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21 – 27 of 27Isaac Cheah and Ian Phau
This paper aims to identify the key antecedents and moderators that influence consumers' willingness to purchase environmentally friendly products.
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify the key antecedents and moderators that influence consumers' willingness to purchase environmentally friendly products.
Design/methodology/approach
A convenience sampling method was employed. A total of 600 self‐administered questionnaires were distributed during lectures in a large Australian university. In total, 256 useable Australian consumer responses were collected and used for analysis.
Findings
The results show that the three antecedents of ecoliteracy, interpersonal influence and value orientation have strong correlations with attitudes towards environmentally friendly products. Consumers with favourable attitudes towards environmentally friendly products are more likely to purchase environmentally friendly products. Perceived product necessity moderates the relationship between attitudes toward environmentally friendly products and the willingness to purchase environmentally friendly products.
Research limitations/implications
Longitudinal studies can be conducted in the future. Other possible moderating factors such as product involvement or pricing can also be explored. A wider range of behavioural indicators can be used to capture a more accurate measurement of environmentally oriented behaviours.
Practical implications
Consumer education about the environment is crucial for consumers to form a more favourable mindset towards environmentally friendly products. Communication initiatives that highlight various environmental support campaigns and environmentally conscious product strategies are some of the ways to encourage purchasing behaviour.
Originality/value
The study empirically examines the antecedents and consequences of attitudes towards purchasing green products in an Australian context. Furthermore, the study uses day‐to‐day necessity products as the product category.
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Khanyapuss Punjaisri, Alan Wilson and Heiner Evanschitzky
The purpose of this paper is to understand the internal branding process from the perspective of service providers in Thailand. It will reveal the key internal branding mechanisms…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the internal branding process from the perspective of service providers in Thailand. It will reveal the key internal branding mechanisms and empirically assess the relationship between internal branding and employees' brand attitudes and performance.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study representing the Thai hotel industry is adopted with mixed methodologies. In‐depth interviews are first carried out with 30 customer‐interface employees in six major hotels in Thailand. On a census basis, a quantitative survey with 699 respondents from five major hotels in Thailand follows.
Findings
Internal branding coordinating marketing with human resource management has a statistically significant impact on attitudinal and behavioural aspects of employees in their delivery of the brand promise. As employees' brand commitment do not have a statistically significant relationship with employees' brand performance, it is not regarded as a mediator in the link between internal branding and employees' brand performance.
Practical implications
A number of significant managerial implications are drawn from this study, for example using both internal communication and training to influence employees' brand‐supporting attitudes and behaviours. Still, it should be noted that the effect of internal branding on employee behaviours could be dependent on the extent to which it influences their brand attitudes.
Originality/value
The paper provides valuable insights, from the key internal audience's perspectives, into an internal branding process. It has empirically shown the relationship between internal branding and the behavioural outcome as well as the partial meditating effects of employees' brand identification, commitment and loyalty.
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Kavita Sharma and Monika Bansal
The paper attempts to investigate the term “environmental consciousness” and identify the underlying components of environmental consciousness and its antecedents. Also, to…
Abstract
Purpose
The paper attempts to investigate the term “environmental consciousness” and identify the underlying components of environmental consciousness and its antecedents. Also, to propose the framework explaining the linkage between environmental consciousness, its antecedents, components, and behavioral outcome, and also the variables, if any, that may intervene between environmental consciousness and environmentally conscious consumer behavior.
Design/methodology/approach
The paper reviews extant literature to bring conceptual clarity to the term environmental consciousness and its linkages with the related variables.
Findings
Environmental consciousness – a mental state variable – is found distinct from its antecedents and associated behaviors. It is a multi‐dimensional construct varying from low general level to high product‐specific level.
Research limitations/implications
This paper provides understanding for the term environmental consciousness and its relation with other variables and thus leaves the wide scope for research in the future.
Practical implications
The extent to which green marketing efforts can gainfully be taken to the market and given a required scale depends upon environmental consciousness of the consumers. According to levels of environmental consciousness, green consumer segments are obtained and “greener” consumer segments can be targeted to induce pro‐environmental purchase behavior.
Social implications
The proposed model in the study would allow the green marketers to support the whole idea of environment protection through appropriate marketing strategies.
Originality/value
Based on extant review of literature, the paper proposes the term environmental consciousness as a mental state variable, which is distinct from its antecedents and behavioural outcomes.
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The purpose of this study is to empirically evaluate the antecedents of consumers’ purchase intention of energy-efficient home appliances.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to empirically evaluate the antecedents of consumers’ purchase intention of energy-efficient home appliances.
Design/methodology/approach
A self-administered questionnaire has been used to gather data from the targeted representatives of the population. Quota based on age and convenience sampling techniques were used to select the participants of the study, as it is a suitable technique in situations where the possibility of getting a complete sampling frame is difficult. More than 73% of the population of Pakistan is aged below 34 years (Pakistan Bureau of Statistics, 2017). Based on this information, the current study has allocated more than 75% quota to consumers who are below 35 years.
Findings
The findings of the study reveal that all antecedents have significant impact on consumers’ purchase intention of energy-efficient home appliances. Environmental concern, green trust and products’ functional values are most influencing factors in the purchase of energy-efficient home appliances.
Originality/value
This study is related to energy-efficient home appliances in Pakistan. Systematic literature suggested the need to analyze the antecedents of energy-efficient appliances. This study helps the practitioners and marketers to understand consumers’ behavior regarding the purchase of energy-efficient home appliances.
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The author's objective is to reveal the consumer responses to information disclosure strategies regarding controversial ethical issues.
Abstract
Purpose
The author's objective is to reveal the consumer responses to information disclosure strategies regarding controversial ethical issues.
Design/methodology/approach
The author is interested in how voluntary disclosure of questionable business practices by chocolate manufacturers regarding child labor exploitation at cocoa plantations influences consumer behavior. A total of 120 students participated in an experimental study in which the author manipulated awareness of ethical issues in the chocolate industry and corporate disclosure strategy. The author measured willingness to pay (WTP) and consumer perceptions about the firm's commitment to corporate social responsibility.
Findings
The study found that voluntary disclosure of unethical business practices by a firm was not damaging in terms of consumer perceptions. When public awareness was limited, disclosing participation in unethical behavior did not influence WTP for the firm's products. When public awareness was high, disclosing this negative information is even more beneficial than no disclosure and generates similar responses to including only positive elements in the firm's communication, provided that the firm commits to eliminate its unethical practices.
Research limitations/implications
Voluntary negative social disclosure will not hurt a firm's performance in terms of sales, given the disclosure is transparent and this suggests a credible commitment to improve its practices regarding the issue.
Originality/value
The author investigates the optimal strategy for a firm to disclose ethical infractions. She demonstrates that being open about them does not necessarily damage a firm's reputation and suggests under which conditions this is the case.
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Agartha Quayson, Kassimu Issau, Robert Ipiin Gnankob and Samira Seidu
The study investigated the effect of marketing communications’ dimensions on brand loyalty in the banking sector.
Abstract
Purpose
The study investigated the effect of marketing communications’ dimensions on brand loyalty in the banking sector.
Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted the quantitative research approach which relied on the explanatory design due to the nature of the hypotheses tested. The convenience sampling technique was used to pull 377 customers of a branch of a commercial bank in Ghana. Furthermore, the PLS-SEM technique was deployed to assess the measurement model and test the research hypotheses.
Findings
Results show that the following dimensions of marketing communications are significant predictors of brand loyalty: direct marketing, public relations and sales promotion. The exception is advertising, which had an inverse relation with brand loyalty.
Practical implications
The results provide significant pointers to banks’ management that they should deploy a variety of marketing communication channels other than intensive advertising to reach and persuade customers.
Originality/value
The study illustrates the latest effort to extensively provide insights into how commercial banks could leverage marketing communication tools to sustain loyalty in an emerging economy that is intensively competitive.
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Marvin E. Gonzalez, Gioconda Quesada, Juan Luis Martinez and Sebastian Gonzalez-Cordoba
As markets, economies and institutions are increasingly globalized, there is a growing understanding of the need to introduce intercultural learning alongside business learning…
Abstract
Purpose
As markets, economies and institutions are increasingly globalized, there is a growing understanding of the need to introduce intercultural learning alongside business learning. Participating in a study abroad program is potentially one of the most important experiences for any college student. Such programs provide students the opportunity to immerse themselves in different cultures and gain new perspectives. The purpose of this paper is threefold: to identify the main factors that students consider when selecting a program; to integrate quality function deployment (QFD), benchmarking and Hoshin Kanri in the analysis of student expectations and to examine the implications for research and practice.
Design/methodology/approach
The study was based on primary data collected from 180 students at four universities. To design an approach that helps students in the selection of a program that best satisfies their expectations, a self-designed questionnaire was used for data collection. The data were analyzed using the techniques of QFD/benchmarking. Finally, a long-term strategy is proposed based on the Hoshin Kanri theory.
Findings
The great variability in student expectations presents a challenge in designing a methodology of selection; however, it does help in identifying the most important student expectations. A key, balanced relationship among academic quality, having fun and cost cannot be ignored in this study because they represent the factors that are altogether influential in the decision to study abroad. In the current literature, the key variables of study abroad programs are discussed; however, most studies fail to incorporate student expectations. This paper will fill this gap by incorporating both key academic variables and the voice of the customer (student).
Research limitations/implications
Given the diversity of the population, the authors developed several methodologies to standardize the array of student responses to the questionnaire. Using this standardization along with several total quality management (TQM) tools allows us to simplify and categorize the different student expectations. The gathering of students’ expectations directly provided by students (voice of the customer) allows international programs to focus on the real problems and expectations that have been acknowledged, thus yielding student satisfaction with their experience, most importantly, in their field of study.
Practical implications
For universities, the current study identifies new means by which to improve the quality of international programs with the use of TQM tools including QFD, benchmarking and the Hoshin Kanri Planning Process with an evidence-based real case.
Originality/value
This paper presents a conclusive application of QFD, benchmarking and Hoshin Kanri and an analysis of how these tools can help international programs with future improvements incorporating the needs of students in their programs. To the authors’ knowledge, this is the first application of these techniques to improve the international experience for business undergraduate students.
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