Investigating the influence of religion, ethical ideologies and generational cohorts toward consumer ethics: which one matters?

2016 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 770-785 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denni Arli ◽  
Andre Pekerti
Keyword(s):  
Baby Boomers ◽  
Generation X ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Consumer Ethics ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gen Y ◽  
Age Cohorts ◽  
Generation Cohorts ◽  
Ethical Ideologies ◽  
The Impact

Purpose In the debate whether ethics should be separated from religion or otherwise, few have investigated the impact of religious beliefs and ethical ideologies on consumer ethics. Thus, the purpose of this study to investigate the influence of consumers’ religion, moral philosophy and generational cohort on their perception toward various consumers’ ethical behavior practices. Design/methodology/approach The study uses sample from three different cohorts (Generation Y, Generation X and Baby boomers) in Australia. The final numbers of respondents are 251. Male and female respondents are almost equal in number (52 and 48 per cent, respectively). Most participants are single (56 per cent), and 24 per cent are married. The age cohorts are Gen-Y (70 per cent), Gen-X (16 per cent) and Baby boomers (14 per cent). In terms of religion, 46 per cent of the respondents were identified as Christian or Catholic, whereas 42 per cent reported having no religion. Findings The results show that religiosity had the strongest effect compared to moral ideologies and generation cohorts. It can be assumed that at least for religious consumers, when two ideas collide between religion and ethical ideologies, religious principles may supersede ethical ideologies. The study offers several implications for marketers, educators and public policy makers. Research limitations/implications The current study has several limitations, especially the use of convenience sampling that may limit the generalizability of the findings. Consumers in Australia may behave differently from general consumers or other cohorts with regard to their ethical judgments. Originality/value This is one of the first few studies exploring consumer ethics in Australia. We may conclude that in some ethical situations, religion will supersede ethical ideologies. Accordingly, it is important not to remove religion from ethics education, especially for religious consumers.

The effect of consumers' religiosity on consumer ethics: the mediating role of ethical ideology

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Denni Arli ◽  
Fandy Tjiptono
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Ethics ◽  
Ethical Ideology ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mediating Role ◽  
Positive Effects ◽  
Central Java ◽  
Consumer Ethics Scale ◽  
The Impact

PurposeReligious doctrines generally encourage people to behave ethically. However, in daily life, individuals notice inconsistencies between religious beliefs and behavior, leading them to ask, in the context of commerce, why religious consumers would behave unethically. The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of consumers' intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity on their ethical behavior. Specifically, the moderating effect of ethical ideology on the relationship between Indonesian consumers' religiosity and their ethics was examined by means of a survey.Design/methodology/approachThe data derived from the questionnaire were complemented by convenience samples of Indonesians living in Daerah Istimewa Yogyakarta (DIY) in central Java. The researchers distributed 600 questionnaires in two major shopping malls and several housing areas in the region, of which 467 were completed and returned, for an overall response rate of 77.8%.FindingsThe results indicated that the participants' intrinsic religiosity negatively impacted their ethical beliefs and was mediated by their idealistic ethical ideology. The present study also found that idealism had negative effects on three of the four dimensions of the consumer ethics scale (CES) (actively benefiting, passively benefiting and questionable behavior), while relativism had positive effects on two of the dimensions (passively benefiting and questionable behavior.Research limitations/implicationsOne limitation of the present study was that the analysis did not distinguish among the religions practiced by the respondents to the questionnaire.Originality/valueThis is one of the first few studies investigating the mediating role of ethical ideology in a religious society. This study contributes to the literature on these issues in theoretical and managerial terms by extending the Hunt-Vitell theory (1986) to the context of consumer ethics.

Are atheist consumers less ethical? Investigating the role of religiosity and atheism on consumer ethics

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Denni Arli ◽  
Tuyet-Mai Nguyen ◽  
Phong Tuan Nham
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Ethics ◽  
Intrinsic Religiosity ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Ethical Behaviors ◽  
Segmentation Analysis ◽  
Study Results ◽  
Unethical Behaviors ◽  
The Usa ◽  
Using Data ◽  
The Impact

Purpose There is a perception that non-religious consumers are less ethical than religious consumers. Studies found prejudices against atheists around the world and assumed that those who committed unethical behavior were more likely to be atheists. Hence, first, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of consumers’ intrinsic religiosity, extrinsic religiosity and atheism on consumers’ ethical beliefs. Second, this study attempts to segment consumers and identify differences between these segments. Design/methodology/approach Using data from 235 study participants in the USA and 531 in Vietnam. Subsequently, a two-step cluster approach was used to identify segments within these samples. Findings The study results show consumers’ intrinsic religiosity negatively influences all consumers’ unethical beliefs. Similarly, atheism also negatively influences all consumers’ unethical beliefs. This study also complements other studies exploring consumer ethics in developing countries. In addition, the segmentation analysis produced unique segments. The results from both samples (USA and Vietnam) indicated that non-religious consumers are less likely to accept various unethical behaviors compared to religious consumers. Religious consumers are not necessarily more ethical and atheism consumers are not necessarily less ethical. In the end, are implications for business ethics, religious and non-religious leaders on how to view the impact of beliefs on consumer ethical behaviors. Originality/value This is one of the first few studies investigating the impact of atheism on consumer ethics. The results of this study further extend the knowledge of study in consumer ethics by comparing consumers’ religiosity and atheism.

Repurchase intentions in Y generation: mediation of trust and e-satisfaction

2020 ◽  
Vol 38 (4) ◽  
pp. 401-415 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shrawan Kumar Trivedi ◽  
Mohit Yadav
Keyword(s):  
Online Survey ◽  
Ease Of Use ◽  
Mediation Effect ◽  
Equation Modeling ◽  
Repurchase Intention ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Repurchase Intentions ◽  
Privacy Concerns ◽  
Gen Y ◽  
The Impact

PurposeResearch on online businesses has focused on the adoption of e-commerce and initial purchase behavior; repurchase intention and its antecedents remain underresearched. The present study develops an empirical model to explore the extent to which trust and e-satisfaction mediate the effect of vendor-specific attributes and customer intention to repurchase from the same online platform.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed model is tested and validated in the context of Generation Y in India. A self-administrated online survey was employed, and the students aged between 20 and 35 at universities in Northern India are selected as subject. The data is analyzed using SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 20.0, where structural equation modeling is used to examine the model and test the hypothesis.FindingsThe results of this study suggest that trust mediates fully between security concerns, privacy concerns, and repurchase intention. E-satisfaction mediates between security and ease of use (EOU).Practical implicationsThis study reveals the fact that security, EOU, and privacy concerns are the critical determinants that have the most impact on consumer's purchasing behavior. Gen Y consumers of India need some strong security features, an easy-to-use interface, a trusted privacy policy. Furthermore, it may be beneficial to observe e-satisfaction and trust as a mediator when identifying potential problems; online satisfaction is essential for the group in this study, and the results show that it impacts on the relation between repurchase intention and some determinant of repurchase intentions.Originality/valueThis research determines the impact of security, privacy concerns, EOU on the online repurchasing behavior of Gen Y in India. The mediation effect of e-satisfaction and trust has also been determined.

scholarly journals Corporate social responsibility impact on talent retention among Generation Y

2020 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 369-392
Author(s):  
Intan Azurin Zainee ◽  
Fadilah Puteh
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Generation Y ◽  
Employee Retention ◽  
Research Model ◽  
Accounting Firms ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gen Y ◽  
Talent Retention ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

PurposeAs the new emerging workforce, Generation Y (Gen Y) is said to be demanding, influential and possessing strong bargaining power. This study examines the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on employee retention among Gen Y in the accounting profession. CSR is widely researched subject due to its applicability in multidisciplinary fields and industries. This research intends to investigate the nexus between CSR and human capital disciplines. It employs Carroll's pyramid of CSR as the main theoretical framework to establish its relationship with talent retention among Gen Y employees. This study has a threefold aim: (1) to determine the level of CSR awareness, (2) to determine the relationship between CSR dimensions and talent retention and (3) to examine the effect of CSR dimensions on talent retention.Design/methodology/approachThe paper opted for an exploratory study using the structured questionnaire. A total of 377 Gen Y accountants who are currently working in accounting firms located in Klang Valley, Malaysia, were involved as respondents. Data were analyzed using descriptive, correlation and regression analyses to answer the research objectives.FindingsThe paper provided empirical insights about the impact brought by CSR practices in financial-based firms on employee retention. It was found that all CSR elements, as suggested by Carroll, have a significant relationship with employees’ retention. The interaction between the CSR elements and employee retention accounts for 16% of the research model. Based on the multiple regression analysis, it was found that only two CSR elements are the significant predictors of employee retention among Gen Y in the case of financial-based firms in Malaysia.Research limitations/implicationsThis research covers Gen Y employees in accounting firms; thus, generalization is not applicable to other generations. Besides, the predictors of the research study utilize Carroll’s pyramid of CSR. Therefore, future research studies are encouraged to validate the research model into other sectors. Other models of CSR could also be used.Practical implicationsThis paper includes implication for the organization to understand employee retention practices on Gen Y who are currently dominating the workforce.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills an identified need to study how CSR practices could enhance employee retention among Gen Y in the organization.

Strategic impact of retail 4.0 on retailers’ performance in Malaysia

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 1-3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Poorni Sakrabani ◽  
Ai Ping Teoh ◽  
Azlan Amran
Keyword(s):  
Inventory Management ◽  
Industry 4.0 ◽  
Retail Industry ◽  
Young Generation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Gen Y ◽  
Novel Technologies ◽  
Brick And Mortar ◽  
Strategic Impact ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The Malaysian retail industry, which contributes toward almost 45 per cent of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is on a downward trend. As such, the main purpose of this study is to improve the performance of the Malaysian retail industry through the incorporation of Industry 4.0 technologies. The incorporation of Industry 4.0 technologies in the retail industry has led to the emergence of Retail 4.0 which can also be defined as omni-channel retailing. Design/methodology/approach The adoption of Retail 4.0, which is a combination of omni-channel retailing and also novel technologies, has been proven to improve the performance of retailers in many countries. As such, the authors have given suggestions on how Retail 4.0 can be incorporated by Malaysian retailers for the betterment of the Malaysian retail industry. Findings Problems faced by retailers these days are boring `brick and mortar' stores, out of stock (OOS) issues, price discrepancy and long queues. Retail 4.0 has enabled retailers to overcome these problems by creating novel shopping experiences, better inventory management, and improved operational efficiency and also more informed decision making in real time. Limitations The incorporation of Industry 4.0 technologies in Malaysia is still in the infancy stage. As such, skilled professionals need to be brought in to help implement these technologies in the retail industry. Practical implications Omni-channel retailing and the usage of various technologies by `brick and mortar' stores is very appealing to Malaysia's Gen Y and Gen Z who make up 67 per cent of the country's population. The spending power of this young generation can help to boost the performance of the Malaysian retail industry. Originality/value To date, no known study has been done on the impact of Retail 4.0 on Malaysian retailers. The results of this study will be very valuable to managers who are keen to improve the performance of their respective retail channels.

Ethically minded consumer behaviour in Vietnam

2019 ◽  
Vol 31 (3) ◽  
pp. 609-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tri D. Le ◽  
Tai Anh Kieu
Keyword(s):  
Consumer Behaviour ◽  
Emerging Market ◽  
Measurement Instrument ◽  
Personal Characteristics ◽  
Consumer Ethics ◽  
Ethical Consumption ◽  
The Body ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Job Levels ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Consumer ethics in Asia has attracted attention from marketing scholars and practitioners. Ethical beliefs and judgements have been predominantly investigated within this area. Recent research argues for consumer ethics to be measured in terms of behaviours rather than attitudinal judgements, due to a potential pitfall of attitudinal scales, which researchers often refer to as an attitude–behaviour gap. Accordingly, the purpose of this paper is to examine the dimensions of ethically minded consumer behaviour (EMCB) in an Asian emerging market context. Design/methodology/approach A survey of 316 Vietnamese consumers was conducted to investigate their ethically minded behaviours. Findings The SEM analyses reveal a significant impact of long-term orientation on EMCB, whereas spirituality has no impact. Collectivism, attitude to ethically minded consumption and subjective norms are found to influence the dimensions of EMCB. Age, income and job levels have effects on EMCB dimensions, but gender, surprisingly, has no effect. Practical implications The study can be beneficial to businesses and policy makers in Vietnam or any similar Asian markets, especially in encouraging people to engage with ethical consumption. Furthermore, it provides practitioners in Vietnam with a measurement instrument that can be used to profile and segment consumers. Originality/value This is among the first studies utilising and examining EMCB, especially in Vietnam where research into consumer ethics is scant. It contributes to the body of knowledge by providing a greater understanding of the impact of personal characteristics and cultural environment on consumer ethics, being measured by the EMCB scale which has taken into account the consumption choices. Furthermore, this study adds further validation to the EMCB scale.

scholarly journals Does ethics need religion? Evaluating the importance of religiosity in consumer ethics

2017 ◽  
Vol 35 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-221 ◽  
Author(s):  
Denni Arli
Keyword(s):  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Missing Values ◽  
Adult Population ◽  
Public University ◽  
Consumer Ethics ◽  
Religious Leaders ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Extrinsic Religiosity ◽  
Academic Researchers ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the importance of religiosity in consumer ethics. This objective will be achieved by investigating the impact of intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity on consumer ethics, and segmenting consumers’ religiosity and explore differences between each segment. Design/methodology/approach The surveys were distributed to undergraduate students, their friends and members of their immediate families, through a large public university in Australia. Of 700 paper questionnaires, participants returned 651. Incomplete surveys with too many missing values were removed from the sample. Of these, 517 were usable, yielding a response rate of 74 per cent. Singles accounted for 53.9 per cent of the sample, followed by married people (26.8 per cent). Of the respondents, 49.9 per cent were men. The majority of respondents were between 18 and 24 years old (52 per cent), followed by 15-34 years (16.4 per cent). Finally, most respondents had an income level of less than $20,000 (36.6 per cent) followed by $21,000-$40,000 (20.5 per cent) and $41,000-$61,000 (19.7 per cent). Overall, despite being dominated by younger consumers, the sample is relatively representative of the entire adult population of Australia. Findings The results show that both intrinsic and extrinsic religiosity had an impact on consumers’ ethical beliefs. Moreover, the results show significant differences between the two segments studied. The religious segment was more likely than the non-religious segment to reject various unethical beliefs, but no significant differences were found in the behavioural dimensions of recycling and doing good deeds. Originality/value This is one of the first few studies to explore the impact of religiosity on consumer ethics in Australia. The results of this study have several implications for academic researchers, religious leaders and managers working in the area of consumer ethics.

Generational perceptions at work: in-group favoritism and out-group stereotypes

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (1) ◽  
pp. 33-53 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly Pledger Weeks ◽  
Matthew Weeks ◽  
Nicolas Long
Keyword(s):  
Baby Boomers ◽  
Generation X ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Life Balance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Use Of Technology ◽  
Generational Perceptions ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Practical Implications ◽  
Practical Recommendations

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between stereotypes, in-group favoritism, and in-group bolstering effects across generations. Design/methodology/approach Based on the trends found in a qualitative study on generational stereotypes, questions on work ethic, work-life balance, and use of technology were administered to 255 participants identified as Millennials, Generation X, and Baby Boomers. Hypotheses predicted that with a strong stereotype, traditional in-group favoritism will not be found; however, an in-group bolstering effect will emerge. In the absence of a strong stereotype, traditional in-group favoritism is expected. Findings Generally, there was a strong stereotype that Baby Boomers are worse at technology than Generation X and Generation X is worse than Millennials. There was also a strong stereotype that Millennials do not do what it takes to get the job done as much as other generations. In the presence of these stereotypes, traditional in-group favoritism was not found, but in-groups bolstered themselves by rating themselves more favorably than other groups rated them. Although these findings did not hold for every item studied, there was moderate support for all three hypotheses. Practical implications As employees become aware of their biases, they can collaborate better with employees who are different than they are. Practical recommendations are suggested. Originality/value The paper applies theory of in-group favoritism to the perceptions of generational cohorts.

The impact of education, diversity, professional development and age on personal business ethics of business students in Russia

2017 ◽  
Vol 36 (3) ◽  
pp. 410-426 ◽  
Author(s):  
Natalia Ermasova ◽  
Stephen Wagner ◽  
Lam Dang Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
Professional Development ◽  
Business Ethics ◽  
Ethical Behavior ◽  
Significant Relationship ◽  
Ethics Education ◽  
Business Students ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Older Employees ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate how individual differences predict personal business ethics of business students with a particular focus on how these factors moderate the relationship between ethical organizational interventions and personal business ethics perception. Design/methodology/approach Totally, 488 participants completed Clark’s Personal Business Ethics Scores (PBES) survey. ANOVA analyses were then performed. Findings Significant correlations were observed between personal business ethics and diversity professional development, age, and education. The authors found significant difference on ethical behavior and diversity professional development. Professional development focusing on diversity was positively related to reports of ethical behavior for women but no significant relationship was observed for men. Furthermore, professional development focusing on ethics was positively related to reports of ethical behavior for younger employees but no significant relationship was observed for older employees. Research limitations/implications Researchers and scholars in cross-cultural management and business ethics fields can benefit from this study as it provides more empirical results in understanding the impact of demographic, educational, and cultural factors on the ethical maturity of business students in different countries. Practical implications Leaders, managers and practitioners, can benefit from this study as it provides managerial implications in managing this workforce in the most effective and efficient manner. The results from this research suggest that ethics education and diversity training play the critical role in creating an ethical climate on workplace. Originality/value This study fills the gap within the literature and offers a unique analysis of the personal business ethics of Russian business students. Determining the types of business ethics education and training that are the most effective in Russia would be beneficial to researchers and practitioners.

scholarly journals Work Ethic: analysis of differences between four generational cohorts

2019 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 496-505
Author(s):  
Diana Carolina Zúñiga ◽  
David Aguado Garcia ◽  
Jesus Rodriguez Barroso ◽  
Jesus Maria De Miguel Calvo
Keyword(s):  
Baby Boomers ◽  
Generation X ◽  
Work Ethic ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Multigenerational Workforce ◽  
Gen Y ◽  
Use Of Time ◽  
Generation Z ◽  
Gen X ◽  
The Postponement

Las organizaciones enfrentan el reto de gestionar una fuerza laboral multigeneracional con características propias que difieren en el valor que le otorgan al trabajo. La incorporación al mercado laboral de las generaciones más jóvenes hace imprescindible el estudio de sus diferentes actitudes hacia el trabajo en comparación con las generaciones antecesoras. El propósito de la investigación fue analizar a través del constructo de la ética protestante las diferencias existentes en las actitudes hacia el trabajo de cuatro generaciones (Baby Boomers, Generación X, Generación Y, y Generación Z). La muestra de 624 participantes ecuatorianos (BB 11.2%; GX 11.2%, GY 58.5% y GZ 19.1%) se agrupó por cohortes. Se aplicó el Cuestionario Multidimensional Ética del Trabajo (MWEP). Los resultados mostraron que los BB y la GX tiene una mayor creencia en la importancia del trabajo y más tolerancia a la utilización improductiva del tiempo de trabajo que las generaciones Y y Z. En el aplazamiento de las recompensas la GZ muestra puntuaciones superiores a las obtenidas por los BB, GX y GY. No se encuentran diferencias significativas en las dimensiones de autoconfianza, ocio y moralidad-ética. Enterprises face the challenge of managing a multigenerational workforce which has its characteristics that differ in the value they grant to work. Incorporation of younger generations into the labour market requires to study all their attitudes towards work, contrasting them with previous generations. The purpose of this research was to analyse, through the Protestant Ethic construct, the differences of four age groups in attitudes towards work (Baby Boomers, Generation X, Generation Y, and Generation Z). Cohorts grouped the sample of 624 Ecuadorians (BB 11.2%; Gen X 11.2%, Gen Y 58.5% and Gen Z 19.1%). The Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile (MWEP) was applied. The results showed that BB and Gen X believe more in the importance of work than generations Y and Z. At the same time, BB and Gen X are more tolerant to the unproductive use of time than generations Y and Z. Gen Z has higher scores than BB, Gen X and Gen Y in the postponement of rewards dimension. Besides, there are no meaningful differences in self-reliance, leisure and morality/ethics dimensions.

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