The Drive for Marketplace Dignity: Understanding its Anatomy and Implications

Many individuals familiar with system 1 and system 2 decision-making models are aware that Plato discussed these ideas over 2300 years ago. But Plato also warned us against forgetting a third part of the soul, which he calls the thumos: the part of us that aches when wronged, endures through hardship, competes for dominance, is angered in the face of violation, fights for own rights and those of others, and calls out the ills of the world.  Our examination of the current marketplace might suggest that many organizations fail to manage for this drive for dignity in any systematic way. What are we leaving on the table when we fail to design for dignity? Can we do better? In this paper, we first define marketplace dignity as a distinct consumer need, and show that while tapping into aspects of both system 1 and system 2 processing, it does not appear to be limited to either. We then review research results that highlight the role of representation, agency and equity in affirming consumer dignity, suggesting that it is possible to systematically design even simple experiences for dignity. Finally, we establish the business case for attention to this facet of consumer experience, showing the relationship between felt marketplace dignity and message persuasiveness, ethical decision-making, and word-of-mouth. Many individuals familiar with system 1 and system 2 decision-making models are aware that Plato discussed these ideas over 2300 years ago. But Plato also warned us against forgetting a third part of the soul, which he calls the thumos: the part of us that aches when wronged, endures through hardship, competes for dominance, is angered in the face of violation, fights for own rights and those of others, and calls out the ills of the world.  Our examination of the current marketplace might suggest that many organizations fail to manage for this drive for dignity in any systematic way. What are we leaving on the table when we fail to design for dignity? Can we do better? In this paper, we first define marketplace dignity as a distinct consumer need, and show that while tapping into aspects of both system 1 and system 2 processing, it does not appear to be limited to either. We then review research results that highlight the role of representation, agency and equity in affirming consumer dignity, suggesting that it is possible to systematically design even simple experiences for dignity. Finally, we establish the business case for attention to this facet of consumer experience, showing the relationship between felt marketplace dignity and message persuasiveness, ethical decision-making, and word-of-mouth.