A popular school of thought in the study of publishing, exemplified by the influential Long Tail theory, suggests that the economic advantages of e-books will lead to a boom in self-publishing. However, this position focuses on economic factors at the expense of other potential influences. This thesis applied Azjen's (1991) Theory of Planned Behaviour to explore which factors have the most influence on authors' decision to self-publish e-books, and, conversely, which factors influence others' decision not to. Qualitative interviews were conducted with 11 authors in the Ottawa area who have self-published or who are considering doing so in the near future. We discovered that there is significant resistance to e-books as a format for self-publishing, and that normative factors such as a lack of prestige and different promotional requirements were particularly influential. While e-books were seen to reduce economic risk, they were believed to be a less prestigious format, and so to represent an elevated risk to what Bourdieu called symbolic-capital. Some authors were also resistant because they felt unable to promote e-books in the way they are expected to. However, most said they would be willing to abandon their resistance if they perceived sufficient demand from their audience. These results open up paths for future study, including more focused examinations of the resistance factors that emerged; more longitudinal studies to see how authors' opinions change over time, particularly those of the non-adopters; and a further examination of the digital skills developed by adopters.

Due to the growing involvement of external stakeholders including pressure groups such as Greenpeace, sustainability issues have increasingly become a focus point in the business sector. Thereby, many businesses began to integrate sustainability into their corporate mission and vision. Similar to fast food consumption, fast fashion consumption has decreased well-being of both nature and humans. With the goal of reducing harmful impact on people and planet, apparel and fashion firms such as C&A, H&M, and Nike have been gradually shifting the use of conventional cotton to bio-cotton in their production of clothing. The aim of the present thesis is therefore to investigate the influence of different factors on purchasing intention of bio-cotton clothing among young business students. In connection to this, the research question of the present study is formulated as follows: “What kind of impacts do attitude, social norm, perceived efficacy of consumer, perceived availability as well as functional, monetary, and psychological risk have on the purchase intention of bio-cotton clothing among young business students?”  The present study was conducted quantitatively by using online survey method. The survey was distributed to a random sample of 220 young business students at Umeå School of Business and Economics (USBE). The research model of this study comprises seven hypotheses. Each hypothesis is assigned with a unique independent variable and a dependent variable (i.e. purchase intention). All the constructs are derived from the Theory of Planned Behaviour as well as from the Theory of Perceived Risk. Following a multiple linear regression analysis, it was revealed that independent variables including attitude, social norm, perceived efficacy of consumer, and perceived availability significantly affect the purchase intention. All influencers except perceived availability was found to have a negative influence on purchase intention. Although none of the constructs from the Theory of Perceived Risk was found to significantly affect purchase intention, a significant quantity of variance in the purchase intention was explained by all independent variables combined. This contributes to the current research gap since numerous studies have focused on the behavioural intention of organic food rather than bio-cotton clothing. This study’s findings provide insights to businesses that intend to market their bio-cotton clothing among young business students. Since the availability of bio-cotton clothing was found to be low, managers are advised to increase the visibility and benefits of such products by using online and offline communication instruments. Policy makers, especially those from developed countries, are advised to support informational campaigns to transform consumer behaviour.

Background: Mindful consumption is considered to be a process that is beneficial forconsumers, society and environment. Food consumption and mindfulness are two concepts thatwork very well together. Practicing mindful food consumption often results in behaviour that issocially and environmentally responsible. For the vast majority of consumers consumption isviewed in a positive light.In modern day society mindful consumption is on the rise. This isespecially true for food consumption. Practitioners of mindful consumption contribute topreservation of the environment and are socially responsible and this has a correlation withindividual consumers interest and societal interest.Purpose: The purpose of this study is to describe what the driving forces of mindfulconsumerism are from the perspective of food consumption.Methodology: Researchers decided on deductive approach, established theory of plannedbehaviour is used to observe. Furthermore the researchers used qualitative research sincemindful consumerism is not expanded enough to test in a quantitative approach. The researchdesign of the study is defining a research question, actually defining the research, data collectionprocess, analysing the data and writing a research report on it. For the data collected theresearchers focused on primary data collection methods in order to better understand thephenomenon and lastly for the data collection instruments a focus group interview has beenchosen with a thematic analysis to analyze the results. Lastly the sampling method chosen is thegeneric purposive sampling where researchers chose specific participants that exhibit certaincharacteristics.Theoretical framework: The researchers question was what leads to mindful consumerism, inorder to achieve that the planned behavioural model was used. In this paper the researchers havefocused on four themes that can be connected to mindful food consumption. Environment andsustainability, health and wellbeing, self preservation, social and moral implications. By applying3theory of planned behaviour to these four topics the researchers could pinpoint what factorsexactly lead to mindful consumerism.Findings: The authors argue that some of the four themes have more influence on mindfulconsumption of food and lastly that consumers themselves are responsible for the decision toengage in mindful consumption of their food.

The apparel and textile industry plays an enormous role in the depletion of natural resources, pollution and other environmental problems. Pro-environmental efforts should thus be encouraged in all stages of the apparel supply chain, but also more specifically at the disposal stage during which consumers should be encouraged to adopt eco-friendly options such as donating, recycling and/ or reselling apparel. The aim of this study was to explore and describe female consumers' pro-environmental disposal motivation and intent regarding apparel in the South African context. The hypothesis and conceptual framework for this study was based on a combination of the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) and the Norm Activation Theory's (NAT) constructs as the underlying motivational factors that contribute to pro-environmental disposal intent. The research was carried out in the Gauteng province, South Africa. The sample comprised of 315 female consumers; female consumers were of particular interest since they tend to engage in pro-environmental behaviour to a larger extent than males. This quantitative study used a cross-sectional survey design for which a Qualtrics web-based questionnaire was developed. Data was captured and coded to be further subjected to descriptive and inferential analyses. The findings indicated that most respondents are aware of environmental consequences related to the disposal of apparel. Social norms influenced respondents' personal norms, as well as their behavioural intent to make pro-environmental decisions regarding the disposal of apparel. It seems that consumers' attitudes also influence their pro-environmental behavioural intent significantly. In contrast, perceived behavioural control had a weaker influence on pro-environmental intent. The theoretical contribution of this study relates to the relevance of TPB and NAT constructs in the local context. In so far as practical implications are concerned, it was concluded that government and businesses should get involved in promoting pro-environmental apparel disposal options and educating consumers about the benefits of disposing apparel in a pro-environmental manner. / Die klere en tekstiel bedryf speel 'n noodsaaklike rol in die vermindering van natuurlike bronne, besoedeling en ander omgewingsprobleme. Pro-omgewings pogings moet dus aangemoedig word in alle stadiums van die klere voorsienings kettings, maar meer spesifiek ook in die wegdoen fase waarin verbruikers aangemoedig moet word om omgewings vriendelike opsies te oorweeg soos skenking, herwinning en herverkoping. Die doel van hierdie studie was vroulike verbruikers se pro-omgewings klere beskikkings motivering en bedoeling te verken en beskryf in 'n Suid Afrikaanse konteks. Die hipotese en konseptuele raamwerk vir hierdie studie is gebaseer op 'n kombinasie van die Teorie van Beplande Gedrag (TPB) en die Norm Aktiverings Teorie (NAT) se konsepte as die onderliggende motiverende faktore wat bydra tot verbruikers se pro-omgewings wegdoen voorneme. Die navorsing was uitgevoer in Gauteng provinsie, Suid Afrika. Die steekproef het uit 315 vroulike verbruikers bestaan; vroulike verbruikers was van besondere belang aangesien hulle geneig is om betrokke te raak in pro-omgewings gedrag tot 'n groter mate as mans. Hierdie kwantitatiewe studie het 'n deursnit opname-ontwerp gebruik waarvoor 'n Qualtrics web-gebaseerde vraelys ontwikkel is. Die data was ingevoer en verder gekodeer om beskrywende en inferentiële statistiek ontledings te ontwikkel. Die bevindings het aangedui dat die meeste respondente bewus is van hoe die wegdoen van klere die omgewing beïnvloed. Sosiale norme het die respondente se persoonlike norme beïnvloed, asook hul gedragspatrone intensie om pro-omgewings besluite te maak ten opsigte van die wegdoen van klere. Dit blyk dat die houdings van verbruikers hul pro-omgewings gedrags intensie ook aansienlik beïnvloed. In teenstelling hiermee, het waargeneemde gedrags beheer 'n swakker invloed op pro-omgewings voorneme. Die teoretiese bydrae van hierdie studie het betrekking tot die toepaslikheid van TPB en NAT konsepte in 'n plaaslike konteks. In terme van praktiese implikasies, was die gevolgtrekking dat die regering en besighede betrokke moet raak in die bevordering van pro-omgewings wegdoen opsies en die opvoeding van verbruikers oor die voordele van die afhandeling van klere op 'n pro-omgewings wyse. / Dissertation (MConsumer Science)--University of Pretoria, 2016. / Consumer Science / MConsumer Science / Unrestricted

Background: Due to increasing environmental issues, the social marketing efforts from organisations are increasing with the aim to push for more sustainable behaviour. One recurring issue in these campaigns is palm oil production. Generally, social marketing relies on negative emotional appeals, such as fear, shame, and guilt, to generate desired responses to the message. This paper focuses on the use of both positive and negative emotional appeals in social marketing within the area of environmental sustainability.   Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationships between the elements of the theory of planned behaviour with the addition of the social marketing appeal and how it, in turn, affects the intention to avoid palm oil. Further, the research aims to study the effects of positive emotional appeals within pro-environmental social marketing.   Method: To conduct this study, a quantitative approach was taken. Two questionnaires were made with the aim to measure respondents’ motivational factors leading to an intention to behavioural change based on the marketing appeal. One questionnaire included an advertisement using a positive appeal whereas the other utilised a negative appeal.   Conclusion: Both marketing appeals show positive relationships between the elements in the adapted theoretical framework, with perceived behavioural control being the strongest predictor of the intention to behavioural change. Further, it was discovered that the financial factor can be important to consider when it comes to sustainable consumption.

The primary aim of the investigation was to explore the entrepreneurship intent (EI) of South African TVET students by applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Additional factors (demographics, community valuation, prior exposure to entrepreneurship and COVID-19 perceptions) were included as control variables within the model to assess the utility of the TPB. Student participants (N = 128) completed an online survey administered through two institutions in the Western Cape and made available by a Facebook link. The application of the TPB model scales was strongly supported by the results of the exploratory factor analyses (EFA) conducted as well as reliability analyses. Regression analyses indicated that the Theory of Planned Behaviour explained approximately 80% of the variance in entrepreneurial intention (p < .001). However, only attitudes were a significant determinant of entrepreneurial intention, whereas subjective norms and perceived behavioural control were not significant determinants of EI. Moreover, the control variables (demographic factors, community valuation, prior exposure to entrepreneurship) did not explain significant variance in EI, with the exception of COVID-19 perception, which was a significant determinant (β = .259, t = 3.159, p < .05). Hayes (2018) PROCESS macro was thereby used to investigate the moderation effect of COVID-19 perceptions, which were found to significantly moderate the relationship between perceived behavioural control and entrepreneurial intention. The contributions of the investigation are discussed and recommendations for future research are presented.

Background: In our world of growing consumption and waste generation, shopping at packaging-free stores can be a step towards sustainable consumption and minimizing our environmental impact. Purpose: The aim of this paper is to evaluate the main predictors of Hungarian consumers’ intention to shop at packaging-free stores using a TBP approach. Method: A quantitative, descriptive study was conducted, during which primary data were collected through an online survey with 208 responses and analysed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis and multiple regression. Conclusion: The empirical findings suggest that Attitude and Perceived Behavioural Control are strong predictors of purchase intention in the context of shopping at packaging-free stores.

Purpose: This study aims to inform readers whether greenwashing in the Chinese electrical appliance market impacts consumers' green purchase intention. Methods: This study uses theory of planned behaviour as the theoretical basis to construct a structural equation model. An online questionnaire survey was conducted on 521 participants. Results: Our analysis shows that greenwashing has indirectly positively correlated with green purchase intention; green attitude and green perceived value play an intermediary role between greenwashing and green purchase intention. Conclusion: This study concluded that in the Chinese electrical appliance market, greenwashing has positively affected green attitudes and green perceived value, then green attitudes and green perceived value positively affected green purchase intention, and green attitudes positively affected green perceived value. Structure: In this study, after the introduction, the model and related proprietary definitions involved in the research are explained, and hypotheses are proposed. Next are the research methods and research results, and then the discussion of the research results. Finally, the possible directions of future research are discussed.

This study aimed to investigate the behaviour of lecture attendance amongst undergraduate students at the University of Cape Town (UCT) by applying the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). A total of 169 respondents completed either a hard copy or online survey whilst meeting the inclusion criteria. The sample consisted of students from a first-year mathematics course (which had compulsory lecture attendance for registered students) and from a first-year organisational psychology course (which had voluntary lecture attendance for registered students). The study aimed to broaden the limited knowledge which exists around the perceptions of students regarding lecture attendance specifically in a South African context. Confirmatory Factor Analysis, Exploratory Factor Analysis and reliability analyses strongly supported the application of the TPB model scales and role-identity scale. Regression analysis showed that only attitudes help to predict intention towards lecture attendance behaviour where subjective norms, perceived behavioural control and role-identity were not significant predictors. Intentions were also seen to be highly correlated to actual attendance behaviour as well as helping to predict actual attendance behaviour. Actual behavioural control (ABC) was not seen as a moderator between intention and actual lecture attendance. Practical and theoretical implications were discussed. The information generated by this study can be used to further understand the occurrence of, and students’ perceptions of lecture attendance.

Internships provide students with the unique opportunity to experience what working for a particular organisation will entail, while simultaneously giving the organisation a chance to evaluate the students' work capabilities and cultural fit before offering them a full-time employment contract. As a result, internships have necessitated deeper understanding, from researchers and employers alike, of what impacts intern conversion rates within host organisations. Drawing on the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) (Ajzen, 1991) this study explored the intention toward conversion into full-time employment within host organisations of the South African intern. The study employed a quantitative design to test the hypotheses that behavioural beliefs (attitudinal beliefs, subjective normative beliefs, and perceived behavioural control beliefs) would influence the intention to convert. A total of 210 respondents completed an online survey. The sample consisted of interns from three South African organisations. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) of the measurement and structural models found that the hypothesised models fit the data moderately well. Results of the regression analysis showed that both attitudes and subjective norms were significant in determining intention towards converting into full-time employment, however, perceived behavioural control and perceptions of COVID-19 were not significant determinants of conversion behaviour. The study makes three contributions to the literature. First, TPB can be a useful framework to explain interns' intention to convert. Second, the utility of the TPB framework for conversion intentions was established. Third, this study contributes to limited research on the topic and the findings call for longer-term research on intern conversion in the South African context with larger sample groups.