"In this book Jeffrey James deals with some of the most important and controversial aspects of the relationship between consumption and globalization in developing countries. Part One assesses the welfare effects of globalization on different groups of consumers, using an analytical framework that departs substantially from the assumptions of traditional consumption theory.

Part Two deals with the effect of globalization on local products and cultures in developing countries and the potential afforded by the growth of the mass media to alleviate a number of social problems in those countries.

The author argues that instead of the welfare gains associated with traditional theory, globalization may often lead to frustration and disappointment among consumers; that it does not invariably displace local products and that, in combination with social marketing, it offers new ways of addressing acute social problems."--BOOK JACKET.