Consequences of “greenwashing”

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 1054-1081 ◽  
Author(s):  
Imran Rahman ◽  
Jeongdoo Park ◽  
Christina Geng-qing Chi
Keyword(s):  
Third Party ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Consumer Skepticism ◽  
Ulterior Motive ◽  
Intention To Participate ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Positive Direct ◽  
Ecological Concern ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Intention To Revisit

Purpose – This quasi-experimental study aimed to investigate, drawing upon influential discounting behavior theory and cognition – affect – behavior (C-A-B) paradigm, consumers’ reactions to the phenomenon of “greenwashing” in the lodging industry. More specifically, this paper proposed and tested a theoretical model that examined whether recognizing the ulterior motive caused consumer skepticism about hotels’ environmental claims, which in turn influenced consumers’ intention to participate in linen reuse program and intention to revisit the hotel. Additionally, the moderating effects of ecological concern on the relationship between skepticism and intention to participate and between skepticism and intention to revisit were examined. Design/methodology/approach – A quasi-experimental design was used with two conditions (control vs ulterior motive) employing staff members of a US public university as study participants. In total, 638 useful responses were received. Findings – The results of this study revealed that an ulterior motive of hotels’ environmental claims evoked consumer skepticism, which, in turn, negatively influenced consumers’ intention to participate in the linen reuse program and intention to revisit the hotel. Skepticism was found to partially mediate the relationships between ulterior motive and intention to participate and between ulterior motive and intention to revisit. Consumers’ ecological concern was not found to moderate the relationship between skepticism and intention to participate in the linen reuse program and skepticism and intention to revisit the hotel. In addition, a significant positive direct effect between ecological concern and intention to participate and a non-significant effect between ecological concern and revisit intention were revealed. Research limitations/implications – Focus on consumers’ response to the ulterior motive of environmental claims advances an understanding of consumers’ attitudes and perceptions about hotels’ green practices. Practical implications – Findings suggest that hotels need to be watchful so that consumers do not become skeptical. Therefore, it is of utmost importance that managers do everything possible to give customers no room for doubt. Hoteliers need to spend more effort in installing comprehensive green programs and make true green claims by keeping the potential consequences of greenwashing in mind. Hoteliers also need to seek out third-party certifications that require the hotel to meet certain standards, which will help ensure credibility in the eyes of consumers. Originality/value – Hospitality literature has seldom explored this gray area of green marketing, and, in this regard, this study serves as a guide to hoteliers and researchers alike. The authors thereby anticipate that this study would encourage more research in this often overlooked but highly important area.

The optimism-pessimism ratio as predictor of employee creativity: the promise of duality

2018 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 423-442 ◽  
Author(s):  
Arménio Rego ◽  
Miguel Pina e Cunha ◽  
Dálcio Reis Júnior ◽  
Cátia Anastácio ◽  
Moriel Savagnago
Keyword(s):  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
The Status ◽  
Single Moment ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
Creativity And Innovation ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study if the employees’ optimism-pessimism ratio predicts their creativity. Design/methodology/approach In total, 134 employees reported their optimism and pessimism, and the respective supervisors described the employees’ creativity. Findings The relationship between the optimism-pessimism ratio and creativity is curvilinear (inverted U-shaped); beyond a certain level of the optimism-pessimism ratio, the positive relationship between the ratio and creativity weakens, suggesting that the possible positive effects of (high) optimism may be weakened by a very low level of pessimism. Research limitations/implications Being cross-sectional, the study examines neither the causal links between the optimism-pessimism ratio and creativity nor other plausible causal links. The study was carried out at a single moment and did not capture the dynamics that occur over the course of time involving changes in optimism/pessimism and creativity. Future studies may adopt longitudinal or quasi-experimental designs. Practical implications Managers and organizations must consider that, even though positivity promotes creativity, some level of negativity may help positivity to produce creativity. Originality/value This study suggests that scholars who want to study the antecedents of creativity (and innovation) must be cautious in focusing only on the positive or the negative sides of individuals’ characteristics, and rather they must explore the interplay between both poles. Individuals may experience both positive and negative states/traits (Smith et al., 2016), and this both/and approach may impel them to think divergently, to challenge the status quo and to propose “out the box” and useful ideas.

The effect of brand experiences on brand loyalty through perceived quality and brand trust: a study on sports consumers

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Halil Erdem Akoglu ◽  
Oğuz Özbek
Keyword(s):  
Brand Loyalty ◽  
Perceived Quality ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Brand Experience ◽  
Brand Trust ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sports Industry ◽  
Brand Resonance ◽  
Positive Direct ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeAdopting the brand resonance approach, this research aimed to reveal the effect of emotional (perceived quality) and rational (brand trust) factors between brand experience and brand loyalty.Design/methodology/approachThis article uses the brand resonance model to examine the above-mentioned relationship. The sample of the study consisted of 385 sports consumers between the ages of 18 and 65 years. An online survey was used to collect data and surveys were delivered to sports consumers via social media. Using SmartPLS 3.0 software, a partial least squares structural equation modeling analysis was conducted in this study.FindingsThe results support the hypotheses and demonstrate the importance of quality and trust in building customer loyalty for companies in the sports industry. Brand experience has a positive direct effect on perceived quality, brand trust and brand loyalty. It has been revealed that there is an important intermediary role of perceived quality and brand trust that manages the relationship between customers' brand experience and brand loyalty.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study are essential for brands that want to develop and are included in the sports industry in the online shopping environment, which increases with the development of technology to create long-term loyalty in customers.Originality/valueIt reveals two mediating roles in the relationship between brand experience and brand loyalty, namely perceived quality and brand trust. These research results help to understand the processes of shaping the loyalty of sports consumers towards sports brands. Unlike previous studies, it examines this relationship in the sports industry by adding new mediator variables and contributes to the development of the model.

The effects of cruise attributes on impulse buying behavior: the mediating role of impulsive buying tendency

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jookyung Kwon ◽  
Jiseon Ahn
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Impulse Buying ◽  
Buying Behavior ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Impulsive Buying ◽  
Positive Direct ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose This study aims to examine the effects of cruise attributes on impulse buying of service customers through impulsive buying tendency. Specifically, this study investigates whether service attributes (variety of selection and price) influence the impulsive buying behavior of customers by stimulating their impulsive buying tendency. Design/methodology/approach Partial least squares-structural equation modeling was used to test the hypothesis using a sample of 143 cruise customers. Mediating analysis was conducted to examine whether customer personal traits (impulsivity) mediated the relationship between service attributes and impulsive buying behavior. Findings The findings showed that price attributions had a significant positive direct impact on impulsive buying tendency and behavior, while a variety of selections had a significant direct effect on impulse buying behavior. The results revealed a significant mediating role of impulsive buying tendency in the relationship between price attributions and impulse buying. Originality/value Although studies on the decision-making style of service customers have been widely discussed, a limited number of studies has examined customers’ impulsive buying behavior in the service sector. Considering the importance of impulsive purchasing as a valuable marketing tool, the results of this study can help service providers and researchers enhance their knowledge of the mechanism of impulse buying behavior.

Automated text analyses of YouTube comments as field experiments for assessing consumer sentiment towards products and brands

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Charles S. Areni
Keyword(s):  
Field Experiments ◽  
Consumer Preferences ◽  
Ecological Validity ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Consumer Sentiment ◽  
Laboratory Findings ◽  
Content Type ◽  
User Comments ◽  
Different Types ◽  
Quasi Experimental

Purpose The purpose of this study is to show how non-random groupings of YouTube videos can be combined with automated text analysis (ATA) of user comments to conduct quasi-experiments on consumer sentiment towards different types of brands in a naturalistic setting. Design/methodology/approach NCapture extracted thousands of comments on multiple videos representing different experimental treatments and Leximancer revealed differences in the lexical patterns of user comments for different types of brands. Findings User comments consistently revealed hypothesized relationships between brand types, based on existing theory regarding motivations for nostalgia and the relationship between consumer preferences, online product ratings and purchases. These results demonstrate the viability of conducting quasi-experimental research in naturalistic settings via non-random groupings of YT videos and ATA of user comments. Research limitations/implications This research adopts a single quasi-experimental design: the non-equivalent group, after-only design. However, the same basic approach can be used with other quasi-experimental designs to examine different kinds of research questions. Originality/value Overall, this research points to the potential for ATA of comments on different categories of YT videos as a relatively straightforward approach for conducting field experiments that establish the ecological validity of laboratory findings. The method is easy to use and does not require the participation and cooperation of private, third party social media research companies.

Straight eye for the queer ad: attitudes, skepticism, inferences of manipulative intent and willingness to buy

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Isaac Cheah ◽  
Min Teah ◽  
Sean Lee ◽  
Zachary Davies
Keyword(s):  
Online Questionnaire ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Print Advertisements ◽  
Consumer Responses ◽  
Fashion Products ◽  
Consumer Skepticism ◽  
Willingness To Buy ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Manipulative Intent ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeThis study aims to provide a conceptual framework to investigate the effects of consumer attitudes toward brands and attitudes toward a series of fashion oriented print advertisements with and without homosexual themes, on consumer willingness to buy from brands. The influence of consumer skepticism and inferences of manipulative intent (IMI) as moderators between these variables is also investigated. This study also closes various research gaps identified within the literature.Design/methodology/approachA self-administered survey instrument was designed using established scales to collect data through an online questionnaire. Fashion advertisements namely one advertisement representing homosexual content and one heterosexual advertisement were used in the study within subjects (e.g. male and female) design. Statistical techniques, specifically factor analysis, regressions and multiple regressions are used to analyze the data.FindingsThe findings indicate significant and positive relationships between attitude toward the brand and advertisement as well as willingness to buy for both males and females. The moderation analyses noted that consumer skepticism enhanced the relationship between attitude toward the brand and attitude toward the advertisement, but weakened the relationship between attitude toward the advertisement and willingness to buy, only for the female cohort. Similarly, a weakening effect of IMI was noted on the relationship between attitude toward the advertisement and willingness to buy.Research limitations/implicationsThe current study contributes to the literature on homosexual imagery in advertising. In applying the persuasion knowledge model, the current study demonstrates the applicability of the model to homosexual themes in fashion advertising while accounting for the effects of consumer skepticism and IMI.Practical implicationsThe current research highlights the importance of accounting for gender differences when introducing homosexual themes in fashion advertisements. Heterosexual males and females differ in their attitudes toward homosexual themes in fashion advertising, as well as how skeptical they are with regards to the motives of the advertiser. While a great deal of acceptance is already present in today's society, these differences still need to be accounted for in future fashion advertising campaigns.Originality/valueThe present study represents an examination of consumer responses to a series of fashion advertisements in Australia and provides useful implications to marketers of fashion products. The study further contributes to the literature on consumer skepticism and IMI with regards to cause-related advertising.

Fabricating concepts: using custom 3D models to teach abstract concepts

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jon McNaughtan ◽  
Ryan Litsey ◽  
Nichole Morelock
Keyword(s):  
Student Retention ◽  
3D Models ◽  
Abstract Concepts ◽  
Information Retention ◽  
Innovative Teaching ◽  
Teaching Innovation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
3D Objects ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Relationship

PurposeMany scholars and practitioners have attempted innovative teaching practices in an effort to make complex ideas easier to comprehend and retain. The purpose of this study was to test the relationship between learning and the use of 3D models created to provide physical representations of abstract concepts students could hold and manipulate.Design/methodology/approachUsing a quasi-experimental design, we test both the students' initial comprehension of the concept and their retention of the information four weeks later when the course concluded.FindingsFindings included an initial boost in information retention and a likely increased retention of the information, showing promising trajectories for incorporating 3D objects to enhance teaching in the classroom.Originality/valueThis study provides a unique analysis of the use of 3D printing technology to illustrate abstract concepts. This teaching innovation provides another example of how technology can enhance and engage students through active learning. We find that this approach can increase student retention of material.

Role of virtues in the relationship between shame and tendency to plagiarise

2019 ◽  
Vol 33 (1) ◽  
pp. 66-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deepika Pandoi ◽  
Sanjaya Singh Gaur ◽  
Anup Kumar Gupta
Keyword(s):  
Structural Equation ◽  
Partial Least Square ◽  
Least Square ◽  
Path Model ◽  
Content Type ◽  
External Shame ◽  
Quasi Experimental ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose Plagiarism is an epidemic for scholars that needs to be managed. Penalties do not seem to be able to stop people from indulging in it. Manipulation of emotions and values may help in discouraging people from plagiarism. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to understand the association between felt emotion and plagiarism outcome behaviours. Another objective of the study is to see the role of virtues in discouraging people from plagiarism. Design/methodology/approach A scenario-based quasi-experimental method is used to collect the data. Graduate students from various Indian universities were invited for the experiment. The partial least square based structural equation modelling is used to test the measurement as well as path model. Findings The authors found that manipulated shame resulted in feelings of both international and external shame. When individuals feel internal shame, they avoid and discontinue plagiarism. They also try to repair the damage that they cause by plagiarism. However, feeling of external shame only encourages individuals to discontinue plagiarism behaviour. Virtues such as influence, competitiveness and equality weaken the relationship between internal shame and plagiarism-related outcome behaviour. At the same time, these virtues do not affect the relationship between external shame and outcome behaviours. Practical implications This study has important implications for the institutions of higher education. The study suggests that universities should provoke the emotion of shame through various communications to students to control the act of plagiarism by their students. Originality/value No study seems to have examined if the manipulation of emotions and values can help reduce the problem of plagiarism. This is an attempt towards bridging this important gap in literature. Therefore, findings of this study are of great value to scholars and content developers.

What may lead you to recommend and revisit a hotel after a service failure instead of complaining?

2015 ◽  
Vol 27 (2) ◽  
pp. 214-235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oscar Aguilar-Rojas ◽  
Carmina Fandos-Herrera ◽  
Carlos Flavián-Blanco
Keyword(s):  
Hospitality Industry ◽  
Cognitive Theory ◽  
Service Failure ◽  
Prior Experience ◽  
Recovery Process ◽  
Third Party ◽  
Interpersonal Justice ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Successful Recovery ◽  
Intention To Revisit

Purpose – The purpose of this study is to determine how a failure in the treatment received by consumers influences their intention to revisit a hotel, to recommend a hotel or to complain to a third party. The authors analyse perceived interpersonal justice, the role played by past encounters and the influence of consumer gender in a hotel recovery process. Design/methodology/approach – Using experimentation methodology applied to the hotel sector, the authors present four scenarios in a 2 × 2 (interpersonal justice/no interpersonal justice, prior experience/no prior experience) design with a sample of 352 consumers. Findings – The results obtained highlight the importance of interpersonal justice in a situation of service failure and the influence that prior experience and gender exert in the context of the hospitality industry. The study provides empirical evidence that, in a service failure setting, behavioural intentions (word of mouth, third-party complaints and intention to revisit) are conditioned by three different consumer characteristics, one affective (perceived interpersonal justice of the service provided), one cognitive (knowledge as a result of prior experience) and one socio-demographic (gender, important because of the differences between male and female consumer behaviour). Originality/value – This study proposes using the social cognitive theory in a service recovery process within a hospitality industry context. This theory has been successfully exploited in different areas, but in marketing research (especially in studies about service failure and recovery), it has not been applied. However, its use in marketing is particularly interesting because, through the consideration of three variables (perceived interpersonal justice, prior experience and consumer gender), the service provider could obtain knowledge from consumers interactions to help develop a better and more successful recovery system.

Does a healthy diet travel? Motivations, satisfaction and loyalty with plant-based food dining at destinations

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Janet Chang ◽  
Alastair M. Morrison ◽  
Ya-Ling Chen ◽  
Te-Yi Chang ◽  
Daniela Zih-Yu Chen
Keyword(s):  
Background Information ◽  
Background Characteristics ◽  
Moderating Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Tourist Attractions ◽  
The People ◽  
Travel Motivations ◽  
Southern Taiwan ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Intention To Revisit

PurposeThe research objectives were to: (1) examine the relationship among motivations, satisfaction and loyalty with plant-based food dining at destinations; (2) determine if and how the attractiveness of eating plant-based foods moderates satisfaction and loyalty; and (3) investigate potential differences in visitor background information and consumption characteristics.Design/methodology/approachA survey was conducted at tourist attractions in southern Taiwan and 274 valid questionnaires were obtained. The relationships among motivations, satisfaction and loyalty were investigated when eating plant-based foods during travel. The moderating effects of food attractiveness on motivations and satisfaction/loyalty were measured.FindingsThe results indicated a positive relationship between motivations and satisfaction/loyalty in plant-based food dining. Motivations for plant-based food dining were comprised of four domains (physical, cultural, interpersonal and prestige) and satisfaction and loyalty had three (overall satisfaction, intention to revisit and intention to recommend).Research limitations/implicationsThe major implications were that motivations had a significant effect on satisfaction and loyalty; food attractiveness did not moderate the effect of motivations on satisfaction/loyalty; and background characteristics influenced satisfaction and loyalty.Practical implicationsMarketers and strategic planners for plant-based restaurants or those with plant-based meal options must make a greater effort to understand the distinctive demographic and dietary characteristics of the people who comprise the core of this market.Originality/valueThis research adds to the very limited literature on plant-based and vegetarian dining in tourism destinations. Furthermore, it tests, partially validates and expands a model by Kim et al. (2009) for consuming local food while traveling. The findings also complement the considerable evidence linking motivations to satisfaction and loyalty when dining.

Do corporate volunteering programs and perceptions of corporate morality impact perceived employer attractiveness?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Miguel Oliveira ◽  
Teresa Proença ◽  
Marisa R. Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Business Environment ◽  
Job Market ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Corporate Volunteering ◽  
The Social ◽  
Individual Cognition ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Positive Direct ◽  
Employer Attractiveness ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Rather recently, corporate volunteering (CV) has become a relevant topic of academic research. Nonetheless, there is still uncertainty about several aspects of the relationship between volunteerism and the corporate realm and research on the relationship between CV and employer attractiveness is scarce. This study aims to attempt to fill this gap by studying the influence that the perceived importance attributed by prospective applicants to the opportunity of engaging in CV programs may have on employer attractiveness while also pondering the existence of an indirect relationship between CV and employer attractiveness mediated by the individual cognition of corporate morality (CM). Design/methodology/approach To fulfill the objectives of this research, and test its hypothesized model, the authors opted to use a quantitative methodology via survey by questionnaire of Portuguese students who are close to entering the job-seeking process or are currently involved in it, either passively and actively. Data on 238 Portuguese students was collected mainly through social media channels such as LinkedIn and Facebook and was analyzed with the IBM SPSS Statistics 25 software and the IBM SPSS AMOS extension, using a structural equation model to test the hypotheses and obtain insight into the relationships between the variables. Findings A theoretical model was elaborated based on the literature reviewed and was used to validate the existence of a positive direct relationship between CV and employer attractiveness, CV and CM and between CM and employer attractiveness. Finally, it was observed that CV could prompt an indirect effect on the socioethical perception of employer attractiveness, mainly due to the mediating mechanism of the individual cognition of CM. Research limitations/implications This study has some limitations that should be acknowledged and considered in future studies, namely, the diversity of the sample, as it was essentially formed by students enrolled in the University of Porto and studying mainly in the areas of social sciences, trade and law. It is also worth noting that a global analysis of the employer attractiveness attributes was not considered, focusing instead on the social and ethical spectrum of employer attractiveness. Nonetheless, it is important to keep in mind that different individuals prioritize distinct attractiveness attributes. Practical implications Through the present study, it was understood that CV programs constitute a desired and pertinent tool that should be adopted by firms (employers) to establish a strong position in the job market. These findings are particularly useful for the area of human resources management, which is in charge of finding the most adequate applicants in the job market. Furthermore, for the variable of CM, the authors noticed that there is a theoretical lack of measurement instruments. Consequently, the measure advanced in this study represents an important theoretical and methodologic contribution to the literature. Social implications CV is a concept that is yet maturing within the Portuguese business environment. As such, this study delivers useful insights regarding Portuguese applicants’ growing interest around CV, their concerns about the social, ethical and humanitarian attributes of firms and their beliefs regarding the morality of firms’ social policies and actions. Hence, it allowed us to comprehend that by developing a structured CV program, an employer may be able to enhance other essential concepts for Portuguese prospective applicants, respectively, employer attractiveness and CM. Originality/value This study corroborates the premise that corporate community involvement activities, namely, CV, hold a positive effect in terms of perceived employer attractiveness. Moreover, it is consistent with the idea that CV programs foment a feeling of intimacy between individuals and firms, consequently creating a perception of morality as part of the firms’ intrinsic traits. Finally, it corroborates and extends for the case of prospective applicants the conclusion that individuals may be relatively more concerned with the motives behind firms’ corporate social responsibility practices than with the content of such practices.

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