Car(Ing) for Our Environment?
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Car(ing) for our environment? Consumer eco-innovation adoption and curtailment behaviors: The case of the alternative fuel vehicle Johan Jansson Umeå School of Business Umeå University Umeå 2009 SW-COC-002570 The mark of responsible forestry The Forest Stewardship Council Copyright: Johan Jansson ISBN: 978-91-7264-877-7 ISSN: 0346-8291 Studies in Business Administration, Series B, No. 71 Cover photos used with copyright permissions: Front: “Like roaches in the woodwork” by Chris Diers. Back: “To the future along the Ume River” by Susanne Nilsson Printed by: Print & Media, Umeå University Umeå, Sweden 2009 ABSTRACT Determinants influencing consumer eco-innovation adoption and green curtailment behaviors in a travel context are at the center of this thesis. Previous research on green consumer behavior has uncovered that internalized personal attitudinal factors such as values, beliefs, and norms are influential in determining mainly non-consumption and post-purchase behaviors. This thesis extends the understanding of a moral basis of green consumer behavior by exploring the influences of attitudinal factors on both car curtailment behaviors, and on consumer adoption of a high involvement eco-innovation – the alternative fuel vehicle. The integrated influences of innovation specific characteristics, car habits, knowledge and social norms, are also examined. Furthermore, differences between AFV adopters and non-adopters are explored, and the notion of consumers performing purchase and curtailment behaviors for different reasons is utilized in the development of nuanced profiles of three distinct consumer groups. Four studies, which build on two quantitative data collections on adopters and non-adopters of AFVs in Sweden, are included in this thesis. In the first study, similarities and differences among adopters and non-adopters of AFVs, and the effects of attitudinal factors (values, beliefs, and norms), knowledge, and sociodemo- graphics on the adoption decision are analyzed. The results show that knowledge and personal norms are strong predictors of AFV adoption and that the VBN theory is applicable in this context. The main implication from the study is that high-involvement green purchase deci- sions, such as eco-innovation adoption, can be viewed as morally based. In the second study, a set of determinants influencing both curtailment of car use and will- ingness to adopt a less environmentally harmful vehicle are analyzed. Biospheric values, per- sonal proenvironmental norms, and car habit strength are found to influence both types of behaviors in different ways. The main implication from this study is that green purchase deci- sions and curtailment behaviors within a specific context are determined by partly different factors but personal norm is a strong predictor of both types of behaviors. The third study extends the findings from the previous one in segmenting consumers on curtailment behaviors and proenvironmental purchases. Three distinct types of consumers emerge from the data. The Non-greens are found to exhibit the lowest levels of green attitudes and behaviors, and the strongest car habits. The Curtailers are distinguished by performing primarily reductionist behaviors, and by being the most willing to reduce negative environ- mental impact of car use. The Ecovators are found to be the most inclined to purchase eco-inno- vations and also display the greenest values. The study shows that green consumers are a het- erogeneous group that can be separated on the basis of green curtailment behaviors and proenvironmental purchase decisions, and that there seems to be no inherent contradiction in being an early adopter of new green technology (such as the AFV) and also having high levels of proenvironmental values, beliefs, and norms. In the final study, innovation specific characteristics and consumer innovativeness factors are integrated with normative and attitudinal determinants influencing AFV adoption. The re- sults show that personal and social norms, consumer novelty seeking, and four perceived innovation characteristics influence the adoption decision. Differences between AFV adopters’ and non-adopters’ ratings of AFV specific attributes are also analyzed. The contribution of this study is the integration of VBN theory and the DOI framework and the empirical conclusion that eco-innovations need to deliver on both traditional and proenvironmental attributes in order to be perceived as attractive by consumers. In sum, this thesis demonstrates the importance of proenvironmental personal norms for consumer adoption of a high involvement eco-innovation such as the AFV. Keywords: Diffusion of innovations (DOI), value-belief-norm (VBN) theory, alternative fuel vehicles (AFV), eco-innovation, early adoption, curtailment behaviors, proenvironmental atti- tudes, innovation characteristics ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Getting a license – be it a driver’s license or a license to do research – is not the work of the final cardholder alone. Although I have had the pleasure of steering, many researchers, colleagues, friends, and loved ones have been there with advice and pats on my back, making it possible for me to pull this dissertation thing across the finishing line. My advisors on this journey have helped me in staying clear of ditches and in guiding me to the best routes. Agneta Marell secured the financing for this dissertation and pro- vided expert advice and loads of motivating exuberance all along the way. Annika Nord- lund contributed with valuable direction on the psychological theories of this thesis and on the ins and outs of writing papers and publishing. It has been a privilege working with, and learning from, you both! In the beginning, Kiflemariam Hamde provided helpful suggestions on improving the research by carefully examining the research proposal. Treasured comments from, and discussions with, Tommy Gärling on some of the analyses and papers helped in developing them for publication. Jan Bodin and Erika Knutsson offered much appreciated feedback at the final seminar. For vital comments at the very end and for many rewarding discussions throughout, appreciative thoughts also go to Jonas Nilsson. Vladimir Vanyushyn has been kindly supportive concerning statistical matters. For helpful assistance on survey admini- stration, I am indebted to Fredrik Gärling and the team of research assistants who made the data collections much more than just a routine task: Frida Byrsten, Andreas Eliasson, Anja Hansen, Milad Houssein-Becky, Anton Magnusson, Johannes Stjernström, Malin Stjernström, and Lina Vincent. Thanks to you all, and of course, to all the respondents who filled out the questionnaires! Many colleagues and friends have made research, teaching, and all other daily activities at the business school memorable. For thought-proving discussions and new per- spectives on vital matters, I am especially grateful to Karl Johan Bonnedahl. Special thanks for big things and for small also go to Sofia Isberg, Jan-Erik Jaensson, Helena Ren- ström, Jessica Eriksson, Tim Wilson, George Tesar, Margareta Gällstedt, Pontus Bergh, Maria Bengtsson, Galina Biedenbach, Owe Hedström, and Ann-Christin Häggqvist. Inger Granberg, Katarina Pousette, Susanne Nilsson, Anna-Lisa Forsman, Lennart Widmark, Johan Tufberg, Bo Segerstedt, and Mattias Jonsson have all provided important, skillful administrative support which is too often overlooked, but very hard to be without. This dissertation was made possible through a EU project on alternative motor fuels (TREN/05/FP6EN/S07.53807/019854) managed by the Environment and Health Ad- ministration of the city of Stockholm, and professionally coordinated at the regional level by Mikael Brändström and Michael Jalmby at Esam in Umeå. Thank you! On a final personal note, thankful thoughts go to my father, Görn and to Elisabeth Remkéus for being there, for listening, and … for proofreading questionnaires! My sister Petronella and her family with Fredrik, Amanda, David, and – at the last minute – Simon, have helped me in getting my mind off work worries every once in awhile. For Sunday dinners and all other happy moments, I’m also grateful to Curt, Vivi-Anne, Elisabeth, Elin, and Tobias. Thanks also to all other friends – near and far! Susanne! You and I know – and now the rest of the world knows – that without your loving, cheerful support in every imaginable and unimaginable way, I wouldn’t have come this far. Thank you! Now, let’s do all those things postponed for way too long! Behind the heavenly blue door Umeå, November 2009 Johan Jansson PREFACE This thesis contains four studies. The following roman numerals will be used to refer to each study in the text: I. Jansson, Johan, Agneta Marell, Annika Nordlund (forthcoming), Exploring early adopters of an eco-innovation: The case of the alternative fuel vehicle, Manuscript in review for publication. II. Jansson, Johan, Agneta Marell, Annika Nordlund (in press), Green consumer behavior: Determinants of curtailment and eco- innovation adoption, Journal of Consumer Marketing, (slated for publication in volume 27). III. Jansson, Johan, Agneta Marell, Annika Nordlund (2009), Elucidating green consumers: A cluster analytic approach on proenvironmental purchase and curtailment behaviors, Journal of Euromarketing, 18 (4). IV. Jansson, Johan (forthcoming), Consumer adoption of an eco- innovation: The effects of norms, attitudes, innovativeness, and perceived innovation characteristics, Manuscript in review for publication. Reproduction permissions from the copyright