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1 – 10 of over 2000
Article
Publication date: 14 August 2017

Audhesh Paswan, Francisco Guzmán and Jeffrey Lewin

This study aims to focus on people’s pro-environmental behavior and investigates its dimensions and determinants. As environmental sustainability attracts increased scrutiny…

3447

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to focus on people’s pro-environmental behavior and investigates its dimensions and determinants. As environmental sustainability attracts increased scrutiny, understanding end consumers’ pro-environmental behavior becomes imperative for various stakeholders in our highly networked marketplace – e.g. policymakers, businesses, consumers, the public and society at large.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from the general public in the USA, the hypothesized relationships are tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

The results indicate that if people find enjoyment in nature, believe in achieving a balance between “mankind” and nature, and believe that the benefits of conservation activities are going to accrue in the near term (present), they are more likely to engage in pro-environmental behavior at all levels – supportive, active and lifestyle.

Research limitations/implications

Although only one aspect of environmental sustainability – environmental conservation – is analyzed, these findings support assertions set forth in the theory of environmentally significant behavior (Stern, 1999), the norm-activation theory of altruism (Schwartz, 1973), the theory of reasoned action (Fishbein, 1979) and the theory of planned behavior (Ajzen, 1985).

Practical implications

Messages about sustainability, environmental conservation and pro-environmental behavior should be framed using people’s fondness for and enjoyment of nature; should focus on present benefits of conservation; and should be targeted and differentiated for men, women and older people to encourage conservation behaviors among these differing demographic groups.

Originality/value

This study identifies three different levels of intensity of pro-environmental behavior – supportive, active and lifestyle – and empirically examines the relationships between these behavior types and the attitudinal antecedents revolving around time when the benefits of environmental conservation accrue, nature and human–nature interaction.

Details

Journal of Consumer Marketing, vol. 34 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0736-3761

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 July 2020

Tai Ming Wut, Peggy Ng, Hing-Ki, Mike Kan and Chiu, Samuel Fong

A waste charging policy had been implemented in major Asian cities like Taipei and Seoul years ago. Hong Kong is not yet to charge household rubbish, which is one of the major…

1166

Abstract

Purpose

A waste charging policy had been implemented in major Asian cities like Taipei and Seoul years ago. Hong Kong is not yet to charge household rubbish, which is one of the major municipal solid waste sources. Landfill places will be exhausted in a year or two in the city. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effectiveness of waste charging policies by exploring relationships among social norms, lifestyles, attitudes towards waste charging policy and pro-environmental behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

Purposeful sampling was used in this study to recruit university students to take part in the survey. Purposeful sampling helps to make a “highly credible sample” (Gall et al., 2006, p.185). This study distributed questionnaires to respondents aged over 18 years. Among them, there were 404 valid questionnaires (35.6% male; 64.4% female) that were returned with a response rate of 53.9%.

Findings

It is found that attitude towards waste charging policies affects pro-environmental behaviour through lifestyles and social norms. Female respondents’ pro-environmental behaviours are affected by their lifestyles and social norms. But male respondents’ lifestyle is affected by their attitude towards policy. Attitude towards charging policy does not have an impact on young people's pro-environmental behaviours.

Originality/value

Social acceptance towards any environmental policy is a must for its final outcome. It is because attitude towards any environmental policy is a starting point to affect pro-environmental behaviours. Female respondents are more engaged in pro-environmental behaviour compared to male. Almost all big cities encourage the re-use, re-cycle and reduce of waste. Before designing and implementing relevant policy, stakeholder participation is important. The new environmental policy usually has stricter measures, such as heavier charge on municipal waste. Policymakers are advised to obtain solid arguments and data support to convince stakeholders.

Article
Publication date: 15 June 2015

Panagiotis Gkorezis

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the mediating mechanisms of the relationship between supervisor support and pro-environmental behavior. To this end, the quality of the…

2174

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the mediating mechanisms of the relationship between supervisor support and pro-environmental behavior. To this end, the quality of the dyadic exchanges between supervisor and subordinates was used.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from two different samples. In order to test the present hypotheses hierarchical regression and bootstrapping analysis were conducted.

Findings

In congruence with the hypotheses, the results showed that leader-member exchange (LMX) served as a mediator in the relationship between supervisor support and pro-environmental behavior.

Research limitations/implications

Data were drawn using a cross-sectional design. As a result, it is precarious to assess causality among the constructs. Furthermore, both studies collected data from a single source, namely employees, and this may inflate the present relationships due to common method bias.

Originality/value

To the best of author’s knowledge, no prior empirical study has examined the pivotal role of LMX in affecting employees’ pro-environmental behavior.

Details

Management Decision, vol. 53 no. 5
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0025-1747

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 6 November 2017

Arpita Chakraborty, Manvendra Pratap Singh and Mousumi Roy

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of university in shaping pro-environmental behaviour in students.

2438

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of university in shaping pro-environmental behaviour in students.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper used goal-framing theory to investigate the relationship between goals and pro-environmental behaviour by comparing the responses of entry- and exit-level students. Structural equation modeling, one-way analysis of variance and other standard statistical analysis have been used to analyse the data collected through questionnaire survey in a central university offering technical education in India.

Findings

Pro-environmental intention in students increases with a strong normative goal. The direct and indirect effects indicate hedonic goal and gain goal via normative goal leads to better pro-environmental behaviour. Higher values for normative goal in exit-level students substantiates the role of university.

Practical implications

The paper provides scope to improvise and incorporate environmental practices into the habits of the students by aligning their goals and university dimensions including curriculum, campus operations, research and outreach activities.

Originality/value

The results make an important contribution in establishing a sustained green culture by offering a new university paradigm.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 18 no. 7
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 30 September 2020

Sara El-Deeb, Maria Correia and Christian Richter

The purpose of this paper is to investigate what drives people to show a willingness to mitigate the effects of climate change. To accomplish this goal, this research uses the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate what drives people to show a willingness to mitigate the effects of climate change. To accomplish this goal, this research uses the theory of planned behaviour to examine whether attitude towards climate change, subjective norm and perceived behavioural control are potential determinants of a pro-environmental intention and thus a pro-environmental behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

This explanatory paper applies a Fuzzy Set Qualitative Comparative Analysis to identify the key drivers of pro-environmental intention and behaviour. A non-probability convenience sample of 481 Egyptian respondents was collected.

Findings

This study finds that awareness combined with a willingness to pay to mitigate climate change are key drivers of pro-environmental intention. Moreover, personal responsibility and confidence in the ability to mitigate climate change also trigger climate-friendly intentions. Finally, it is found that societal engagement and willingness to take action increase the propensity to exhibit pro-environmental behaviour.

Research limitations/implications

The results of our analysis cannot be generalized to the Egyptian population as a whole as our sample only comprises a sample of Egyptian students.

Originality/value

This paper is novel as it is the first that applies Qualitative Comparative Analysis to the Theory of Planned Behaviour. By doing so, the paper sheds light on the understanding of key cognitive, social-psychological and behavioural factors which lead to environmental actions. Hence, it provides policy-makers with a framework to support a more sustainable society.

Details

International Journal of Sociology and Social Policy, vol. 41 no. 7/8
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0144-333X

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 November 2018

Rameshwar Shivadas Ture and M.P. Ganesh

The purpose of this paper is to understand the influence of individual and organisational factors on pro-environmental behaviours of the employees at the workplace.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the influence of individual and organisational factors on pro-environmental behaviours of the employees at the workplace.

Design/methodology/approach

A model explaining pro-environmental behaviours at workplace has been proposed based on contemporary literature related to value-belief-norm (VBN) theory, corporate environmentalism framework and norm. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in 20 manufacturing organisations in India and 383 useful individual responses were collected. The proposed model has been tested with the help of structural regression analysis.

Findings

The results of the study show that both individual characteristics as well as organisational efforts influence employees’ pro-environmental behaviours. However, the effect varies as per the type of behaviour. Personal norm mediates the relationship between subjective social norm and two types of pro-environmental behaviours.

Research limitations/implications

An individual faces subjective or objective constraints while exhibiting pro-environmental behaviours. The effect of subjective or the objective constraint needs to be explored in future studies.

Originality/value

To explain pro-environmental behaviours at workplace the authors tested VBN theory, as it was overlooked till date in management literature. It also contributes to the VBN literature by extending it to include organisational variables like corporate environmentalism and social psychological variable like social norm.

Details

Benchmarking: An International Journal, vol. 25 no. 9
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1463-5771

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 3 October 2016

Naz Onel and Avinandan Mukherjee

Environmental behavior studies suggest that knowledge, in addition to other psychological and social factors, can play an important role in consumers’ environmental behavior…

1630

Abstract

Purpose

Environmental behavior studies suggest that knowledge, in addition to other psychological and social factors, can play an important role in consumers’ environmental behavior change. The purpose of this paper is to understand the relationship between knowledge and various psychological factors which encourage consumers’ participation in pro-environmental behaviors. The relationships that link an individual’s attitudes toward science, environmental values, different types of knowledge (i.e. scientific facts, environmental facts, and subjective environmental knowledge), environmental risk perception, and willingness to pay (WTP) for the environment with pro-environmental behavior were examined.

Design/methodology/approach

Theoretically guided hypotheses and model were formulated and tested with multiple linear regression models. The study was based on measures and data obtained from the large-sample secondary database of the 2010 General Social Survey (n=2,044).

Findings

Results indicated that while attitudes toward science had direct effects on knowledge of scientific facts and knowledge of environmental facts, environmental values showed effects on knowledge of environmental facts and subjective knowledge on environmental issues. The results also indicated that from different types of knowledge, subjective knowledge on environmental issues had effects on both environmental risk perception and WTP for the environment. Knowledge on environmental facts, on the other hand, was able to predict only environmental risk perception. The scientific factual knowledge did not show an effect on mediator of pro-environmental behavior. Also, subjective knowledge indicated indirect effects on pro-environmental behavior through environmental risk perception and WTP for the environment.

Originality/value

Although research on understanding factors influencing pro-environmental behaviors and potential relations to individual knowledge has grown in recent years, there has been very little attempt at distinguishing between different types of knowledge and investigating their potential roles in the context of environmentally relevant behaviors. This study will help understand the functioning of different types of consumer environmental knowledge and their impacts on pro-environmental behaviors more in depth.

Details

World Journal of Science, Technology and Sustainable Development, vol. 13 no. 4
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2042-5945

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 13 March 2020

Farzana Quoquab, Jihad Mohammad and Ruzanna Shahrin

Though the concern over pro-environmental behavior is growing, there is a lack of a valid scale to measure pro-environmental behavior in nutricosmetics context. Nutricosmetics…

Abstract

Purpose

Though the concern over pro-environmental behavior is growing, there is a lack of a valid scale to measure pro-environmental behavior in nutricosmetics context. Nutricosmetics products are believed to boost health and fitness and thus gained worldwide popularity. Many consumers in recent days are purchasing nutricosmetics products because of its positive impact toward human health and less harm toward the environment. However, to date, there is no valid instrument to measure this construct. To fill this gap in the existing literature, this study aims to develop a valid and reliable scale to measure pro-environmental behavior in nutricosmetics purchase (PEB-NP).

Design/methodology/approach

To develop and validate the PEB-NP scale, a sequential process is followed which includes item generation, item selection, item purification and item validation. Relevant literature was reviewed and qualitative interviews were carried out to generate the items. Next, experts’ opinion was sought to select the items. Two studies were conducted (N = 150, N = 448) to explore the factor structure and to validate the scale. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was used to purify the scale, whereas confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) using SmartPLS (version 3) was used to validate the scale.

Findings

Based on EFA output, 14 items were retained which were then validated using CFA. The results revealed that, PEB-NP is a hierarchical multi-dimensional construct. The dimensions are “environmental aesthetics,” “conservation behavior (reduce and recycle)” and “health consciousness.” The findings from CFA confirmed the EFA results and established that pro-environmental behavior is a third-order factor model in which conservation dimension is consisted of two sub-dimensions, namely, “reduce” and “recycle” behavior.

Practical implications

The newly developed scale will enable the marketers and policymakers to segment their consumers based on this scale to better strategize the marketing efforts in fulfilling their needs. Not only this, the PEB-NP scale will benefit marketers in understanding the behavioral pattern and purchase preference of the pro-environmental consumers with regard to the nutricosmetics consumption. This research also provides suggestions for future researchers in the pro-environmental behavior and nutricosmetics fields.

Originality/value

This study is a pioneer study to develop and validate the PEB scale in the context of nutricosmetics purchase.

Details

International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, vol. 14 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1750-6123

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 29 September 2023

Cong Doanh Duong, Bich Ngoc Nguyen, Xuan Hau Doan, Van Hau Nguyen and Anh Trong Vu

Little is known about how religious beliefs can motivate consumers to behave more pro-environmentally. Drawn on an integrated model of the theory of planned behavior, the norm…

Abstract

Purpose

Little is known about how religious beliefs can motivate consumers to behave more pro-environmentally. Drawn on an integrated model of the theory of planned behavior, the norm activation model and the self-determination theory, this study aims to explore the effects of religious beliefs (especially, karmic beliefs (KB) and beliefs in a just world (BJW)) on consumers' pro-environmental behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of 736 consumers recruited from the eight most populous cities in Vietnam using the mall-intercept survey approach and structural equation modeling (SEM) was utilized to test the hypothesized model and hypotheses.

Findings

The findings indicate that KB and BJW can increase consumers' green intrinsic motivation, which subsequently encourages them to engage in pro-environmental consumption. Moreover, awareness of consequences (AOC) and ascription of responsibility (AOR) serially indirectly inspire consumers' sustainable consumption through serial mediators, including personal norms (PN), attitudes toward green products and green purchase intention.

Practical implications

Based on the findings, some theoretical and managerial implications for pro-environmental consumption are provided.

Originality/value

The study offers fresh perspectives on the role of religious beliefs in pro-environmental research. Additionally, this study sheds new light on the marketing literature by integrating the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and norm activation model (NAM) with self-determination theory (SDT) to explore the underlying mechanisms and effects of psychological components on consumers' pro-environmental behaviors.

Details

Management of Environmental Quality: An International Journal, vol. 35 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1477-7835

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 January 2023

Sameera Mohamed Al Zaidi, Shilpa Iyanna, Fauzia Jabeen and Khalid Mehmood

This paper aims to investigate the impact of situational factors and internal psychological states on employees’ decisions to perform voluntary pro-environmental behavior. This…

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Abstract

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of situational factors and internal psychological states on employees’ decisions to perform voluntary pro-environmental behavior. This study used a model combining the theory of planned behavior, norm activation model and comprehensive action determination model. This stud also explored the moderating role of habit (HAB) on the relationship between intention and actual voluntary pro-environmental behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through three waves of time-lagged survey questionnaires from 519 employees of public organizations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

Findings

Employees’ perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) had a significant impact on intention to perform voluntary pro-environmental behavior, as did all other variables except perceived behavioral control. HABs related to pro-environmental behavior enhanced the relationship between intention and actual behavior.

Practical implications

The main factors influencing employees’ voluntary pro-environmental behavioral intentions were perceived CSR, personal moral norms, organizational citizenship behaviors toward the environment and attitude. Public organization planners, managers and practitioners can use these findings to improve their organization’s environmental performance, leveraging nonmandated actions.

Social implications

Employees can achieve a better work–life balance in organizations with flexible CSR policies and which sponsor social activities to improve public well-being and individuals’ life quality. Positive sense-making of corporate social activity helps employees develop social interactions with stakeholders, increasing their involvement in society and decreasing work stress.

Originality/value

This study sheds light on the factors influencing employees’ voluntary pro-environmental behavior. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its kind to combine these three models to explain the variables affecting intent to perform voluntary pro-environmental behavior in the workplace.

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