Building Resistance to Brand Switching During Disruptions in a Competitive Market.

This study investigates brand switching behaviour among consumers in a competitive market. Emphasis historically places functional utility at the expense of social meanings. Given the paucity of literature, this study adopts a grounded theory methodology based on a series of in-depth interviews among Smartphone users in the UK to access consumers’ insights and experiences of specific brands and provides consideration of market disruptions. Data from this study confirms that literature does not capture non-utilitarian factors such as socio-psychological benefits. Underlying factors explore how resistance can be built from an identity theory perspective that motivate consumers to continue buying specific brands.