing middle class has had a tremendous impact on this market for luxury goods, and understanding the causes and consequences of this new phenomenon, its impacts on the real economy, its prospects and the eventually large role of new domestic luxury brands are all topics of great relevance.

This special issue aims to collect high quality and innovative works that address these issues.

Suitable topics include, but are not limited to, the following:

• What is luxury? Theory, history and philosophy of the concept of luxury, as well as the economy of luxury market: what it tells us about the economy and how it affects the economy, especially a developing one. This would be a great historical exercise leaning on the concept of longue dureé.
• Emergence of the luxury market as a reflection of a growing economy: relationship between GDP, FDI, standards of living, social indicators, changing demographics, political environment and prevalent industries with trends in luxury spending, brand prevalence and marketing of luxury goods and services.
• Emergence of domestic luxury brands: new names, challenges, benefits for the domestic economy, acceptance at home and in the international arena. Normative conclusions are welcome.
• Comparative analysis of luxury markets of emerging economies and developed countries: two main camps are Russia, China, India and Eastern Europe vs. Western Europe, USA and Japan. Emergence of luxury markets, consumer behaviour, changes in consumption trends and preferences over time.
• Entering emerging economies: a fine balance between formidable opportunities and high risks. How luxury brands strategise their integration into the new markets. Comparative analysis over time and regions.
• Role of culture and historical legacies in the luxury market: stories of success and failure in brands' adaptation of business strategies to the new environment.
• Psychology of a luxury consumer: how luxury is perceived by various social classes; is it a driver or a repellent?; paradoxical phenomena in luxury markets; how consumer behaviours are studied, analysed and manipulated by luxury marketers.
• A peek into the future: key trends and players; major opportunities and challenges; biggest winners and losers. Analysis can be applied to markets, regions, trends, consumer groups and product and service categories.
• Fashion and the environment
• Modern technologies
• Luxury and environment: recent developments and trends in adoption of environmentally friendly practices; how much does the consumers' opinion on environmental practices matter to brands?; how does going "green" affect the bottom line?; animal cruelty vs. luxury; negative and positive impact big brands have on the environment through their off-shore manufacturing.
• Luxury and technology: new developments in high technologies and smart fabrics; adaptation and transition of high technologies from military and specialised use to luxury products; additive manufacturing and 3D printing in design and manufacturing of luxury apparel, accessories, jewellery and shoes; adaptation of new technologies to design, manufacturing and marketing of luxury products.
  

A good way to structure the analysis would be to consider the grid below, pick a mode of analysis, and consistently develop the study for a logical flow of ideas.

You can choose a method of analysis and follow a temporal development (past, present and future) to follow the development of a phenomenon over time.

Likewise, you can pick a time period and highlight multiple aspects of market behaviour and specificities.

A third dimension is geography. As mentioned above, the two main camps are emerging economies and developed economies. The main focus is on Russia, China and India vs. USA, France, Japan, Italy and Germany. Special case studies can include countries of the Former Soviet Union Region, Brazil, countries of the Easter European bloc, and smaller countries of the Western European bloc.

A fourth dimension can further structure the study by product or service category: apparel and accessories, cosmetics, fine wines and spirits, real estate, travel, education, fine and modern art, antiques and personal transportation (cars, airplanes, yachts).

	PAST	PRESENT	FUTURE
THEORY
HISTORY
STATISTICS
FILED INTERVIEWS OF PROFESSIONALS
DOMESTIC POLIT INSTIT'S
MACROECONOMICS
SOCIETY
CULTURE
INT'L TRADE
INT'L ECONOMY
INT'L INSTIT'S

Important Dates
Deadline for receipt of manuscripts: 27 October, 2014.
Papers that are invited to revise and resubmit will get two months to do so.