How environmental concerns affect the relationship between design attributes and purchasing intention

The present study investigates the ways through which design attributes are perceived by consumers and to what extent they impact on their purchasing intention within the specific context of the furniture sector. Moreover, by considering the increasing attention of both companies and consumers towards environmental issues, the study also examines the role of consumers’ environmental concern on the relationship between design and purchasing intention. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 350 consumers during the period from June 2019 to March 2020. Results suggest that the perception of design is mainly related to functional and aesthetic attributes of an object, while purchasing intention is particularly influenced by the symbolic dimension of design, thus revealing the existence of an attitude-behaviour gap among consumers. As soon as environmental issues are concerned, the findings highlight that consumers’ attention towards environmental problems does not affect the purchasing intention of design furniture products. However, it acts as a moderator on the relationship between the functional dimension of design and purchasing intention, that is, when consumers are not very careful about environmental problems, they are less attracted by the symbolic and aesthetic elements of design (of which environmental sustainability can be considered as a part of them). This study contributes to the literature on design management and environmental sustainability by focusing on the specific context of the furniture industry on which the literature is still rather sparse. Interesting implications are derived for both scholars and practitioners

How Consumer Environmental Responsibility Affects the Purchasing Intention of Design Furniture Products

Consumer environmental responsibility has been commonly considered as an antecedent to green consumption intention and eco-design purchases. However, little research has investigated how environmental concern affects the relationship between design attributes and purchasing intention, especially in the furniture setting, where companies are often involved in design-intensive processes and environmental problems. This study investigates (i) how consumers perceive the different dimensions of design and which attributes most affect their purchasing intention of furniture items; and (ii) the role of consumers’ environmental responsibility on the relationship between design attributes and purchasing intention. An online questionnaire survey was employed to collect data from 350 Italian consumers. The findings reveal that design can be intended as a three-dimensional construct, based on functional, aesthetic, and symbolic attributes. While functional and aesthetic features can be considered as relevant factors affecting the consumers’ perception of design, the purchasing intention is mainly influenced by the symbolic dimension of design. Moreover, environmental concern moderates the relationship between the symbolic dimension of design and purchasing intention, that is, when consumers are highly concerned about environmental issues, they tend to be more influenced by the symbolic dimension of design. Several theoretical and practical implications are discussed

Design and sustainability for innovation in Family Firms. A case study from the Italian furniture sector.

The increasingly competitive environment requires a continuous innovation for both survival and competitiveness of firms, including FFs. This study aims at investigating to what extent environmental practices and eco-design methods can be included into innovation, in order to develop new products that satisfy consumers’ expectations in terms of both aesthetic and functionality and environmental saving. The case of an Italian FF operating in the furniture industry has been deeply analysed. By focusing on a recent innovation project, the study provides empirical evidence that environmental sustainability can be actually considered as an innovative force generating new products and processes

Sustainability and Quality Management in the Italian Luxury Furniture Sector: A Circular Economy Perspective

The growing attention paid to global environmental risks has gradually raised interest, both on the agendas of firms and governments towards the development of new business models such as Circular Economy. This study is focused on the luxury furniture industry and it is aimed at investigating how much furniture companies know about Circular Economy practices, what they specifically do for implementing them and what factors motivate, support or hinder their adoption. The role of product and process certifications in developing such sustainable practices is also analyzed, given their importance for implementing environmentally sustainable practices. The research method is based on a qualitative multiple case study carried out on four Italian companies operating in the luxury furniture industry. A worthy degree of awareness and knowledge of Circular Economy principles emerged from the analysis. Nevertheless, furniture companies analyzed are still little involved in Circular Economy practices, especially concerning reuse and recycle actions, which are particularly important within this perspective. Similarly, very little use of process and product certifications emerged from the study. Therefore, a potential gap seems to arise between the positive attitude towards Circular Economy practices and their actual implementation, which suggests useful implications for both institutions and managers involved in sustainable development processes

Furniture companies and circular economy: an exploratory study.

In today’s society growing attention is paid to global environmental risks and related consequences, such as the increasing amount of CO2 emissions, global warming, deforestation, acid rains, depletion of resources, which are threatening humanity’s survival (Meadows et al., 2004; Jackson, 2009; Rockström et al., 2009). In this context, the concept of Circular Economy (CE) has gradually raised and received growing importance on both firms and Governments’ agendas (Brennan et al., 2015). The aim of this study is to explore to what extent furniture companies are aware about the CE practices, how they are implemented within them and which factors can motivate, support or hinder their adoption. At an operational level, quality management practises are also investigated in this study, since they can be particularly helpful for managers in implementing environmentally sustainable practises, which, in turn, are critical within a circular business context (Rusinko, 2005)

Circular Economy and Quality Management within the Furniture Sector: an exploratory study.

This study aims at exploring whether and how furniture companies know about Circular Economy (CE), what they concretely do for implementing CE practices and what factors motivate, support or hinder their adoption. The role of product and process certifications has been also investigated, since they can be particularly helpful for implementing an environmentally sustainable approach, which, in turn, is critical within a circular business context. The research method is based on a qualitative multiple case-study carried out on four Italian companies operating in the furniture industry. A moderate degree of awareness and knowledge of CE principles emerged from the analysis. However, furniture companies are still little involved in CE practices, especially regarding reuse and recycle activities, which are particularly important within this perspective. Similarly, a scarce use of process and product certifications emerged from the study. Therefore, a potential gap arises between the positive attitude towards CE practices and their actual implementation, which suggests implications for both companies and public institutions