Being Engaged is a Good Thing: Understanding Sustainable Consumption Behavior among Young Adults

Author(s)
Selma Kadić-Maglajlić, Maja Arslanagic-Kalajdzic, Milena Micevski, Jasmina Dlačić, Vesna Zabkar
Abstract

Contributing to the research on sustainable consumption, we propose a conceptual framework for examining the antecedents of two forms of sustainable consumption behavior of young adults—namely, pro-environmental and pro-social consumption behavior. The theory-driven conceptual framework presented and tested in this study is focused on consumer engagement. Determined by self-identity and consumer values, the pro-environmental and pro-social consumer engagement of young adults was expected to enhance their pro-environmental and pro-social consumption behavior. In addition, we investigated how young adults' emotional intelligence moderates the strength of the effect of engagement on behavior. Based on data obtained from two countries, analyzed through structural equation modeling, our results show that pro-environmental engagement and pro-social engagement are significant predictors of young adults' pro-environmental and pro-social consumption behavior. Emotional intelligence boosts the effect of engagement on pro-environmental and pro-social consumption behavior, and it has a significant direct effect on pro-environmental behavior.

Organisation(s)
Department of Accounting, Innovation and Strategy
External organisation(s)
University of Sarajevo, University of Rijeka, University of Ljubljana
Journal
Journal of Business Research
Volume
104
Pages
644-654
No. of pages
11
ISSN
0148-2963
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.02.040
Publication date
11-2019
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
502052 Business administration, 502019 Marketing
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Marketing
Portal url
https://ucris.univie.ac.at/portal/en/publications/being-engaged-is-a-good-thing-understanding-sustainable-consumption-behavior-among-young-adults(dad5152b-32c6-450b-842b-8137b9df1820).html