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1 – 9 of 9Roberta Discetti, Martin Osei and Sapon Pruhtpahon
We investigated consumers’ environmental, social and local beliefs and their impact on attitudes, subjective norms and willingness to pay for sustainable coffee in the…
Abstract
Purpose
We investigated consumers’ environmental, social and local beliefs and their impact on attitudes, subjective norms and willingness to pay for sustainable coffee in the understudied context of Thailand.
Design/methodology/approach
The study is based on a survey of 253 Thai consumers, analysed through an extended model of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB).
Findings
The study validates the TPB model in the Thai demographic, finding a significant positive impact of environmental and local beliefs and subjective norms on willingness to pay for sustainable coffee. More importantly, it proposes an extended model of TPB, stressing the central role of “local beliefs” in sustainable consumption in a Global South context.
Originality/value
This study demonstrates the importance of “localness” in the practice of sustainable consumption in Thailand, namely the beliefs in the support for the local economy and prosperity for the local community. This expands our understanding of the heterogeneous meanings associated with the practice of sustainable consumption in a South-East Asian context.
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Abhisek Jana, Gautam Shandilya and Praveen Srivastava
This research investigates the factors that drive affluent customers to engage in sustainable behaviours, particularly their choice to stay in green hotels. The study aims to…
Abstract
Purpose
This research investigates the factors that drive affluent customers to engage in sustainable behaviours, particularly their choice to stay in green hotels. The study aims to understand how green purchase intentions (GPI) translate into green purchase behaviours (GPB), focusing on how the scarcity of green hotels may influence this relationship.
Design/methodology/approach
Using a quantitative research method, the study examines several key predictors – such as ecological concern, perceived behavioural control, social norms and green attitudes – and their impact on GPI and GPB. Data were gathered from 418 affluent consumers through a structured survey, capturing their views on ecological concern, perceived control, social norms, green attitudes and related purchasing intentions and behaviours. The data were then analysed using SPSS and AMOS, with additional validation through artificial neural networks (ANN).
Findings
The findings indicate that ecological concern, perceived behavioural control, social norms and green attitudes significantly affect GPI among affluent consumers, and there is a strong positive correlation between GPI and GPB. Additionally, the study highlights that the unavailability of green hotels weakens the intention–behaviour link.
Research limitations/implications
One limitation of this study is its reliance on self-reported data, which may be subject to social desirability bias and may not accurately reflect actual behaviour. Additionally, the study focuses on a specific context, green hotel purchases, which may limit the generalizability of the findings to other green consumer behaviours or industries. The cross-sectional nature of the study also prevents the establishment of causality between the constructs. Furthermore, the study may not account for other potential moderating variables, such as price sensitivity, brand loyalty or individual differences in environmental knowledge, which could also influence the relationship between green purchase intention and behaviour.
Practical implications
The research emphasizes the importance of perceived behavioural control and the detrimental impact of limited green hotel availability on the intention–behaviour relationship. The study provides practical insights for hotel managers, recommending clear communication strategies, deeper integration of sustainability practices and collaboration with policymakers to encourage sustainable consumer behaviours.
Originality/value
This study stands out by focusing on affluent consumers and their green purchasing habits, contributing valuable knowledge to the field of sustainable behaviour.
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Shaheen Borna, Samer Elhajjar and Qiannong Gu
The purpose of this study is to systematically review the existing literature on the concept of consumer sovereignty.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to systematically review the existing literature on the concept of consumer sovereignty.
Design/methodology/approach
By leveraging a systematic literature review using a data-driven approach and quantitative methodology, this study provides an overview of the intellectual structure of consumer sovereignty research.
Findings
We explored the main topics that researchers tackled in consumer sovereignty research. Furthermore, we identified the theoretical lenses used in these studies. Finally, we proposed a research agenda to advance the scholarly debate on consumer sovereignty.
Research limitations/implications
Some limitations should be acknowledged. First, the study only studied and analyzed consumer sovereignty articles that were published in peer-reviewed academic journals. Second, our review comprised journals identified in Scopus. Third, in this study, we have taken into account only articles written in English.
Practical implications
The authors expect the current review to significantly impact the identification of theories for the main trends in the academic analysis of consumer sovereignty and consumer behavior.
Originality/value
This study is the first to provide an integrated view of the body of consumer sovereignty. This review provides a strong contribution to consumer sovereignty literature by recommending a new research agenda for the concept of consumer sovereignty.
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This paper aims to explore why a country with significant under-investment in water infrastructure has not successfully imposed domestic water charges. Drawing on an economization…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to explore why a country with significant under-investment in water infrastructure has not successfully imposed domestic water charges. Drawing on an economization lens, it examines how an economy emerged in the imposition of water charges but was subsequently hidden due to their politically motivated suspension.
Design/methodology/approach
Drawing on documentary evidence, a theoretically informed examination of the “economization” process is set out. This examination recognizes the central role sustainability plays in water management but illustrates how sustainability must be integrated with environmental, social, economic, cultural and political factors.
Findings
The findings set out the challenges experienced by a state-owned water company as they attempt to manage domestic water charges. The paper reveals that while the suspension of water charges has hidden the “economy” within government subvention, the economic and sustainable imperative to invest in and pay for water remains, but is enveloped within a political “hot potato” bringing about a quasi-political/quasi-economic landscape.
Practical implications
The findings demonstrate how the effective and sustainable management of domestic water supply requires collaboration between multiple participants, including the government, the European Union, private citizens and the water protest movement.
Social implications
While highlighting the challenges faced by a country that has seriously under-invested in its water resources, the paper reflects the societal consequences of charging individuals for water, raising important questions about what water actually is – a right, a product or a political object.
Originality/value
Showing how an economy around domestic water supply in Ireland was revealed, but subsequently hidden in “the political”, the paper illustrates how sustainability is as much about economics and politics as it is about ecological balance and natural resources.
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Peter John Kuvshinikov and Joseph Timothy Kuvshinikov
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the insights of founding entrepreneurs to understand what they consider as motivating factors in their decision to act upon…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the insights of founding entrepreneurs to understand what they consider as motivating factors in their decision to act upon entrepreneurial intentions. Using this information, the entrepreneurial trigger event influence was conceptualized, and a scale developed for use in subsequent testable models.
Design/methodology/approach
Qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to construct an instrument that measures the presence and influence of entrepreneurial behavior triggers. The concept of triggering events was explored with 14 founding entrepreneurs. Themes emerged from this enquiry process which informed the development of four primary entrepreneurial triggering events. Over 600 entrepreneurs participated in the study. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify dimensions of entrepreneurial triggers and was tested using confirmatory factor analysis.
Findings
Entrepreneurs perceive that personal fulfillment and job dissatisfaction serve as two significant trigger events which will lead individuals to engage in entrepreneurial behaviors. This research supports theorizing that suggests entrepreneurial trigger events have influence in motivating individuals to act upon entrepreneurial intentions and some trigger events may have more influence toward behavior than others.
Research limitations/implications
This research is subject to multiple limitations. Trigger events were limited to those identified in literature and the interviews. Most entrepreneurs participating in this study were from a limited geographic region. The entrepreneurs in this study reported their triggering event based on their memory which could have been affected by inaccurate recall or memory bias. No attempt has been made to model the comparative effects of the different variables on entrepreneurial outcomes. Finally, the entrepreneurial trigger event instrument did not measure the participant's demographics or psychographics which could have played a role in the influence of reported trigger event.
Practical implications
This study extends previous research that trigger events serve as catalysts for entrepreneurial behavior. Findings support the premise that different types of triggers have different levels of influence as antecedents of entrepreneurial behavior. Specifically, positive, negative, internal and external entrepreneurial triggering events were explicated. The Entrepreneurial Trigger Event Scale created to facilitate this study enables researchers to explore the effects of types and perceived influences of precipitating trigger events on the intentions of the individual that result in entrepreneurial behavior. The optimized instrument further expanded Shapero's (1975) proposed theory of the origins of entrepreneurial behavior.
Social implications
The development of a scale provides researchers with the opportunity to include the influence of entrepreneurial trigger events, as perceived by entrepreneurs, in future testable models. Entrepreneurial development organizations can use the knowledge to assist in understanding when potential entrepreneurs may act upon entrepreneurial intentions. Information gained can have significant implications for understanding the initiation of entrepreneurial behavior, entity establishment and business growth.
Originality/value
This research responds to a call for investigation into the influence of entrepreneurial trigger events on a person's decision to act upon entrepreneurial intentions. It is an early attempt to conceptualize a relevant construct of entrepreneurial trigger event influence and to develop a scale for use in empirical testing. It is distinguished by using planned behaviors, push and pull, motivation and drive reduction theories. These theories are applied to the perceptions of successful entrepreneurs to develop a construct and validate it.
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Elizabeth Castillo and Roslyn Roberts
The purpose of this study is to assess how higher education anchor institutions (HEIs) voluntarily report their non-economic impacts. Its goals are to quantify the ease of public…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to assess how higher education anchor institutions (HEIs) voluntarily report their non-economic impacts. Its goals are to quantify the ease of public access to this information; strengthen the conceptual foundation for HEI impact reporting; and provide guidance for making HEI voluntary disclosures more accessible, comparable and systematic.
Design/methodology/approach
Using an exploratory mixed methods design and purposeful sampling, this study analyzed voluntary public disclosures of 41 anchor institution universities in the USA to assess how they communicate their public value creation to stakeholders. Data sources included impact reports, donor reports, annual reports and sustainability reports. The study also analyzed the accessibility of this information by timing how long it took to locate.
Findings
The sampled US anchor institutions communicate their non-economic impact to stakeholders in myriad ways using a variety of formats. Time required to find the reports ranged from 37 to 50 min, with an average of 42.30 min. Disparate reporting formats inhibit comparability.
Research limitations/implications
Only 41 anchor institutions were examined. The small sample may not be representative of the broader landscape of higher education institutions.
Practical implications
Findings offer guidance for improving voluntary nonfinancial disclosures to increase public confidence in higher education institutions while advancing community and global resilience. To strengthen voluntary disclosure practices, the study recommends using a standardized reporting format, framing HEI impact through socio-ecological resilience indicators, integrating reports and obtaining some form of assurance. These changes would enhance the credibility and comparability of the disclosures.
Originality/value
This research provides some of the first empirical insight into how US higher education anchor institutions report their value creation to the public. Its application of socio-ecological systems theory outlines an actionable conceptual foundation for HEI reporting by linking organizational, community and global resilience.
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Yuting Wang, Yao Chen, Jie Fang and Bingqing Xiong
Despite the popularity of leveraging cause-related marketing (CRM) to make societal contributions and bolster business profits, sellers face a profound dilemma when conducting CRM…
Abstract
Purpose
Despite the popularity of leveraging cause-related marketing (CRM) to make societal contributions and bolster business profits, sellers face a profound dilemma when conducting CRM due to consumers’ ambivalent understanding of sellers’ motivation for the initiative. Therefore, it is imperative to unravel consumers’ ambivalent understanding of CRM and determine how sellers can effectively employ CRM to elicit positive evaluations from consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
This study gathered survey data from 217 participants and applied a polynomial regression model and response surface analysis for disentangling ambivalent perception of CRM by investigating the influence of (in)congruence between perceived egoistic and altruistic motivation.
Findings
The incongruence between perceived egoistic and altruistic motivation can positively influence consumers’ evaluations of sellers. Moreover, when perceived egoistic and altruistic motivations are congruent, increasing their absolute level also enhances consumers’ evaluation of sellers. Moreover, sellers’ platform function usage behavior can amplify the positive effect of incongruence but has no salient moderating role on the congruence effect.
Originality/value
Differing from prior literature that predominantly focused on either the positive or negative interpretation of CRM, this study reveals the coexistence of both positive and negative viewpoints and disentangles the congruence and incongruence effect between the two motivational understandings.
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Katrin Brückner, Agnes Emberger-Klein and Klaus Menrad
The purpose of this study was to investigate how and through which social-cognitive constructs, emotions influence healthy food shopping behaviors. Direct effects of those…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study was to investigate how and through which social-cognitive constructs, emotions influence healthy food shopping behaviors. Direct effects of those constructs, as well as indirect effects of consumer emotions are considered.
Design/methodology/approach
An altered version of the Social Cognitive Theory, including intention, socio-structural factors, outcome expectancies and self-efficacy with the addition of consumer emotions was analyzed using structural equation modeling. Data of 1,181 volunteers were collected in Germany in 2021 through an online survey.
Findings
Intention was the most important positive predictor of food choice, while socio-structural factors had the biggest impact on intentions. Those were mostly influenced by self-efficacy, which was strongly predicted by consumer emotions. Outcome expectancies did not influence the current model in any way. Consumer emotions did not directly influence intention, nor actual choice, however showed to be influencing those variables through indirect effects.
Practical implications
Marketers could benefit from these results by incorporating the current findings into existing marketing strategies through targeting a combination of social cognitive constructs, as well as consumer emotions to facilitate healthier food shopping behavior.
Originality/value
Affect has received increasing attention in regards to its impact on healthy eating behaviors in recent years. Less attention has been paid to the mechanisms through which emotions influence healthy nutrition behavior, specifically how consumer emotions influence healthy food shopping behavior.
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Md. Rabiul Awal, Md. Shakhawat Hossain, Tahmina Akter Arzin, Md. Imran Sheikh and Md. Enamul Haque
Online shopping around the world is growing exponentially, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine how an online customer's purchasing experience…
Abstract
Purpose
Online shopping around the world is growing exponentially, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aims to examine how an online customer's purchasing experience influences his/her buying intention and willingness to believe in fraud news, as well as the ripple impact of satisfaction and trust, with gender as a moderator in an emerging economy during COVID-19.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the underpinning of the stimulus-organism-behavior-consequence (SOBC) theory, the research model was developed, and collected data from 259 respondents using convenience samples technique. Next, the data were analyzed using partial least squares-based structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) and Hayes Process Macro.
Findings
The study results confirmed that the online shopping experience (OSE) has positive impact on customers' satisfaction (CS), purchase intention (PI) and customer trust (CT); CS has positive effects on trust toward online shopping and their future product PI; future product PI significantly affects customers' propensity to believe and act on fraud news (PBAFN). The finding also states that gender moderates the relationships of CS to PI, OSE to PI and PI to PBAFN, but doesn't moderate the CT to PI relationship.
Originality/value
The study findings will assist policymakers and online vendors to win customers' hearts and minds' through confirming satisfaction, trust and a negative attitude toward fake news, which will lead to customer loyalty and the sustainable development of the industry. Finally, the limitations and future research directions are discussed.
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