PURCHASE BEHAVIOR

How Ethical Purchase Intention and Ethical Awareness Affect Purchase Behavior

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Abstract

This paper suggests a model that describes how consumer concerns about ethical purchase intention and awareness can influence their buying behavior. The model links ethical attitude, concerns headed for the organization and the brand, and purchase intentions. It was examined in a preliminary pilot study that gives initial ground for a rationalization of how "ethical purchasing behavior" may arise, including the role of "individual" or "family" brand strategies and if the practice of business of concern is brand/ product associated or at the organizational level.

How Ethical Purchase Intention and Ethical Awareness Affect Purchase Behavior

Introduction

Over the last two decades, ethics and ethical practices emerged as a progressive fundamental in the business realm. Some of the main reasons are increased consumer awareness regarding ethics, pressure from interest groups, heightened media pressure and consumers and other stakeholders demand.

Business ethics refers to the adherence of the law and follow association and professional codes, organizational policies and norms as regards to what is considered "correct" (Sauser, 2005: 345-357). Bendixen et al. (2007: 3-18) stated that the notion of business ethics has been described in several different ways, thus blurring the distinction between corporate social responsibility and business ethics. On the other hand, to make clear concept of ethics Bendixen et al. (2007: 5) also noted, "although certain social responsibility aspects can be discretionary including donations to charities, and consequently, its failure cannot be considered as unethical or "wrong," other social responsibility aspects are evidently based on mandatory standards of conduct which, if isolated, can surely be referred as" unethical.

Consumers are the key to any business. Nowadays, consumers frequently express their concern regarding ethical behavior of businesses through emphasis on ethical purchasing. Consumer ethical purchase intention and awareness has increased drastically and they feel more responsible toward society by expressing their feelings in their purchase decision. According to Doane (2001) described ethical consumption refers to the product purchase regarding an ethical issue and is selected generously by an individual consumer. The most prominent effect of ethical purchase intention and ethical awareness is that consumer boycotts those products which are not ethically integrated such as Consumer boycott Nike because of labor mistreatment. On the other hand, consumers have positive buying behavior towards organic food, types of green products, legally logged wood and fair-trade products (Carrigan & Attalla 2001: 560-577).

Research Statement

There is no doubt that this is an era of ethics and consumers are more concern about ethics while making a purchase decision. This study intends to evaluate whether ethical purchase intention and ethical awareness affect purchase behavior.

Rationale and Research Questions

Rationale

In spite of the amount of attention paid to the ethics during recent years; however, the researchers paid less attention to the consumer side of the exchange process (Hunt & Vitell, 1992: 775-784). While consumers are key stakeholders in the purchasing process, despite this little research paid attention to understanding the ethical consumer and purchaser behavior attached ...