Search results
11 – 20 of over 2000
The primary purpose of this paper is to investigate and ascertain the effects of integrative motivation on the willingness to participate in boycott activities.
Abstract
Purpose
The primary purpose of this paper is to investigate and ascertain the effects of integrative motivation on the willingness to participate in boycott activities.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper uses a mail survey to examine the relationships among six constructs in a boycotting issue context, in order to explore Chinese consumers' willingness to boycott against Japanese products or services with the fallout from a Japanese former PM's continuous visits to a controversial war shrine since 2001.
Findings
The findings suggest that there are significant and positive pairwise relationships between boycott participation and three factors (i.e. animosity, efficacy, and prior purchase). High animosity towards Japanese goods and the other two constructs, at the high end of the attitude spectrum, increase the level of willingness to engage in consumer boycott practices.
Practical implications
Consumer boycotts are a worldwide and historic phenomenon in modern society. As the number of protests grows and as local authorities recognize the economic and political impact of such activities, then multinational companies (MNCs) and host countries begin to see the historic and cultural perspective of these events in addition to the conventional consumer behaviour perspective. To enable boycotting to become less harmful, MNC management need to understand what makes local consumers so affronted. The results of the evaluation can potentially be generalized towards a strategic analysis of the boycott model in other hostile market situations.
Originality/value
The findings of this paper offer pivotal implications for decision makers and the management of those Western multinational enterprises who are concerned with increasing their share of the world's largest consumer market. In particular, Japanese MNCs need to pay much more attention to the oppressed and potentially explosive emotion of animosity as the legacy of past conflicts (i.e. war, economic, political, etc.) between Japan and China.
Details
Keywords
Consumers may boycott firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, but little is known about when, why and how they would respond in this way. Based on psychological…
Abstract
Purpose
Consumers may boycott firms’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, but little is known about when, why and how they would respond in this way. Based on psychological contract violation and discount principles, the purpose of this paper is to argue that timing and fit of CSR activities are the main dimensions of consumers’ psychological contract. It is posited that CSR activities would be boycotted if consumers perceived violation of their psychological contract, and their altruistic tendency would have a moderating effect on this mechanism.
Design/methodology/approach
This paper takes the form of an empirical study using a sample of 434 respondents through scene-questionnaire survey in central China.
Findings
It is found that (1) low fit or reactive CSR activities would induce consumers’ psychological contract violation, and the latter has a more significant influence; (2) perceived CSR is negatively related with consumers’ boycott behaviors, but CSR activities would be boycotted if consumers’ psychological contracts are violated; (3) the negative relationship between perceived CSR and consumers’ boycott behaviors would be strengthened by consumers’ altruistic tendency, and the positive relationship between consumers’ psychological contract violation and their boycott behaviors would also be strengthened by their altruistic tendency.
Research limitations/implications
This paper has significant theoretical implications, as it answers the question that when, why and how CSR activities would be boycotted. Besides, it contributes to literature on psychological contract for applying it to CSR research field. Furthermore, the double-edged effect of consumers’ altruistic tendency extends literature on pro-social behaviors.
Social implications
This paper is of interests to corporate management and academics who wish to understand when and why consumers would boycott CSR activities and the factors that would relax consumers’ negative responses.
Originality/value
This is the first paper that investigates when, why and how CSR activities would be boycotted from the perspective of consumers’ psychological contract violation.
Details
Keywords
Asmat-Nizam Abdul-Talib and Mohd Muttaqin Mohd Adnan
The purpose of this study is to examine the willingness to boycott among Malaysian consumers towards the surrogate products associated with Israel. The present study was based on…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine the willingness to boycott among Malaysian consumers towards the surrogate products associated with Israel. The present study was based on the previous and an ongoing war and conflict in the Middle East.
Design/methodology/approach
Several surrogate products associated with Israel were selected. A total of 468 respondents from various backgrounds participated in this study. Analysis was performed using multiple regression analysis (MRA).
Findings
Results showed that three factors were significant in predicting the willingness to boycott. They were animosity, subjective norms and product judgments. Anticipated emotions (both positive and negative emotions) were found to be insignificant in predicting the willingness to boycott the surrogate products.
Originality/value
The present study addresses the boycott intention in Malaysia where multi-races and multi-religions exist, in the context of the ongoing war and oppression by Israeli government toward the Palestinians. The results have some implications to multinational firms, especially those perceived to have direct links with the aggressors.
Details
Keywords
The purpose of this study is to explore how nationalistic appeals may affect consumers’ perception and purchasing of targeted brands. Qualitative historical data from old China…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore how nationalistic appeals may affect consumers’ perception and purchasing of targeted brands. Qualitative historical data from old China (1900–1949) reveal that social movement groups can adopt nationalistic appeals assisted by meaning framing – defined as a creative interpretation of symbols, designs, behaviors, social events and cultural identities to serve social and political goals – to shape consumers’ attitudes toward foreign brands. After examining the mechanisms and processes underlying consumer boycotts from 1900 to 1949, the responsive strategies of affected foreign companies are illustrated.
Design/methodology/approach
Critical historical research method is applied to historical data and historical “traces” from China’s corporate documents, memoirs, posters, advertisements, newspapers and secondhand sources documenting Chinese boycotts from 1900 to 1949.
Findings
Consumers may pursue interests beyond economic interests. Nationalistic appeals can mobilize consumer boycotts against foreign brands that were perceived to support or relate to targeted countries. Political framing of certain events shapes consumers’ perceptions and concomitant brand choices.
Research limitations/implications
Although differences between historical and current contexts may require tailoring past marketing strategies to current conditions, past strategies can inform current and future strategies.
Practical implications
Strategies adopted by foreign companies in old China (1900–1949) can help contemporary companies design effective marketing strategies for a hostile marketplace infused with nationalistic appeals and competing interests.
Social implications
Although local companies can adopt economic or political nationalism to realize their economic goals, it represents a double-edged sword that can harm national brands.
Originality/value
A historical analysis of nationalistic business appeals in pre-1949 China can inform the counterstrategies modern companies adopt to overcome consumer boycotts.
Details
Keywords
Dessy Kurnia Sari, Dick Mizerski and Fang Liu
This paper aims to investigate the motivations behind Muslim consumers’ boycotting of foreign products. The act of boycotting foreign products has become increasingly common among…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the motivations behind Muslim consumers’ boycotting of foreign products. The act of boycotting foreign products has become increasingly common among Muslim consumers. Products from different countries-of-origin are their boycott targets.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted semi-structured in-depth interviews and focus-group discussions for data collection. A total of 36 Indonesian subjects participated in the study, representing the “university student” and “non-university student” samples. Leximancer, a qualitative analytical tool, was used to identify important motivations for boycotting behaviour among Muslim consumers.
Findings
Contrary to previous findings, this study found that Muslim consumers do not boycott solely for religious reasons. For example, most participants reported they boycotted Chinese products because they would like to protect their local products, along with the religious-based motivation of rejecting uncertainty about the halal certification of the products. Thus, the motivations identified from this study were not related exclusively to religion.
Practical implications
The present study offers new insights into the religious and secular motivations of Muslim consumers’ boycotts. Foreign products should adopt localised strategies such as repeatedly reminding consumers of the true halal nature of their products and their contribution to the local people.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the recognition of new insights into Muslim motivation to boycott product. The results develop important concepts surrounding the issue of boycotting foreign products. A concept map has been produced to offer a more comprehensive picture of Muslim’s boycotting behaviour.
Details
Keywords
Olivia Stacie-Ann Cleopatra Bravo and Sindy Chapa
This exploratory research examined how emphasizing a brand’s unethical behaviour through high moral intensity news framing influences consumer boycott intention.
Abstract
Purpose
This exploratory research examined how emphasizing a brand’s unethical behaviour through high moral intensity news framing influences consumer boycott intention.
Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses were tested and validated using two experimental studies that expose customers of real retail and personal care product brands to news articles that have high and low moral intensity news frames.
Findings
The results showed high moral intensity news framing’s positive effect on consumer boycott intention. The frame’s influence is moderated by moral awareness and partially mediated by perceived moral intensity and moral judgement. The findings suggest that consumers’ perception of the frame and their attitude towards the brand will have a substantial role in boycott intention.
Practical implications
These research outcomes aid in the understanding of news framing effects on boycott intention, providing both insights for consumer activists and managerial implications for stewards of brands.
Originality/value
While previous research have examined the impact of news frames on the typical audience, there has been relatively little focus on news framing’s impact on consumers and their decision to boycott brands. This study addresses this gap by applying the work on emphasis framing to a consumer decision-making context. It also introduces moral intensity framing to the news frame classification. In addition, this study expands current conceptualizations of individual ethical decision-making to help explain consumer boycott intent.
Details
Keywords
This study aims to explain the boycott of Chinese product during the COVID-19 crisis. Specifically, this paper attempt to empirically test the influence of boycott on the image…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explain the boycott of Chinese product during the COVID-19 crisis. Specifically, this paper attempt to empirically test the influence of boycott on the image brand and foreign product judgment, as well as to testing the influence of brand image on the judgment of these products.
Design/methodology/approach
Data was collected from a stratified random sample (N = 300) of students and was analyzed by using the structural equation modeling method.
Findings
The results show that the boycott negatively influenced the brand image and valuation of foreign products. Also, empirical results confirm that the brand image of foreign products positively influenced consumer judgment.
Practical implications
The success of foreign products is because of a combination of adaptation and standardization strategies for foreign companies in a local market to resist ace to unexpected economic conditions. These strategies allowed foreign products to penetrate diverse markets and not to be considered as a “foreign” brand which must be boycotted even in health crisis. The internationalization of companies and the opening of subsidiaries in the targeted countries can be considered as a solution for them so that their products will not be boycotted by consumers and consider them as national products.
Originality/value
Although with the existence of several studies on the boycott of foreign products, little attention has been paid so far to assess its interactions in times of health crisis such as COVID-19 crisis. This study contributes to the existing the literature with a research model based on two theories. This study leads to a better understanding of the role of boycotting foreign products and its impact on the brand image of these products and their judgments by consumers. On the other hand, this study tested the effect of branding on the judgment of boycotted products. Indeed, no study has so far examined the influence of consumer boycotts on the brand image of boycotted products. The authors have already responded to this shortcoming by adding additional tests for verification, robustness and validation of the results obtained.
Details
Keywords
Suraiya Ishak, Kartini Khalid and Nidzam Sulaiman
This paper aims to examine consumers’ responses to products that are influenced by their moral justification. Specifically, this paper examines the factors related to consumers’…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to examine consumers’ responses to products that are influenced by their moral justification. Specifically, this paper examines the factors related to consumers’ moral response and choices, including religious affiliation and obligation, group memberships, group reference, type of product and link of egregious conduct to particular products. This study explicates Adam Smith’s concept of people’s proprietary emotion that potentially affects their purchasing behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
This study uses focus group discussion with nine consumers across ethnic groups in Malaysia. A recent boycott case was used to stimulate the group discussion. Their statements are displayed in the findings to show their expressions verbatim.
Findings
The findings outline that consumers’ participation in the boycott of products is influenced by their moral judgment with frequent addressing of the religious affiliation and obligation, group reference and group membership factors. Additionally, there is a tendency that certain issue(s), although perceived as a universal humanistic issue, would be relatively closer to people with backgrounds similar to the majority of the victims of a particular issue. However, such a boycott action has issues such as duration of action, consistency of action and choice of pragmatic over moral decision that weigh the efficacy of the boycott action toward products related to certain egregious actions. Overall, the non-participation decision had been attached to factors such as type of product, boycotting cost, brand attraction and function or usefulness of products. These factors may also moderate consumers’ sentiment to boycott a particular product(s) in the long term.
Originality/value
This paper offers new insight regarding factors influencing participation in the boycott of products which were suspected to have link with egregious conduct towards certain Muslim groups. This paper offers a different perspective by integrating ethical theory into the discussion. In addition, it explores the influence of Muslims’ brotherhood concept on participation in boycott activities.
Hanizah Hamzah and Hasrina Mustafa
Drawing on the transtheoretical model (TTM) into the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) framework, this study aims to understand the factors affecting the intention of Malaysian…
Abstract
Purpose
Drawing on the transtheoretical model (TTM) into the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) framework, this study aims to understand the factors affecting the intention of Malaysian consumers to boycott products and services from companies perceived to be supporting or funding Israel and identify specific TPB variables that are important at each stage of change.
Design/methodology/approach
Data collected were based on an online survey among 177 respondents working in Malaysian conglomerates based in Kuala Lumpur.
Findings
The results show moderate intention to participate in the boycott among the respondents with attitude towards boycott, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control of boycott have significant relationship with intention to participate in the boycott towards Israel. The study also found significant linear increases of TPB constructs across the stages of change, which indicated significant influence of all TPB constructs at each stage of change.
Originality/value
Consumer boycott is not unheard of in Malaysia, but empirical research in the area is still lacking. As markets expand, the consumers also evolve to become more knowledgeable and ethical in their consumption, sometimes choosing to boycott to coerce the companies or brands to be environmentally, ethically and socially responsible. Findings from this study are expected to benefit NGOs or associations that intend to develop more effective campaigns to encourage consumers to use boycott to drive social or ethical causes.
Details
Keywords
Fawzi Dekhil, Hajer Jridi and Hana Farhat
This research aims to analyze the effects of religiosity on the decision to participate in a boycott and the effect of a boycott on attitudes toward the boycotted brand. It also…
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to analyze the effects of religiosity on the decision to participate in a boycott and the effect of a boycott on attitudes toward the boycotted brand. It also aims to measure the moderating effect of brand loyalty on the different models the authors discuss.
Design/methodology/approach
An experiment involving 165 Tunisian individuals during a call for a boycott of products of the Coca-Cola Company, which supports the Israeli army against Palestine, was conducted. Data analyses were conducted via two principal stages using SPSS 20.0 and Smart PLS 2.0.
Findings
The findings show that degree of religiosity was one of the antecedents of decision to participate in a boycott, and this decision has a negative effect on the attitude toward the brand being boycotted. The paper also has been able to show that brand loyalty moderates the relation of the present model. It diminishes the effect of religiosity on boycotting.
Research limitations/implications
Among the limits of the study is the fact that the authors relied on the investigation of only one product/brand (namely, Coca-Cola). In addition, the samples subjected to inquiry by the authors were chosen for their convenience.
Practical implications
Besides, the presentation of boycotted products in stores has a negative effect on the sales of the surrounding “non-boycotted” products (Friedman, 1999a). The authors note here that marketers can derive huge benefits from the exploration of boycott, for many reasons. The company must insist on the satisfaction and trust of their consumers, which are the bases of the loyalty. They must define the marketing strategy to increase the loyalty. This will diminish the effect of religiosity on the decision to participate in the boycott.
Social implications
The results allow us to assert that the decision to participate in a boycott has a negative effect on the attitude of the consumer and on the brand to be boycotted. Investigating the moderating effect of loyalty on the relation between religiosity and the decision to participate in a boycott is very interesting.
Originality/value
This research has shown that religiosity has a positive effect on boycotting. Also, it was found that a boycott has a negative effect on attitudes toward the boycotted brand. Therefore, brand loyalty moderates negatively the effect of religiosity on the decision to participate in the boycott and moderates the effect of the boycott on brand attitude.
Details