Concrete and abstract goals associated with the consumption of environmentally sustainable products
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to identify and classify consumers’ goals associated with the consumption of environmentally sustainable products. The applicability of such goals to the positioning of environmental products is also tested.
Design/methodology/approach
Study 1 used 62 laddering interviews to identify a hierarchical map of adoption related goals. Study 2 used a survey design (N = 152 students) to test the effects of construal-goal fit on evaluations of environmental product attributes of a hybrid car. Study 3 involved an online experiment (N = 125 consumer panellists) to test the effects of construal-goal fit on consumers’ willingness to pay a price premium (WTPP) for energy-efficient light bulbs.
Findings
A hierarchical goal map displays consumption goals attainable through environmentally sustainable products. Consumers with a chronic, high-level construal placed more importance on product attributes associated with abstract goals than those with chronic, low-level construal. This effect was stronger for males than for females. Additionally, construal-goal fit increased WTPP.
Research limitations/implications
The results suggest that marketers consider construal-goal fit to communicate the value of environmentally sustainable products. The results, however, should be replicated in other product categories and across diverse cultural settings.
Originality/value
This paper identifies and classifies the goals related to consumption of environmentally sustainable products. Additionally, it tests the effects of construal-goal fit on evaluations of environmental products, providing insights for marketers seeking to improve their promotional efforts and for public policymakers as they institute demarketing campaigns.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The author would like to thank Bruce Lamont for his personal support and encouragement during the development of this manuscript. The author would also like to thank Eric Olvera for his assistance in the data coding process.
This research was funded by a grant from the Institute for Energy Systems, Economics and Sustainability at Florida State University.
Citation
Ramirez, E., Jiménez, F.R. and Gau, R. (2015), "Concrete and abstract goals associated with the consumption of environmentally sustainable products", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 49 No. 9/10, pp. 1645-1665. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-08-2012-0483
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited