Re-examining green purchase behaviour and the green consumer profile: new evidences

Purpose – This paper aims to re-examine the determinants of ecologically conscious consumer behaviour (ECCB) by analysing the green consumer profile (socio-demographic and psychographic variables), building on the work of Straughan and Roberts. Moreover, the study explores the determinants of effective green purchase behaviour (GPB) considering ECCB and green purchase intention (GPI) previously evaluated. Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted a quantitative study based on an online survey. Data collection was implemented in two different phases: in the first phase ECCB, GPI and profiling variables were measured. One month later, the same respondents evaluated their effective GPB. Through path analysis the effects of ECCB and GPI on GPB were measured. Findings – The results show that psychographic variables, with emphasis on perceived consumer effectiveness (PCE) and altruism, are more relevant than socio-demographics in explaining ECCB. The consumers with higher ECCB have shown higher green purchase intention (GPI). ECCB has a positive impact on GBP, higher than GPI, which in turn mediates that relationship. Research limitations/implications – The research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further. Practical implications – The paper provides evidence that whenever ecological consciousness is high, the gap between GPI and GPB is less evident, which provides clear evidence that an understanding of green consumer profiles and behaviour can enable organizations to respond better to new management challenges. Originality/value – This paper provides a comprehensive understanding about the green consumer profile and behaviour, including the effect of GPI on GPB, and which contribute to the coordination of future marketing strategies to target this segment.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

A core outcome set for localised prostate cancer effectiveness trials

Objective: To develop a core outcome set (COS) applicable for effectiveness trials of all interventions for localised prostate cancer. Background: Many treatments exist for localised prostate cancer, although it is unclear which offers the optimal therapeutic ratio. This is confounded by inconsistencies in the selection, definition, measurement and reporting of outcomes in clinical trials. Subjects and methods: A list of 79 outcomes was derived from a systematic review of published localised prostate cancer effectiveness studies and semi-structured interviews with 15 prostate cancer patients. A two-stage consensus process involving 118 patients and 56 international healthcare professionals (HCPs) (cancer specialist nurses, urological surgeons and oncologists) was undertaken, consisting of a three-round Delphi survey followed by a face-to-face consensus panel meeting of 13 HCPs and 8 patients. Results: The final COS included 19 outcomes. Twelve apply to all interventions: death from prostate cancer, death from any cause, local disease recurrence, distant disease recurrence/metastases, disease progression, need for salvage therapy, overall quality of life, stress urinary incontinence, urinary function, bowel function, faecal incontinence, sexual function. Seven were intervention-specific: perioperative deaths (surgery), positive surgical margin (surgery), thromboembolic disease (surgery), bothersome or symptomatic urethral or anastomotic stricture (surgery), need for curative treatment (active surveillance), treatment failure (ablative therapy), and side effects of hormonal therapy (hormone therapy). The UK-centric participants may limit the generalisability to other countries, but trialists should reason why the COS would not be applicable. The default position should not be that a COS developed in one country will automatically not be applicable elsewhere. Conclusion: We have established a COS for trials of effectiveness in localised prostate cancer, applicable across all interventions which should be measured in all localised prostate cancer effectiveness trials

Market structure, behaviour and performance in consumer service industries

This thesis takes as its underlying theoretical framework the market structure-conduct-performance paradigm of industrial organisation as applied to consumer service industries, notably retail distribution and tourism (including hotels). The addition to knowledge arises from the disciplined application of industrial organisation principles to define, describe, explain and predict real-world behaviour of a selection of service firms and on the basis of observable data, whether government and supra-national policies can improve service market performance if it is found to be failing in clearly defined respects. The problem addressed is how the behavioural processes of competition arise from and shape the identified market structures to be found in consumer service markets. The work begins by examining in detail the development of the main hypotheses and empirical testing of the market structure-conduct-performance framework, followed by the identification of the main strands of past and current economic thought concerning service industries and service firms. Following on from this fundamental analysis of service industries, the definition of markets, industries and firms (basic underlying conditions and parameters linked to market structure) is undertaken, taking hotel and restaurant markets in a spatial dimension, with a novel empirical identification, definition and measurement of the size and growth of hotel markets in particular localities. Moving on from this analysis, the measurement of concentration in the hotel and retail distribution industries is considered with the first attempt at systematically measuring such concentration using an extensive database of companies. Entry to markets (a further element of market structure) is carefully examined with the entry of new firms into local hotel markets and evaluation of the possible impact of a new hotel business on existing hotels. Market conduct or behaviour is examined, first, the reactions of hotel managers to new competition, based on a survey of 250 UK hotel managers followed by a rigorous analysis of market behaviour in grocery retaining markets (especially the analysis of oligopolistic behaviour). Further chapters examine an innovation and diversification in a stable hotel market - the introduction of the budget or economy hotel Finally, service market performance is considered in detail at various points (impact of new hotels and behaviour in grocery retail markets) but is principally considered in teh definition and enhancement of performance by a wide ranging and unique empirical study of European Union (EU) tourism policies within each member state of the EU

Ontological supports of knowledge: knowledge creation and analytical knowledge

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Findings: The results of the paper consist of making explicit the ontological support-knowledge creation, characteristics or types of knowledge relationship in different approaches; and enabling understanding of the fact that the ideas one has about knowledge (how it is created or what its characteristics are) come from one's beliefs about the supports in, or in interaction with, which it is created. Research limitations/implications: The implications for the different approaches to knowledge theory are important. The study proposes a change with regard to how one considers the ontological supports of knowledge. The limitation of the paper lies in the fact that this proposal needs to be presented in a more extensive format, through a series of different papers and analyses. 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