Conceptual framework

In this chapter, we propose our conceptual framework, and we will define every construct. The independent constructs are environment awareness and outside interference. The mediators are products involvement, consumer perceived value, consumer perceived risk and green purchase attitude. And the dependent construct is green purchase intention.

3.1.1 Independent constructs z Environment Awareness

Environment concern and environment knowledge are most used constructs of green consumption. Environment concern means that consumers are worried about the environment impact. When consumers are concerned about environment, they have stronger willingness to purchase green products.

Baldassare and Katz (1992) proposed that personal environment threat is a better predictor of overall environment practices than demographic variable and political factors.

Fryxell (2003) defined environment knowledge is general knowledge of the facts and concepts of nature and ecosystem. It includes the impacts and understanding of environment and how to maintain sustainable development.

Comparing to environment concern, environment knowledge does not just consider the environment impact but also understand the reasons and solutions of environment problems. Hines et al. (1987) proposed that environment knowledge is most important factor of predicting environment protection behavior. Rokicka (2002) proposed those who have higher level of environment knowledge will behave more environmentally. And Mostafa (2006) also proved the positive relationship between environment knowledge and green purchase intention.

Based on previous research, environment concern is defined as inside feeling about environment impact and environment knowledge is defined as outside actual knowledge about whole environment system. So, in this thesis, we integrate inside feeling and outside knowledge into a concept called environment awareness.

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z Outside Interference

According to the TRA proposed by Ajzen and Fishbein (1975), consumers`

attitude and other people`s comment both affect consumers. And the affection comes from other people`s comment called “subjective norm” in TRA. Ajzen (1991) further proposed “perceived behavioral control” in the theory of planned behavior. Subjective norm and perceived behavioral control are both seldom used in previous research about green consumption but they are actually important factors. In this thesis, we integrate these two factors into “Outside Interference”

and consider it as an influence factor.

3.1.2 Mediators

z Product-related information acquisition

The perceived information about product is an important determinant during consumer decision process. Many researchers studied in this field, some of them research product information (Chang et al. 1994; Russo et al. 1998; Meyvis et al.

2002) and some other of them research about advertisement (Resnik et al. 1977;

Rajeev et al. 1986; Smith 1993). Product-related information acquisition means that consumers perceive those information of product and that can affect consumers` decision making.

Product-related information acquisition is seldom considered to build conceptual framework for green products. But the concept of product-related information acquisition is actually be used by consumers when they make their purchase decision. So we use product-related information acquisition to build up conceptual framework and consider it as an important construct.

z Consumer perceived value

In practice, enterprises regularly use price as main marketing tool. Although many researchers proposed different opinions of price, there is still consensus.

Doubtless, price is a very important factor of purchasing decision.

In previous researches (Lichtenstein et al. 1988&1993; Huang et al. 2004), researchers used price-quality inference and price consciousness to describe price.

Price-quality inference is a kind of beliefs, “high price, high quality” and “low price, low quality”. Monroe and Petroshius (1981) characterize a shopper as price conscious, “to the degree he/she is unwilling to pay a higher price for a

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product,” and if the price is greater than what is acceptable to pay, the buyer may refrain from buying. Moreover, the price conscious shopper will not be willing to pay for distinguishing features of a product if the price difference for these features is too large. Monroe and Krishnan (1985) took price as a part of product attributes to stimulate consumption. Meyer (2001) pointed out price is the most important factor of cost, but product price is not just the money have to be paid.

Peter and Olson (2001) proposed that consumers also take the time they spend, the effort they make and the value they can get as a part of product price.

According to above research, price is an important factor to influence purchasing decision. But consumers do not only consider the price but also the value they perceived. In this thesis, we depict price as consumer perceived value.

It is more extensive than monetary cost. It includes price comparison, willingness to pay more and perceived worthiness.

z Consumer perceived risk

The concept of perceived risk was introduced by Bauer (1967) to the marketing field. Early work focused on the risk taking and information handling in consumer behavior, and there were several conceptual framework developed.

Various conceptualizations of the perceived risk construct were proposed in recent two decades (Ivan 1975; Gemunden 1985; Ingene and Hughes 1985;

Dowling 1986). The concept of perceived risk usually correlated to the consumers` perceptions of the uncertainty and adverse consequences of buying a product or service. Generally, consumer perceived risk comes from uncertainty.

In this thesis, we emphasize on the uncertainty of purchasing green products.

Because most consumers are not familiar with green products, they would be more anxious about purchasing green products. Calfee and Ringold (1988) proposed consumers will naturally doubt about those environment information unless they have trustable basis of assessment. Brown et al. (1998) pointed out it is hard for consumers to believe environment information. Mostafa (2006) proposed that there is negative relationship between doubt of green products`

environment information and green purchasing intention.

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z Green Purchasing Attitude

The consumer purchasing attitude means that whether consumers like the products or not. Through experiencing or learning, when consumers continuously like the specific product, then we could say the consumer purchasing attitude of the specific product is positive. If consumers continuously dislike the specific product, then we could say the consumer purchasing attitude of the specific product is negative. So, green purchasing attitude is that if consumers like or dislike those green products.

3.1.3 Dependent construct z Green Purchasing Intention

Green purchasing intention means consumers` willingness of purchasing green products. When consumers have strong willingness to purchase specific products that means the purchasing intention of the specific products is high. If consumers have less willingness to purchase specific products that means the purchasing intention of the specific products is low. And the higher purchasing intention also means more possibility of actual consumption.

Table 3.1 Decision Factors and Influence Factors

Independent constructs Mediators Dependent construct

Environment Awareness Outside Interference

Product-related information acquisition Green Purchase Attitude Consumer perceived value

Consumer perceived risk

Green Purchase Intention