Don't throw it away: the corporate role in product disposition

Purpose – Consumer behavior comprises acquisition, consumption and disposition behaviors. Businesses have generally been most concerned about producing and distributing goods and have thus focused on consumer acquisition and consumption behaviors. But as companies increasingly emphasize environmental responsibility and ethical values, they must now attend to consumer disposition with equal ardor. This article seeks to understand consumer disposition processes for marketing. Design/methodology/approach – The article reviews the academic literature and general business literature to illustrate how knowledge of the consumer disposition process can help companies project corporate social responsibility and make better marketing decisions. Findings – This article highlights disposition behavior and explicates the importance of understanding it in a business environment marked by growing production and consumption and little thought of disposition. The contention is that there is very little literature focusing on disposition processes and that it has received inadequate attention among practitioners and academicians. In order to stress the importance of consumer's disposition process, the commentary focuses, first on the environmental issues and the role a company could play in mitigating them when equipped with an understanding of consumer disposition process. Second, the article calls attention to marketing opportunities available to marketers with knowledge of consumer's disposition process. Practical implications – This article illustrates the use of understanding consumer's disposition process for companies in helping them project better corporate social responsibility and also make better marketing decisions. Originality/value – There is very little literature available on consumer's disposition processes and its implications for business. Rather than elaborating on the consumer's disposition process itself, this article aims to articulate the importance and uses of this body of knowledge for businesses and the marketing function. A practical approach combined with theoretical inputs attempts to emphasis on the importance of disposition process for businesses.