| Abstract [eng] |
The intensifying globalization and resistance to overconsumption encourages the interest in green consumption. However, green consumption in particular does not lead to simplification of consumption practices if is based only on purchase of green products. Therefore, greater involvement of the green consumer comes in the form of anti-consumption. A research gap exists, because green products purchase and consumption has already been quite heavily analysed in scientific literature, whereas purchase and consumption reduction leading to any form of anti-consumption was analysed very little, similarly to the relation between green products consumption and reduction of consumption. Therefore, incorporation of these two behavioural variants into a single green consumer behaviour phenomenon might solve the existing scientific research gap. The aim of this dissertation is to determine how personal characteristics, green practices, society pressure and perceived product accessibility factors influence consumers intention to purchase and consume green products and intention to reduce overall purchase and consumption of products. Developed research model summarizes and systematically integrates personal (personal consumers characteristics and green practises) and external (society pressure and perceived product accessibility) factors and show their influence on intention to purchase and consume green products or on intention to reduce any product purchase and consumption. In order to empirically test the research model, combination of qualitative and quantitative studies has been applied consisting of three stages. In the first stage qualitative research was performed in order to reveal consumers understanding about the green consumption, and to determine products groups that most often consumers purchase green products. Quantitative research aimed to determine the influence of research model factors on consumers intention to purchase and consume green products or intention to reduce overall purchase and consumption. That was performed combining two quantitative research methods: pilot (N=54) and main surveys (N=438). One of the most important statistically justified findings of this dissertation is that green consumer behaviour consists not only of purchase and consumption of green products, but also includes a decrease in any products’ purchase and consumption, because they are motivated by similar factors. Intention to purchase and consume green products is mainly influenced by external factors, whereas intention to reduce purchase and consumption of any products is influenced by both personal and external factors. Also the study disclosed specific importance of the factor of trust in characteristics of a green product in the context of green consumer behaviour.The intensifying globalization and resistance to overconsumption encourages the interest in green consumption. However, green consumption in particular does not lead to simplification of consumption practices if is based only on purchase of green products. Therefore, greater involvement of the green consumer comes in the form of anti-consumption. A research gap exists, because green products purchase and consumption has already been quite heavily analysed in scientific literature, whereas purchase and consumption reduction leading to any form of anti-consumption was analysed very little, similarly to the relation between green products consumption and reduction of consumption. Therefore, incorporation of these two behavioural variants into a single green consumer behaviour phenomenon might solve the existing scientific research gap. The aim of this dissertation is to determine how personal characteristics, green practices, society pressure and perceived product accessibility factors influence consumers intention to purchase and consume green products and intention to reduce overall purchase and consumption of products. Developed research model summarizes and systematically integrates personal (personal consumers characteristics and green practises) and external (society pressure and perceived product accessibility) factors and show their influence on intention to purchase and consume green products or on intention to reduce any product purchase and consumption. In order to empirically test the research model, combination of qualitative and quantitative studies has been applied consisting of three stages. In the first stage qualitative research was performed in order to reveal consumers understanding about the green consumption, and to determine products groups that most often consumers purchase green products. Quantitative research aimed to determine the influence of research model factors on consumers intention to purchase and consume green products or intention to reduce overall purchase and consumption. That was performed combining two quantitative research methods: pilot (N=54) and main surveys (N=438). One of the most important statistically justified findings of this dissertation is that green consumer behaviour consists not only of purchase and consumption of green products, but also includes a decrease in any products’ purchase and consumption, because they are motivated by similar factors. Intention to purchase and consume green products is mainly influenced by external factors, whereas intention to reduce purchase and consumption of any products is influenced by both personal and external factors. Also the study disclosed specific importance of the factor of trust in characteristics of a green product in the context of green consumer behaviour. |
