IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/sustdv/v30y2022i5p1294-1312.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Environmental sustainable development through modeling and ranking of influential factors of reference groups on consumer behavior of green products: The case of Iran

Author

Listed:
  • Yaser Sobhanifard
  • Seyed Mohammad Saleh Hashemi Apourvari

Abstract

This study aims to extract, model, and rank reference groups on green consumer behavior to achieve environmentally sustainable development. This research was conducted in Iran in four stages. In the first stage, thematic factors were extracted through the research literature. These factors were expressed in 26 factors using expert opinions. A questionnaire containing 26 factors affecting the subject was designed in the second stage. This questionnaire was distributed among 404 people in the Iranian consumer community. In the third stage, the results of the questionnaires were reviewed, and the relevant model was presented using exploratory factor analysis. Finally, the factors were ranked using a neural network toolbox in MATLAB software and a random forest algorithm. Twenty‐six factors were extracted in the effect of reference groups on green consumer behavior. The results of the statistical sample showed the effect of these factors on the research topic. With studies performed by exploratory factor analysis, a model related to how factors affect the subject was presented in seven applied components. Finally, they were ranked to evaluate the effectiveness of the factors. This study attempts for the first time to investigate the impact of reference groups on green consumer behavior with such a wide range of factors to promote sustainable environmental development.

Suggested Citation

  • Yaser Sobhanifard & Seyed Mohammad Saleh Hashemi Apourvari, 2022. "Environmental sustainable development through modeling and ranking of influential factors of reference groups on consumer behavior of green products: The case of Iran," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(5), pages 1294-1312, October.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:30:y:2022:i:5:p:1294-1312
    DOI: 10.1002/sd.2317
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.2317
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/sd.2317?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Bazoche, P. & Deola, C. & Soler, Louis-Georges, 2008. "An experimental study of wine consumers’ willingness to pay for environmental characteristics," 2008 International Congress, August 26-29, 2008, Ghent, Belgium 43651, European Association of Agricultural Economists.
    2. Vita, Gibran & Lundström, Johan R. & Hertwich, Edgar G. & Quist, Jaco & Ivanova, Diana & Stadler, Konstantin & Wood, Richard, 2019. "The Environmental Impact of Green Consumption and Sufficiency Lifestyles Scenarios in Europe: Connecting Local Sustainability Visions to Global Consequences," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 164(C), pages 1-1.
    3. Shafique, Muhammad & Azam, Anam & Rafiq, Muhammad & Luo, Xiaowei, 2021. "Investigating the nexus among transport, economic growth and environmental degradation: Evidence from panel ARDL approach," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 61-71.
    4. Yadav, Rambalak & Pathak, Govind S., 2017. "Determinants of Consumers' Green Purchase Behavior in a Developing Nation: Applying and Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 114-122.
    5. Rana, Jyoti & Paul, Justin, 2017. "Consumer behavior and purchase intention for organic food: A review and research agenda," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 38(C), pages 157-165.
    6. Lo, Alex Y., 2014. "Negative income effect on perception of long-term environmental risk," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 51-58.
    7. Yang, Rui & Tang, Wansheng & Zhang, Jianxiong, 2021. "Technology improvement strategy for green products under competition: The role of government subsidy," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 289(2), pages 553-568.
    8. Gui, Dan-Yang & Liu, Shixiong & Dai, Yu & Liu, Ying & Wang, Xiaoli & Huang, Huiying, 2021. "Greater patience and monetary expenditure: How shopping with companions influences purchase decisions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 63(C).
    9. Brei, Michael & Pérez-Barahona, Agustín & Strobl, Eric, 2016. "Environmental pollution and biodiversity: Light pollution and sea turtles in the Caribbean," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 95-116.
    10. Brei, Michael & Pérez-Barahona, Agustín & Strobl, Eric, 2016. "Environmental pollution and biodiversity: Light pollution and sea turtles in the Caribbean," Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 95-116.
    11. Cheung, Millissa F.Y. & To, W.M., 2019. "An extended model of value-attitude-behavior to explain Chinese consumers’ green purchase behavior," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 145-153.
    12. Sheng-Hsiung Chang, 2015. "The Influence of Green Viral Communications on Green Purchase Intentions: The Mediating Role of Consumers’ Susceptibility to Interpersonal Influences," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(5), pages 1-21, April.
    13. Chang, Kuo-Chien & Hsu, Chia-Lin & Hsu, Ya-Ti & Chen, Mu-Chen, 2019. "How green marketing, perceived motives and incentives influence behavioral intentions," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 49(C), pages 336-345.
    14. Welsch, Heinz & Kühling, Jan, 2009. "Determinants of pro-environmental consumption: The role of reference groups and routine behavior," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 69(1), pages 166-176, November.
    15. Alzubaidi, Hawazin & Slade, Emma L. & Dwivedi, Yogesh K., 2021. "Examining antecedents of consumers’ pro-environmental behaviours: TPB extended with materialism and innovativeness," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 685-699.
    16. Michael Flacandji & Nina Krey, 2020. "Remembering shopping experiences: The Shopping Experience Memory Scale," Post-Print hal-03219821, HAL.
    17. Daziano, Ricardo A. & Achtnicht, Martin, 2014. "Accounting for uncertainty in willingness to pay for environmental benefits," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 44(C), pages 166-177.
    18. Hoch, Stephen J, 2002. "Product Experience Is Seductive," Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Consumer Research Inc., vol. 29(3), pages 448-454, December.
    19. Arasteh, Mohammad Ali & Farjami, Yaghoub, 2021. "Supporting Sustainable Rural Groundwater Demand Management with Fuzzy Decision Analysis: A Case Study in Iran," Utilities Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C).
    20. Flacandji, Michaël & Krey, Nina, 2020. "Remembering shopping experiences: The Shopping Experience Memory Scale," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 107(C), pages 279-289.
    21. Dong, Ciwei & Liu, Qingyu & Shen, Bin, 2019. "To be or not to be green? Strategic investment for green product development in a supply chain," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 193-227.
    22. Wang, Sijun & Holloway, Betsy B. & Beatty, Sharon E. & Hill, William W., 2007. "Adolescent influence in family purchase decisions: An update and cross-national extension," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 60(11), pages 1117-1124, November.
    23. Zaremohzzabieh, Zeinab & Ismail, Normala & Ahrari, Seyedali & Abu Samah, Asnarulkhadi, 2021. "The effects of consumer attitude on green purchase intention: A meta-analytic path analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 732-743.
    24. Chen, Lei & Li, Ke & Chen, Shuying & Wang, Xiaofei & Tang, Liwei, 2021. "Industrial activity, energy structure, and environmental pollution in China," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 104(C).
    25. Yang, Cheng & Zhang, Wenzhe & Sheng, Yan & Yang, Zhiqing, 2021. "Corruption and firm efforts on environmental protection: Evidence from a policy shock," Pacific-Basin Finance Journal, Elsevier, vol. 65(C).
    26. Micael-Lee Johnstone & Lay Tan, 2015. "Exploring the Gap Between Consumers’ Green Rhetoric and Purchasing Behaviour," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 132(2), pages 311-328, December.
    27. Ying Sun & Shanyong Wang & Lan Gao & Jun Li, 2018. "Unearthing the effects of personality traits on consumer’s attitude and intention to buy green products," Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, Springer;International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, vol. 93(1), pages 299-314, August.
    28. Assadi, Mohammad Reza & Ataebi, Melikasadat & Ataebi, Elmira sadat & Hasani, Aliakbar, 2022. "Prioritization of renewable energy resources based on sustainable management approach using simultaneous evaluation of criteria and alternatives: A case study on Iran's electricity industry," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 820-832.
    29. Wang, Shaojian & Zeng, Jingyuan & Liu, Xiaoping, 2019. "Examining the multiple impacts of technological progress on CO2 emissions in China: A panel quantile regression approach," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 103(C), pages 140-150.
    30. Saari, Ulla A. & Damberg, Svenja & Frömbling, Lena & Ringle, Christian M., 2021. "Sustainable consumption behavior of Europeans: The influence of environmental knowledge and risk perception on environmental concern and behavioral intention," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    31. Sreen, Naman & Purbey, Shankar & Sadarangani, Pradip, 2018. "Impact of culture, behavior and gender on green purchase intention," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 177-189.
    32. Jaiswal, Deepak & Kant, Rishi, 2018. "Green purchasing behaviour: A conceptual framework and empirical investigation of Indian consumers," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 41(C), pages 60-69.
    33. Safieddin Ardebili, Seyed Mohammad, 2020. "Green electricity generation potential from biogas produced by anaerobic digestion of farm animal waste and agriculture residues in Iran," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 29-37.
    34. Katayama, Hajime & Meagher, Kieron J. & Wait, Andrew, 2018. "Authority and communication in firms," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 155(C), pages 315-348.
    35. Matschoss, Patrick & Bayer, Benjamin & Thomas, Heiko & Marian, Adela, 2019. "The German incentive regulation and its practical impact on the grid integration of renewable energy systems," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 134(C), pages 727-738.
    36. Sana, Shib Sankar, 2020. "Price competition between green and non green products under corporate social responsible firm," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Hamieda Parker & Waheed Akbar Bhatti & Agnieszka Chwialkowska & Thiam Marais, 2023. "Factors influencing green purchases: An emerging market perspective," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(2), pages 865-876, April.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yong Ming Wang & Hafiz Muhammad Fakhar Zaman & Abdul Khaliq Alvi, 2022. "Linkage of Green Brand Positioning and Green Customer Value With Green Purchase Intention: The Mediating and Moderating Role of Attitude Toward Green Brand and Green Trust," SAGE Open, , vol. 12(2), pages 21582440221, June.
    2. Haj-Salem, Narjes & Ishaq, Muhammad Ishtiaq & Raza, Ali, 2022. "How anticipated pride and guilt influence green consumption in the Middle East: The moderating role of environmental consciousness," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    3. Bhardwaj, Seema & Sreen, Naman & Das, Manish & Chitnis, Asmita & Kumar, Sushant, 2023. "Product specific values and personal values together better explains green purchase," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 74(C).
    4. Yingxiu Hong & Abdullah Al Mamun & Mohammad Masukujjaman & Qing Yang, 2024. "Sustainable consumption practices among Chinese youth," Palgrave Communications, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 11(1), pages 1-17, December.
    5. Taneja, Shilpa & Ali, Liaqat, 2021. "Determinants of customers’ intentions towards environmentally sustainable banking: Testing the structural model," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 59(C).
    6. Xiaoyun Zhang & Feng Dong, 2020. "Why Do Consumers Make Green Purchase Decisions? Insights from a Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-25, September.
    7. Tewari, Alok & Mathur, Smriti & Srivastava, Smriti & Gangwar, Divya, 2022. "Examining the role of receptivity to green communication, altruism and openness to change on young consumers’ intention to purchase green apparel: A multi-analytical approach," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 66(C).
    8. Shehawy, Yasser Moustafa & Agag, Gomaa & Alamoudi, Hawazen O. & Alharthi, Majed D. & Brown, Abraham & Labben, Thouraya Gherissi & Abdelmoety, Ziad H., 2024. "Cross-national differences in consumers’ willingness to pay (WTP) more for green hotels," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 77(C).
    9. Rambabu Lavuri & Abhinav Jindal & Umair Akram & Bhukya Koteswara Rao Naik & Alrence Santiago Halibas, 2023. "Exploring the antecedents of sustainable consumers' purchase intentions: Evidence from emerging countries," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 280-291, February.
    10. Ziyuan Tian & Xixiang Sun & Jianguo Wang & Weihuan Su & Gen Li, 2022. "Factors Affecting Green Purchase Intention: A Perspective of Ethical Decision Making," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(18), pages 1-16, September.
    11. Jana Hojnik & Mitja Ruzzier & Tatiana S. Manolova, 2020. "Sustainable development: Predictors of green consumerism in Slovenia," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 27(4), pages 1695-1708, July.
    12. Hazem Ali & Min Li & Yunhong Hao, 2021. "Purchasing Behavior of Organic Food among Chinese University Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(10), pages 1-17, May.
    13. Shehawy, Yasser Moustafa, 2023. "In green consumption, why consumers do not walk their talk: A cross cultural examination from Saudi Arabia and UK," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 75(C).
    14. Duong Cong Doanh & Katarzyna Gadomska-Lila & Le Thi Loan, 2021. "Antecedents of green purchase intention: a cross-cultural empirical evidence from Vietnam and Poland," Oeconomia Copernicana, Institute of Economic Research, vol. 12(4), pages 935-971, December.
    15. Tsai, Pei-Hsuan & Lin, Guan-Yi & Zheng, Yu-Lin & Chen, Yi-Chong & Chen, Pao-Zhen & Su, Zheng-Cheng, 2020. "Exploring the effect of Starbucks' green marketing on consumers' purchase decisions from consumers’ perspective," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 56(C).
    16. Naman Sreen & Swetarupa Chatterjee & Seema Bhardwaj & Asmita Chitnis, 2023. "Reasons and intuitions: extending behavioural reasoning theory to determine green purchase behavior," International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing, Springer;International Association of Public and Non-Profit Marketing, vol. 20(2), pages 447-475, June.
    17. Zaremohzzabieh, Zeinab & Ismail, Normala & Ahrari, Seyedali & Abu Samah, Asnarulkhadi, 2021. "The effects of consumer attitude on green purchase intention: A meta-analytic path analysis," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 132(C), pages 732-743.
    18. Jana Hojnik & Mitja Ruzzier & Maja Konečnik Ruzzier, 2019. "Transition towards Sustainability: Adoption of Eco-Products among Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-29, August.
    19. Catarina Roseira & Sandrina Teixeira & Belem Barbosa & Rita Macedo, 2022. "How Collectivism Affects Organic Food Purchase Intention and Behavior: A Study with Norwegian and Portuguese Young Consumers," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, June.
    20. Han, Myat Su & Hampson, Daniel Peter & Wang, Yonggui & Wang, Hong, 2022. "Consumer confidence and green purchase intention: An application of the stimulus-organism-response model," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:sustdv:v:30:y:2022:i:5:p:1294-1312. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1099-1719 .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.