Does SDGs Advertising Promote Ethical Consumer Behavior?: An Integrative Model of Ethical Consumption with Elements of Communication Strategy and Rational Purchase

Jun H., Kim M.

While multi-stakeholder engagement is critical to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), there is less understanding in the literature about how the private sector can enhance such engagement at an institutional level. In this study, we examine the case of LG Electronics (LGE), one of South Korea’s most sustainable firms. This case study highlights the key strategies that LGE employed in engaging stakeholders for the SDGs, with a focus on stakeholder scope and engagement over three phases: (1) stakeholder communication; (2) stakeholder involvement; and (3) stakeholder engagement. In addition, this paper emphasizes governance mechanisms that facilitated more effective stakeholder engagement, including the company’s Corporate Sustainability Management (CSM) strategies, CSR Committee and Sustainability Management Council. These findings also highlight the usefulness of the common language provided by the SDGs in stakeholder engagement and provide practical implications for the private sector in contributing to the shared global agenda.

Agyei J., Sun S., Penney E.K., Abrokwah E., Ofori-Boafo R.

The study investigates how corporate social responsibility (CSR) impacts customer engagement and the mediating role of customer-brand identification and customer satisfaction. Survey data collected from 293 life insurance customers were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The findings reveal that CSR, customer-brand identification, and customer satisfaction are essential drivers of customer engagement. Furthermore, the findings show that CSR significantly influences customer-brand identification and customer satisfaction. The results also show that customer-brand identification and customer satisfaction play a key mediating effect in the relationship between CSR and customer engagement. The findings underscore the need for life insurance firms to consider CSR as a strategic instrument to stimulate and elicit favorable customer responses.

Kesenheimer J.S., Greitemeyer T.

The current research examines the extent to which attitudes and personality traits are predictive of pro-environmental behavior (PEB). Concretely, we tested the relationship between pro-environmental attitudes, HEXACO personality traits, and actual PEB (donating potential prize money to a pro-environmental organization; N = 257). Additionally, we controlled for the influence of helping behavior (donating to a pro-social organization) by addressing whether attitudes and personality have a distinct impact on PEB or whether people are more likely to engage in PEB because they act more pro-socially in general. Analyses included correlations, multiple linear regressions, mediations, and partial correlations. Pro-environmental attitude had the most robust association with PEB and mediated the influence of openness to experiences and honesty–humility on PEB. Importantly, the relationship of pro-environmental attitudes and personality (openness to experiences and honesty–humility) with PEB was unaffected by the participant’s helping behavior, suggesting that pro-environmental people mainly care about the environment and are not necessarily more pro-social in general.

Ephrem A.N., Nguezet P.M., Murimbika M., Bamba Z., Manyong V.

The Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) is a country with a high agricultural productivity potential; however, the agribusiness sector remains unattractive to youths. This study examined the extent to which perceived social norms and psychological capital affect youths’ intentions to pursue agribusiness opportunities in the Eastern DRC. Data was collected on a sample of 600 youths. We applied Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS−SEM) in order to examine the relationship between the variables. The findings indicated that most of the youths did not select agribusiness as their top career choice. The intention to engage in agribusiness activities was significantly higher among the youths who perceived that agribusiness was socially valued and supported. Psychological capital significantly and positively affects youths’ agripreneurial intention. The findings contribute to the underlying Theory of Planned Behavior by supporting a positive mediation role of psychological capital—and the moderating roles of educational level, gender, access to land, and location—on the relationship between perceived social norms and agripreneurial intention. The paper concludes that the provision of funds is not enough to promote youth agripreneurship in an environment in which agricultural-related social norms, youths’ psychological capital, gender, access to land, educational level, and location (rural versus urban) are not thoroughly considered.

Marette S.

We performed a laboratory study in France to explore consumer reactions to information about lentils, a legume whose consumption is sustainable and recommended by nutritionists and environmentalists. More specifically, we examined the effect of informational messages on consumer willingness to pay (WTP) for lentils bearing different production labels. Study participants were given two generic messages designed to promote lentils as a general product with nutritional and environmental benefits. These messages were followed by two specific messages related to one lentil packet with revealed information about the use of certain agricultural practices (e.g., intercropping, organic and local production, and producer partnerships). Initial WTP were measured before the information was provided. The results show that labeling had a strong influence on initial WTP. When WTP were measured after the participants had received the generic and specific informational messages, we observed a weak but significant influence for the lentils with organic and local production labels. There was no effect for the lentils without any production labels. We thus conclude that providing generic information via official recommendations and further developing legume labeling systems could act synergistically to drive some weak changes in consumer choices.

Maire H., Agnoletti M.-.

Embarrassment is a negative but prosocial emotion, which often arises from the transgression of a social norm. Its expression thus plays a crucial role in the social perception. The aim of this paper is to document this role during both ordinary and extra-ordinary situations (i.e., with stakes). Using scenarios’ method, 27 participants and 100 recruiters evaluated persons expressing embarrassment or not. Study 1 showed that during ordinary situations, nonverbal expression of embarrassment led to make a good impression by signalling desire of appeasement and prosociality. In contrast, Study 2 revealed that during a job interview, verbal expression of embarrassment through defensive tactics was rather negatively perceived. The manipulation of emotions as emotive communication tools will be discussed.

Rachinger M., Rauter R., Müller C., Vorraber W., Schirgi E.

PurposeIncreased digitalization has influenced various business activities including companies’ business models (BMs) by enabling various new forms of cooperation between companies and leading to new product and service offerings as well as new forms of company relationships with customers and employees. At the same time, this digitalization has put pressure on companies to reflect on their current strategy and explore new business opportunities systematically and at early stages. While research on digitalization in the context of BMs is now gaining increased attention, a research gap still exists in this field since the number of empirical insights is limited. The paper aims to discuss these issues.Design/methodology/approachQualitative empirical data collected from 12 key informants working in two distinctive industries, the media and automotive industries, were collected. An investigation was carried out to examine the differences and similarities among how digitalization influences a company’s value creation, proposition and capture, as well as how firms cope with challenges presented by increased digitalization.FindingsThe findings of the study show that, whilst digitalization is generally considered to be important, the value proposition itself as also the position in the value network determine the perceived available options for business model innovation (BMI) by digitalization. Moreover, the organizational capacities and employee competences were identified as future challenges that will be faced by both industries.Originality/valueThe findings of this study have revealed that representatives of the media and automotive industries perceive both the pressures and opportunities of digitalization regarding BMI; its application and exploitation, however, remain challenging. This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by providing empirical insights in the context of digitalization and BMI.

Fernández-Gámez M., Gutiérrez-Ruiz A., Becerra-Vicario R., Ruiz-Palomo D.

The current literature on sustainable practices shows that social missions and economic achievement can be compatible. However, very few studies have offered a quantitative perspective on this relationship. This study presents the first empirical evidence of the effects of the creating shared value (CSV) principle on the performance of companies. Using a sample of Spanish hotels, the results suggest that companies that apply CSV achieve higher financial performance. These findings represent a substantial contribution to the literature and shed light on how to efficiently implement CSV practices to simultaneously achieve economic and social benefits.

Lee H., Jin Y., Shin H.

To better understand consumers' fair trade purchasing intentions, this study proposed an extended model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) in which a new determinant, cosmopolitanism, was added to reflect consumers' global orientation and perception of fair trade coffee in the context of globalization. In addition, this study employed the construct of “purchase implementation intention” to address the gap between stated intention and actual behavior. To test the study's hypotheses, a random survey was administered to 400 participants in Seoul, South Korea, a key emerging market for fair trade coffee consumption. The data were analyzed using a hierarchical regression method. Our findings suggest that (i) attitudes toward purchasing fair trade coffee, subjective norms, and cosmopolitanism were significant factors in predicting purchase implementation intentions with regard to fair trade coffee; (ii) perceived behavioral control was not statistically significant; and (iii) cosmopolitanism had a partial moderating effect on purchase implementation intentions. To confirm the utility of purchase implementation intention, a choice experiment involving 145 undergraduate and graduate students was administered. The data were analyzed using logistic regression. Purchase implementation intention was shown to reflect consumers' actual choice of fair trade coffee. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Yamamoto R.

エシカル消費という用語は明確に定義された一連の消費行動を指しているものではない。エシカル消費はエコロジカルな持続可能性から労働基準および人権に至る非常に広範な問題に配慮した消費をカバーするアンブレラ用語となっている。エシカル消費はいわゆる持続可能消費を含んでいる。この論説ではエシカル消費の拠って立つエシカル原則について，グリーン購入やフェアトレードのような伝統的なものばかりではなく，人工知能，ロボット，気候工学のような新たに出現しつつあるものについてもレビューを試みたい。

Oh J., Yoon S.

The main objective of this study is to introduce and validate a new model of ethical consumption intention with the aim of identifying salient factors that influence consumer's attitude and purchase intention towards ethical products. For this purpose, this study introduces an extended model of the theory of reasoned action, which embraces the emotional component (positive anticipated affection) and socially oriented value component (altruism), as predictors of ethical consumption attitude and intention. Using a questionnaire-based survey, the data were collected from 343 respondents who had previously purchased ethical products. The result showed that ethical obligation, self-identity and altruism were positively related to consumer attitude towards ethical consumption. Also, ethical obligation and altruism were found to positively influence ethical consumption intention. Further, attitude and positive-anticipated affection positively affected ethical consumption intention.

Albayrak T., Aksoy Ş., Caber M.

PurposeThe aims of the study are: to compare the environmental concern and scepticism levels of the participants and whether or not they display green purchase behaviour; to investigate the influence of environmental concern and scepticism on green purchase behaviour by utilizing the Theory of Planned Behaviour.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from participant and non‐participant customers of the e‐invoicing program of Turk Telecom. Customers were clustered into four groups according to their environmental concerns and scepticism levels.FindingsResearch results show that those customers who have a high level of environmental concern and less sceptical reflect a positive attitude, have a high positive subjective norm and perceived behavioural control that motivates them to have stronger intentions to become e‐invoice subscribers in the near future.Originality/valueThe results found in the paper provide clear evidence supporting the Theory of Planned Behaviour in Turkey. Moreover, while most previous studies have employed undergraduate samples which are not representative of common customers, the present study employed a large and real customer sample which strongly represents customers in general.

Sukma Wijaya B.

Ohtomo S., Hirose Y.

We extended the prototype model Gibbons and Gerrard to examine the disparity between professed environmental concerns and behavior. Our model assumed that there are two decision processes: a reactive process involving unintentional decision-making based on situational factors, and an intentional process involving goal-oriented decision-making based on attitudinal factors. A questionnaire about recycling behavior was completed by 206 Japanese undergraduate students. The results indicated that the prototype image and descriptive norm were determinants of the reactive process to accept eco-unfriendly behavior. In contrast, environmental concern and the injunctive norm were determinants of the intentional process to promote eco-friendly behavior. Our model suggests that eco-friendly behavior may be inhibited or promoted depending upon whether the reactive process or the intentional process is more salient.

Grusec J.E.

Social learning theory began as an attempt by Robert Sears and others to meld psychoanalytic and stimulus-response learning theory into a comprehensive explanation of human behavior, drawing on the clinical richness of the former and the rigor of the latter. Albert Bandura abandoned the psychoanalytic and drive features of the approach, emphasizing instead cognitive and information-processing capacities that mediate social behavior. Both theories were intended as a general framework for the understanding of human behavior, and their developmental aspects remain to be worked out in detail

Nickel K., Blijlevens J.

Purpose While marketers often design their offers to visually appeal to either female or male consumers, the traditional view on gender is changing. As a result, many advocate for gender-neutral marketing visuals. This paper aims to investigate how consumers respond to gender-neutral package designs. Design/methodology/approach Three experiments explore (1) the influence of visual gender neutrality in package design on consumer responses to marketing visuals varying in perceived gender of design and, thus, their congruity with the respondent gender (gender-congruent, gender-incongruent and neutral design) including (2) the moderating roles of consumer gender and respondents’ identification with their gender as well as (3) the underlying mechanism through perceived modernity. Findings This study finds that neutrality in visual design has a positive influence on consumer response. Furthermore, both gender and the degree of respondents’ identification with their gender play moderating roles. The effect on purchase intention is positively mediated through perceived modernity, with this indirect effect being more pronounced for women and individuals with low levels of gender identification. Research limitations/implications To improve the robustness of these findings, future research should explore which specific visual elements are most suitable for portraying gender neutrality. Practical implications The findings offer valuable insights for marketers and designers to enhance consumer engagement by integrating gender-neutral package designs. By understanding the positive consumer response and perceived modernity associated with such designs, marketers can more effectively appeal to a broader audience, particularly among women and those with lower gender identification. Originality/value This work advances the understanding of gender-neutral marketing by empirically exploring consumer responses to gender-neutral visual design. It provides essential insights that support the development of inclusive, forward-thinking marketing strategies designed to engage a broader audience.

Trkulja Ž.M., Primorac D., Bilić I.

This paper delves into the concept of socially responsible marketing and its significance in fostering diversity, equity, and inclusion within organizational environments. It elucidates the connection between marketing and corporate social responsibility (CSR), showcasing methods of integrating social responsibility into marketing activities. Ethical principles inherent in socially responsible marketing are delineated, along with examples of CSR programs and projects within marketing initiatives. Furthermore, the paper explores the context and nature of diversity management policies and practices in organizations, highlighting the need for aligning marketing efforts with inclusive practices. It delves into the perception of various antecedents and consequences of diversity, equity, and inclusion at individual, group, and organizational levels, emphasizing the role of marketing in shaping perceptions and fostering inclusivity. Additionally, the paper addresses systemic, structural, organizational, institutional, cultural, and societal obstacles related to diversity, equity, and inclusion, underscoring the importance of socially responsible marketing in overcoming these challenges. It provides insights into how marketing initiatives can contribute to dismantling barriers and promoting diversity and inclusion within diverse organizational settings and workplaces. In conclusion, the paper underscores the pivotal role of socially responsible marketing in advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion agendas within organizational settings. It emphasizes the need for ethical and inclusive marketing practices and offers recommendations for incorporating social responsibility into marketing strategies to foster a more inclusive and equitable business environment.