Economics and sociology are two different theoretical disciplines dealing with one and the same subject. The aim of the paper is to integrate the two paradigms into one framework…
Abstract
Purpose
Economics and sociology are two different theoretical disciplines dealing with one and the same subject. The aim of the paper is to integrate the two paradigms into one framework of interpretation and analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
Economics is presented as a science that approaches human behaviour being subject to the omni‐present phenomenon of scarcity, assuming rationality and social independence of human actors. Sociology is presented as a science that interprets human behaviour as group behaviour. Groups are motivated to rank one another in terms of status. Integration must take place by relating the two analyses based on these paradigms.
Findings
The basic economic framework is about the relationship between preferences and scarce resources, determining the structure of allocation of goods. The basic sociological framework is about the relationship between the distribution of socially valued goods and the culture that gives goods their social meaning. A socio‐economic framework is about the relation between allocation, distribution, culture and preferences.
Originality/value
When applying the socio‐economic framework to real‐life phenomena both the economic and the social motives play a role in the explanation, which is not the case in applied economics and applied sociology.
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Ranjit Kaur and Jagwinder Singh
Littering has been identified as a significant social issue in India that has negative impact on the environment as well as public health. Social marketing is a powerful tool for…
Abstract
Purpose
Littering has been identified as a significant social issue in India that has negative impact on the environment as well as public health. Social marketing is a powerful tool for changing and sustaining pro-environmental behaviors, but so far no research has been found on the application of social marketing on changing littering behavior in India. This paper aims to integrate the two widely used social marketing models, health belief model (HBM) and theory of planned behavior (TPB), with an extra factor, environmental factors, in a holistic model to understand and predict anti-littering behavior in India.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 750 individuals were interviewed at 34 locations across the states of New Delhi and Punjab (India) in a field survey. For data analysis, confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation model techniques in AMOS 21.0 have been used.
Findings
The results of the study suggest that the perceived benefits and perceived barriers have a significant direct effect on the attitude toward anti-littering behavior. No direct impact of perceived threat has been found on attitude toward anti-littering behavior. The results also confirm the role of attitude, subjective norms and self-efficacy in influencing the anti-littering intention with attitude and subjective norms having a greater impact on intention as compared to self-efficacy. Furthermore, the results also highlight that the environmental factors and intention carry more weights than perceived behavioral control in influencing anti-littering behavior. Recognizing the importance of sequential mediators in the present study, the results of the serial mediation analysis revealed that attitude and intention sequentially mediate the path linking perceived benefits, perceived barriers and anti-littering behavior.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the current study in terms of theory building appears to be the first to integrate social marketing models HBM and TPB to explain and understand not only anti-littering behavior but also for setting a platform of behavior change in a larger context.
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Danielle van den Heuvel and Julia Noordegraaf
How do we make sense of urban life in the past? What do we do when we study urban history, and to what extent do our methods fully capture the complexities of historical city…
Abstract
How do we make sense of urban life in the past? What do we do when we study urban history, and to what extent do our methods fully capture the complexities of historical city living? These are crucial questions for any scholar interested in the historical dimensions of urban experience. Notwithstanding the interest of most urban historians in the relationship between the physical form of urban space and its experience by inhabitants and visitors, very few scholars have written histories that systematically integrate these two areas of inquiry. In this chapter, we argue that such research requires a method and an accompanying tool that can analyze historical urban life in a more integrated, holistic way. We propose a way forward by introducing the Time Machine platform as a scalable data visualization and analysis tool for researching everyday urban experience across space and time. To illustrate the potential we focus on a case study: the area of the Bloemstraat in early modern Amsterdam. Unpacking a section of the Bloemstraat, house by house and room by room, we show how the Time Machine forms an instrument to connect spatial layouts to the arrangement of objects and to the practical and social use of the space by the inhabitants and visitors. We also sketch how this tool illuminates more dynamic spatial and temporal practices such as how people, goods, and activities are connected to locations in the wider city and beyond.
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Laura Salciuviene, Jūratė Banytė, Mantas Vilkas, Aistė Dovalienė and Žaneta Gravelines
This study aims to identify the effects of moral identity on consumer engagement in sustainable consumption, and discover any moderating gender effects. The authors deploy regret…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to identify the effects of moral identity on consumer engagement in sustainable consumption, and discover any moderating gender effects. The authors deploy regret and identity theories to propose hypotheses and explain research findings.
Design/methodology/approach
Data collection was via online survey, and analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling to test hypotheses.
Findings
Symbolization and internalization dimensions of moral identity are positively associated with five dimensions of engagement. Moreover, the relationship between moral identity and specific dimensions of engagement in sustainable consumption is stronger among males than females.
Originality/value
This study suggests a novel mechanism in a hitherto under-researched area in the sustainability and moral identity literature, viz. consumer engagement in sustainable consumption when moral identity is present. This research also adds to current knowledge regarding gender effects in the link between the symbolization and internalization dimensions of moral identity and engagement in sustainable consumption.
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Alexander P. Henkel, Martina Čaić, Marah Blaurock and Mehmet Okan
Besides the direct physical health consequences, through social isolation COVID-19 affects a considerably larger share of consumers with deleterious effects for their…
Abstract
Purpose
Besides the direct physical health consequences, through social isolation COVID-19 affects a considerably larger share of consumers with deleterious effects for their psychological well-being. Two vulnerable consumer groups are particularly affected: older adults and children. The purpose of the underlying paper is to take a transformative research perspective on how social robots can be deployed for advancing the well-being of these vulnerable consumers and to spur robotic transformative service research (RTSR).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper follows a conceptual approach that integrates findings from various domains: service research, social robotics, social psychology and medicine.
Findings
Two key findings advanced in this paper are (1) a typology of robotic transformative service (i.e. entertainer, social enabler, mentor and friend) as a function of consumers' state of social isolation, well-being focus and robot capabilities and (2) a future research agenda for RTSR.
Practical implications
This paper guides service consumers and providers and robot developers in identifying and developing the most appropriate social robot type for advancing the well-being of vulnerable consumers in social isolation.
Originality/value
This study is the first to integrate social robotics and transformative service research by developing a typology of social robots as a guiding framework for assessing the status quo of transformative robotic service on the basis of which it advances a future research agenda for RTSR. It further complements the underdeveloped body of service research with a focus on eudaimonic consumer well-being.
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Sita Mishra, Gunjan Malhotra, Ravi Chatterjee and Waheed Kareem Abdul
This research focuses on the consumption behavior of young consumers by examining their ecological consciousness and several self-oriented and psychological variables…
Abstract
Purpose
This research focuses on the consumption behavior of young consumers by examining their ecological consciousness and several self-oriented and psychological variables (fashion-orientation, frugality and psychological ownership toward the environment) that may trigger their sustainable purchase behavior. The research used “Psychological Ownership Theory” to examine sustainable purchase behavior in the context of apparel consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
To gather data, a multi-method approach is used, including a scenario-based choice experiment (n = 62) and a structured survey (n = 338) using an online self-administered questionnaire. Data analysis was done using SPSS AMOS version 25 and PROCESS SPSS macro.
Findings
The results of the two studies revealed the mediation effect of “psychological ownership toward the environment” between ecological consciousness and sustainable purchasing behavior. Furthermore, fashion-orientation was found to be a significant moderating variable influencing sustainable purchase behavior; however, the impact of frugality was insignificant.
Originality/value
This research is one of the first that examined the mediation impact of psychological ownership of the environment in sustainable purchasing behavior using multi-method. The research focuses on the ecological consciousness of young consumers that develop psychological ownership.