Clare D'Souza

An empirical study on the influence of environmental labels on consumers

Purpose – Despite research studies indicating strong support for labelling information, uncertainty remains with respect to how labels influence consumers. This paper attempts to empirically investigate how consumers who differ in terms of environmentalism respond to labels.Design/methodology/approach – The data were collected on an Australian sample using a structured questionnaire administered on the phone using quantum research (CATI) data collection services. A total of 155 questionnaires were completed and used for data analysis. The data were analysed using both descriptive measures and correlations between variables.Findings – There appears to be a proportion of consumers that find product labels hard to understand. The research found that there are consumers who will buy green products even if they are lower in quality in comparison to alternative products, but would look for environmental information on labels. With respect to price sensitive green consumers, there appears to be a relationship be...

Ecolabel programmes: a stakeholder (consumer) perspective

The growing global public concern for safety and preservation of the environment has given rise to the perception that consumer purchases may be somewhat influenced by environmental labels. It suggests that accuracy in label information is relevant so as to allow consumers to make an informed choice. This paper proposes that consumers can be grouped using a matrix of four different environmental positions. The results of these grouping are more likely to provide an effective profile of a green consumer, enabling marketers to segment and target these groups based on a clear understanding of consumer behaviour.

Health Belief Model: Evaluating Marketing Promotion in a Public Vaccination Program

National health objectives are driven to increase participation rates. Individual health decisions are determined by attitudes, behavior, lifestyles, and government policies. This research, therefore, examined not just the development and delivery of a message targeting individual voluntary behavior change, but the intention of changes in social structures that will facilitate individuals reaching their potential; thus the purpose of this article is to shed light on the uptake of the human papillomavirus (HPV) immunization using the health belief model (HBM). Research was conducted with the use of focus groups by drawing on the framework of the HBM. This research approach is conceptual by nature, based on the virtue of marketing promotion and on HBM literature. Though offering the vaccine free to the general public provides additional evidence to certain groups on the intention to act or uptake of the vaccine, awareness levels were found to be poor despite increased efforts by the government trying to promote this vaccine. There was evidence that social capital and trust can produce effective communication message strategies that reinforce social bonds. This article provides an interesting basis for further investigation; however, as implausible as it seems the article also contributes to the concept of perceived benefits and of self-efficacy.

Auctioneer Strategy and Pricing: Evidence from an Art Auction

This study examines the role of auctioneers strategy used in determining pricing at art auctions. It characterizes the role of auctioneers, prices that the paintings were sold at and tests a series of hypotheses about their behaviour. This is done using pricing data from an auction of paintings. It examines the relationship between the auctioneers estimates and realized prices. It determines whether the auctioneer and the market evaluate different attributes of different paintings differently and finally, an analysis is undertaken on the determinants of prices in the art market as suggested by hedonic regression.

An evaluation of the role of green marketing and a firm’s internal practices for environmental sustainability

The management of a firms green operations is increasingly important for marketing strategists. The purpose of this study is to investigate the cross-influences of green marketing strategy and the key internal green functional areas in a firm. We use the antecedents of marketing strategy and identify relationships between green marketing strategy and key supporting internal environmental operations of firms with respect to (1) green suppliers, (2) environmental resource management, (3) green research and development, and (4) environmental manufacturing processes and procedures. The statistical techniques of parallel analysis, factor analysis and multiple regressions are used to analyze data collected from 332 firms. The results identify that among the four functional areas of firms adopting green marketing strategy. Two are more likely to influence green marketing strategy – supplier selection and research and development. Implications are discussed. The findings contribute to the theory of green marketing strategy. Future research is recommended.

Vietnam in transition: SMEs and the necessitating environment for entrepreneurship development

A transitional economy has been characterized as experiencing a large amount of economic and social change. SMEs can be considered as the vehicle for entrepreneurship development in such a context. The purpose of this paper is to further the investigation of the favourability of the transitional environment on SMEs and entrepreneurship in Vietnam. Using a new approach, we analyse the transitional economy discourse via examining government policies, international organization reports and academic articles on Vietnam. Our findings suggest that, in Vietnam, compared to an overall normative framework developed from a wide literature review, the settings generally support a vibrant transitional entrepreneurship development and SMEs. However, more needs to be done to build up favourable sociocultural setting and effective business support systems in the country. Implications for the relevant stakeholders and suggestions for future research in the East Asian and Central and Eastern Europe regions are also provided.

Integrating Precautionary Principle Approach in Sustainable Decision-Making Process: A Proposal for a Conceptual Framework:

Environmental sustainability, climate change, and environmental risks have become a growing concern for policy makers in terms of their content, implementation, and implications. Policy makers are concerned about the social and economic costs and benefits, especially in areas where hard and indisputable scientific evidence is lacking. The intention of this article is to review the approach referred as the precautionary principle and suggests a framework for a methodical approach that would be practical in making complex environmental decisions. This framework will be useful to implement decision making at the policy level for governments. The article has three broad objectives; first, it addresses the importance and the requirement of the precautionary principle. Second, it discusses the widespread relevance of its application. Despite the existing limitations of its definition, the article attempts to shed some light on its scope for application assuming that regulatory and other environmental protection instruments do not prejudice its application. Finally, it demonstrates a conceptual framework that will, potentially, perform a directive function by providing discourse and deliberation when applied to circumstances based on each project, activity, or case. Pollution, over consumption, environmental degradation, and global warming are issues that demand policy initiatives and decision making at the macro as well as the micro level to sustain development. As indicated by the United Nations (UN), societies’ consumption disparities are so stark that the world’s wealthiest 20 percent consume a massive 86 percent of the world’s resources (Shah 2001). This puts most of the developed world in the spotlight to become more conscientious about the consequences of their behavior. The solutions to environmental degradation not only require urgent changes in human behavior and cultural practices to reduce consumption, but since there will be some amount of consumption there would also be a need for advances in cleaner and more efficient technologies by industry and businesses (Oskamp 2000). While economic growth has contributed, in a large measure, to the rising of the average standard of living, it can also be seen as a source of accelerating pollution and degradation of the environment. Clearly, this need to strike a balance between economic development and environmental protection has been strongly debated. This is a multifaceted task and it demands the attention of policy makers to search for appropriate and innovative environmentally sound solutions. In initiating new projects, activities, or products, the question that generally needs to be addressed is on how much damage or pollution might they inflict on the environment? To address this issue, the article attempts to provide a framework for the process of making decisions within an environmental context. The proposed model uses the precautionary principle as a framework that could assist with the methodical process of investigation, analysis, and cost and benefit estimates that presents a decision rule and provide guidelines in this process. Basically, it attempts to operationalize the precautionary principle approach.

Debating: a catalyst to enhance learning skills and competencies

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine if training through debates can be used as a rationale to enhance learning skills. In particular, it investigates whether debating can be useful in developing both, key graduate capabilities skills (critical thinking and communication skills) and the process to facilitate learning (motivation, intellectual challenges and learning in depth). The research validates some of the previous findings and argues that integration of debates into a curriculum enhances learning.Design/methodology/approach – Third‐year undergraduate students participated in this exercise. The University invited the United Nations Association to administer their model conference that involved debating. A survey questionnaire was distributed to the students. Given that the sample was small, the data were analysed using cross tabulations.Findings – The research found that learning through debates for developing both, key graduate capabilities skills (critical thinking and comm...

Franchising in Ukraine

Purpose – This paper is an exploratory survey that examines franchising in Ukraine. The purpose of this discussion paper therefore, is to shed light on the extent to which franchising is impacted by economic, legal, and investment factors in Ukraine. It attempts to make a brief comparison with the Australian franchising system in order to present a platform for future marketing and implementation scenarios in the country.Design/methodology/approach – Based on a literature synthesis, the paper proposes reasons for the success of franchising in Ukraine. It outlines the experiences of two successful franchising businesses established in Ukraine.Findings – Despite the difficulties of operating in the Ukrainian business environment, with its twin problems of bureaucracy and corruption, franchising has managed to establish itself as a viable way of doing business in Ukraine. Both foreign and local franchisors are beginning to make headway in establishing a strong presence in the Ukrainian business landscape.Ori...

Knowledge Transfer: Examining a Public Vaccination Initiative in a Digital Age

This research applies knowledge management principles to examine knowledge transfer in the social marketing of the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination program for girls and young women. Using focus group research we develop framework to define the domain of health based decision making in young women and develop understanding of constructs in knowledge transfer along the health consumer supply-chain. We find these are the role of trust, the absorptive capacity of the receiver, the medium of the knowledge object and the authority of the figure providing that knowledge. These findings have implications for budgetary support of and accountability for public health knowledge transfer mechanisms.