The consumer-object relationship debate in contemporary technoculture: a systematic review for a theory of the object

This paper systematises the theoretical perspectives that inform the consumer-object relationship (C-OR) debate and its evolutionary trajectories to organise how a theory of the object has been developed in marketing and consumer research. We build on a diachronic critical reading of the key turning points in the debate to conduct a systematic review, combining a bibliometric and semantic-lexicographic analysis. Our analysis organises the contribution that each theoretical perspective offered to the development of a theory of the object, highlighting the interplays, contrasts, mesh-ups, and distinctions in terms of theoretical underpinnings, vocabularies, and ideological viewpoints. In so doing, it raises awareness about the significance of embracing diverse theoretical perspectives to guide further inquiry on the expanding role of smart and technological objects in C-OR.