The doctrines of good and meaningful life – Investigating a good everyday life among Gen Z consumers
(A2020-64100)

AUTHORS

Miia Grénman, Jyväskylä School of Business and Economics; Ulla Hakala, Turku School of Economics, University of Turku; Barbara Mueller, San Diego State University

KEYWORDS

Positive psychology; Transformative consumer research; Gen Z

ABSTRACT

Consumer research is increasingly trying to discover what constitutes a good life and what promotes human flourishing. Similarly, individuals themselves are concerned about fulfilling their optimal potential and achieving meaningful lives. The purpose of this paper is to discuss the doctrines of a good and meaningful life by investigating the perceptions of being well and a good everyday life among Gen Z consumers. To address this purpose, ten focus group interviews with 78 participants were conducted at a major university in Southern California in October 2019. The interviews were analyzed employing a qualitative content analysis. The findings were discussed in relation to Seligman’s (2012) PERMA framework. According to the findings, a good everyday life embraces the elements of pleasure, engagement, relationships, meaning, and accomplishment emphasizing the eudaimonic pursuit of meaning and living well. The outcomes indicate interesting theoretical and managerial implications.