A new vocabulary for lifestyles a socio-ecological typology for developing countries. Lewis Akenji Senior Policy Fellow IGES, Japan

Transcription

1 A new vocabulary for lifestyles a socio-ecological typology for developing countries Lewis Akenji Senior Policy Fellow IGES, Japan

2 1. The middleclass

3 Lifestyles segmentation mostly sociological (social mobility), cultural (castes), marketing, political leaning and hardly ecological (sustainable lifestyles?) Focused on industrialised countries

4 Pay Attention To Developing countries Kharas 2010

5 2. Factors and determinants

6 Factors influencing techno logy aware ness poli tics value s educati on infra stru ctur e norms age peers ability clim ate inco me me dia profe ssion

7 Axial determinants of lifestyles Attitude (propensity to consume) Personal needs and desires Social status/class (and Social drivers) Psychological factors/personality traits influenced by (factors): Values (cultural, ethical, etc); Social norms and peers; Media; Awareness; Knowledge Access (actualization of consumption) choice architecture availability &attractiveness of options Physical conditions, other macro boundaries/facilitators Market conditions (prices) and government policy (public services) influenced by (factors): Income; Market prices; Infrastructure; Technology; Cognitive and physical ability

8 3. A socio-ecological typology

9 Weighting of factors influencing lifestyles By combining the key factors under each axial determinant into an index, 1-10, it is possible to cluster 10 groups of global consumers through a combination of scores for access (availability of options) and attitude (propensity to spend). As not all factors have equal weighting in influencing spending, a weighting score is then assigned to the influencing factor based on the degree of impact it has on the axial determinant. i.e. Access and Attitude The higher the weighting score, the higher degree of impact the factor has in driving consumption. For example, factor income level has a higher degree of influence on the determinant access than factor infrastructure has, hence the weighting score for income level is 0.4, while infrastructure is 0.2. Axial determinant Influencing factor Access Income 0.4 Prices 0.2 Technology 0.2 Infrastructure 0.2 Attitude Values 0.3 Social norms/peers Weighting score 0.2 Media 0.2 Awareness 0.2 Knowledge 0.1

10 Population of different typology groups Consumer typology population share 1. Uberists 2. Elitists 3.Revelers (globalists) 4.Eco-westernizers 5. Aspirants 10.Indigents 6.Traditionalists 7.Challengers 9.Vulnerable 8.Reluctant adapters

11 The world is mine! Uberists Elitists The view from the top

12 Vulnerable Living on a prayer!! Indigents

13 Revelers (self-)employed with opportunities - has global access and networks and could live and easily function in different clone cities; Brand conscious, luxury consumption is second nature keen to display the social status Career success is a priority Ecowesternisers wealthy (family) background; theater/concerts, etc.; Well-educated, understands sustainability and cultural/traditional values and even somewhat feels social and ecological responsibility; buys green products and local products and patronizes traditional institutes Places high importance on good quality of life, children and their education Aspirants Inspired by lifestyles of the consumer class and media imagery of western lifestyles; informed, wide social network; usually young professionals Flexible and open to new ways of thinking, highly values individualised consumption Likes to enjoy life ; has a good balance between work, and leisure

14 May or may not be wealthy but fairly comfortable with way of living or doing things; from backgrounds with high traditional social status; conservative Traditionalists Caught in the path of development with lock-ins (e.g. new road has arrived and can no longer ride a bicycle to town); not wanting but has to adopt a new ways; nostalgic for the past, or simpler ways; Reluctant adapters obfuscated by growth and fast, mega-city consumerism in which they feel lost; Seeking alternative (lifestyles); educated with access Challengers

15 Clustering of lifestyles on Attitude-Access graph

16 Messages from the SE clustering Lifestyles occur within a larger context that is not always within individual control - people don t consume with the intention of harming the environment; Poverty, for example, is not only about lack of money but the lack of access! (unsustainable lifestyles = high pro-consumption attitude + no access to sustainable options!); The intention to consume is not always the actualisation of consumption; Planning for sustainable lifestyles must account for the dynamism of society (people s aspirations) rather than static understanding of middleclass

17 4. Policy implications of socioecological typology Better targeting

18 Changing attitudes Protect those with the right attitude: traditionalists, reluctant adapters and challengers; Focus campaigns on those with high access and propensity to consume: revellers, ecowesternisers, aspirants; Increasing access Ensure sustainable infrastructure e.g. safe and accessible public transportation - to those with prosustainability attitudes; Higher cost permits to unsustainable infrastructure (housing, etc.) Public parks, community/shared infrastructure as substitutes for private ownership

19 Targeted differentiation Differentiated Increase access (to vulnerable and indigents) Progressive taxes Tax income, property, luxury goods Progressive charges on basic utilities (e.g. water, energy) use exponential unit rates for consumption above set average allow free/subsidized minimum for basic services Water and energy Free/subsidised public goods and services for low-income Health centres, education, public parks

20 A systemic approach to SL policy design Education culture communication Incentives, Constrains Laws/policies Administrative procedure Culture Market Values, Knowledge Facilitat ors Attitude Infrastructu re 3 Preconditions for SC Sustainable material Efficient Lock-ins Systems of provision, Physical infrastructure Source: Lewis Akenji

21 Thank you!

22 . Source: World Bank Size of Middle Class in developing countries Population by consumption segments Middle Class population ($2-20 /cap/day) 11% 2% Developing Asia Africa 1.9billion (ADB 2010) 350 million, or 34% of African pop. (AfDB 2011) 29% 58% Latin America 450 million, or 77% of LA population (ADB 2010) Lowest (<$2.97) LOW ($ ) MIDDLE ($ ) Higher (>$23.03)

23 Factors influencing lifestyles People don t consume with the intention to harm the environment; environmental destruction is a consequence actions towards: Meet essential needs (food, shelter ) Meet social needs/expectations (mobility, relationships ) Satisfy personal desires being railroaded to consume (infrastructure, design ) Physical boundaries: Climate, geography Socio-economic (conditions): culture, media, politics,..economy Personal situation: Income, age, education, gender, peers Core needs: Food, shelter, mobility, leisure