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Inclusion of Life Cycle Thinking in a Sustainability-Oriented Consumer’s Typology: A Proposed Methodology and an Assessment Tool

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  • Anna Lewandowska

    (Faculty of Commodity Science, Poznan University of Economics and Business, 61-875 Poznan, Poland)

  • Joanna Witczak

    (Faculty of Commodity Science, Poznan University of Economics and Business, 61-875 Poznan, Poland)

  • Pasquale Giungato

    (Chemistry Department, University of Bari Aldo Moro, Taranto district-via Alcide de Gasperi, 74123 Taranto, Italy)

  • Christian Dierks

    (Fraunhofer Project Group Materials Recycling and Resource Strategies, Brentanostrasse 2a, 63755 Alzenau, Germany)

  • Przemyslaw Kurczewski

    (Faculty of Machines and Transportation, Poznan University of Technology, Piotrowo 3, 60-965 Poznan, Poland)

  • Katarzyna Pawlak-Lemanska

    (Faculty of Commodity Science, Poznan University of Economics and Business, 61-875 Poznan, Poland)

Abstract

Characterizing consumers in terms of their propensity to practice sustainable consumption represents an interesting research challenge in which a crucial role is played by the questionnaire in terms of its structure and classification criteria. Various classification rules have been proposed in the literature, which can be used to identify consumer types and signify their propensity to practice the principles of sustainable development in daily life. In this paper, we based our approach in designing a classification tool on a combination of two elements: the concept of voluntary simplicity as a pillar for consumer characteristics and the idea of assessing consumers by using filters, in a modified form introducing many new aspects of life-cycle thinking. The tool proposed provides insight into the relationship between the consumer’s typology and behavior during purchasing decisions in daily life. The main function of the proposed tool is to assign respondents to one of the proposed consumer types distinguished and characterized in terms of many aspects of life cycle thinking. A pilot survey has been performed in order to verify the proposed tool, and the survey results have been presented in the paper, as well.

Suggested Citation

  • Anna Lewandowska & Joanna Witczak & Pasquale Giungato & Christian Dierks & Przemyslaw Kurczewski & Katarzyna Pawlak-Lemanska, 2018. "Inclusion of Life Cycle Thinking in a Sustainability-Oriented Consumer’s Typology: A Proposed Methodology and an Assessment Tool," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:10:y:2018:i:6:p:1826-:d:150103
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Grzegorz Maciejewski & Mirosława Malinowska & Barbara Kucharska & Michał Kucia & Beata Kolny, 2021. "Sustainable Development as a Factor Differentiating Consumer Behavior: The Case of Poland," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(3), pages 934-948.
    2. Jing Zhu & Muhammad Awais Shakir Goraya & Yu Cai, 2018. "Retailer–Consumer Sustainable Business Environment: How Consumers’ Perceived Benefits Are Translated by the Addition of New Retail Channels," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(9), pages 1-22, August.
    3. Gorynska-Goldmann Elzbieta & Gazdecki Michał, 2020. "Searching for and Perception of Information by Consumers in the Light of the Sustainable Consumption Idea — On the Example of Food Markets," Marketing of Scientific and Research Organizations, Sciendo, vol. 36(2), pages 1-18, June.

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