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Theory of Consumer Behavior: An Islamic Perspective

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  • KHAN, MUHAMMAD AKRAM

Abstract

The paper supplements the theory of consumer behavior with insights from the primary sources of Islam. A consumer who maximizes utility operates within four dimensions: moderation, extravagance, waste, and niggardliness. These dimensions take different meanings in each social stratum. A complicating factor is the context of consumption which could be individual, social, or public. For each social stratum and for each context, these dimensions have different meanings. The paper suggests using the methodology of behavioral economics for defining the dimensions of consumption. It elaborates the concept of marginal propensity to consume into four propensities: marginal propensity to moderation, extravagance, waste, and niggardliness. That necessitates re-defining the law of demand, leading to four curves instead of the one usually found in the economics textbooks. The last part of the paper relates consumer behavior with material well-being and happiness and concludes that moderation leads to the highest levels of happiness as compared to other dimensions of the consumer behavior.

Suggested Citation

  • Khan, Muhammad Akram, 2020. "Theory of Consumer Behavior: An Islamic Perspective," MPRA Paper 104208, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    • Handle: RePEc:pra:mprapa:104208
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    17. Ghassan, Hassan B., 2015. "Islamic Consumer Model, Fairness Behavior and Asymptotic Utility," MPRA Paper 67141, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    19. S. Iqbal Mahdi, 1985. "M. Fahim Khan: Macro Consumption Function in an Islamic Framework, Comments : S. Iqbal Mahdi محمد فهيم خان: وظيفة الاستهلاك الكلي في إطار إسلامي - تعليق: سيد إقبال مهدي," Journal of Research in Islamic Economics, King Abdulaziz University, Islamic Economics Institute., vol. 2(2), pages 67-70, July.
    20. Pugno, Maurizio, 2016. "Beyond the distinction between necessaries and luxuries," MPRA Paper 73729, University Library of Munich, Germany.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Consumer behavior; extravagance; waste; moderation; law of demand; material well-being and happiness;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth

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