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Will ‘doing right’ lead to ‘doing well’? An examination of green behavior

Anupama Sukhu (Peter T. Paul College of Business, University of New Hampshire, Durham, New Hampshire, USA)
Robert Scharff (Department of Human Sciences, Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA)

Journal of Consumer Marketing

ISSN: 0736-3761

Article publication date: 19 March 2018

1824

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this research was to identify the drivers of customer loyalty in the context of green marketing. In particular, the extended theory of reasoned action model specified here added crucial constructs in consumer behavior, namely, consumers’ trust and beliefs about corporate social responsibility, to increase the predictability of the model. Additionally, the moderating role of level of education in predicting customer loyalty to hotels was also examined.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed methodology was used for the study. A structural mixed methodology was used for the study. A structural model was developed to understand the theoretical relationships between identified constructs. Additionally, multiple regression analyses were used to identify the moderating role of level of education in predicting consumer loyalty. Data collected through an online survey from 446 hotel guests were used for the analyses.

Findings

The results indicated that in addition to attitude and subjective norms, consumers’ trust in hotels’ intentions to be green influence their loyalty to green hotel enterprises. Further investigation also showed significant moderating influence of levels of education in their choice to be loyal to green hotels.

Research limitations/implications

Even though the majority of the study’s sample has extensive travel experience, the data were collected from university employees, which might have limited the findings of this study.

Practical implications

Consumers need to trust ethical claims in adopting green practices to become loyal customers. Hence, it is imperative for marketers to convey that their business believe in proenvironmental activities. Additionally, marketers should not neglect their level of education because it influences their loyalty to green hotels. Green marketing should target not only an individual customer but also his/her ties to significant others, because subjective norms influence customer loyalty to green hotels.

Originality/value

This research developed a comprehensive model to understand customer loyalty to green hotels, thus providing insights to marketers and academics about a timely subject, namely, green behavior. In doing so, this research added crucial constructs to extend the traditional model of theory of reasoned action as well as examined the moderating role of level of education in the identified model.

Keywords

Citation

Sukhu, A. and Scharff, R. (2018), "Will ‘doing right’ lead to ‘doing well’? An examination of green behavior", Journal of Consumer Marketing, Vol. 35 No. 2, pp. 169-182. https://doi.org/10.1108/JCM-04-2016-1778

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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