Shopping For Civic Values: Exploring the Emergence of Civic Consumer Culture in Contemporary Western Society

Richard Scullion, Bournemouth University, UK In this paper we critique how consumerism is considered an antithesis of citizenship, how acting as a consumer and acting in a civic manner are often viewed as detached parts of our lives. We seek to do this by exploring the blurring of consumerism and citizenship, which is culminating in an emerging area of politicised consumption based on citizenly rights, obligations and social inclusion together with competition and autonomous choice. We illustrate this emergence with specific reference to 'green' citizen-consumers to demonstrate the changing face of civic society in the west, where shopping can act as a vector for civic values and hence facilitates the emergence of civic consumer culture in contemporary western society

Critiquing a Utopian idea of Sustainable Consumption: A Post-Capitalism Perspective

This paper proposes and critiques the idea of a post-capitalism sustainable consumption utopia to improve the ecological and human wellbeing of the planet. Such a notion can stimulate new imaginative thinking on a future sustainable world not dominated by neoliberalism. It can also strengthen SDG-12: responsible consumption and production. To do so, it examines the influence of pro-environmental self-identity, market-based barriers, and knowledge barriers on sustainable consumption buying, product lifetime extension, and environmental activism. Survey data was collected via online panels in Sweden (n=504) and the USA (n=1,017). Richly varied and complex findings emerge supporting the merit of this utopian idea. In particular, the importance of pro-environmental self-identity. This study illustrates how post-capitalism radical incrementalism and people power can initiate change using the civic, political, and environmental activism in sustainable consumption behaviours. Emerging implications for the viability of SDG-12 are also considered. This work offers rich opportunities for further research

Advancing sustainable consumption in the UK and China: the mediating effect of pro-environmental self-identity

In this paper, we respond to the call for more holistic and culturally diverse research to advance understanding of (non)sustainable consumption behaviour. Our conceptual model incorporates materialism, environmental concern, social consumption motivation, pro-environmental self-identity and sustainable consumption behaviours. This paper contributes to knowledge by examining the mediating role of pro-environmental self-identity to more fully explain consumers’ (non)sustainable consumption behaviour. An international online panel survey was employed in the UK (n = 1037) and China (n = 1025). Findings show that pro-environmental self-identity partially or fully mediates the relationships between materialism, environmental concern, social consumption motivation and sustainable consumption behaviours. Important cultural differences also emerged, for example, the positive effect of materialism on Chinese consumer’s sustainable consumption, which is contrary to Western evidence. We suggest bolder, culturally informed and more reflexive marketing strategies are needed to significantly advance sustainable consumption, thus effectively helping to redress the crisis facing our planet

Investigating Sustainable Consumption Behaviours: A US-China Perspective

In this paper we examine the sustainable consumption behaviours of two culturally distinct nations-America and China – utilising an online panel survey of 1,018 adult panel respondents in America and 1025 adult panel respondents in China. We investigate the influence of the multiple constructs of materialism, social consumption motivation, environmental concern and pro-environmental self-identity on American and Chinese consumers' sustainable consumption behaviours and whether pro-environmental self-identity acts as a mediating variable in these relationships. Our findings reveal cultural differences and similarities across our constructs, with pro-environmental self-identity emerging as a mediator, to varying degrees, in both cultures. An important cultural difference in China also materialised, namely the 'positive effect' of materialism on Chinese consumer's sustainable consumption – green materialism-which is counter to Western evidence and raises important questions about the meaning of consuming sustainably. Overall our use of these multiple constructs, combined with Eastern and Western data, enables us to enrich research evidence to increase understanding of (non)sustainable consumption behaviour and how this behaviour can begin to be advanced. It is evident that cultural tailoring of sustainability marketing strategies is necessary, and long-overdue and further cultural research is necessary to inform the effective design and delivery of them

Aligning resource integration and organizational identities in project networks

Purpose Multi-supplier project networks represent a large part of the business-to-business (B2B) sector as the scope of many projects requires that different providers participate in their development and delivery. This raises the question of how the integration of the resources of the various partners can be shaped successfully. Specifically, the different organizational identities provide institutional frames of reference to the resource-integrating firms. As the organizational identities are typically not harmonious with each other, at least partial misalignments of the institutional setting that shapes the resource integration processes may emerge. The purpose of this paper is to empirically investigate the impact of various organizational identities on the course and outcome of resource integration in project networks. Design/methodology/approach The paper makes use of interpretive phenomenology in conjunction with a qualitative case study approach to access the lived experience of actors of different professional service firms having experienced changes in resource integration in a B2B project network. Findings A conceptualization of organizational identity as an institutional context for resource integration is developed and empirically investigated. The findings show a strong impact on the firms' organizational identities and the actors' resource integration experience and evaluation. Moreover, the findings provide evidence that, if unmanaged, at least partial misalignment of the institutional arrangements of multi-organizational B2B project network represents a normal and also a stable condition. Originality/value As a first conceptualization and empirical analysis of the interplay between organizational identity and resource integration, this paper advances the current understanding of the institutional context for resource integration. It argues for the wider relevance of organizational identity constructs and paves the way for future development

Young British Partisan Attitudes to Negative Election Campaign Advertising: A Tri-Party Perspective

This research paper is co-authored with Drs. Dermody, J., Hanmer-Lloyd, S. and Koenig-Lewis, N. It is accepted for publication by Journal of Political Marketing (forthcoming). The paper investigates partisan attitudes towards image and issue attack advertising from a trip-party perspective on the 2005 british general election. Empirical findings are reported and a number of marketing implications are discussed

Appraising the influence of pro-environmental self-identity on sustainable consumption buying and curtailment in emerging markets: Evidence from China and Poland

Understanding sustainable consumption buying and curtailment behavior in emerging markets is limited, yet this knowledge is vital to the future of these economies. The newer conceptualization of pro-environmental self-identity (PESI), as environmentally-friendly dynamic-self, can significantly inform comprehension of these behaviors, and strengthen them. Utilizing intra-personal influences and situational cueing, this paper appraises the influence of PESI on the sustainable buying and curtailment behaviors of consumers in China and Poland. Surveying these consumers, PESI was confirmed as a significant influence on their buying and curtailment behaviors. Contextual and behavioral distinctions also emerged, highlighting a buying emphasis in China and curtailment orientation in Poland. Notably, PESI was found to be multi-activated by situational cueing, moral responsibility, assessment, social desirability, tinted by consumer effectiveness and knowledge. Important implications arise for eco-innovation and buying and curtailment policy-making in emerging markets. PESI consumers have a potential active stakeholder role in this innovation and policy development

Cultivating sustainable consumption: The role of harmonious cultural values and pro-environmental self-identity

This paper investigates the connections between harmonious cultural values, pro-environmental self-identity and consumers’ sustainable consumption behaviours spanning acquisition, usage and disposal. It evaluates the relevance of Chinese cultural values that purport harmony between humans, nature and society i.e. man-nature orientation and horizontal/vertical dimensions of individualism-collectivism. The results from the online survey with 503 urbanised Chinese reveal these values disparately influence this consumption. Despite the limited direct behavioural effect of these harmonious values, pro-environmental self-identity plays an important role in mediating their indirect effects on the five behaviours. This paper therefore extends theorisation of the values-identity-behaviour relationship from a cultural-values orientation perspective. It offers new insights to understand urbanised Chinese consumers' sustainable consumption behaviours

Rates of Bile Acid Diarrhoea After Cholecystectomy:A Multicentre Audit

Introduction: Bile acid diarrhoea (BAD) can occur due to disruption to the enterohepatic circulation, e.g. following cholecystectomy. Post-cholecystectomy diarrhoea has been reported in 2.1–57.2% of patients; however, this is not necessarily due to BAD. The aim of this study was to determine the rates of bile acid diarrhoea diagnosis after cholecystectomy and to consider investigation practices. Methods: A retrospective analysis of electronic databases from five large centres detailing patients who underwent laparoscopic cholecystectomy between 2013 and 2017 was cross-referenced with a list of patients who underwent 75SeHCAT testing. A 7-day retention time of <15% was deemed to be positive. Patient demographics and time from surgery to investigation were collected and compared for significance (p < 0.05). Results: A total of 9439 patients underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2017 in the five centres. In total, 202 patients (2.1%) underwent investigation for diarrhoea via 75SeHCAT, of which 64 patients (31.6%) had a 75SeHCAT test result of >15%, while 62.8% of those investigated were diagnosed with bile acid diarrhoea (BAD). In total, 133 (65.8%) patients also underwent endoscopy and 74 (36.6%) patients had a CT scan. Median time from surgery to 75SeHCAT test was 672 days (SD ± 482 days). Discussion/Conclusion: Only a small proportion of patients, post-cholecystectomy, were investigated for diarrhoea with significant time delay to diagnosis. The true prevalence of BAD after cholecystectomy may be much higher, and clinicians need to have an increased awareness of this condition due to its amenability to treatment. 75SeHCAT is a useful tool for diagnosis of bile acid diarrhoea