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Article
Publication date: 1 April 1994

Selecting Fantasy Literature

Jeanette C. Smith

Ancient and universal, fantasy was most likely the first mainstream literature rather than the naturalism later recognized as mainstream. Every generation of every culture…

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Abstract

Ancient and universal, fantasy was most likely the first mainstream literature rather than the naturalism later recognized as mainstream. Every generation of every culture tells and retells tales based on psychological archetypes, the elements of fantasy. For instance, the Celtic tale “Leir and His Daughters” has been reworked and updated by authors ranging from Shakespeare to Diana Paxson (The Serpent's Tooth, Morrow, 1991). One of the old English/Scottish ballads collected by Francis James Child in the late 19th century (Child ballad No. 37) has recently reappeared as the novel Thomas the Rhymer by Ellen Kushner (Morrow, 1991). Similarly, retellings of the Arthurian legend are legion, from Geoffrey of Monmouth to Malory to Tennyson to such modern writers as T.H. White, Mary Stewart, Marion Zimmer Bradley (The Mists of Avalon, Knopf, 1982), and Guy Gavriel Kay (The Wandering Fire and The Darkest Road, Collins, 1986).

Details

Collection Building, vol. 13 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/eb023383
ISSN: 0160-4953

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Book part
Publication date: 22 November 2014

Exploring Fantasy in Consumer Experiences

Anastasia Seregina

Fantasy is a concept often used in everyday life and in academic research. While it has received attention in consumer research due to its connection to desires, community…

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Abstract

Purpose

Fantasy is a concept often used in everyday life and in academic research. While it has received attention in consumer research due to its connection to desires, community creation, meaning evocation, and identity development, it lacks a commonly shared understanding. This paper explores and theorizes consumers’ experiences of fantasy as performed in real-life situations.

Method

The research was conducted as an ethnographic study of live action role-playing games (LARP) and analyzed through the lens of performance theory.

Findings

LARPs are performances that take place between imagination and embodied reality, with participants drawing on each realm to enrich the other. Consumption elements of LARP include media products and materials used in creating settings, costumes, and props. LARPers gain various benefits from the performance of fantasy, including escapist entertainment, self-reflection, personal growth, and participation in social criticism. Fantasy performance is, therefore, an important and under-theorized vehicle for consumer identity development and social interaction.

Theoretical implications

This research theorizes the experience of fantasy as a performance that takes place between reality and imagination. As such, it involves both embodied and social aspects that have largely been ignored in prior research. A richer theorization of fantasy performance promises greater insights into research areas including the dynamics of consumer identity projects and of consumption communities.

Details

Consumer Culture Theory
Type: Book
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S0885-211120140000016001
ISBN: 978-1-78441-158-9

Keywords

  • Fantasy
  • imagination
  • LARP
  • identity
  • performance theory

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Book part
Publication date: 24 October 2017

Media Coverage of Corruption and Scandal in the 2016 Presidential Election: Fantasy Themes of Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Businessman Trump

John P. McHale

This chapter explores the media coverage of the 2016 Presidential campaign and reveals the corruption fantasy themes that emerged. Media coverage of corruption can…

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Abstract

This chapter explores the media coverage of the 2016 Presidential campaign and reveals the corruption fantasy themes that emerged. Media coverage of corruption can uniquely affect voter attitudes and public policy formulation and implementation, as revealed in previous scholarship on media coverage of corruption. By tracing the competing narratives offered in media coverage utilizing the constant comparative method, the dramatic characters, Crooked Hillary and Corrupt Businessman Trump, are identified and their storylines are explicated. Analysis reveals these dramatic fantasy themes chained through social media, evincing and promoting the narratives that drove media coverage of our political leaders and public policy results. The chapter illustrates that the narratives involving corruption were prominent and negative, further indicating that the media’s obsession with scandal contributed to and supported the narratives that portrayed both candidates as corrupt, adding pollution to the 2016 U.S. political environment.

Details

Corruption, Accountability and Discretion
Type: Book
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/S2053-769720170000029006
ISBN: 978-1-78743-556-8

Keywords

  • Hillary Clinton
  • Corruption
  • Presidential campaign
  • Political media
  • Donald Trump

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Article
Publication date: 6 June 2020

Emotional finance: determinants of phantasy

Selim Aren and Hatice Nayman Hamamcı

In this study, scales are developed for phantasy and its determinants, which is accepted as an important variable in investment preference with an emotional finance…

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Abstract

Purpose

In this study, scales are developed for phantasy and its determinants, which is accepted as an important variable in investment preference with an emotional finance perspective. The scales developed in this framework are narrative, divided mind, group feel, informed herding, uninformed herding and phantasy. In addition, the power of these determinants to explain phantasy was investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

For this purpose, the data was obtained between May 01, 2019 and November 30, 2019 via an online survey with convenience sampling. First, a pilot study consisting of 200 subjects was performed. Then, additional data was collected. The total number of subjects was 648. The authors used IBM SPSS Statistics and AMOS for analysis. Exploratory factor analysis and discriminant analysis were performed. In addition, confirmatory factor analysis was performed after an additional data collection process with structural equation modeling.

Findings

As a result of analyses, the validity and reliability of these scales were ensured statistically. It was also found that divided mind directly affects phantasy, but group feel and narrative indirectly affect by informed herding. The “unknown and new investment” preference, which is accepted as a typical feature of the bubble periods, is modeled with the relevant variables. In this framework, it has been found that the variables that refer individuals to the relevant investment preferences are phantasy, group feel, uninformed herding and divided mind.

Originality/value

The study is unique because of its findings and developed scales. The findings are valuable in that the theoretically alleged relations were also obtained empirically.

Details

Kybernetes, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/K-02-2020-0084
ISSN: 0368-492X

Keywords

  • Narrative
  • Herd behavior
  • Divided mind
  • Emotional finance
  • Group feel
  • Phantasy

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Article
Publication date: 4 January 2011

Strategy, strategists and fantasy: a dialogic constructionist perspective

Robert MacIntosh and Nic Beech

The purpose of this paper is to contribute a constructionist perspective to debates in the strategy literature about the ways in which managers conduct strategy work. The…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to contribute a constructionist perspective to debates in the strategy literature about the ways in which managers conduct strategy work. The authors build on observations that fantasy plays a central role in strategy work and aim to focus on the ways in which fantasies of self and other operate in the identity work of participants in the process of developing strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

The study presents an inductive approach based on extended participant observation in two different organizations. Each engagement lasted about three years and the analysis is based on data gathered in meetings, workshops, focus groups, interviews and other informal settings.

Findings

The paper presents four different types of fantasy, which were observed in the data set. These fantasies are labeled: helpful pairing; the arms race; the eternal optimist and the merchant of doom. It is also suggested that there are three useful dimensions that might be used to unpack the ways in which fantasies operate. These are role playing and role taking; temporal place and associated value; the relationship between fantasy and evidence.

Research limitations/implications

The authors propose that future research on strategy should entail an understanding of the role of fantasy in what people say and do.

Originality/value

The paper offers four types of fantasy construction as a contribution to the extant literature and three analytical dimensions which can be used to consider the ways in which fantasy operates in the identity work of strategists.

Details

Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, vol. 24 no. 1
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/09513571111098045
ISSN: 0951-3574

Keywords

  • Strategic management
  • Social interaction
  • Role play

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Article
Publication date: 13 March 2017

Traversing the fantasy of the heroic entrepreneur

Christian Garmann Johnsen and Bent Meier Sørensen

While considerable critical energy has been devoted to unmasking the figure of the heroic entrepreneur, the idea that entrepreneurs are unique individuals with special…

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Abstract

Purpose

While considerable critical energy has been devoted to unmasking the figure of the heroic entrepreneur, the idea that entrepreneurs are unique individuals with special abilities continues to be widespread in scholarly research, social media and popular culture. The purpose of this paper is to traverse the fantasy of the heroic entrepreneur by offering a reading of Richard Branson’s autobiography, Losing My Virginity.

Design/methodology/approach

The theoretical approach of this paper is informed by Slavoj Žižek’s concept of fantasy and his critical analytical strategy of “traversing the fantasy”. Žižek offers a theoretical framework that allows us to understand how narratives of famous entrepreneurs create paradoxical fantasies that produce desire.

Findings

By offering a reading of Richard Branson’s autobiography, Losing My Virginity, this paper serves to illustrate how the fantasy of the heroic entrepreneur creates the injunction to overcome oneself and become true to oneself, but also how this figure is ridden with contradictions and impossibilities. Branson’s book will eventually be shown to be a religious narrative, where the entrepreneur is responsible for redeeming the crises not only of the economy, but of being as such.

Originality/value

Rather than striving towards a processual approach that lays emphasis on the collective effort involved in entrepreneurship, this paper critically engages directly with the heroic entrepreneur by exploring how this figure is a fantasy that structures desire. This paper shows how critical entrepreneurship studies could benefit from an approach that analyses how the cultural representation of business celebrates the heroic entrepreneur as a source of value creation. The authors further argue that it is the contradictions and impossibilities embodied in the figure of the heroic entrepreneur that carry its far-reaching appeal.

Details

International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behavior & Research, vol. 23 no. 2
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJEBR-01-2016-0032
ISSN: 1355-2554

Keywords

  • Paradox
  • Entrepreneurial narratives
  • Fantasy
  • Žižek
  • Critical entrepreneurship studies

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Article
Publication date: 1 November 2006

Decision making in online fantasy sports communities

Brian Smith, Priya Sharma and Paula Hooper

This paper describes the forms of knowledge used by players of fantasy sports, games where players create ideal sports teams and compete to accumulate points based on…

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Abstract

This paper describes the forms of knowledge used by players of fantasy sports, games where players create ideal sports teams and compete to accumulate points based on professional athletes’ statistical performances. Messages from a discussion forum associated with a popular fantasy basketball game were analyzed to understand how players described their decision‐making strategies to their peers. The focus of the research was to understand if players use mathematical concepts such as optimization and statistical analyses when assembling their team or if they base their decisions on personal preferences, beliefs, and biases. The analyses in this paper suggest the latter, that players rely on informal, domain‐specific heuristics that often lead to the creation of competitive teams. These heuristics and other forms of player discourse related to knowledge use are described. The paper also suggests ways that analyses of existing practices might provide a foundation for creating gaming environments that assist the acquisition of more formal reasoning skills.

Details

Interactive Technology and Smart Education, vol. 3 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/17415650680000072
ISSN: 1741-5659

Keywords

  • Online gaming
  • Informal learning
  • Discussion forums
  • Decision‐making
  • Discourse analysis
  • Fantasy sports

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Article
Publication date: 1 March 1976

«The holiday was simply fantastic»

Graham Dann

How often have we heard in answer to the question “How did you enjoy your holiday?”, the inevitable reply “It was simply fantastic.” Perhaps, knowing the answer in advance…

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Abstract

How often have we heard in answer to the question “How did you enjoy your holiday?”, the inevitable reply “It was simply fantastic.” Perhaps, knowing the answer in advance has dulled our intellects from further investigating the fuller meaning of such an expression, namely that holidays are essentially experiences in fantasy. In the course of this article I should like to examine briefly the notion of fantasy from both a theoretical and empirical perspective, the latter being based on certain findings derived from a psycho‐sociological study of tourists' attitudes, conducted recently in Barbados.

Details

The Tourist Review, vol. 31 no. 3
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/eb057732
ISSN: 0251-3102

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Article
Publication date: 17 October 2008

Online communities serving the consumer/producer: observations from the study of a fantasy world

Christele Boulaire, Raoul Graf and Raja Guelmami

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main individual and collective strategies online communities employ to appropriate fantasy worlds and the ways in which…

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the main individual and collective strategies online communities employ to appropriate fantasy worlds and the ways in which community members use imagination within this context.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study drawing on an ethnography of online communities including individual in‐person interviews with community members of the world is considered.

Findings

The predominance and the vital importance of the production/consumption of stories within these communities has been shown. The multiple benefits of this practice have been illustrated, including the pleasure of creating and playing with one's imagination. These benefits engender the surprise and enchantment of community members, who lavish other members with encouragement, congratulations and thanks.

Research limitations/implications

Because of opting for a non‐participatory ethnography, it was impossible to directly contact the members of the community to conduct interviews. Thus a convenience sample was chosen representative of the study subject and individuals outside of these communities were questioned.

Originality/value

The online community allows members to collectively and playfully participate in entertainment related to the fantasy world. It appears as an imaginary organization of the (entertainment) service provider. The members of this organization can take part in value coproduction and share the benefits of an extended entertainment service that sparks their imagination and allows them to enjoy the fruits of their creations. Given the fantasy world's power to fire the imagination of fantasy lovers, the paper demonstrates that it is important for leisure and entertainment service providers to consider adding a fantasy component to their service.

Details

Direct Marketing: An International Journal, vol. 2 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/17505930810931017
ISSN: 1750-5933

Keywords

  • Internet
  • Consumer behaviour
  • Online operations
  • Imagination
  • Communities

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Article
Publication date: 18 October 2011

Consumer profiles in reality vs fantasy‐based virtual worlds: implications for brand entry

Joanna Phillips Melancon

Virtual environments (VEs) are computer‐based, three‐dimensional virtual worlds where users create avatars and interact socially and competitively within the environment…

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Abstract

Purpose

Virtual environments (VEs) are computer‐based, three‐dimensional virtual worlds where users create avatars and interact socially and competitively within the environment. Users spend millions of dollars every year consuming items for their avatars. Marketers have begun offering branded items in these communities with mixed results. The purpose of this paper is to examine motivational, usage, and demographic differences in VEs across two popular VE types: reality and fantasy‐based platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 106 users of reality and fantasy based VEs was collected using an online survey methodology.

Findings

Results indicate that both reality and fantasy worlds are outlets for escapism and immersion. Reality VE users are more motivated to seek social relationships with other users and are more highly involved in the VE than fantasy users. Fantasy‐users are motivated by achievement and manipulation of others and are slightly more likely to be male, younger, and engage in the VE with members of their household.

Practical implications

Studies suggest that message congruency with the gaming context leads to better attitudes toward advertising in online games. This study suggests that tailoring communications for differences due to VE type may produce more favorable outcomes for marketers. Implications for product and branding strategy are suggested.

Originality/value

Little empirical work addresses successful marketing strategy in VEs, although hundreds of brands have entered these worlds. This research is the first to consider VE type and user motivation, usage, and demographics in the framing of marketing messages.

Details

Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, vol. 5 no. 4
Type: Research Article
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/17505931111191500
ISSN: 2040-7122

Keywords

  • Virtual worlds
  • Consumer behaviour
  • Virtual environments
  • Interactive marketing
  • Avatars
  • User motivation
  • Branding

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