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Sustainable Business: Understanding the Behavior of Consumers and Employees

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Economic and Business Aspects of Sustainability".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 19050

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Massoud Moslehpour

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Guest Editor

Business Administration, Asia University, Taichung 41354, Taiwan
Interests: customer satisfaction; employee satisfaction; management; customer retention; employee retention; international business
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Dian Ekowati

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Guest Editor

Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Airlangga, Jawa Timur, Indonesia
Interests: organizational territoriality; interorganizational analysis and group dynamics; public sector/service innovation and change

Dr. Ranfeng (Stella) Qiu

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Guest Editor

Management Department, Jack H. Brown College of Business and Public Administration, California State University, San Bernardino, CA, USA
Interests: R&D activities in multinational corporations; sustainability in multinational corporations; strategic management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The concept of sustainability is based on three principles, including the integration of economic, social, and environmental aspects, all of which are interconnected and influence one another in a variety of ways. In line with this trend, companies are placing increased emphasis on mitigating the damage they cause to the environment (Nikolaou et al., 2019; Saeidi et al., 2022). In other words, organizations have placed greater emphasis on lowering the environmental, economic, and social problems caused by their operational processes while still enhancing the creativity, innovation, and environmental-friendliness of their processes (Westerman et al., 2020). Currently, sustainability issues are of utmost importance for the ecosystem and business stakeholders, both external and internal stakeholders. For instance, it is crucial for firms to acquire and keep the most valuable consumers (Han et al., 2020). The customer is deemed the primary cause of their success. For this reason, client interactions must play a significant role in the long-term strategies of every organization (Lee et al., 2020). The Internet has transformed how firms interact with customers over the past decade. Moreover, excessive consumption and production pose a more significant threat than ever to global progress (United Nations Environment Programme, 2022). In recent years, a growing number of studies have considered the multidimensionality of the sustainability concept (Calderon-Monge et al., 2020; Catlin et al., 2017; Choi and Ng, 2011; Paco et al., 2020). However, the current research does not investigate the notion that firms must consider the coexistence of several sustainability characteristics to ensure a sustainable long-term business plan.

To successfully implement the shift to a TBL business model that involves multiple stakeholders, support from human resources management (HRM) is required. This demands significant organizational transformation on a comprehensive scale to accurately represent this principal shift in organizations. As firms implement the TBL rooted in HRM, conflict and ambiguity will inevitably occur for workers juggling conflicting objectives and expectations with restricted resources and time (Bush, 2020). A significant concern is that attention on HRM through a TBL perspective may cause tensions for employees, impacting their job behaviors and attitude and decreasing their chances of joining or remaining with a company. Employees will feel unclear about their specific aims and responsibilities and how those things correlate to the principles of the firm. However, these possible problems imply that attention to the sustainability of a firm’s HRM by focusing on TBL goals creates challenges for both organizations and employees. Therefore, a detailed analysis is needed to suggest the organizations and policymakers in formulating strategies to develop synergies between HRM and the TBL.

Most individuals and businesses desire to live and make decisions according to their present economic and social demands. Prior research has indicated that a firm’s focus on sustainability through strengthening the TBL will be advantageous for the organization and its stakeholders, including employees and customers. Maintaining sustainable client retention without harming the environment requires a delicate balance. The majority of firms view customer experience and employees as critical resources to gain competitive difference. Any astute business executive is aware that nurturing customer connections is profitable for retaining customers. A well-designed system is able to allow sustaining strong relationships with clients by satisfying their economic requirements and the social responsibility of their consumption. Moreover, organizations focusing on sustainability issues need to cognize their employees’ characteristics and the conditions that may enhance or hinder the sustainable performance of organizations. This Special Issue focuses on concerns of both customer and employees that are related to the three pillars of sustainability (environmental, social, and economic).

Bush, J. T. (2020). Win-Win-Lose? Sustainable HRM and the promotion of unsustainable employee outcomes. Human Resource Management Review, 30(3), 100676. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2018.11.004

Calderon-Monge, E., Pastor-Sanz, I., & Garcia, F. J. S. (2020). Analysis of sustainable consumer behavior as a business opportunity. Journal of Business Research, 120, 74-81.

Chabowski, B. R., Mena, J. A., & Gonzalez-Padron, T. L. (2011). The structure of sustainability research in marketing, 1958–2008: a basis for future research opportunities. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 39(1), 55–70.

Choi, S., & Ng, A. (2011). Environmental and economic dimensions of sustainability and price effects on consumer responses. Journal of Business Ethics, 104, 1–14.

Han, H., Jongsik, Y., & Hyun, S. S. (2020). Nature-based solutions and customer retention strategy: Eliciting customer well-being experiences and self-rated mental health. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 86, 102446.

Lee, N. M., Abitbol, A., & VanDyke, M. S. (2020). Science Communication Meets Consumer Relations: An Analysis of Twitter Use by 23andMe. Science Communication, 42(2), 244-264.

Nikolaou, I. E., Tsalis, T. A., & Evangelinos, K. I. (2019). A framework to measure corporate sustainability performance: A strong sustainability-based view of firm. Sustainable Production and Consumption, 18, 1-18. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2018.10.004

Overland, L. (2018). Now available: the 2018 State of Global Customer Service Report, Microsoft Dynamics 365, August 30, 2018. Retrieved from https://cloudblogs.microsoft.com/dynamics365/2018/08/30/now-available-the-2018-state-of-global-customer-service-report/

Paço, A., Leal Filho, W., Ávila, L. V., & Dennis, K. (2020). Fostering sustainable consumer behavior regarding clothing: Assessing trends on purchases, recycling, and disposal. Textile Research Journal, 0040517520944524.

Saeidi, P., Mardani, A., Mishra, A. R., Cajas Cajas, V. E., & Carvajal, M. G. (2022). Evaluate sustainable human resource management in the manufacturing companies using an extended Pythagorean fuzzy SWARA-TOPSIS method. Journal of Cleaner Production, 370, 133380. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.133380

United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). (2022). Frontiers 2022: Noise, Blazes, and Mismatches. Retrieved from https://www.unep.org/resources/frontiers-2022-noise-blazes-and-mismatches

Westerman, J. W., Rao, M. B., Vanka, S., & Gupta, M. (2020). Sustainable human resource management and the triple bottom line: Multi-stakeholder strategies, concepts, and engagement. Human Resource Management Review, 30(3), 100742. https://doi.org/https://doi.org/10.1016/j.hrmr.2020.100742

Dr. Massoud Moslehpour
Dr. Dian Ekowati
Dr. Ranfeng (Stella) Qiu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

consumer behavior
consumer relations
marketing communications
corporate social responsibility
sustainability
green marketing
environmental management
sustainable consumption and production
sustainable consumer behavior
green consumer behavior
green purchasing
customer relationship management (CRM)
social CRM
green HRM
sustainable HRM
employee green behavior
green management and leadership
green employee relations
green culture strategy
employee well-being

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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23 pages, 1652 KiB

Open AccessArticle

A Fuzzy-Based Analysis of the Mediating Factors Affecting Sustainable Purchase Intentions of Smartphones: The Case of Two Brands in Two Asian Countries

by Massoud Moslehpour, Sahand E. P. Faez, Brij B. Gupta and Varsha Arya

Sustainability 2023, 15(12), 9396; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15129396 - 12 Jun 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1733

Abstract

Given their functionality, all smartphone brands are the same. Their similarities notwithstanding, they supply the same product at different prices in the same market. Strangely enough, the consumers do comply and willingly pay such price premiums. This study examines the mediation effect of price premium and brand preference on the causal impact of brand equity on sustainable purchase intention. The novelty of this study is in transforming the initial measures in a 5-point Likert scale into continuous values through a fuzzification and defuzzification process. Brand equity comprises three factors: brand awareness, perceived quality, and prestige value. Standardized questionnaire collected data in two countries (Taiwan and Indonesia) on two brands of smartphones (iPhone and HTC). Overall, 404 questionnaires were distributed in Taiwan, and 434 questionnaires were distributed in Indonesia. The data were analyzed by applying a structural equation model after conducting an exploratory and confirmatory factors analysis. In order to improve the estimations’ accuracy, the initial measures in a 5-point Likert scale were transformed into continuous values through a fuzzification and defuzzification process. The former consisted of assigning triangular fuzzy numbers, and the latter entailed assigning a center of gravity to each triangular fuzzy number and then extracting a random number from a normal distribution function based on the center of gravity. According to the results, price premium and brand preference exhibited significant mediation effects, with price premium having stronger effects than brand preference. Furthermore, the mediation effect was strongest for perceived quality and weakest for perceived prestige value. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business: Understanding the Behavior of Consumers and Employees)

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25 pages, 553 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Impact of Perceived CSR on Employees’ Pro-Environmental Behaviors: The Mediating Effects of Environmental Consciousness and Environmental Commitment

by Syed Haider Ali Shah, Basheer M. Al-Ghazali, Sabeen Bhatti, Nida Aman, Mochammed Fahlevi, Mohammed Aljuaid and Fakhrul Hasan

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 4350; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15054350 - 28 Feb 2023

Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3106

Abstract

Employees’ pro-environmental behaviors contribute to environmental sustainability. Drawing on social exchange theory, this research extends corporate social responsibility (CSR) literature by investigating the positive effect of perceived CSR on employees’ pro-environmental behaviors and exploring the mediating mechanisms of environmental consciousness and environmental commitment between perceived CSR and employees’ pro-environmental behaviors. Survey data were collected from 301 employees working in the textile manufacturing industry of Pakistan. The findings of this study demonstrate a positive direct impact of perceived CSR on pro-environmental behaviors. Moreover, environmental consciousness and environmental commitment mediated this relationship. Taken together, this study indicates that perceived CSR has three paths to impact employee pro-environmental behavior: direct effect, indirect effect via environmental consciousness, and indirect effect via environmental commitment. The contributions of this study include supporting social exchange theory and presenting pioneering evidence of environmental consciousness and environmental commitment mediating processes between perceived CSR and pro-environmental behaviors. This paper provides directions for future research and suggests practical implications for organizations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business: Understanding the Behavior of Consumers and Employees)

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15 pages, 433 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Social Media on Young Generation’s Green Consumption Behavior through Subjective Norms and Perceived Green Value

by Si Xie and Ghulam Rasool Madni

Sustainability 2023, 15(4), 3739; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15043739 - 17 Feb 2023

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 7546

Abstract

In response to the dramatic increase in social media usage among the young generation, the patterns of manufacturing and consumption have changed. Social media has altered the green consumption market and completely changed consumer psychology and attitude. The influence of social media on the younger generation’s behavior regarding green consumption through subjective norms and perceived green value is hardly discussed in the earlier literature with special reference to China. This study has the objective to explore the impact of social media on the green purchase intentions of young people in the presence of subjective norms and perceived green value. A survey of 303 young people in China is conducted and multiple statistical techniques are applied to determine the reliability and validity of the data such as the Fisher F test, White’s test, the Durbin–Watson test, the Shapiro–Wilks test, and confirmatory factor analysis. The mediating impact of the variables are explored through the bootstrap method and multiple regression is applied for finding the relationship among dependent and independent variables. The findings of this study reveal that information shared on social media has a positive relationship with green consumption among the younger generation in China. In addition, perceptions about green environment and “subjective norms” have a strong mediating impact on increasing the intentions of consumers for purchasing of green products. Moreover, the occupation of consumers also has a mediating role in moderating the subjective norms regarding green consumption. The findings of the study have theoretical contributions as well as practical implications. It is found that social media has a stimulus role for green consumption among the younger generation to devise their subjective norms and perceptions. The practical implications of the present findings are helpful for policy makers to understand how social media is effective in combatting environmental deterioration in the context of China’s recent economic expansion. The future research may be extended through a splitting sample considering the location of respondents and in terms of responses’ quartiles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business: Understanding the Behavior of Consumers and Employees)

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20 pages, 4045 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Adoption of the Green Economy through Branchless Rural Credit Banks during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Indonesia

by A. A. I. N. Marhaeni, Kittisak Jermsittiparsert, Sudarmo, Lucia Rita Indrawati, Andjar Prasetyo, Noviati Fuada, Arnis Rachmadhani, Tri Weda Raharjo, Heri Wahyudianto, Bekti Putri Harwijayanti, Jonni Sitorus, Mochammad Fahlevi and Mohammed Aljuaid

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2723; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032723 - 02 Feb 2023

Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2460

Abstract

A green economy has an impact on improving welfare, but it takes continuous efforts to achieve it from various fields. Contribution in the context of banking on a small scale is one of the initiatives that can show participation in achieving a green economy. This study aims to explore people’s behavior in financial transactions and analyze the practice of rural credit banks in encouraging the achievement of a green economy through the National Financial Inclusive Strategy (NFIS) program despite the COVID-19 pandemic. This study used quantitative approaches; observations were conducted at a certain time by collecting data taken directly as a complement to this study, as well as taking questionnaire data involving 363 samples and analyzing them using the structural equation model (SEM). The result is that green economic support is found in using paper for fewer savings transactions compared to branchless banking with conventional savings transactions. The high number of residents exposed to COVID-19 does not affect branchless banking. In addition, the use of branchless banking can show the penetration of financial literacy in the community. The results of the path analysis explain that perceived ease of use (7.468) and perceived usefulness (2.152) have an influence on attitude; intention is greatly influenced by attitude (15.357); and actual usage is influenced by intention (11.682). This research has specific implications for the Magelang City Rural Bank (MCRB), which needs to conduct market research to find out the potential of branchless banking that is specifically needed by the people of Magelang. Branchless banking innovation needs to be strengthened by presenting easy-to-understand and easy-to-use applications to improve the attitude of the Magelang people in adopting branchless banking applications and using them sustainably. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business: Understanding the Behavior of Consumers and Employees)

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19 pages, 2824 KiB

Open AccessEssay

Research on E-Commerce Platforms’ Return Policies Considering Consumers Abusing Return Policies

by Huixin Liu and Feng Du

Sustainability 2023, 15(18), 13938; https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813938 - 20 Sep 2023

Viewed by 1592

Abstract

Currently, major e-commerce platforms are competing to improve their return services, while merchants are suffering from consumers abusing return policies. We developed a dual oligopoly model consisting of two e-commerce platforms, one offering a lenient return policy and the other enforcing a stringent one, to investigate the effectiveness of lenient return policies in the presence of opportunistic consumers. We examine the impact of the proportion of opportunistic consumers, cross-network effects, gains from dishonest returns, and penalties on the scale of users and profits for both platforms. The findings indicate that: (1) As the proportion of opportunistic consumers increases, multi-homing merchants tend to be single-homing on a platform with a stringent return policy. This reduces the number of consumers on a platform with a lenient return policy and lowers the platform’s profit. Moreover, increased gains from dishonest returns worsen the situation. (2) Network effects on merchants from the consumer side significantly affect the effectiveness of lenient return policies. (3) Enforcement of penalties for dishonest returns could prevent an exodus of consumers and merchants from platforms that offer lenient return policies. However, it does not raise profits. In other words, its impact on the success of lenient return policies is limited. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business: Understanding the Behavior of Consumers and Employees)

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21 pages, 2474 KiB

Open AccessProject Report

A Feasibility Discussion: Is ML Suitable for Predicting Sustainable Patterns in Consumer Product Preferences?

by Chun-Wei Chen

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 3983; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15053983 - 22 Feb 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1307

Abstract

In the era when product design must meet the needs of consumers, the products preferred by consumers are an important source of design creativity and design reference for product designers to design products. Therefore, how to effectively grasp the products that consumers prefer has become an important issue for product designers. In order to allow designers to have more convenient and accurate consumer preference product prediction tools, this study proposed machine learning (ML) to analyze and predict sustainable patterns in consumer product preferences and conducted a feasibility study on the use of ML for predicting sustainable patterns in consumer product preferences. A total of three experiments were carried out in this study: the KJ method to predict consumer product preference experiment, the AHP method to predict consumer product preference experiment, and ML to predict consumer product preference experiment. This study uses the three experiments to discuss and compare the prediction ability of ML and the current commonly used forecasting tools, namely the KJ method and AHP method. The research results show that no matter what kind of consumer product attribute preference is predicted, the accuracy rate of consumer product preference prediction by ML is much higher than that of the KJ method and AHP method. These research results show that no matter the product attribute dimension, ML has the ability to predict consumer preferences, and ML has a better ability to predict consumer preferences than traditional tools. Therefore, this study believes that ML can be used to analyze and predict sustainable patterns in consumer product preferences. Therefore, this study suggests that product designers can use ML technology to assist in the analysis and prediction of consumer product preferences, so as to improve the grasp of consumer preference products. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Sustainable Business: Understanding the Behavior of Consumers and Employees)

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