L’honnête homme : mérite et pouvoir chez La Bruyère

Il est difficile de dire si le mérite est avant tout un concept théologique – puisque c’est en théologie qu’il a connu apparemment ses explicitations les plus complexes, de Tertullien à Luther – ou un concept politique, de Cicéron à la méritocratie républicaine. Il est difficile de dire aussi si la notion de mérite en théologie est passée dans le champ politique, ou si un même concept formel a joué dans ces deux champs, ou si nous sommes encore en présence de deux histoires intellectuelles di..

Dual cultural attitude behaviour of Gen Z consumers to ethical fashion

Background scientific research: Fast fashion and its impact on consumerism has been investigated in extensively in the last decade (Buzzo &amp; Abreu, 2018; Binet et al., 2018; Strähle &amp; Erhardt, 2016). Heatable (2022) and Omondi (2022) recognise that globally the fashion industry is the fourth most polluting. This has resulted in raised social awareness of its environmental impact and unethical practices, which in turn has resulted in demand for sustainable products, ethical consumption and attitude changes (Kudeshia &amp; Kumar, 2017). However, awareness still does not translate into action, causing a gap between consumers’ attitudes toward sustainable fashion, their actual fashion choices (Roozen et al., 2021) and consumption behaviour (Joergens, 2006). Despite consumers' willingness to support environmentalism and make ethical purchasing decisions, they are often under pressure to choose between sustainable products or more affordable and accessible alternatives (Roozen et al., 2021). Both Spanish and Scottish customers are affected by the fast fashion culture. The UK of which Scotland is part, is recognised to have one of the highest apparel and footwear consumer markets. Simultaneously, among all fashion companies in Spain, fifteen of the top retailers are fast fashion brands including Spanish Inditex Group, the leading fast-fashion company in Europe. However, due to the personal values and impact of culture, consumers demonstrate different attitudes towards fashion and values representing their purchasing decisions. Culture has been identified as a factor influencing ethical involvement (Polonsky et al., 2001; Carey &amp; Cervellon, 2014), there are discrepancies as to the dimension of its significance. Polonsky et al. (2001), when investigating eight European countries, including Scotland, did not find relevant differences in perception of ethical consumer behaviour, while Carey &amp; Cervellon (2014) demonstrated a disproportion in attitude towards sustainable fashion between participants from the United Kingdom, France, and Canada. According to Carey &amp; Cervellon's (2014) findings, the higher price of ethical fashion as a result of a higher quality and cost of materials was negatively perceived in the UK, while in France, those features were perceived as redemption for anti-ethical behaviour, like causing atmospheric pollution when using vehicles, skipping recycling or purchasing counterfeit goods. Furthermore, the UK participants tended to assume in advance that ethical fashion is just inherently expensive, and they were unwilling to pay a premium price or further engage in a brand (Carey &amp; Cervellon, 2014). Research issue to be addressed: This exploratory and comparative research investigates cultural differences of Scottish and Spanish Gen Z consumers to ethical fashion consumption.Methodology used: An online survey using snowball sampling techniques as a means of dissemination was implemented with Gen Z consumers in Scotland and Spain (defined as born between 1997 and 2006 (above 16 years old) for the purpose of this research). The questionnaire examined buying habits, values sought, ethical relevance when purchasing fashion. A total of 72 (36 Scottish and 36 Spanish) valid responses were obtained. Descriptive analysis and extended statistical analysis of T-tests to observe comparisons on buying habits, economic factors and ethical considerations of purchase behaviour. Results achieved (conclusions) or expected as well as their relevance for theory and practice: It was found that both Scottish and Spanish respondents differ in terms of buying habits and guiding values. Scottish students tend to purchase fashion more often and spend more. Furthermore, they are driven by distinct purposes and product attributes than Spanish students. Additionally, Spanish participants demonstrated a prominent level of ethical concern in terms of the evaluation of their fashion choices. It was found that Spanish Gen Z consumers consider product sustainability when purchasing fashion, care about the production and fabric details of the garments they use and purchase, or consider sustainable labels. When it comes to Scottish students, despite a positive attitude towards ethical fashion, they demonstrate a lower willingness to engage in sustainable brands than their Spanish contemporaries. However, both groups demonstrate negative attitudes; however, Spanish students tend to be more resolute and sterner when it comes to unethical practices. Hence, this study adds to cultural differences of ethical purchase behaviour experienced by Gen Z consumers.<br/

Ambivalent and dual attitudes : attitude conflicts and their impact on decision making and behavior

This dissertation builds on two recent developments in attitude research, first the distinction made between two types of attitudes, i.e., explicit (deliberate, controlled) and implicit (unconscious, automatic) attitudes, and second, that made between two types of attitude conflicts, i.e., ambivalence (conflict between strong explicit positive and negative evaluative basis of the same attitude object) and duality (conflict between explicit and implicit attitudes). It uses the context of food for both its theoretical and empirical developments because there were reasons to expect that, in Western cultures, explicit attitudes are often ambivalent (i.e. positive on taste but negative on health dimensions), but might also be dual (e.g. for restrained eaters, resulting from the motivated overriding of positive attitudes toward tempting but forbidden food).A first study (N = 199) focuses on the differences between ambivalent and dual attitudes and the influence of these conflicts on spontaneous and deliberate behavior. Results demonstrate that holding dual and ambivalent attitudes are two different constructs, although both ambivalence and duality lead to a subjective experience of conflict. Also, attitudes are weaker when ambivalent (i.e. less accessible, less stable and held with less certainty), and duality is a moderator at high levels of ambivalence, with explicit attitudes being even less accessible but nonetheless more certain when dual. Finally, the influence of, on one hand, both implicit and explicit attitudes in driving spontaneous choice and, on the other hand, the explicit attitude in determining deliberate choice (behavioral intention as proxy) is corroborated. It also appears that the influence of the implicit attitude on spontaneous behavior is increased in presence of an attitude conflict. In a second study (N = 120), the hypothesis that the existence of dual attitudes stems from inhibitive processes is tested in the context of restrained eating, through a cognitive load manipulation. Results demonstrate that the influence of the implicit attitude on spontaneous choice is stronger for restrained eaters when cognitive capacities are impaired. The second study also highlights that implicit attitudes are stable and resistant to change despite direct experience manipulations (i.e. comparative and repeated tasting). Theoretical, methodological and practical contributions are discussed

Brand value co-creation through sustainable practices in the fashion sector

Sustainable fashion has been drawing considerable attention from academics across business disciplines in recent years. In the marketing field, research has investigated with depth the motivations, perceived value and barriers behind sustainable fashion consumption (Lundblad and Davies, 2016; Gupta et al. 2019), consumers’ attitudes and behaviors to sustainability in fashion (McNeill and Moore, 2015; Grazzini et al., 2021; Song and Ko, 2017) and communication on fashion brand sustainability (Guedes et al. 2020). However, little is known on the construction of a sustainable brand in the fashion sector. This research investigates how sustainable credentials add value to brands, along the value chain. Particularly, we examine how buyers and sellers, co-create the sustainable brand value, how the relationship between business customers, when based on sustainability practices, fosters a competitive advantage and influences product perceptions, brand evaluations and finally fashion consumption (Czinkota et al., 2014; Sheth and Sinha, 2015). The research method involves case study research, that proved effective in the development and testing of theory in marketing and operations management (Voss et al. 2002). Semi-structured interviews are conducted in two companies that participate to the Erasmus-funded SFES (Sustainable Fashion Employability Skills) project: Harris Tweed Hebrides and Tendam Retail. Through these two cases, we explore the relationships between stakeholders at different levels in the value chain, such as sourcing, manufacturing, logistics, distribution. The paper proposes a framework of brand value co-creation and fashion consumption through sustainability practices

Co-creation and the implementation of sustainability in the fashion industry

The call for climate action is a challenge for the fashion industry's future. In recent years there has been a change in the mindset of the industry. Now sustainability is perceived as one of the best opportunities to add value to brands while making a difference to the planet (Brown, 2019). The fashion industry produces between 4% to 10% of total Global GHG emissions (Fashion United, 2021). Fashion and sustainability have long been considered incompatible terms. This research, focusing on the background of the fashion industry and the current market environment, offers an understanding of how consumers can adopt sustainable products (Cervellon &amp; Carey, 2018). A dictionary definition suggests that fashion “is a popular style of clothes, hair, etc. at a particular time or place”; fashion is about design and change. Change comes from the French word “changier” which comes from the Latin “cambiare, cambire”. The meaning is “to barter and exchange”. Real change is not just in the substitution of new things. Real and meaningful change is also about the exchange. Exchange was the basis of the human economy before capitalism. Perhaps it will be useful to rediscover some of this ethos to develop a sustainable strategy that can face the real challenges of modern times. Implementing exchange requires reciprocity and mutual interests from traders and new KPIs (Key Performance Indicators) to monitor and measure outcomes. The strategy implies that instead of offering a sustainable approach to the consumer, we need to design co-creation techniques and KPIs that help brands implement sustainability together with the consumer. This proposal comes from a background in applying co-creation techniques for common good purposes. One of these techniques is called Ikigai (García, 2016). Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means “a reason for being”. Ikigai is found at the intersection where passions and talents converge with world needs and for which those needs we are prepared to pay. Ikigai, therefore, allows companies to design a sustainable strategy with their customers (Nordgren &amp; Schonthal, 2022). The sustainable products that the brand offer should match the four categories of Ikigai: •What you love, for example a stylish, wearable, and durable design •What the world needs. In this instance, minimizing environmental impact (raw material and waste)•What you are good at producing. Quality and comfortable clothes can provide joy and last more than one season. •What the producer and the consumer is prepared to pay: this means matching the price of the product, with the revenues of the company and the incomes of the workers and suppliers. We have implemented an experience of co-creation (Ind, 2013) developed for three years (2020-23) through the Eramus+ project Sustainable Fashion and Employability Skills (SFES). The SFES project has provided students the skills for enhancing their employability while making the fashion industry more sustainable. With a group of 30 students from 5 different academic institutions, we have co-designed this approach with the aim to identify the skills that can match the requirements of the brands and the consumers to co-create the sustainability of our planet together. For this work, we have analyzed the moment in which the user decides whether to keep a garment or replace it with a new one. This moment has been selected as a charismatic action. This tool helps the user to decide the level of sustainability and impact of each decision adopted. Prolonging the life of our garments is one of the best strategies to guarantee the future of future generations (Suruj-Zagma, 2021).The questions addressed important aspects related to sustainability (Bouzon, 2015) such as the quality of the clothes and if they are suitable for different seasons; the frequency of use and the number of units of each garment, the time have been in the cupboard, and if the garment comes from a friend, a family member or we got it second-hand. Depending on the results obtained, the user receives customized recommendations focused either on extending the garment's life, buying pre-loved garments, or exchanging or donating clothes (Wiedemann, 2021).<br/

Do you fancy trying fashion rental? A Scottish perspective

Background scientific research: In 2020 the European Union released their strategy to transition from a linear economy to a circular economy (European Commission, 2020). Following its release, the UK government announced they were also committed to following this plan (Gov.uk, 2020) and Scotland in particular have been at the forefront of this initiative. In 2016, the Scottish Government launched ‘Making Things Last’, which set out a vision and priorities for building a circular economy in Scotland. This implied reducing demand on primary resources whilst prioritising re-use, recycling and recovery. The fashion industry has a reputation for being wasteful and polluting, and as a result is considered as a contributor to the current environmental crisis. A shift from a linear to a circular economy implies a centric role for consumers. Fashion rental is one of the sustainable formats of clothing disposal and acquisition which aims to minimise manufacturing and waste by prolonging the life of garments. Organisations have started to take a closed loop approach towards consumption, but lack of consumer awareness and interest has been highlighted as one of the main barriers to the successful adoption of a circular economy (Szilagyi et al., 2022). Previous research found that young people's opinion on how easy it is to rent garments through an internet site had the biggest impact on their intention to rent clothes online (Pham et al., 2021).Research issue to be addressed: This exploratory research investigates the factors impacting the behavioural intention of Generation Z consumers in Scotland towards rental fashion.Methodology used: An online survey using snowball techniques as a means of dissemination was implemented with Gen Z consumers in Scotland (defined as born between 1997 and 2006 (above 16 years old) for the purpose of this research). Items were adapted from the Liu et al., (2020) extended model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour which has previously been applied to measure consumer purchasing intentions towards green products. As this is exploratory research, the resulting 119 valid responses were considered as sufficient to draw some initial conclusions (Hintze et al., 2002). The internal consistency and reliability of the scales used in this study were initially tested (Gliem &amp; Gliem, 2003) and correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationships between the variables of attitude, behavioural control, moral and subjective norm with the intention to engage with fashion rental. Results achieved (conclusions) or expected as well as their relevance for theory and practice: The research found that attitudes related to hygiene are a barrier to the intention towards using rental fashion, however, ease and accessibility of the service were identified as important conductors. Despite the results showing that consumers have a positive attitude towards the environmental impact of rental fashion, it actually resulted in a low association with the intention to use the service. Peer influence through social media was also shown to have an effect on the intention to engage with rental fashion options. This study adds to the growing body of research which is focused on rental clothing by highlighting a contextual variable related to the cultural, governmental and geographical location (ie Scotland) which plays an important role in the level of consumer engagement with sustainable initiatives. Several relevant recommendations for companies engaging with the fashion rental business in the Scottish context also derived from the results of this research. To make rental fashion more attractive to Generation Z consumers, rental providers could focus on hygiene perception, ease of accessibility, and addressing practical issues such as timely delivery and collection.<br/

Restructuring Secondhand Fashion from the Consumption Perspective

Peer reviewe

Value creation in the sustainable luxury supply chain

Sustainability is a word that has recently been ‘in fashion’. In its wider definition, sustainability implies meeting the needs of today without compromising the resources of the future (Lacoste, 2016). It is equally used throughout disparate industries, companies, and brands, as well as to qualify desirable consumer behavior. Fashion and sustainability were for long considered incompatible (Jestratijevic, Rudd and Uanhoro, 2020). The call for climate action has been perceived as a challenge for the future of the fashion industry. Yet, in recent years, there has been a clear change of the mindset in the fashion industry to identify sustainability as one of the best opportunities to add value to brands while making a difference in the planet. High profile Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) such as Fashion Revolution have been at the forefront of disrupting the status quo in this area and forcing fashion companies and brands to provide greater transparency in their supply chain strategies (Garcia-Torres, Rey-Garcia, Sáenz, and Seuring-Stella, 2021).Making the invisible visible has become a priority (Kotler, Pfoertsch, and Pförtsch, 2010), as sustainable Business-to-Business (B2B) textile suppliers contribute to improve the brand reputation of their customers. In many cases, the sustainable credentials are the competitive advantage that help companies make a final decision when trying to set a strategic agreement in terms of design, manufacturing, logistics and distribution. Some B2B textile brands, such as Logitex, sell their products to many different retail brands, that take advantage of their suppliers’ sustainable image to improve their brand equity. Despite its importance in creating the sustainable value of downstream brands, the role of the sustainable supplier brand has been neglected in the fashion academic literature (Saviolo and Borney, 2021). This research feels the gap by examining how the relationship between business stakeholders, when based on shared Corporate Social Responsibility objectives, fosters a competitive advantage to all parties, including supplier and customer. We contribute to the literature by investigating the different modes of collaboration and co-creation between a supplier and customers in order to create sustainable value.To understand the mechanisms of sustainable value creation in the supply chain, we focus on the luxury fashion sector, a sector where the branded supply chain has become a strategic priority (Saviolo and Borney, 2021). Luxury fashion lines, in contrast to diffusion lines and mass-market, are characterized by manufacturing in smaller scale, locally, hand-made by craftsmen with a unique savoir-faire (Jestratijevic et al., 2020). Raw materials are often naturally scarce, and the final garment limited in quantity and of exceptional quality. Luxury makes the price; procurement and manufacturing justify it to customers. Notwithstanding, the luxury sector was for long pointed as one of the most polluting and least sustainable sectors (Carrigan, Moraes and McEachern, 2013). Over the last decade, it has started to improve its image by putting social and environmental responsibility firmly on the agenda. Hence, the importance of understanding how sustainable value is created along the luxury fashion supply chain (Towers, Perry, and Chen, 2013). Yet, the rare research on value co-creation in the luxury fashion sector has considered essentially two models of collaborations: first, ingredient branding and cobranding between Business-to-Consumer (B2C) brands, where brands endorse together a product or a service (Cheah, Zainol, and Phau, 2016; Moon and Sprott, 2016); second, value co-creation between a brand and its end-users in order to design products and/or communication campaigns (Choi, Ko, and Kim, 2016; Hughes, Bendoni, and Pehlivan, 2016; Koivisto and Mattila, 2020). We go further by examining how the interactions between a textile supplier, Harris Tweed Hebrides (HTH), and its business customers contribute to their respective sustainable brand value.Methodology: The research method involves case study research, that proved effective in the development and testing of theory in marketing and operations management (Beverland and Lindgreen, 2010; Voss et al. 2002). Sustainable fashion is a contemporary phenomenon that is suitable to be explored through case studies (Seuring, 2005). Thus, we investigate sustainable brand value co-creation through the case of a British textile supplier Harris Tweed Hebrides.In order to understand with depth how sustainability practices add value to brands, we selected a B2B brand that is a famous supplier of tweed textile to the fashion sector (fabric for furniture, clothes, shoes and accessories) and to the luxury sector (supplier of the most renowned designers and luxury brands in the world, from Chanel to Vivienne Westwood). Harris Tweed Hebrides, since its origin, has sustainability in its ethos; we explored how these sustainable practices are created, implemented and communicated, to be finally integrated into the customers’ brand strategy.Interviews were conducted with three managers. In addition, we had built a long-term relationship with the company, that resulted in numerous informal interactions with the management team and visits to the company. The formal interviews, with a semi-structured design, intended to go deeper into several aspects of Harris Tweed Hebrides sustainable practices and interactions with their customers and other players in their supply chain. The interviews were taped (with permission) and transcribed. The themes that were addressed during the interviews were related to the selection of suppliers (values, quality standards, work conditions etc.), the insurance of sustainability credentials (environmental and social aspects), the collaboration, the co-creation, and the communication process between Harris Tweed and its customers. To identify deeper insights and triangulate the data, secondary evidences were collected and analyzed; business press articles, annual and sustainability reports, archival records complemented the interviews. We also conducted a netnography, following the corporate brand, and the management team on social media (LinkedIn and Instagram accounts, #HarrisTweed) for almost two years, from 2020 to 2022. LinkedIn and Instagram are both efficient social media for Business to Business fashion brands when implementing an inbound marketing strategy.Results: The co-creation processes operate at three different levels in the luxury fashion sector. First, supplier and customer brands co-create their sustainable reputation. Customers manage their supply chain risks and protect their respectable image by transferring responsibility and empowering the supplier. The supplier is a guarantee to the transparency of the supply chain, and the sustainable credentials of their customers. The supplier has to nurture the brand sustainable associations and align its values and long-term goals with its customers. The brand should remain relevant for both customers and end-users, by integrating new technologies and improving its sustainable performance over time (Saviolo and Borney, 2021). The case HTH also puts forward the active role played by managers who champion sustainability and foster the sustainable image on social media, to both business customers and end-users.Second, suppliers and customers co-create their respective brand narratives. HTH heritage and cultural meaning becomes the anchorage of the fashion brands’ storytelling (Hughes et al., 2016). For luxury brands, the supply chain has become the main protagonist of their storytelling and the testimony of their sustainability (Saviolo and Borney, 2021). HTH brings the business customer to the mill, to the factory, behind the scenes; in turn, fashion brands showcase the product journey from the mill to the catwalk. These collaborations with fashion brands cultivate suppliers’ storylines and are integrated into their heritage. These brand narratives facilitate the transfer of cultural meaning and authenticity (Cheah et al., 2016). It traces an emotional bond between the supplier, the customer and the end-user.Third, suppliers and customers’ interactions are a source of brand innovation. Supplier insights are the origin of a creative blast and stimulate idea generation. HTH nurtures its Scottish heritage, dig in its archives, reinvents its story by collaborating with other stakeholders, young fashion designers, cultural icons, and consumer brands operating outside of luxury fashion. Under the impetus of customers and other stakeholders, they push their creative boundaries, implementing new technologies, improving processes. They go the extra mile that legitimates the brand relevance to the youngest generation of consumers (Yang et al., 2017). Ultimately, fashion items are fully endorsed by both supplier and customer, in an inbranding or cobranding mechanism that benefits the brand equity of both parties (Moon and Sprott, 2016; Uggla, 2017).As detailed in the findings above, sustainability can only be sustained and nurtured if it makes economic sense and the ethos of the product is respected throughout the supply chain, right into the consumer end product. This sustainable approach feeds into all three identified collaborative areas as the sustainable credentials of the end product can engender storytelling opportunities as well as reputational gains and possible routes to innovation (in terms of processes, creation of garments and development of new materials). The relationship between the B2B supplier brand and the B2C customer brand has evolved from dependence to interdependence, in a process of brand self-expansion. And “our brand becomes their brand” (Margaret, OQC

Changes in food neophobia and dietary habits of international students

Background International study is becoming more prevalent, yet aspects such as food neophobia often militate against the consumption of a nutritionally balanced diet of visiting students. The purpose of this paper, therefore, was to evaluate the extent to which international postgraduate students experience food neophobia, how this might vary by nationality and other demographic characteristics, and how acculturation might manifest itself in students’ dietary behaviour. Methods International postgraduate students were invited to complete a validated questionnaire during their first week at university. The questionnaire was subsequently re-administered to the same students approximately four and eight months later. Results In total, 226 usable responses were analysed, 124, 58 and 44, respectively, for the first, second and final data collection. Perhaps surprisingly, the overall food neophobia scores increased from an initial value of 27.95 (SD ± 16.95) to 33.67 (SD ± 33.67) after 3 months although when comparing European and Asian students, only the former were significantly different (p<0.05). Both Asian and European students reported small but not significant changes in their eating habits, although after 3 months significantly (p=< 0.05) less changes were reported. No significant changes were reported in students’ perceived healthiness of their diets either by nationality or over time. Conclusions Understanding the complexities of food neophobia, other aspects of dietary change and at what point these changes might take place in the acculturation process when students arrive in the UK needs to be fully understood if a climate for positive learning is to be established