• Human Ecology Research
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.143-155
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• 2015

This study analyzed domestic consumers' perceptions of and participation in consumer boycotts and its relation to ethical consumerism by surveying 1,000 people aged 20 or more with an on-line questionnaire. Collected data were analyzed in terms of frequency, factor analyses, cluster analysis, ${\chi}^2$, and one-way analysis of variance. The research findings are summarized as follows. First, consumers had an average (or higher) perception level of consumer boycotts and were categorized into consumer boycott groups of pursuit of self-realization, achievement of results, and pursuit of rationality according to perception patterns of consumer boycotts. Second, the consumer boycott group of self-realization exhibited a high intention for participation in economic and ethical consumer boycotts and was active in all aspects compared to other groups; in addition, the consumer boycott group of results achievement was in the lowest level of ethical consumerism with a low intention for participation in consumer boycotts and ethical consumer boycotts along with the lowest perception level for consumer boycotts as ethical consumption. The consumer boycott group of rational pursuit was comparatively skeptical about the influence of consumer boycotts and with a low level of deontological ethical consumerism. They had additional doubts about the effectiveness of consumer boycotts despite being active participants. The study contributes to the establishment of an ethical consumer behavior theory by investigating connections between the perception patterns of and participation in consumer boycotts as well as ethical consumerism as consumer boycotts conceptually expand as a form of ethical consumption.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.15-34
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to grasp the concept of ethical consumption that is inevitably one of the behaviors of consumption and to find factors affecting ethical consumption. The most special idea of this study is including motive in the research model. And motive will influence the factors affecting the intention to behave. Research design, data, and methodology: Considering variables affecting ethical consumption, we first adopted the T theory of Planned Behavior. There are three variables of attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control in the model. In addition to variables used in the Planned Behavior Theory, ethical duty, self-identity, motive, neutralization, ambivalence are included in the study. Questionnaires are made for survey, and investigation was conducted from 1th March to 11th of March. Total 360 copies are used for analysis. SPSS version 23 was used for analysis. Results: Study results show that first, the variables of attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, ethical duty, self-identity are turned to be statistically significant factors affecting ethical consumption intention. In this study, we defined the ethical consumption as voluntary, self-sacrifice needed, and additional efforts required behavior, therefore motive thought to be needed at fist for individual consumer to form intention. For neutralization and ambivalence, neutralization does not affect ethical consumption directly or indirectly, but we found ambivalence has moderating effect while motive affecting attitude, perceived behavior control, self-identity and has moderating effect while attitude, subjective nom, perceived behavior control, self-identity affects intention. Ambivalence means individual consumer's thought or preoccupation toward ethical consumption, in other words, consumer may have fiendly or unfriendly, positive or negative impression to it. Overall, motive and ambivalence are important factors for ethical consumption. Motive plays some role from the start influencing main factors affecting ethical consumption. Ambivalence also functions by moderating variables. Thinking of ambivalence taking account of essence of ethical consumption, some consumers may have pretext or justification for not doing ethical consumption which may again annoy themselves. Conclusions: In conclusion, for intention to ethical consumption to be formed motive should be activated beforehand and ambivalence should be considered. Negative ambivalence toward ethical consumption should be removed and positive ambivalence should be developed.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.891-901
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• 2004

This study is to investigate the degree of consumers' non-ethical perceptions and behaviors, and to explore related variables such as demographic variables, idealism and relativism. The data used in this study were obtained by surveying 237 college students from 10th through 24th of October, 2002 in Kimhae city. We conducted a statistical analysis of the data, using percentiles, frequencies, means, t-test, ANOVA, and Multiple Regression. Consumers' non-ethical perceptions and behaviors were measured by modifying Consumer Ethics Scale(CES, Muncy & Vitell, 1992). The CES scale comprises 4 sub-factors: actively benefiting from illegal activity(CES1), passively benefiting(CES2), actively benefiting from questionable action(CES3), no harm/no foul(CES4). Average scores of consumers' non-ethical perceptions and behaviors marked below a mid-value, which means that most of the students are basically ethical. The related variable of consumers' non-ethical perceptions was idealism. The related variables of consumers' non-ethical behaviors were idealism and the amount of discretionary money. The results show that most of the participants are basically ethical as a consumer. However, the results related with the CES4 sub-factor which includes consumer attitudes toward copyrights of consumer softwares and music CDs tell us that they are relatively non-ethical. This claims an importance of consumer education to college students in regards to intellectual property.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.11 no.6
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• pp.75-86
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• 2007

This study investigated the differences of consumers' perception toward immoral shopping behavior when they shop in apparel retail stores by consumer characteristics such as ethical ideology and gender. Forsyth's(1980) ethical ideology measuring idealism and relativism was used. Three hundred twenty-five college students enrolled at a large university located in a metropolitan area participated in the study. These students were divided into four groups on the basis of their ethical ideology: situationist, subjectivist, exceptionist, or absolutist. A series of factor analyses revealed three factors of immoral shopping behaviors: shoplifting, active immoral shopping behaviors, and passive immoral shopping behaviors. The four groups significantly differed in regard to their perceptions toward active immoral shopping behaviors and passive immoral shopping behaviors. T-tests revealed that females tended to perceive shoplifting and passive immoral shopping behavior factor worse than males. The results of this study would be used for developing consumer educational programs and retail training programs.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.18 no.5
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• pp.1047-1062
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• 2009

Nowadays, ethical consumers are increasing and they consider social values such as worker's human rights, environment and animal's welfare as key criteria in purchasing products. This study focused on the academic and practical research of ethical consumption, in which the needs and interests are now growing globally. This study addressed the concept, trend and practices of ethical consumption as well as seeking methods to support and promote ethical consumption. It examined the concept and types of ethical consumption from the perspective of the philosophy on ethical consumption. Ethical consumption was defined as a behavior that intended to improve the environment and the welfare of people and animals by purchasing products produced according to sound ethical principles and avoiding products that are made through the exploitation or the damage of people, animals and the environment. It also dealt with the practices of ethical consumption such as the fair trade movement, Clean Clothes Campaign, boycott, local food movement, animal's welfare movement. In conclusion, I suggested that consumers, companies, governments, and NGOs should make an effort to promote ethical consumption.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.505-526
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• 2012

The purpose of this research is to investigate changes in ethical consumption practices after taking an undergraduate course 'Consumption and Ethics'. Through Qualitative & Quantitative research methods, students' pre-course and post-course attitudes were compared to understand changes in behavior. Before taking the course 'Consumption and Ethics', undergraduate participants displayed little regard for ethical consumption, instead displaying primary sensitivity to price and values based on self-centered and conspicuous consumption. After taking the course 'Consumption and Ethics', participants displayed a more altruistic awareness of consumption on society and the environment. In addition, participants displayed a stronger sense of pride as ethical consumer. These emerging values were contrasted with conflicting feelings resulting from the higher prices often associated with ethical products, feelings of regret resulting from ethically-based impulse purchases, and an inability to categorically evaluate the reliability of available information on the ethical products. However, participants demonstrated a willingness to practice ethical consumption and recommend ethical consumption to their friends and neighbors. Overall, participants in the study demonstrated a strong shift to be an ethical consumer as a result of taking the course 'Consumption and Ethics'.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.8
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• pp.113-121
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• 2015

This study is to identify that the efforts of business ethics build customer loyalty, and it makes customers lead to purchase behavior in the viewpoint of grasping convergence effect. The survey has proved that ethical management influences consumers' purchase behaviors, and consumers' image perception and trust on corporate play parameter role in that process. This results imply that corporate's ethical management gives increase in revenue and reputation to corporate. So managers must recognize business goes on when the social legitimacy is approved by the public, and make efforts to arrange systems and programs to foster ethical management. In the future study, it is required that an analysis to differentiate target range and level of implementation of ethical management and research associated with ethical issue of high public interest.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.291-305
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• 2012

The purpose of this study was to explore the consumer responses such as willingness to pay premium and purchasing cost for fair trade coffee as an ethical product while considering the treatment effect of consumer knowledge. First, the levels of consumer knowledge, willingness to pay premium and purchasing cost were presented. Then, the influencing factors on willingness to pay premium and purchasing cost of fair trade coffee were analyzed by applying the treatment effect model. From the results, first, the level of willingness to pay premium was high and consumers having purchasing experience of fair trade coffee spent 9,923 won at once, while less than half of the consumers knew the fair trade coffee. Second, consumer knowledge, ethical judgement, perception of price value, education level and pocket money significantly influenced to willingness to pay premium, while consumer knowledge, information evaluation, importance of fair trade criteria and level of education significantly influenced to purchasing cost for fair trade coffee. Especially, consumer knowledge of fair trade coffee was an important influencing factor for willingness to pay premium and purchasing cost indirectly as well as directly. Thus, this study might provide some useful information for consumers to choose the ethical behavior and the related companies to create effective promoting strategies for ethical products.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.1956-1964
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• 2009

Understanding ethical fashion consumers in Korea is essential for the expansion of the ethical fashion market. This study analyzed ethical consumers in Korea in an examination of the factors that influence ethical purchase behavior and attitudes. The differences between ethical fashion consumers and non-ethical fashion consumers were investigated using eight variables (perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE), self-direction, benevolence, universalism, social responsibility, perceived behavioral control, face saving, and group conformity). Data were collected by means of a questionnaire through both on-line and off-line surveys from April 20 to June 7, 2009. Only the respondents knowledgeable of ethical products or ethical consumption were asked to complete the questionnaire. A total of 494 samples were used for analyses. Using independent samples t-test, the differences in each variable between two groups were examined. There were significant differences between ethical fashion consumers and non-ethical fashion consumers in attitudes toward ethical consumption behavior, behavioral intention, PCE, self-direction, universalism, social responsibility, and face saving variables. The factors influencing attitude and behavior intention were investigated by step-wise regression analyses. For ethical fashion consumers, the attitudes to ethical consumption behavior were largely influenced by PCE and benevolence. Social responsibility was the most predictable variable in guiding behavioral intention. Behavioral intention was also influenced by benevolence and attitude. Group conformity was found to be negatively correlated with behavioral intention. The findings of this study provide significant guidance for marketers of ethical fashion products. This study is the start of ethical fashion consumer research in Korea and can develop into variable subfields in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.31 no.1 s.160
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• pp.141-150
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to examine variables affecting fashion consumer ethics. 202 consumers living in Seoul and its suburb participated in this study. Data were analyzed by using descriptive statistics, factor analysis and multiple regression for this study. As the results, consumer ethics was classified into three factors such as 'Purposely illegal behavior', 'Tacitly illegal behavior' and 'Socialized illegal behavior' factors. Second, regarding ethics judgement, machiavellianism only had affected consumer ethics. Results showed that 'Tacitly illegal behavior' and 'Socialized illegal behavior' of consumer ethics affected consumer ethics on Fashion Products. Finally, results of multiple regression revealed that psychological factors such as compensatory purchasing, materialism and propensity of religion accounted for 19% of the explained variance in fashion consumer ethics. Based on these results, a fashion educational program about consumer ethics related to fashion industry would be suggested.