Vikas Kumar, Amanjot Singh Syan, Amanpreet Kaur and Bikramjit Singh Hundal
This study aims to examine the farmers’ awareness level and explores the factors, which may influence their adoption intention regarding solar powered pumps.
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to examine the farmers’ awareness level and explores the factors, which may influence their adoption intention regarding solar powered pumps.
Design/methodology/approach
The study consist of a sample of 510 respondents selected from the rural region of Punjab (India) by using convenience sampling. Descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis techniques have been used for the analytical purpose.
Findings
The study reveals that dimensions such as perceived benefit, perceived compatibility and government incentives have a significant impact on intention to use solar powered pumps, whereas high investment cost and lack of awareness regarding government subsidies are the main reason for non-adoption of the same.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size has been selected on the basis of convenience sampling and has been taken from the rural area, which may affect its generalizability.
Practical implications
The present research is expected to be useful for the manufacturers, regulators, customers, commercial banks, product and service providers, and other environmental institutions.
Originality/value
The study has acknowledged various intentional factors, which influence the adoption decision of solar powered pumps. Therefore, the present study will be useful to formulate action plans to improve the environmental quality.
Details
Keywords
Vikas Kumar, Bikramjit Singh Hundal and Kulwinder Kaur
The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors influencing farmers’ intention to purchase solar water pumping systems (SWPS).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the factors influencing farmers’ intention to purchase solar water pumping systems (SWPS).
Design/methodology/approach
The research is based on primary data that have been collected from a total of 345 solar pump users from different villages and rural areas of Punjab (India). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and multiple regression analysis have been used to examine the collected data. Multiple regression analysis is used to examine the identified dimensions’ impact on customer buying behaviour.
Findings
The results of analysis validated that consumer buying behaviour is significantly determined by cost, performance and government initiatives dimensions. However, dimensions such as eco-friendly product, information regarding product and company, environmental concern and social influence were found insignificant.
Research limitations/implications
The sample size has been selected on the basis of convenience sampling and sample has been taken from the rural area. Therefore, the result may not be representative of the overall population. The perception of respondents from one part may vary from another part of India.
Originality/value
By providing an insight into factors affecting consumer buying behaviour of SWPS, the proposed research attempts to fill the gaps in literature by conducting an empirical study on consumer buying behaviour. As the study relates to SWPS users, findings will be of additional value to solar product companies and the government.
Details
Keywords
Vikas Kumar and Bikramjit Singh Hundal
This study aims to consider a five-factor model to evaluate the service quality of solar product companies in the context of rural Punjab (India) and validate the proposed model…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to consider a five-factor model to evaluate the service quality of solar product companies in the context of rural Punjab (India) and validate the proposed model. In addition, the study considered the factors which affect the service quality of solar product companies.
Design/methodology/approach
A five-factor model of service quality has been tested for reliability and validity by confirmatory factor analysis. For determining satisfaction of the solar product users, SERVQUAL model/gap analysis has been applied. Five dimensions, namely tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy have been considered to assess the overall satisfaction level. A modified scale of Parasuraman incorporated in 1985 has been used as a survey instrument for research. A sample size of 345 solar submersible pump users was selected.
Findings
The study concluded that dimensions such as reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy have lesser gap. The major gap has been found in the tangibility dimension which includes variables like modern design of solar energy products, facilities and attractiveness, variety of solar products and performance of solar products, etc.
Research limitations/implications
As primary data are concerned, the biasness of the respondents may affect the results of the study. The survey has been conducted in the Punjab region, and a sample size is 345 only which may not reflect the broader picture.
Practical implications
Solar energy has huge benefits in the Indian agriculture sector. The erratic state of power supply in India casts important costs on agriculture productivity. One such segment concerns systems, an important input for agriculture production. The study has implications for solar energy product manufacturers, as it makes them aware about customer perception toward services of solar product companies.
Social implications
To decrease pollution and to save the environment, solar energy technologies have a good potential energy source and to meet the global energy demand, as it is the most promising and reliable energy source.
Originality/value
The existing studies in the context of service quality of solar product companies in Punjab have been majorly confined to proposing key drivers toward adoption of renewable energy sources. By providing an insight into the satisfaction level of farmers for solar submersible pumps, the proposed study attempts to fill the gap. As the study relates to solar product users in rural Punjab, the findings will be of additional value to solar product companies which are manufacturing solar products. Therefore, it is expected that this research will fill the gap in literature by studying empirically the service quality of solar product companies.
Details
Keywords
Harminderjit Kaur and Bikramjit Singh Hundal
The purpose of this paper is to cover the gap from the previous literature with regard to the cognitive and the behavioural component of attitude of consumers. The literature was…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to cover the gap from the previous literature with regard to the cognitive and the behavioural component of attitude of consumers. The literature was scant in examining the influence of the mostly used traits on the purchase behaviour and the switching behaviour of consumers. Therefore, this research paper examines the impact of different marketing strategies used by the advertisers on the components of the attitude of the consumers.
Design/methodology/approach
First, the perception of the consumers towards the traits was measured by the factor analysis approach. Second, the impact of the traits on the purchase behaviour of consumers was scrutinized using regression analysis, and then descriptive statistics approach was used to analyse the switching behaviour and the most important tactic used in the advertisement.
Findings
The results indicate that repeated exposure, comparison of products and sexual appeals has a significant impact on the mind of consumers which determines the influence of advertising tactics. Further, the results evaluated that information, pricing element, image of company and sexual appeal are the other important traits influencing the cognitive attitude of consumers. The consumers switch to the advertised products which indicate the behavioural change with the impact of advertisement.
Research limitations/implications
This research paper is suffering from some limitations as the area of research is restrained to the urban population of three districts of Punjab only, i.e. Amritsar, Jalandhar and Ludhiana, because of which the results cannot be generalized for other areas. Due to the changing behaviour and the attitude, income level and media, the response of the consumers in the present study may not be relevant in the future period. The study was confined to the working women consumers only and does not represent the whole population.
Practical implications
This research paper provides an insight to the marketers. The managers can measure how by using appropriate tactics can they make their advertising more effective. In case of unfamiliar products, the attitude of consumers to accept or to avoid the product is influenced by the tactics used by the marketers. It was recommended that the marketers must use the appropriate tactics to make their products/brands more pertinent and important among the consumers.
Originality/value
This research paper examines the impact of TV advertisement of beauty products on the components of the attitude of the urban working women consumers. This study presents the influence of the various marketing strategies used in the advertisement to influence the purchase and the switching behaviour of consumers.