Srikant Manchiraju and Amrut Sadachar
The role of personal values in consumer behavior is well documented; however, in the context of fashion consumption, the role of personal values’ influence on consumers’ ethical…
Abstract
Purpose
The role of personal values in consumer behavior is well documented; however, in the context of fashion consumption, the role of personal values’ influence on consumers’ ethical behavior has not been studied. Consequently, the purpose of this paper is to seek to explore whether consumers’ personal values predict consumers’ behavioral intentions to engage in ethical fashion consumption.
Design/methodology/approach
The present study employed the Fritzsche model, which states that an individual's personal values are related to his/her intentions to engage in ethical behavior. The present study examined the causal relationship between the personal values and behavioral intentions to engage in ethical fashion consumption. Data collected from the US national sample were subjected to structural equation modeling.
Findings
The proposed model explained 42 percent of variance in consumer's behavioral intentions toward ethical fashion consumption. Furthermore, a significant negative relationship between self-enhancement personal values and behavioral intention toward ethical fashion consumption was found. Several theoretical and practical implications related to the present study were discussed.
Originality/value
To the authors’ knowledge, the study is first of its kind in several aspects: first, ethical fashion consumption has been conceptualized in the broadest definition possible, as oppose to focussing on a particular facet of fashion consumption (e.g. organic products or counterfeit fashion); second, linking consumer personal values as a predictor of his/her ethical fashion consumption behavioral intentions; and third, employing the Fritzsche model in fashion behavior context.
Details
Keywords
Jihyeong Son, Amrut Sadachar, Srikant Manchiraju, Ann Marie Fiore and Linda S. Niehm
“Collaborative customer co‐design websites” (CCCWs), reflect a combination of co‐design and social networking. While this technology is presently emerging, little research has…
Abstract
Purpose
“Collaborative customer co‐design websites” (CCCWs), reflect a combination of co‐design and social networking. While this technology is presently emerging, little research has explored consumer perception of the underlying benefits and impediments of CCCW features. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the perceived benefits and impediments offered by a CCCW and its influence on consumer acceptance of this technology.
Design/methodology/approach
The Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) with additional variables (perceived playfulness, perceived social risk, and mass confusion) was employed to examine the effects of CCCW features on consumers' beliefs about the CCCW and their consequent intention to use a CCCW. An online, scenario‐based survey was used to collect responses from college students (n=223). Data were analyzed using structural equation modeling.
Findings
Results of structural model testing indicated that perceived playfulness had the largest influence on intentions to use the CCCW. Additionally, perceived social risk associated with the CCCW negatively influenced consumers' intention to use the website. Contrary to expectations, mass confusion positively influenced consumers' intentions to use the CCCW.
Originality/value
Successful online co‐design retailers have begun to utilize social networking features for customer collaboration. Yet, there is scant research that explores the features leading to consumer acceptance of this technology during the collaborative customer co‐design process. Focusing on this problem, the present paper empirically tested perceived benefits and impediments regarding acceptance of a CCCW. The findings suggest that online retailers who adopt a CCCW as a business strategy may relay the value added benefits to consumers by: promoting how this technology relieves customers' perceived social risk; and underscoring the fun and enjoyment aspects of CCCWs to encourage website use and patronage.