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1 – 9 of 9Vagia Mochla and George Tsourvakas
The present study aims to explore ethical consumption of Millennials and Generation Z and the effect of eWOM on their purchase intention.
Abstract
Purpose
The present study aims to explore ethical consumption of Millennials and Generation Z and the effect of eWOM on their purchase intention.
Design/methodology/approach
A Structural Equation Model (SEM) was employed to test research hypotheses based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), examining the effects of attitudes and subjective norms. Additionally, the study assessed the impact of product characteristics and consumer awareness of ethical characteristics on purchase intention and eWOM.
Findings
Results reveal no significant differences between Millennials and Generation Z regarding purchase intention. However, Generation Z significantly drives the spread of eWOM. Notably, Generation Z's attitudes towards products from socially responsible and environmentally sustainable companies significantly influence eWOM creation, suggesting a potential new research direction.
Research limitations/implications
This study is also subject to some limitations, which the researchers must point out and which may lead to further research. First, it should be emphasized that the study used a convenient sample, but the study is geographically limited in terms of its significance and the generations analyzed. For this reason, the generalization of the results should be done with caution. In addition, as the exogenous independent variables investigated in this study are limited to a number of different factors that influence the consumption of sustainable products, such as the company's reputation, the perceptual ability of the public to distinguish whether the actions of brands actually serve society or whether they are unrelated actions, as well as the personality and socio-cultural background of consumers can be included in future research. In addition, studies can be conducted to identify subgroups with different motivations among both Millennials and Generation Z and diagnose different market segments that could further confirm the findings.
Practical implications
Based on these findings, brands can develop their social network strategy by emphasizing the environmental and social attributes of their products, services, and benefits. It is also important to undertake initiatives linked to strong sustainability practices and information campaigns to form a positive attitude among consumers and strengthen their purchasing behavior. Particular attention should also be paid to the regular control of the effectiveness and impact of the messages to achieve the greatest public involvement.
Social implications
Brands must focus on developing successful strategies to strengthen employer branding through a positive work experience, the creation of jobs related to sustainability, the correct application of ESG criteria in all departments involved, the adaptation of training programs, and the corresponding promotion of all these practices that lead to positive eWOM to obtain a competitive advantage (Clementino and Perkins 2021).
Originality/value
This study contributes theoretically and practically to the understanding of ethical consumption. It provides valuable insights for brands to enhance their social network strategies by highlighting the environmental and social characteristics of their products. By emphasizing these practices, companies can effectively engage Millennials and Generation Z, leveraging their influence to promote ethical consumption and gain a competitive advantage in the market.
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Leonidas Hatzithomas, Panagiotis Gkorezis, Athina Y. Zotou and George Tsourvakas
This paper aims to empirically examine how atmospherics affect word of mouth (WOM) about the brand. The authors focus primarily on uncovering the causal mechanism in which such…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to empirically examine how atmospherics affect word of mouth (WOM) about the brand. The authors focus primarily on uncovering the causal mechanism in which such effect is serially mediated by both perceived positive emotions evoked by atmospherics and attitude toward the brand.
Design/methodology/approach
To test the research hypotheses, 314 Greek moviegoers were drafted to participate in a survey. Data were analysed using confirmatory factor analysis (AMOS) and the SPSS macro (PROCESS tool). The model was applied to motion pictures, as they provide a particularly good example of short life-cycle products.
Findings
Findings indicate that atmospherics are related to WOM about the brand through perceived emotions evoked by atmospherics and, in turn, attitude toward the brand.
Research limitations/implications
The present study extends the relevant literature by providing both direct and indirect links between atmospherics and WOM about a brand.
Practical implications
The model of the present study could be applied to other short life-cycle products that share key characteristics with motion pictures. Moreover, the present study increases movie producers and exhibitors’ understanding of the effects of theatre atmospherics on WOM about the movie and leads to practical suggestions and implications.
Originality/value
WOM is one of the key variables that can affect the profitability of short life-cycle products. To date, there was no evidence that atmospherics can influence WOM about a short life-cycle product.
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Kwasi Dartey-Baah and George Kofi Amoako
The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of research studies on the drivers and consequences of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to provide a systematic review of research studies on the drivers and consequences of corporate social responsibility (CSR).
Design/methodology/approach
This paper used a systematic literature review using research papers published on the drivers and consequence of global CSR from 2010 to 2020.
Findings
The findings of this paper show that the principal themes of published research articles on the drivers and consequences of CSR are internal drivers, external drivers and consequences of CSR. Publications on the drivers and consequences of global CSR have been dominated by studies that used quantitative approach and cross-sectional design. A significant number of studies also used secondary data source with most of these studies not being sensitive to sectorial influences. More importantly, this study revealed that the emphasis of CSR on actions that demonstrate social responsibility is more associated with overall financial performance and firm value when contrasted against ethical statements of social responsibility which is associated with weaker firm financial performance and outcomes. Moreover the review indicated that the level of CSR engagement and disclosure has been associated with higher share prices whereas low level of CSR disclosure in sensitive industries results in lower share prices. In addition, employees’ intention has been identified as a critical driver for CSR activities. Furthermore, it was also identified that firms engage in CSR because of internal institutional factors such as ethical corporate culture and top management commitment, whereas external drivers of CSR include socio-political factors, globalisation and environmental accountability.
Practical implications
CSR is an area that can be harnessed to contribute to sustainable solutions to global challenges. It also provides an added advantage of ensuring that the perpetuation of the relationship between businesses and society are more complementary.
Originality/value
This review is one of the few studies focussed on highlighting the drivers and consequences of global CSR. This review also provides proof of the areas of research that need attention and provides recommendation on future areas of study on the drivers and consequences of global CSR.
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Jamal Abdul Nasir Ansari and Saba Irfan
This paper aims to investigate the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on employee engagement (EE) through mediating effect of personal environmental norms (PEN…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to investigate the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on employee engagement (EE) through mediating effect of personal environmental norms (PEN) and employee green behavior (EGB).
Design/methodology/approach
The proposed model was validated using 360 employees data from manufacturing and service industries.
Findings
The findings confirmed that CSR is the positive and significant driver of EE. The results also demonstrated PEN and green employee behavior partly mediate this relationship.
Practical implications
The finding of this study enriches the existing literature and social outcomes of CSR. Theoretical and practical contributions have been discussed in detail.
Originality/value
The study demonstrates CSR is significantly related to EE, mediated via PEN and EGB, highlighting the necessity for micro-level CSR research. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first and foremost empirical research that establishes the mediating effects of PEN and EGB between CSR and EE in the Indian context.
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Lifu Li and Kyeong Kang
This study aims to analyse what factors influence ethnic minority group (EMG) college students’ attitudes towards promoting online start-ups and how their different attitudes…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to analyse what factors influence ethnic minority group (EMG) college students’ attitudes towards promoting online start-ups and how their different attitudes impact their final online start-up behaviours on the live streaming platform. Based on the COM-B behaviour changing model and the theory of liberal and conservative attitudes, the research model has been established in this study, and it divides influencing factors into the environmental opportunity unit and personal capability unit.
Design/methodology/approach
To test relationships among the environmental opportunity, personal capability and personal attitude units, the partial least squares path modelling and variance-based structural equation modelling have been applied on the SmartPLS. Meanwhile, this study considers the regional difference between China’s developed and less-developed regions and promotes multi-group analysis based on it.
Findings
Research results show that the online start-up opportunity and capability positively affect EMG college students’ liberal attitudes but reduce EMGs’ conservative attitudes. Meanwhile, this study finds four significant differences, such as the path between conservative attitude and EMG students’ online start-up behaviour and the path between online start-up capability and conservative attitude.
Originality/value
This paper analyses the relationship between influencing factors and EMG students’ online start-up attitudes based on the COM-B behaviour changing model, contributing to the theoretical implications. Meanwhile, considering the impact of regional differences, this paper promotes the multi-group analysis and compares EMG college students from developed regions and others from less-developed areas.
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Sushil Kr. Dixit, Hemraj Verma and Samant Shant Priya
The purpose of this paper is to explore the motives of Indian firms for engaging with corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and their interplay by using interpretive…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to explore the motives of Indian firms for engaging with corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and their interplay by using interpretive structural modelling methodology (ISM) and Matrice d’impacts croisés multiplication appliquée á un classment (MICMAC) analysis.
Design/methodology/approach
The research uses ISM and Matrice d’impacts croisés multiplication appliquée á un classment (MICMAC) analysis to find the structural relationship among the CSR motives of the Indian firms identified from the past literature and agreed upon by the experts.
Findings
The ISM model indicates that firms primarily engage in CSR either because of top management commitment to certain values, to meet the legal mandate or of the pressure from the NGOs. The top management commitment gives a strategic orientation to CSR, which results in community engagement by the firm as one of the important components of the strategy. The community engagement helps in engaging with its employees and investors along with finding sources of innovations, which, in turn, help the firm in engaging its customers, managing corporate reputation and getting a cost advantage. Collectively, these help them in improving their financial performance. However, the model highlights two autonomous sources, meeting legal mandate and pressure from NGOs also motivate firms to engage in CSR without having any strategic thought or engagement with its strategic system.
Originality/value
The study provides a comprehensive listing of CSR motives of Indian firms along with the structural relationships among the identified CSR motives. The model developed provides CSR professionals and policymakers an understanding of the primary CSR motives along with their driving power and dependence. This insight will help them in manipulating these motives for better CSR engagement by the Indian firms.
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Samuel Famiyeh, Disraeli Asante-Darko, Amoako Kwarteng, Daniel Komla Gameti and Stephen Awuku Asah
The purpose of this study is to understand the driving forces of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in organizations and how these social initiatives influence…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to understand the driving forces of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in organizations and how these social initiatives influence organizations’ “license to operate” using data from the Ghanaian business environment.
Design/methodology/approach
This study used purposive sampling with a well-structured questionnaire as a data collection tool. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used to study the driving forces of CSR initiatives in organizations and how these social initiatives influence their social license.
Findings
The findings indicate that CSR initiatives are driven by the normative, mimetic, investors and community pressures. The regulative pressure has no significant effect on CSR initiatives. The authors found no difference between the services and the manufacturing sectors as far as the results are concerned using multi-grouping analysis.
Research limitations/implications
From the results, the importance of normative, mimetic, investors and community pressures as the driving forces of CSR are established. The finding indicates that CSR demands by suppliers, customers the extent to which organizations perceive their competitors have benefited from initiating CSR are benefiting, the willingness of investors to invest in companies whose CSR activities are best and the opinion on the extent to which the District Assembly and the Chief Executive in the district, the Chiefs, the Churches, the Opinion leaders have significant impact on CSR initiatives.
Practical implications
The results indicate the need for suppliers and customers to continually demand from corporations to initiate CSR activities as organizations seem to respond to these pressures, and these initiatives are also likely to be mimicked by other organizations in the same industry to enable this drive the social responsibility agenda. Investors and community members are also encouraged to invest and accept, respectively, organizations with very good CSR records to send a signal to companies who see CSR as a cost instead of performance enhancement.
Originality/value
The work illustrates and provides some insights and builds on the literature in the area of CSR from a developing country’s environment. This is also one of the few works that investigate the driving forces of CSR and social license using the institutional theory based on data from the African business environment.
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Jacqueline Burgess and Christian Martyn Jones
This study aims to investigate consumer perceptions of inauthenticity due to adulteration of a narrative brand ending by using the research context of the final season and ending…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate consumer perceptions of inauthenticity due to adulteration of a narrative brand ending by using the research context of the final season and ending of the television series, Game of Thrones.
Design/methodology/approach
Two data sets totalling 2,032 online comments detailing consumer reactions to the final season of Game of Thrones were analysed using thematic analysis and human interpretive analysis. The coding was an iterative and continuous process, and posts were returned to and re-examined to refine codes and groupings as the analysis progressed.
Findings
The results indicate consumers perceived the ending of the eighth and final season of the television series, Game of Thrones, did not meet their expectations and was not authentic due to rushed writing and illogical character and plot developments. Consumers judged this adulteration was so great that it was a moral violation and transgression. Consumers also sought to assign blame for the inauthenticity, which they attributed to the writers and showrunners, who became the subject of revenge behaviours.
Originality/value
This study indicates consumers of narrative brands, due to their strong emotional attachments to their characters and storyworlds, may perceive unexpected and extensive changes to them as moral violations and transgressions and thus inauthentic. Consumers establish the authenticity of a narrative brand by regularly scrutinising narrative and character development against their expectations as shaped by prior narrative content. Due to their emotional attachment, consumers may attempt to attribute blame for the inauthenticity. The findings have not been established in prior research, and inauthenticity in a narrative brand context is also explored for the first time.
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