Physical Quality-of-Life Indicators in Post-Stalinist Russia

Abstract

Repeated economic reform efforts since 1985 have not improved the material well-being of the average Russian; the decline in GDP since 1991 has been greater than that in the United States during the Great Depression. Since the beginning of the Gorbachev era, per capita consumption has fallen for all food products, with the exception of bread and potatoes. Poor nutrition has contributed to poor health and a rising death rate. A decline in the birthrate also is attributed, in part, to declining living standards.

Understanding factors that influence purchases in subsistence markets

“…However, corrupt practices by the officials have influenced the controlled distribution of these products by government officials and politicians, thereby affecting the consumers' access to the products (MPOI, 2007). This situation was common in the centrally controlled planned economies during the Cold War (Aganbegyan, 1989;Dixon and Polyakov, 1997;Layton and Grossbart, 2006). Since consumers in the research location in the present study were exposed to hazards such as those mentioned above, the challenge was to establish the importance of these factors on their purchase decisions.…”

Macromarketing as Agorology: Macromarketing Theory and the Study of the Agora

“…This approach is best exemplified by the body of research called quality of life (QOL). Some see QOL in objective terms (cf, Dixon and Polyakov 1997;Peterson and Malhotra 1997;Shultz 1997), while others see QOL as subjective (Ahuvia and Friedman 1998). Sirgy and his colleagues (Lee and Sirgy 2004;Sirgy, Hansen, and Littlefield 1994;Sirgy et al 1991) have drawn the connection between these two issues, linking well-being of consumers with overall life satisfaction.…”

Macromarketing: Past, Present, and Possible Future

“…For instance, trade may be problematic if it includes arms, slaves, sex tourism, endangered or exotic animals, child labor, or environmentally harmful items (Cornwell and Drennan 2004;. Marketing may also add to, cater to, or highlight disparities or concentrations of wealth and benefits in and among societies (Dixon and Polyakov 1997;Duhaime, McTavish, and Ross 1985;Hill, Hirschman, and Bauman 1997;Hosley and Wee 1988). Moreover, marketers, citizens, or public officials in some nations may object to what they see as the corrupt or abhorrent practices and offerings that marketing activity requires or induces (Alon 2004;Belk and Groves 1999;Eckhardt and Mahi 2004).…”