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The prosumer concept combines the characteristics of a professional and a consumer, with consumers dictating the parameters for the production of goods and services. Prosumers are now common in many fields, including household tasks, cooking, publishing, photography, and interior decoration, and the phenomenon is expected to continue growing.
The prosumer concept is a late 20th century idea that combines some of the common characteristics of a professional and a consumer. The term is generally applied to situations where consumers are deemed to have reached a level of sophistication that the professional consumer can effectively dictate the perimeters for the production of goods and services in terms of quality and structure. The difference between the garden variety consumer and the prosumer is that the latter typically possesses such a strong understanding of working with the product that he can successfully determine and perhaps even design a better product offering.
Prosumers are now common in many fields that were once the only province of professionals. One of the areas where the prosumer has gained a high degree of exposure is in the home sector. A range of household tasks, such as installing ductwork, plumbing, wallpapering, and installing major appliances, are now performed by many homeowners. In the past, these were all functions that were considered the work of professionals, with only the occasional amateur attempting this kind of high-profile work.
Cooking is another area where amateurs have become more proficient. As a result, prosumers now bridge the gap between people who prepare simple family meals and people who are trained as professional chefs. One of the avenues that allows amateurs to expand the level of culinary education is cable television. Since the medium became widely available in the late 1970s, many people have been exposed to preparing a cuisine that was usually only available in upscale restaurants. The result has been the creation of a large audience of avid prosumers who delight in expanding their culinary skills, without necessarily planning to make a living in the industry.
The combination of convenient computer technologies and the Internet has also allowed the prosumer to take a place in the publishing world. Thanks to software programs and high-quality printing materials and equipment, the prosumer can now produce print and electronic magazines about a hobo’s favorite interest. Desktop publishing also allows these highly skilled amateurs to produce high-quality greeting cards, promotional brochures, and a wide variety of published materials. Even novice writers can be classified as prosumers, simply by using current technology to produce an electronic book for distribution.
Prosumer can also be associated with a number of other fields. Photography, interior decoration and even the beverage industry have a number of people qualified as prosumers. As technology continues to evolve, there’s no doubt that the prosumer phenomenon will continue to grow.
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