Green Consumption Behaviour as a Social Process

<p>In recent years, environmental concern, sustainability and climate change have become widespread political and social issues. The prevalence of environmental issues in the social environment has encouraged the majority of consumers to develop concern for environmental issues, pro-environmental attitudes and an intention to purchase green products and practice green behaviour. However, future growth of green consumerism is threatened by an “attitude-behaviour gap”. Sustainable consumption behaviour is limited to a niche market of “green” consumers, and must expand into more mainstream consumer markets. This study is aimed at exploring how individual perceptions, personal relationships and social experiences shape green consumption behaviour. Its objectives were (1) to achieve a greater understanding of how the social environment influences the green consumption behaviour of individual consumers; and (2) to explore how pro-environmental behaviour change takes place. This study used qualitative methods and adopted an adapted case study methodology. The primary data was collected from semi-structured depth interviews with two participants from seven household cases. Four key insights of this research were: (1) “Green” and “mainstream” (i.e., not-so-green) consumers positively influence the green consumption behaviour of other consumers via social observations, comparisons and “greening strategies”, resulting in pro-environmental behaviour change; (2) “Mainstream” (i.e., not-so-green) consumers view “green” consumers as people who adopt “alternative” green consumption behaviour. A “green syndrome” has developed whereby “green” is viewed as an unattainable goal, limiting mainstream participation in green consumption behaviour; (3) “Green” and “mainstream” (i.e., not-so-green) consumers cope with their non-environmental actions with tradeoff and neutralisation arguments which reinforce the “attitude-behaviour gap” in green consumerism and (4) Personal relationships and household dynamics (i.e., household roles, lifecycle and structure) can affect the adoption and effectiveness of green consumption behaviour practiced within households. Pro-environmental behaviour can be encouraged by explicit green social norms in the social environment, as this reduces the efficacy of neutralisation techniques. Furthermore, the “mainstream” (i.e., not-so-green) population will adopt green products and practices when they are effective, convenient and cost-efficient.</p>

Green Consumption Behaviour as a Social Process

<p>In recent years, environmental concern, sustainability and climate change have become widespread political and social issues. The prevalence of environmental issues in the social environment has encouraged the majority of consumers to develop concern for environmental issues, pro-environmental attitudes and an intention to purchase green products and practice green behaviour. However, future growth of green consumerism is threatened by an “attitude-behaviour gap”. Sustainable consumption behaviour is limited to a niche market of “green” consumers, and must expand into more mainstream consumer markets. This study is aimed at exploring how individual perceptions, personal relationships and social experiences shape green consumption behaviour. Its objectives were (1) to achieve a greater understanding of how the social environment influences the green consumption behaviour of individual consumers; and (2) to explore how pro-environmental behaviour change takes place. This study used qualitative methods and adopted an adapted case study methodology. The primary data was collected from semi-structured depth interviews with two participants from seven household cases. Four key insights of this research were: (1) “Green” and “mainstream” (i.e., not-so-green) consumers positively influence the green consumption behaviour of other consumers via social observations, comparisons and “greening strategies”, resulting in pro-environmental behaviour change; (2) “Mainstream” (i.e., not-so-green) consumers view “green” consumers as people who adopt “alternative” green consumption behaviour. A “green syndrome” has developed whereby “green” is viewed as an unattainable goal, limiting mainstream participation in green consumption behaviour; (3) “Green” and “mainstream” (i.e., not-so-green) consumers cope with their non-environmental actions with tradeoff and neutralisation arguments which reinforce the “attitude-behaviour gap” in green consumerism and (4) Personal relationships and household dynamics (i.e., household roles, lifecycle and structure) can affect the adoption and effectiveness of green consumption behaviour practiced within households. Pro-environmental behaviour can be encouraged by explicit green social norms in the social environment, as this reduces the efficacy of neutralisation techniques. Furthermore, the “mainstream” (i.e., not-so-green) population will adopt green products and practices when they are effective, convenient and cost-efficient.</p>

Determining Operation Groundswell’s Future Business Directions for Sustainable Tourism

Operation Groundswell (OG) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) and tour operator that offers volunteer backpacking trips. This study evaluates two ways in which OG aims to achieve sustainable tourism: their approach to voluntourism and their carbon offset initiative. A qualitative consumer analysis was conducted to evaluate how OG can move forward as a facilitator of sustainable tourism utilizing 1) their approach to voluntourism and 2) their carbon offset initiative. Findings from this study reveal that OG’s carbon offset initiative should be made more prevalent and transparent on their website and in their marketing to attract green consumers, that they should continue to engage with voluntourism with a critical lens so as to emphasize how voluntourism can be accomplished in an ethically-just and sustainable manner, and that they should consider developing hybrid trip offerings that emphasize the interconnectedness of their four program themes of health, education, human rights and the environment.

Determining Operation Groundswell’s Future Business Directions for Sustainable Tourism

Operation Groundswell (OG) is a non-governmental organization (NGO) and tour operator that offers volunteer backpacking trips. This study evaluates two ways in which OG aims to achieve sustainable tourism: their approach to voluntourism and their carbon offset initiative. A qualitative consumer analysis was conducted to evaluate how OG can move forward as a facilitator of sustainable tourism utilizing 1) their approach to voluntourism and 2) their carbon offset initiative. Findings from this study reveal that OG’s carbon offset initiative should be made more prevalent and transparent on their website and in their marketing to attract green consumers, that they should continue to engage with voluntourism with a critical lens so as to emphasize how voluntourism can be accomplished in an ethically-just and sustainable manner, and that they should consider developing hybrid trip offerings that emphasize the interconnectedness of their four program themes of health, education, human rights and the environment.

Consumer attitude towards green products: revisiting the profile of green consumers using segmentation approach

PurposeOver the last few decades, there has been a substantial increase in environmentally conscious consumers' willingness to switch their preferences from mainstream products to green products. Hence, it becomes essential for academicians and marketers to understand the notion, attributes and a comprehensive profile of green consumers. Since consumer attitude towards green products is not widely studied in developing countries, the present study aims at exploring the profile of green consumers in India (Punjab State) based on the same in the Indian context.Design/methodology/approachThe study used the survey method, and a sample of 400 respondents was selected from the Punjab State of India. Initially, principal component analysis was employed to reduce the dimensions. Following this, cluster analysis was applied to segment consumer market in distinctive segments. Results of cluster analysis were validated with discriminant analysis and finally, differences amongst the segments of green and non-green consumers were examined to build on the profile of green consumers.FindingsThe study segmented the consumer market based on consumer attitude towards green products. Results of the study revealed four distinct segments. “Dynamic Green”, the largest cluster, presents truly green consumers who exhibit a positive attitude towards green products. Finally, the study highlighted the attitudinal profile of green and non-green consumers and differences amongst the segments were explained.Research limitations/implicationsSimilar study should be conducted in other developing/developed countries. Furthermore, cross-cultural studies can be undertaken to contrast consumer attitude towards green products. The study may also be extended to probe the connection between consumers' attitude and actual behaviour towards green products.Originality/valueThe study examined the role of consumer attitude towards green products in identifying the distinct segment of green consumers and determining different configurations of consumer characteristics to build on the profile of green consumers.