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This paper aims to examine to what extent congruity between ethical attributes (i.e. product attributes with positive implications for the environment, human rights, social issues and animal welfare) and brand concept (i.e. the unique meaning associated with a brand in consumers’ minds) influences consumers’ evaluations of brands offering ethical attributes.

Four studies involving North American consumers empirically tested the moderation effect of brand concept on consumer evaluations of ethical attributes and the mediating role of perceived congruity.

This research finds an interactive effect of ethical attribute type and brand concept on brand evaluations, such that congruent ethical attribute–brand concept pairings (i.e. a utilitarian [symbolic] ethical attribute offered by a brand with a utilitarian [symbolic] brand concept) result in more favorable brand evaluations (Studies 1, 2, 3 and 4). Consumers’ perceptions of congruity between ethical attributes and brand concepts mediate this interactive effect (Studies 2 and 3). Moreover, a positive congruity effect of ethical attributes and brand concepts emerges at higher levels of conspicuous brand consumption (Study 4).

It is important to acknowledge that the current research did not specifically consider the case of utilitarian and symbolic ethical attribute offerings by luxury brands. This is a question that is left to future investigations.

For marketing managers, findings indicate that brands gain from ethical attribute introductions only when these attributes are congruent with the brand concept. In addition, brands benefit to a greater extent from offering congruent ethical attributes when brand consumption is conspicuous.

The findings of this research contribute to the literature on the effect of ethical attributes on consumers’ responses to brands and highlight the importance of brands’ choice of ethical attributes.

The purpose of this paper is to explore how social responsibility initiatives can be integrated into different tiers of retailers’ private label brands (PLB) and introduces a conceptual model and opposing predictions building on research in social responsibility and evolutionary psychology. The empirical evidence from two studies suggests that retailers should consider the type of PLB (i.e. quality tier) in the introduction of social responsibility initiatives.

To investigate opposing predictions, the authors conducted two experiments with presence of social responsibility initiative and PLB quality tier as the factors. The authors present the results from 168 Canadian consumers focussing on two product categories.

The findings of two experiments are more consistent with an explanation based on resource synergy beliefs rather than costly signaling theory. Social responsibility initiatives enhanced consumer evaluations of high-quality PLBs, but hurt consumer evaluations of low-tier PLBs.

Retailers should differentiate the way they accommodate social responsibility initiatives based on the type of their PLBs. Specifically, the beneficial effect of social responsibility initiative only exist for high-tier PLBs. Introducing social responsibility initiatives may hurt preference for low-tier PLBs.

This paper is the first to propose two theoretical models that address how social responsibility initiatives can affect consumer evaluations of PLBs. The initial empirical evidence is more coherent with resource synergy beliefs explanation rather than costly signaling explanation. These results suggest that social responsibility initiatives have asymmetric effects for different tiers of retailers’ PLBs.

This chapter focuses on analyzing conscious consumption practices of sustainable products among the young generation, and their perceptions and behavior toward it. Because university students are the future consumers, they are more educated and aware than the typical person (Mcmillin & Dyball, 2009), will have earning capacity, and will be able to influence others in their workplaces (Nejati & Nejati, 2013), it is critical to measure sustainable consumption in the context of university students. Businesses and marketing strategies must also take into account sustainable consumption. In this vein, policy and business ramifications have been explored (Joshi & Rahman, 2015; Young, Hwang, McDonald, & Oates, 2010). Taking in view the above viewpoint, the focus of the study is to measure and analyze the responses of young generations to conscious consumption of sustainable products in Pune City. This is a descriptive study that was conducted among the 501 students at MIT-World Peace University (MITWPU) in Pune using a judgmental sampling method. Data collection was done through a standardized questionnaire using Google forms. Exploratory factor analysis and percentage analysis were used to examine the responses obtained using SPSS IBM 28.0. The results of the study reveal that conscious consumption enhances the environmental, social, and economic quality of life among young generations. It reflects conscious sense among youth as well as their perception and behavior on caring about themselves, the environment, and conserving for future generations.

The purpose of the present study was to advance a theoretical understanding of the mechanisms by which WISEs can influence the stigma associated with mental illness. Many people with serious mental illnesses want to work, but despite much attention to work entry strategies, unemployment rates remain exceptionally high among this population. Stigma has been identified as a particularly pernicious barrier to the full community participation of people with mental illnesses. If work integration social enterprises (WISE) are to positively impact the full community participation of people with mental illnesses, then addressing stigma will be integral to their operation.

A comparative case study approach was used to address the following research questions: “How is the stigma of mental illness experienced in the everyday operations of WISE?” and “What influence do WISEs have on the stigma of mental illness within the workplace and beyond?” Five established WISEs that pay workers at minimum wage or better were selected for inclusion. The maximum variation sample included WISEs that varied in terms of geographical location, form of commerce, business size, revenues and degree of connection with mental health systems and local communities. Data analysis was conducted in four stages using qualitative methods.

The study findings suggest processes by which WISEs can positively impact the stigma of mental illness. Three social processes are associated with the potential of WISE to contribute to stigma reduction: perception of legitimacy, perception of value and perception of competence. Each of these social processes is fueled by underlying tensions in practice that arise in the context of negotiating the dual goals of the business.

This study advances theoretical understanding of the ways in which stigma may be perpetuated or reduced in WISE by revealing the social processes and practice tensions that may be associated with operation choices made by WISEs and their partners. Further research would be required to determine if the processes described actually lead to reduced stigma. Although efforts were made to select WISEs that demonstrate a variety of features, it is likely that some important features were absent. Additional research could further explore the findings identified here with WISEs from other sectors, including youth and workers with transient or less severe forms of illness. This work should be replicated internationally to explore how contextual factors may influence individual and public perceptions.

The findings provide guidance for WISE developers in the mental health sector concerning strategies that may help mitigate the development of stigmatizing features within a social enterprise and by extension improve the work experience and workforce integration of employees. The identification of these processes and tensions can be used to advance the development of consensus principles and standards in the WISE field and contribute to ongoing evaluation and research.

WISEs have the potential to reduce stigma, an important goal to support their efforts to improve employment and integration outcomes for people with mental illnesses. Through their business structures and operations they may be able to impact stigma by positively influencing perceptions of legitimacy, value and competence – all issues that have been associated with public assumptions about mental illness that sustain stigma.

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to specifically focus on stigma in the WISE sector, particularly as it relates to the work integration of persons with mental illnesses. The findings provide a range of theoretical and practical implications for future development in the field and highlight factors that merit consideration more broadly in the sector.

The tendency shows that more customers will bring and use their mobile devices in-store. This study proposes a further analysis of the complementary role of the mobile device in an in-store purchase providing a characterisation of those customers and analyses their usage preferences and behaviour intentions, presenting new insights concerning gender and generation preferences.

Quantitative research with customers of electronic stores was conducted based on a questionnaire applied at the store’s exit. To assess the differences between genders and among generations were used the parametric T-Test and one-way ANOVA.

The results demonstrate divergencies between generations when using mobile devices. In addition, they indicate that males have more intention to manage shopping tasks efficiently and consequently are less affected by in-store marketing stimuli and less predisposed to impulse purchases.

Although real customers participated, a convenience sample was used. The results should be compared with research on other retailer types. The customer shopping motivations and the types of mobile device usage should be further investigated since they can change the experience and the retailer’s outcomes.

Contributing to related specific research areas such as shopping behaviour and technology in retail settings by showing the usage preferences, the study also provides information for retailers, especially those needing to approach the Gen Z customers, improving the development of strategies.

This research explores further the complementary role of the mobile device in an in-store purchase. By conducting the study in a new setting, it brings new insight into a less explored, yet important sector.