Young People as Drivers or Inhibitors of the Sustainability Movement: The Case of Anti-Consumption

As overconsumption has negative effects on ecological balance, social equality, and individual well-being, reducing consumption levels among the materially affluent is an emerging strategy for sustainable development. Today’s youth form a crucial target group for intervening in unsustainable overconsumption habits and for setting the path and ideas on responsible living. This article explores young people’s motivations for engaging in three behavioural patterns linked to anti-consumption (voluntary simplicity, collaborative consumption, and living within one’s means) in relation to sustainability. Applying a qualitative approach, laddering interviews reveal the consequences and values behind the anti-consumption behaviours of young people of ages 14 to 24 according to a means-end chains analysis. The findings highlight potential for and the challenges involved in motivating young people to reduce material levels of consumption for the sake of sustainability. Related consumer policy tools from the fields of education and communication are identified. This article provides practical implications for policy makers, activists, and educators. Consumer policies may strengthen anti-consumption among young people by addressing individual benefits, enabling reflection on personal values, and referencing credible narratives. The presented insights can help give a voice to young consumers, who struggle to establish themselves as key players in shaping the future consumption regime.

Using Laddering Interviews and Hierarchical Value Mapping to Gain Insights Into Improving Patient Experience in the Hospital: A Systematic Literature Review

Hospitals are continuously facing pressures to mitigate the gap between patient’s expectations and the quality of services provided. Now with Medicare reimbursements tied to Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (HCAHPS) scores, institutions are attempting interventions to increase satisfaction scores. However, a standard framework to understand patient values and perceptions and subsequently translate it into reliable measures of patient satisfaction does not exist, particularly in the inpatient settings. This article highlights opportunity for the addition of qualitative customer value research to augment the information providers gain from HCAHPS scores and provide additional indicators that can be used in improving the patient experience. In this article, patient laddering interviews and hierarchical value mapping are reviewed as methodologies to understand patient core satisfaction values during their hospital stay. A systematic literature search was performed to identify articles addressing laddering interviews and hierarchical value mapping as applied to health care. Inclusion criteria involved studies relating to health care and using laddering interviews. Exclusion criteria included non-health-care studies. Only 3 studies were found eligible for this review. Our systematic review of literature revealed only few studies which may help to guide us to improve patient experience using laddering interviews. These interviews can help compose a personalized bedside survey which may be more meaningful than current widely used HCAHPS survey.

Not only the seed matters: Farmers’ perceptions of sources for banana planting materials in Uganda

The adoption of improved seed and other planting material in developing countries shows mixed results despite their potential to increase agricultural productivity. To arrive at a better understanding of the observed adoption rates, a lot of research is focused on finding the cultivars and variety traits that are attractive to farmers. Given smallholder farmers’ seed sourcing practices are often influenced by social ties and cultural norms, it is also relevant to understand where and why farmers seek to acquire planting material. In this study, means-end chain analysis was applied to understand farmers’ perceptions of formal and informal sources of banana planting material. Means-end chain analysis allows respondents to select and verbalize their own constructs to evaluate a product or service. These personally relevant constructs are subsequently linked to their personal goals via laddering interviews. We interviewed 31 Ugandan banana farmers from Western and Central region. Farmers associated formal sources mainly with improved cultivars, tissue culture plantlets and low levels of diversity. Informal seed sources were mostly associated with traditional cultivars, suckers and high levels of diversity. The goals farmers pursued while acquiring planting material, such as financial gains, food security, and to sustain and develop the household, were fairly similar among different groups of farmers. The means through which farmers aimed and preferred to pursue these goals differed and could be related to aspects such as gender, production scale and production goals. These differences among farmers preferences for particular sources indicate that not only cultivar traits should be tailored to farmers’ preferences and needs, but also the characteristics of the sources from which farmers access planting material.

Snack foods from brewing waste: consumer-led approach to developing sustainable snack options

PurposeUsing a consumer-led approach, the purpose of this research is to examine how consumers perceive new cereal-based snack food concepts using healthy brewers spent grain (BSG) as a sustainable and functional ingredient.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth laddering interviews based on means–end chain theory were conducted with 40 healthy snack consumers in Dublin, Ireland.FindingsFour hierarchical value maps (HVM) representing data from each snack concept dimensions were generated. The results identified the crispy crackers concept as the most promising for further development, followed by crispy sticks with dip, fruity biscuits and twisted breadsticks. Consumer cognitions regarding the crispy sticks with dip and fruity biscuits were more dominantly associated with a hedonic orientation, while crispy crackers and twisted breadsticks were more strongly associated with health- related dimensions. The HVMs also identified factors which could potentially prevent the acceptance of these snacks. Although consumers displayed a level of environmental consciousness regarding the perceived packaging type, outcomes also showed that the environmental benefit of using BSG in foods is not viewed as a means to attain a desired end state in the consumers’ mind. Our findings also suggest the rich protein content of BSG is not considered relevant in the context of a cereal snack product.Practical implicationsBSG is an abundant, low-cost, nutritious waste material which is available globally in large quantities. This study provides new actionable consumer insights with important implications for snack manufacturers regarding the design and development of cereal snack foods containing this healthy by-product.Originality/valueThis study contributes to a limited body of literature by illustrating which product characteristics are considered important for consumers when selecting healthy, cereal-based snack foods using BSG as an ingredient.

Reasons for customers reluctance to use electronic payments – A study in Ho Chi Minh City

This study aims to investigate reasons why customers are reluctant to use e-payment and how these reasons explain their impacted values, with the following research objectives: (1) to identify characteristics of electronic payment generating the resistance of customers to this E-payment; (2) to explore the connections between those characteristics and values of individuals through the consequences of these characteristics; (3) to propose suggestions for service providers and financial institutes to develop appropriate strategic plans to motivate e-payment in Vietnam. To address these research objectives, the means-end chain (MEC) theory is employed with hard laddering interviews as data collection methods. Then, the collected data are analyzed by the Association Pattern Technique (APT) and used to build the Hierarchical Value Map (HVM). The HVM indicates five main reasons which bar customers from using e-payment: (1) lack of information about e-payment and its benefits, (2) security vulnerabilities in online payment systems, (3) unavailability of legal laws to protect e-payment users, (4) unpopularity of e-payment, and (5) transaction fees and no discount for e-payment. The Value map also revealed that Safety is the most crucial value explaining why most customers are unwilling to use e-payment. Besides, the respondents also care about the Economy and the Convenience of e-payment. From these findings, the study offers some suggestions for banks and service providers to increase the popularity of e-payments.

Applying means-end chain theory and laddering interviews to the study of product attributes for Dalat potatoes

Dalat potato brand has currently been facing unfair competition from wholesalers using Chinese potatoes labeled with Vietnamese brand to disguise their true origin. Accordingly, potatoes from China are first transported to Lam Dong and then covered by Lam Dong soil to cheat consumers. This study, therefore, aims to explore key attributes of Dalat potatoes, and the benefits and values created by these attributes for consumers of Dalat potatoes. In order to address the research objective, the study uses a qualitative approach based on means-end chain theory and laddering interviews to collect and analyze the data. Eventually, the linkage between attributes, consequences and values are established to help governmental authorities of Lam Dong province to develop strategies for promoting Dalat potato brand. The finding shows that ‘High food value’, ‘Trustful product’ and ‘Tasty and greasy taste’ are key attributes of Dalat potatoes. The linkage between potatoes attributes, benefits and values show that consuming good farm produce like Dalat potatoes help consumers enjoy a better life. This is essential for authorities to position and build a more solid brand for this specialty. To conclude, the paper discusses some managerial implications for promoting and branding Dalat potatoes.

Shared landscapes

Purpose This paper argues for the recognition of regional-consumers’ perceptions of growing food in the landscape. This paper aims to explore the hidden value of observed landscapes and lived “lifescapes” as unformulated brand experiences, particularly those relevant to regional meat. These inform the brand identity construct following Kapferer’s (1997) brand identity framework. It is the local consumers’ gaze, which is of interest, as this lives and digests the place. As an often unconscious experience, it must be recognised, articulated and formalised into a brand to enable authentic communications of place meaning to visitors. Design/methodology/approach In total, 20 soft-laddering interviews and hierarchical value maps identified the most frequent connections made by local residents for the Cumbrian fells. The cognitions and rationalisations used by residents in considering their lamb choices are revealed using this method and understanding of these linkages feeds into the development of brand identity (Kapferer, 1997). Gengler et al. (1995) offer a guide on means-end chain (MEC) data analysis, which was used in processing the data. Findings MEC findings showed that people experience places populated with flocks of sheep/local meat in production and perceive its qualities and characteristics as influenced by terroir conditions, by season and their own relationship with the landscape and with the local community. In essence, they experience the brand of these “products” prior to their status as products (Kapferer, 2007; Jacobsen, 2012). The revealed limitations of both servicescape and of attribute-related literature are discussed relative to the timing of the visual impact experienced by local consumers. Practical implications The paper provides a summary of the brand identity for Herdwick lamb (HL), which has emerged from the research process (Figure 2). This example may be useful in discussions with practitioners involved in HL brand development. Originality/value The opportunity to reveal local residents’ experiences of “pre-products” in the landscape is discussed as a source of latent and authentic brand relationships.

The means-end cognitions of perceived information quality in academic social networking sites

Academic social networking sites (ASNS) have received substantial attention in recent years. The information quality of academic resources is vital to users. In order to improve the users’ information quality experience, it is necessary to understand how users perceive information quality in ASNS and what factors or relations affect their results of information quality perception. Drawing on the approach of the means-end chain, our study implemented a laddering interviews with ASNS users. We both elucidated various factors influencing information quality perception and constructed a hierarchical value map, all of the complex relationships were quantitatively calculated and represented in a hierarchical structure. The results showed that 13 factors were identified and 18 relations were described. This study contributes by addressing the process of users’ information quality perception in the ASNS and by giving a deep and nuanced understanding of the factors affecting information quality. This is different from prior research that mainly focused on information quality evaluation. The results not only enrich the information quality research but also can be used to guide ASNS’ platform design and management.

Behind the wine glass: values that guide consumption in Minas Gerais – Brazil

Purpose The purpose of this paper was to identify and describe the personal values that motivate and guide the cognitive structure of Brazilian wine consumers from the viewpoint of the means-end chain theory. Design/methodology/approach In this qualitative descriptive study, 40 in-depth laddering interviews were conducted in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, which were transcribed and codified from the attributes, consequences, and values that emerged in the discourse of the wine consumers. The codes were subsequently graded – in accordance with the level of abstraction – and inserted into the LadderUx® software to generate the implication matrix and the hierarchical value map. The interpretation of the cognitive structure of the wine consumers occurred descriptively. Findings Common aspects regarding knowledge of the product linked to the ritual of wine consumption were identified among consumers. The psychological factors basically describe the social aspects that are pertinent to the drink’s consumption and to aspects focused on the personal training that leads to consumption satisfaction. Both converge in the search for more knowledge about the world of wine. From this cognitive basis, the existence of the instrumental values of hedonism, benevolence/care, stimulation and achievement could be seen, as well as the terminal values of joy and happiness. Originality/value This study presents the cognitive structure of the Brazilian consumers of wine. This result allows some insights in an initial perspective for the development of strategies, based on the factors that motivate the purchase of the drink, thus attracting new consumers to this emerging market.