• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.11 no.12
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• pp.63-69
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• 2013

Purpose - Ethical consumption is the action of buying one product over another with an ethical idea in mind. It has gained in popularity since the 1990s with more emphasis being put on the power of consumer actions to create social, economic, and environmental change. Ethical consumption involves boycotts of certain products or brands as well as purchases linked to ethical issues. Cause-related marketing (the buying behavior of ethical consumption) involves a for-profit and non-profit entity teaming up to promote a product at the same time as promoting a social cause. Each time a consumer buys that product, a donation is made by the for-profit entity to the non-profit entity supporting the specific cause. Cause-related marketing has become a tremendously popular type of ethical consumption in recent years owing to its reputation of allowing companies to "do well by doing good." This study examines how consumers' perception of cause and attitude influence their attitude toward a cause-related marketing campaign and attempts to suggest implications for marketers. Research design, data, and methodology - First, this study was designed to examine the consumers' perception factors (cause involvement, attitude for cause, attitude for company and brand familiarity) in order to determine whether these factors have significantly affected consumers' attitude toward a cause-related marketing campaign. Second, this study developed a structural equation model and tested it empirically using survey data from 223 individual respondents. Respondents were undergraduate students in Chungnam. They were shown an existing real campaign message of cause-related marketing, and then filled out a questionnaire. Data were analyzed with SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 17.0 programs. Results - The hypotheses were tested using factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The study's results showed that brand familiarity, attitude to the company and attitude to the cause significantly affected consumers' attitude toward the cause-related marketing campaign and performance. In particular, attitude to the cause was significantly related to attitude and performance of the cause-related marketing campaign. However, the hypothesis about cause involvement was not supported with the results indicating that cause involvement did not affect consumers' attitude toward the cause-related marketing campaign. The findings underline the importance of consumer perceptions of the cause and the company and their attitude to the cause. They point to the importance of individual differences that influence consumer perceptions of the cause, the company and brand familiarity. Also of importance is the consumer's attitude to the cause. Conclusions - The findings suggest some practical implications in designing and implementing cause-related marketing campaigns. It is important to enhance brand familiarity and create a favorable attitude to the company and attitude to the cause before designing cause-related marketing campaigns. The rising popularity of cause-related marketing has been attributed to its potential to cut through advertising clutter. The findings in this study suggest that marketing campaigns supporting a cause make a difference.

• Journal of Fashion Business
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.61-72
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to analyze the impact of climate change cognition on clothing behavior of fashion consumers to understand the impact of climate change on the fashion system. An online survey was conducted of 385 people in their 20s-50s working in the fashion industry as well as general consumers. Data collected from surveys were analyzed by factor analysis and t-test. Results are as follow: First, climate change cognition consists of four sub-dimensions, which are 'knowledge of climate change' and 'recognition of climate change in Korea'. Second, clothing behavior related with climate change consists of six sub-dimensions, which are 'environmentally-friendly fashion purchases', 'new clothes-wearing style affected by climate change', 'ethical fashion consumption', 'pursuit of functional fashion', 'pursuit of seasonless fashion', and 'clothes-wearing in response to climate change.' Last, the group with higher cognition of climate change than the group with lesser cognition had significantly higher degree of trying new styles created because of climate change, making ethical fashion purchases, pursuing functional fashion, and wearing clothes in response to climate change.

• Korean Journal of Human Ecology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.801-817
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• 2011

The purpose of this research was to explore the levels of ethical consumption of the college students and classify their types on ethical consumption behaviors. This research was conducted with university students living in Gwangju. Statistical analysis was achieved by using t-test, one-way ANOVA, Duncan's multiple range test, $X^2$, and Ward' hierarchical cluster analysis with a total of 761 questionnaires. The research results are summarized as follows: First, the overall ethical consumption average mark of college students was 3.14. Second, all surveyed college students were classified into five types based on the means scores of three dimension ethical consumption behaviors. A total 16.7% of students belonged to Type 1 (named as entire region active group) where students scored high points on three dimension ethical consumption behaviors. Type 2 (named as entire region average group) had about 41.6% of students whose scores were the average mark level in three dimension ethical consumption behaviors. Type 3 (named as future-oriented group) occupied 13.9% and this group scored low on the ethical consumption in commercial transaction but high on the ethical consumption for the future generation. Type 4 (named as commercial transaction oriented group) occupied 9.1% and this group scored low on the ethical consumption for contemporary humankind and the ethical consumption for the future generation but high on the ethical consumption in commercial transaction. Type 5 (named as entire region passive group) had 18.7% of students whose scores of three dimension ethical consumption behaviors were low.

• Asia Marketing Journal
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.1-25
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• 2021

This paper explores how the positive effect achieved when consumption value matches brand benefit can increase brand loyalty. Prior research on consumption value mainly focused on perceived value; these studies omit consumers' views of consumption value. Therefore, this study examines the effect of congruence between consumption values (functional, emotional, social, and ethical value) and perceived brand benefits (enabling, enticing, symbolic, and socially responsible benefits) on consumers' brand identification, trust, and loyalty. We find a positive effect on brand identification and brand trust when a consumer's value is similar to a brand benefit, particularly between functional value and enabling benefit, and ethical value and socially responsible benefit. However, congruence between consumption value and perceived brand benefit only had an indirect effect on brand loyalty by mediating brand identification and trust. This study provides a basis for implementing a marketing strategy to build brand assets and increase brand loyalty by providing consumers with the value they want in a diversified market.

• Journal of Research and Publication Ethics
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.1-5
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• 2022

Purpose: Various ethical issues arise in different stages of management and business marketing research. The current study aims to take look at practices that ensure informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, deception, and legal aspect in data management in procedures involved in marketing research. Research design, data and methodology: Literature content analysis was conducted for this research and the current author has investigated journal articles mostly to guarantee a high degree of content validity and to keep the advantages of qualitative content approach. The current study explores manifest topics regarding the ethical issues of business marketing research. Results: The current study found that ethical consideration needs to be similarly significant and learning from the previous researchers' approach to handling this issue is helpful for future research and is essential to have additional guidelines. Also, four findings (Lack of Informed Consent, Deception, Invasion of Privacy and Confidentiality, and Legal Data Management) indicate that marketing researchers need to consider before undertaking any project. Conclusions: Overall, the study presents practical suggestions though unexhausted. By raising these ethical marketing issues, consumer behavior disciplines will continue to expand and contribute positively towards attaining thoughts, feelings, and decisions that positively contribute to marketing research as the foundation for effective marking practices.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.284-292
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• 2021

The food service industry has grown larger with changes in the economic and socio-cultural environment. In this saturated food service industry, generation X and MZ are the main consumer forces that demand attention. That is because a generation is the main psychographic factor that reflects personal values and lifestyle based on one's life cycle. From such a perspective, a generation in marketing has been used as a variable to predict a market by supplementing demographic factors. Accordingly, this study classified generations into generation X and generation MZ with the use of the 2019 consumer behavior survey for food by Korea Rural Economic Institute (KREI) and then investigated the factors influencing group and personal dining-out expenses. The analysis was carried out applying the Tobit model using SPSS and R. The positively influential variables on generation X's personal dining-out expenditure were male, single person, high income and simple lifestyle, whereas housewives, personal ethical consciousness, behavioral ethical consciousness, and safe dietary life were negatively influential variables. The positively influential variables on generation MZ's personal dining-out expenditures were male, dual-income, high education level, corporate and governmental ethical consciousness, while the number of family members and safe dietary life were negatively influential variables.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.67-83
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to explore the levels of ethical consumptions and related variables on ethics of adolescents as consumers. This subjects were 552 middle and high school students. The research results are summarized as follows. 1. The scores to measure ethical consumptions level of the adolescents was ranged from 2.87 to 3.08, which were relatively low. 2. The ethical consumptions(fair-trade product consumption, donation and giving, local consumption and eco-friendly consumption) in demographic variables were found to have significant differences depending on their religion, perceived social class, father's education and mother's education. 3. The result of hierarchical regression analysis indicated that consumer education experience, the eco-friendly values, materialism, saving, experiencing mass media on affecting the fair-trade product consumption. The major variables affecting the ethical consumptions in the donation and giving were materialism, consumer education experience, experiencing mass media and the eco-friendly values. The significant variables affecting the local consumption were the eco-friendly values, consumer education experience, materialism, experiencing mass media and saving. The major variables affecting the eco-friendly consumption were the eco-friendly values materialism.

• Human Ecology Research
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.15-32
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• 2018

This study analyzes difference in consumers' and front-line workers' perceptions on 'consumer complaint behavior with hateful intentions' though the Co-orientation Model in three dimensions. In addition, we seek to contribute to reducing the conflict between consumers and front-line workers in the service contact point by finding factors that affect the difference in perception between two parties. This study findings and implications are as follows. First, Taking a look at the mutual orientation between consumers and front-line workers, mutual perceptions have been found to match in agreement but with a significant difference in perceived agreement (congruence), which indicates that the internal perceptions of both consumers and front-line workers do not match. The findings confirm that consumers and front-line workers have different perspectives on consumer complaint behavior with hateful intentions and therefore raise a need for efforts and institutional devices for improvement. Second, the study has found that consumers' economic responsibility as part of their social responsibilities and front-line workers' perceptions on consumers' civic responsibility affect the perception difference between these two groups and suggest a need for educating consumers about economic responsibility. Meanwhile, unlike consumers, front-line workers view consumers' complaint behavior with hateful intentions from an ethical point of view, raising a need for a transition of perspectives on complaint behavior with hateful intentions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.373-381
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• 2021

The number of vegans has increased rapidly due to religious and ethical beliefs, environmental concerns, health, etc. Also, as interest in healthy and safe food increases, the demand for organic products or nutrition-enhanced products is increasing. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the selection attributes and purchasing behavior for protein-fortified and vegan snacks. It is anticipated that the results would find use as basic data for developing protein-fortified snacks for vegans that can meet consumer needs and derive marketing strategies. A survey was conducted on 140 consumers. According to the analysis of their purchase behavior, the number of people who had purchased high-protein snacks and vegan snacks was higher than those who did not have prior experience. The reasons for the purchase of protein fortified snacks included 'meal replacement' at 'offline-convenient store/supermarket'. Vegan snacks were purchased for 'ethical beliefs, health, environment' at 'offline-vegan restaurant, bakery'. Both snacks showed above-normal preferences. However, it is necessary to improve taste and flavor when developing these products as these were the factors that negatively impacted the preferences. The attributes were factorized into the 'showing off factor', 'sensory factor', 'credence factor', and 'functional factor' and the 'sensory factor' was considered the most important.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2010

Corporate social responsibility has become a very important issue for researchers (Greenfield, 2004; Maignan & Ralston, 2002; McWilliams et al., 2006; Pearce & Doh 2005), and many consider it necessary for businesses to define their role in society and apply social and ethical standards to their businesses (Lichtenstein et al., 2004). As a result, a significant number of retailers have adopted CSR as a strategic tool to promote their businesses. To this end, this study sought to discover U.S. consumers' attitudes and behavior in ethical purchasing and consumption based on their subjective perception and evaluation of a retailer. The objectives of this study include: 1) determine the participants awareness of retailers corporate social responsibility; 2) assess how participants evaluate retailers corporate social responsibility; 3) examine whether participants evaluation process of retailers CSR influence their attitude toward the retailer; and 4) assess if participants attitude toward the retailers CSR influence their purchase behavior. This study does not focus on actual retailers' CSR performance because a consumer's decision making process is based on an individual assessment not an actual fact. This study examines US college students' awareness and evaluations of retailers' corporate social responsibility (CSR). Fifty six college students at a major Southeastern university participated in the study. The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 26 years old. Content analysis was conducted with open coding and focused coding. Over 100 single-spaced pages of written responses were collected and analyzed. Two steps of coding (i.e., open coding and focused coding) were conducted (Esterberg, 2002). Coding results and analytic memos were used to understand participants' awareness of CSR and their ethical purchasing behavior supported through the selection and inclusion of direct quotes that were extracted from the written responses. Names used here are pseudonyms to protect confidentiality of participants. Participants were asked to write about retailers, their aware-ness of CSR issues, and to evaluate a retailer's CSR performance. A majority (n = 28) of respondents indicated their awareness of CSR but have not felt the need to act on this issue. Few (n=8) indicated that they are aware of this issue but not greatly concerned. Findings suggest that when college students evaluate retailers' CSR performance, they use three dimensions of CSR: employee support, community support, and environmental support. Employee treatment and support were found as an important criterion in evaluation of retailers' CSR. Respondents indicated that their good experience with a retailer as an employee made them have a positive perception and attitude toward the retailer. Regarding employee support four themes emerged: employee rewards and incentives based on performance, working environment, employee education and training program, and employee and family discounts. Well organized rewards and incentives were mentioned as an important attribute. The factors related to the working environment included: how well retailers follow the rules related to working hours, lunch time and breaks was also one of the most mentioned attributes. Regarding community support, three themes emerged: contributing a percentage of sales to the local community, financial contribution to charity organizations, and events for community support. Regarding environments, two themes emerged: recycling and selling organic or green products. It was mentioned in the responses that retailers are trying to do what they can to be environmentally friendly. One respondent mentioned that the company is creating stores that have an environmentally friendly design. Information about what the company does to help the environment can easily be found on the company’s website as well. Respondents have also noticed that the stores are starting to offer products that are organic and environmentally friendly. A retailer was also mentioned by a respondent in this category in reference to how the company uses eco-friendly cups and how they are helping to rebuild homes in New Orleans. The respondents noticed that a retailer offers reusable bags for their consumers to purchase. One respondent stated that a retailer uses its products to help the environment, through offering organic cotton. After thorough analysis of responses, we found that a participant's evaluation of a retailers' CSR influenced their attitudes towards retailers. However, there was a significant gap between attitudes and purchasing behavior. Although the participants had positive attitudes toward retailers CSR, the lack of funds and time influenced their purchase behavior. Overall, half (n=28) of the respondents mentioned that CSR performance affects their purchasing decisions making when shopping. Findings from this study provide support for retailers to consider their corporate social responsibility when developing their image with the consumer. This study implied that consumers evaluate retailers based on employee, community and environmental support. The evaluation, attitude and purchase behavior of consumers seem to be intertwined. That is, evaluation is based on the knowledge the consumer has of the retailers CSR. That knowledge may influence their attitude toward the retailer and thus influence their purchase behavior. Participants also indicated that having CSR makes them think highly of the retailer, but it does not influence their purchase behavior. Price and convenience seem to surpass the importance of CSR among the participants. Implications, recommendations for future research, and limitations of the study are also discussed.