Bridging Green Gaps: The Buying Intention of Energy Efficient Home Appliances and Moderation of Green Self-Identity

Motivation and guidance of college students' low-carbon behavior: evidence from Chinese colleges and universities

In the context of the global implementation of the emission peak and carbon-neutral strategic goal, guiding residents' low-carbon behavior is of great significance for the realization of the dual carbon goal. However, existing studies have paid less attention to the low-carbon behavior of college students. Based on the theory of planned behavior, this paper constructs a theoretical model of influencing factors of college students' low-carbon behavior. Combined with 612 questionnaires from Chinese colleges and universities, this study uses a structural equation model and multi-group analysis method to explore the motivation of college students' low-carbon behavior and guiding education strategies. The results show that low-carbon attitude, subjective norms, low-carbon values, and perceived behavior control have significant positive effects on low low-carbon behavior intention of college students, and influence their low-carbon behavior through low-carbon behavior intention. Further research found that gender and growth environment (urban vs. rural) presented heterogeneity in different influence paths, and the perceived cost had a significant negative moderating effect during the transition from low-carbon intention to low-carbon behavior. These research findings provide a theoretical basis and policy inspiration for explaining and guiding the low-carbon behavior of college students.

Personal Variables in Attitude toward Green Purchase Intention of Organic Products

The present research aims to determine whether environmental awareness, green self-identity, and subjective norms influence the attitudes of consumers who identify with environmental issues and have green purchasing intentions for organic products. The research was quantitative, correlational in scope, and cross-sectional in design. It was applied to 710 Peruvian millennials. A questionnaire consisting of 20 questions was applied, which was quantified through a five-point Likert scale. The results were processed through an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA), a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). Statistical analyses were developed using SPSS 24 and AMOS 24. The study identified that the personal variables influencing the environmental attitudes of millennials who intend to buy green organic products are green self-identity and subjective norms. While environmental awareness does not influence environmental attitudes, it does influence the green self-identity of Peruvian millennials. This study is one of the first to identify the personal variables influencing the environmental attitudes of Peruvian millennials who intend to buy green organic products.

Internet Use on Closing Intention-Behavior Gap in Green Consumption-A Mediation and Moderation Theoretical Model

The rapid development of the Internet as an information medium has provided new opportunities for promoting green consumption. Therefore, a study on the theoretical mechanism is helpful to make better use of the Internet media to promote green consumption and close consumers' green consumption intention-behavior gap. In this study, data from 419 valid questionnaires were collected and analyzed through PLS-SEM within the framework of the theory of planned behavior. The results show that there are two pathways of Internet media promoting green consumption, namely the moderating effect and the mediating effect. First, through the moderating effect, Internet use can promote the conversion of intention to behavior and perceived behavioral control to behavior, thus closing the intention-behavior gap. Second, through the mediating effect, Internet use promotes green consumption behavior through the mediator of personal perceived environmental threats. The research indicates that the potential of Internet information media should be fully explored in promoting green consumption, disseminating environmental knowledge, reporting environmental issues, and guiding the transformation of individual green consumption intention into behavior.

An ounce of prevention or a pound of cure? Multi-level modelling on the antecedents of mobile-wallet adoption and the moderating role of e-WoM during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 epidemic, personal safety has received increasing attention, leading to behavioral changes. Mobile-wallet (m-wallet) makes it easier for people to keep social distance, which helps stop the spread of the COVID-19 virus. Evolving Internet technology has brought about changes in consumer lifestyle. The current situation of COVID-19 has created a business environment to shift from traditional ways and adopt e-commerce solutions worldwide. Grounded in technology acceptance model (TAM) theory, this study’s objective is two-fold: First, this study intends to examine perceived susceptibility to COVID-19, perceived severity of COVID-19, insecurity and discomfort as the predictors of perceived usefulness (PU) and perceived ease of use (PEOU). Second, the current research intends to test the moderating effect of electronic words-of-mouth (eWOM) on the relationship between attitude and usage intention. Using survey methods, 226 usable responses were collected through a mall intercept survey in Pakistan. Data were analyzed using partial least square (PLS). The results revealed that PEOU and PU positively influence attitude toward M-wallet. This study has found that attitude positively influences the usage intention in adopting M-wallet. The results also support the moderating role of eWOM. These findings contribute to the marketing literature in several ways, particularly in Pakistan. This is the first study to use eWOM as a moderating variable in the TAM theory. In addition, this study adds to the current body of knowledge by considering eWOM as a multi-dimensional construct novel in m-wallet literature.

Special Issue: Recent Advances in Energy Efficiency of Buildings

Buildings are important consumers of energy; in fact, they represent 30–45% of global energy use and one-third of total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions [...]

Purchase Behavior of Energy-Efficient Appliances Contribute to Sustainable Energy Consumption in Developing Country: Moral Norms Extension of the Theory of Planned Behavior

Since energy consumption in developing countries has increased significantly, motivating energy-saving habits among citizens is an important issue both from the academic and industrial perspectives. Thus, this study aims to predict consumer purchase intention for energy-efficient household appliances based on an extended model of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). This study incorporated two additional constructs of moral norms and environmental concern in the model of the TPB. A self-administered questionnaire was distributed to 1155 Bangladeshi consumers, and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) regression was used to test the hypotheses. Results show that attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavior control significantly influence consumer purchase intention of energy-efficient appliances (EEAs). This study also proved that the extension of moral norms is a significant predictor of consumers’ purchase intention in the classic theory of planned behavior (TPB). However, environmental concerns had no significant influence in the Bangladesh context. As far as the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical survey in Bangladesh to predict energy-efficient household appliance (EEHA) purchasing intentions using an extended model of the TPB. Marketers and policymakers can use the findings of this study to design strategies for generating more value for green consumers. The study also provides insights into environmental marketing and sustainable energy consumption in developing countries from theoretical and practical perspectives.

How Do Environmental Knowledge, Eco-Label Knowledge, and Green Trust Impact Consumers’ Pro-Environmental Behaviour for Energy-Efficient Household Appliances?

Pro-environmental behaviour (PEB) helps individuals to minimize the negative effects of their actions on the environment; for example, by recycling and reducing energy consumption. This study aimed to explore consumers’ attitudes and trust in energy-efficient household appliances and their environmental and eco-label knowledge to determine how these may affect pro-environmental behaviour (PEB). In addition, the study examined the mediating effects of attitude and green trust on the proposed frameworks of environmental and eco-label knowledge in relation to consumer pro-environmental behaviour. PLS-SEM (Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modelling) was applied to a study from Bangladesh to examine hypotheses proposed from the data generated by 1510 valid respondents relating to their experiences of using household energy-efficient products. The results showed that environmental knowledge, eco-label knowledge, attitude, and green trust all significantly correlated with consumer pro-environmental behaviour. In addition, attitude and green trust significantly mediated the relationship between environmental knowledge, eco-label knowledge, and pro-environmental behaviour. This study also found that green trust positively affects consumer attitudes, and that those attitudes serve as a significant mediator between green trust and pro-environmental behaviour. An IPMA (importance-performance matrix analysis) map indicated that the total effects of environmental attitude and eco-label knowledge were more important to defining the pro-environmental behaviour of consumers than those of environmental knowledge and green trust. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research introduces for the first time an empirical survey that provides a new theoretical framework for consumer pro-environmental behaviour in regard to energy-efficient household appliances in the context of a developing country. Suggestions are provided on ways to promote energy-saving appliances from theoretical and practical perspectives.