Purpose
Ethical elaboration is an aspect of product involvement and this research
examines the relationship between involvement and ethical consumption
providing a more holistic understanding of ethical decision-making. This paper
identifies antecedents of both low and high involvement ethical product
decision-making at farmers’ markets, and with sustainable and energy efficient
features in the housing market, respectively.
Design/methodology/approach
These aims are achieved through semi-structured and in-depth interviews with
consumers and sellers of ethical products across low and high involvement
domains.
Findings
The empirical investigation reveals new insights into the constructs considered
when purchasing high involvement ethical products. Barriers are discussed
and findings examine the relationships between trust, information, ethical
motivation and signalling.
Research implications
A research process framework for the study of ethical decision-making is
presented, demonstrating that constructs are approached differently between
involvement levels. A conceptual model providing steps for transferring
knowledge gained from the research to practice is also developed.
Practical implications
This research aids in the dispersion of information among stakeholders so that
sustainability and energy efficiency can be part of the standard real estate
conversation.
Social implications
Sustainability and energy efficiency (SEE) housing is seen as a niche market
and this research will help alter the behaviour of the stakeholders in order to
incentivise consumers to change their purchase patterns to include SEE
features.
Originality/value
Most of the work on ethical consumption deals with low-involvement products.
This study addresses high-involvement ethical consumption within the housing
market through a qualitative approach.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:BRADFORD/oai:bradscholars.brad.ac.uk:10454/17405 |
| Date | January 2017 |
| Creators | Foti, Lianne K. |
| Contributors | Wright, Gillian H. |
| Publisher | University of Bradford, University of Bradford, School of Management |
| Source Sets | Bradford Scholars |
| Language | English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis, doctoral, DBA |
| Rights | <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/"><img alt="Creative Commons License" style="border-width:0" src="http://i.creativecommons.org/l/by-nc-nd/3.0/88x31.png" /></a><br />The University of Bradford theses are licenced under a <a rel="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/">Creative Commons Licence</a>. |
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