Relação entre significados culturais atribuídos ao dinheiro e consumo de produtos de investimento

Abstract

The meanings attributed to money go beyond its utilitarian function and consider the relevance of financial capital as a participant in a social order. The possession of financial resources is also a form of appropriation of symbolic and cultural attributes embedded in money. These properties are loaded up to the capital reserve, which can be made through the acquisition of investments in the financial market. This research considers the investment of money as part of a consumer relationship, encompassing the Finance area and based on Marketing - more specifically on consumer behavior. Consumer Culture Theory (CCT) was used as a support to answer the starting question: what are the cultural meanings attributed to money and how do they imply the acquisition of investment products? The objective was to identify and clarify, based on the interpretation of the subjects, the non-financial perceptions and experiences and the reflection in the decisions about the allocation of money. In-depth interviews were conducted with 17 Brazilian retail investors, apprehending the subject-object interaction based on McCracken's (2007) rituals. In the use of Content Analysis, four meanings were categorized: security, family, knowledge and work, which resulted differently in the acquisition of investment products. Investor-consumers considered concepts such as effort, collectivity, and independence from public services to make their decisions. It is expected that the study will contribute to the theoretical advancement of the use of Marketing in the financial market. In practice, research can target consumer protection agencies to reduce asymmetries between institutions and retail investors