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ConsumerIn economics, consumers are individuals or households that "consume" goods and services generated within the economy. Since this includes just about everyone, the term is a political term as much as an economic term when it is used in everyday speech. Typically when businesspeople and economists talk of "consumers" they are talking about person-as-consumer, an aggregated commodity item with little individuality other than that expressed in the buy/not buy decision. However there is a trend in marketing to individualize the concept. Instead of generating broad demographic and psychographic profiles of market segments, marketers are engaging in personalized marketing, permission marketing, and mass customization.
In standard microeconomic theory, a consumer is assumed to have a budget which can be spent on a range of goods and services available on the market. Under the assumption of rationality, the budget allocation is chosen according to the preference of the consumer, i.e. to maximize his or her utility function.
In time-series models of consumer behaviour, the consumer may also invest a proportion of their budget in order to gain a greater budget in future periods. This investment choice may include either fixed rate interest or risk-bearing securities.
In the context of mental health, consumer is also a term applied to describe a person living with mental illness.
Concern over the best interests of consumers has spawned much activism, as well as incorporation of consumer education into the school curriculum. One non-profit publication active in consumer education is Consumer Reports.
Within many selling companies "consumer" has come to be a derogatory term. Meaning "purchaser of products who is not very intelligent." This is in contrast to the meaning of customer. Which is defined as an intelligent purchaser who has power in the purchasing relationship between buyer and seller.
See also : marketing, economics, liberalization, consumer rights
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University of Wisconsin Madison School of Human Ecology
Information on degree programs in consumer science and textile design.
http://sohe.wisc.edu/
Family and Consumer Science Education
FASCE's mission is to prepare students for family life, work life, and careers in family and consumer sciences.
http://www.facse.org/
Cornell University College of Human Ecology
The College responds to human needs by improving nutrition and health, advancing environmental design and technology, promoting human development, and securing economic and social well-being for individuals, families, and communities through integrated programs of research, outreach, and teaching.
http://www.human.cornell.edu/
University of Georgia College of Family and Consumer Sciences
Offers the following departments for research and study: Child and Family Development, Foods and Nutrition, Housing and Consumer Economics, and Textiles, Merchandising and Interiors.
http://www.fcs.uga.edu/
Michigan State University College of Human Ecology
Offering undergraduate and graduate programs in family and child ecology, food science and human nutrition, and human environment and design.
http://www.he.msu.edu/
University of Utah Family and Consumer Studies
Offers undergraduate and graduate programs in consumer and family studies, human development, and environment studies.
http://www.fcs.utah.edu/
University of Akron School of Family and Consumer Sciences
Find information on undergraduate and graduate programs, faculty, and courses.
http://www.uakron.edu/hefe/hefepage.html
University of Massachusetts Consumer Studies Department
Majors in apparel marketing, family and consumer sciences and graduate programs in clothing and human behavior and family and consumer sciences.
http://www.umass.edu/consumer/
University of Delaware Department of Consumer Studies
Offers programs in apparel design, fashion merchandising, leadership and consumer economics.
http://www.udel.edu/cnst/
Sault College - Child and Youth Work Program
Information about this human and social services oriented program. Includes faculty profiles, student success stories, FAQs and related links. Located in Sault Ste. Marie, ON, Canada.
http://www.saultc.on.ca/CYW/
University of Florida IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences
Gateway to the undergraduate and graduate degree programs in FYCS, specializing in the study of family, youth and community development and outreach.
http://fycs-degreeprograms.ifas.ufl.edu/
Oregon State University College of Health and Human Sciences
Offers undergraduate and graduate education in the areas of merchandising management, human development, family sciences, food and nutrition, public health, and exercise and sports sciences.
http://www.hhs.oregonstate.edu/
North Carolina State University Family & Consumer Sciences
Extension service offering educational programs delivered by county extension educators, and focus on the strengthening and sustaining families within the community.
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/
Texas Cooperative Extension Family and Consumer Sciences
Provides educational programs that build individual and family capacity for self-sufficiency, problem prevention, stability and economic security.
http://fcs.tamu.edu
California Department of Education Home Economics Careers & Technology
For teachers and administrators involved with the home economics careers and technology and FHA-HERO curriculum.
http://www.hect.org/
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