True Consumer Autonomy: A Formalization and Implications

Consumer autonomy is a fundamental topic for marketing ethics scholars. Nonetheless, autonomy’s philosophical treatment may have compromised its conceptual clarity. After reviewing the relevant literature on consumer autonomy, benefits of formally defining are illustrated, and novel formalization adapted from potential performance theory mathematics. The goal to transfigure hitherto amorphous via mathematical that defines true actual reliability wills, product choice. crucial surprising result: an action decreases can increase if engenders sufficient in one or both types reliability. Relating insights long-standing debates suggests fruitful avenues future research.