Moral licensing and habits: do solar households make negligent choices?

Orienting household behaviors towards more efficient use of energy in the home is crucial to climate change mitigation efforts. The objective of this work is to examine the social-psychological antecedents of energy curtailment in solar households. Using an online survey (n= 257) of solar households in Australia, the study validates an augmented model of planned behavior using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The study shows that the path of a standard construct, from perceived behavioral control to intentions, is interrupted by moral licensing, a concept that has been largely ignored in studies applying the standard model of planned behavior. The study provides fresh insight into how consumers vindicate wasteful energy consumption behavior through moral licensing. Amongst its contributions, the study shows that social influence is the most important driver of intentions and behavior. The habitualised use of energy has a significant, negative effect on behavior. This work has several recommendations for retailers and policy makers in global energy markets on how to minimise licensing and negligent habits, and at the same time, it opens up new research avenues in the ethical consumption discourse

Opportunity recognition in tourism: a study of the Kerry GeoPark

[Extract] In 2003, a group of people came together to explore the possibilities of geo-tourism development in the South Kerry area. The Kerry Geopark Management Group was established under the auspices of a local development company, SCC IRD (Sneem, Castlecove and Caherdaniel Integrated Rural Development). Geotourism, a term derived from geology and tourism, enables visitors to gain some knowledge and understanding of geology. Geotourism seeks to use and promote an area's geological heritage, along with other facets of heritage (archaeology, culture, fauna & flora), as a tool for the sustainable development of an area

Capilano Honey

Capilano is the market leader in Australia's honey processing sector. The company exports to 52 countries, accounting for over 90 per cent of all retail-packed honey exported from Australia, making Capilano one of the most widely distributed Australian food brands internationally. Capilano differentiates itself on quality - the unique and premium taste of Australian honey. However, it has faced many challenges on the road to market leadership. As the product is in the mature stage of its product life cycle, targeting new segments, developing new uses and new forms ofpackaging, is essential. In recent times, health-conscious consumers and watchdoggroups have called attention to sugar's negative health consequences, linking high levels of consumption to diabetes, obesity, heart disease and high blood pressure.Capilano has, to date, escaped the backlash against refined sugar and has managed to successfully differentiate its product from other sugar substitutes. Like all food companies, it has to be very careful that it doesn't contravene Federal or state advertising laws

Renewable energy householders in the Sunshine State: do they perceive a rebound effect?

Rooftop solar PV installations have experienced rapid and unprecedented growth in Australia. However, one issue that contributes to inefficiencies in the electricity market is the ‘solar rebound effect’ which refers to the reduction in expected gains from eco-efficient technologies due to an increase in the use of the resource. However, little literature exists that incorporates consumers’ cognitions into studies of the solar rebound effect in Australia. This study aims to bridge a research gap by examining consumer perceptions of the solar rebound effect after installing rooftop solar, along with the psychological factors that might play a role in mitigating the solar rebound effects. A quantitative methodology was adopted, and a pilot survey was administered to residents (n=68) in a regional city. Frequency distributions and non-parametric tests were undertaken. The results indicate significant differences between those who report a solar rebound effect and those who do not, relating to factors such as thermal comfort, bill consciousness and an environmental self-identity. Implications for future research and practice are outlined in the paper

Residential Battery Storage – Disruptive Technology, Disjuncture Between Policy And Reality

The aim of this study is to examine the factors influencing consumer acceptance of battery storage. An online survey was conducted with 609 homeowners in Australia. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to test the hypotheses. An environmental self-identity, positive attitudes towards electricity conservation and the need for thermal comfort are associated with consumer acceptance of battery storage. The majority of respondents are likely to share and trade excess electricity that would support the grid. An estimated 24% of the sample are interested in leasing batteries, where a third-party maintains the battery and exports solar to the grid. Recommendations to increase the uptake of battery storage are made

What do people "like" on Facebook? Content marketing strategies used by retail bank brands in Australia and Singapore

Previous research has yet to examine the effectiveness of social media content strategies in the financial services sector. This study advances knowledge of content strategies used by retail bank brands by examining how the type of message, the post format and the source of the content influence customer engagement independently and interactively. A total of 541 posts from the Facebook pages of ten banks in Australia and Singapore are analysed using multiple regressions. Results suggest that in the Singaporean sample, persuasive-only content and mixed content lead to more likes and emoji responses, whereas informative-only content is effective in generating comments and questions. Furthermore, videos and third-party sources strengthen the relationship between informative-only content and customer engagement. In the Australian sample, informative-only content and mixed content are more effective than persuasive content in engaging customers. The findings support an integrated view of content design and highlight the importance of adjusting the content strategy to suit the utilitarian nature of banking services and engage high-involvement customers

Are the sustainability-oriented skills and competencies of business graduates meeting or missing employers needs? Perspectives of regional employers

In the Anthropocene, universities play a role in developing students’ sustainability literacy and capacity to solve socio-ecological challenges. The objective of this study is to identify the generic and sustainability-oriented skills and competencies required of business graduates by regional employers. The regional focus meets a gap in the literature. An online survey of employers in North Queensland found that they attach importance to a wide range of skills and competencies and see sustainability as a key factor in future business success. Yet, there are contradictions in terms of their support for sustainability in the curriculum and business practices, particularly when it comes to the recruitment and selection process. Furthermore, contradictions exist between the university’s adoption of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and the weak interest displayed by prospective employers in graduates’ sustainability literacy. This study has important implications for regional universities. A reframing of the role of sustainability education in the curriculum is warranted, where a deeper connection is made between sustainability education and the values employers already hold. Recommendations for curriculum designers are made on how to foster and assess the competencies that business graduates need to meet the demands of regional business upon entering the labour market

Risky business: growers' perceptions of organic and biodynamic farming in the tropics

Organic and biodynamic farming has emerged as a growing, niche sector in the agricultural industry. Research into stakeholders' risk perceptions of organic and biodynamic farming is surprisingly scarce. This paper uses qualitative data from a series of 32 interviews with growers and key respondents to illuminate how risk is interpreted in the agricultural community. This study showed that despite the diversity of the sample, there was broad consensus on the risks facing organic farmers. However, risk perceptions seemed to vary depending on personal values and institutional trust. Some of these farmers lacked confidence in agricultural institutions, were strongly opposed to the use of chemicals in farming on health and environmental grounds and perceived risk differently from their counterparts in conventional agriculture

Food waste within eco-friendly households: modelling the factors that have an impact on food waste levels

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to identify the key factors that explain variances in levels of food waste in eco-friendly households. Despite the growing literature on food waste, there is a substantial lack of knowledge on the determinants of food waste in eco-friendly households. Methodology: The findings are based on a quantitative survey of 334 respondents. Frequency distribution and the ordered probit modelling and marginal effect analysis are used to analyse the survey data. Findings: Most of the eco-friendly households report food wasting from 0% (no food wasted at all) to 20%. In this survey, affluent young males, who have young children and who frequently eat outside of the home, are found to be more likely to waste food than others. Furthermore, older females who are anxious about the cost of food waste, people who can distinguish between 'use by' and 'best before' dates, and who make an effort to reduce food waste, are found to be less likely to waste food. Marginal effects are presented since they show the impact of a change in an explanatory variable on the predicted probabilities of wasting food. At high levels of food waste, knowledge of expiry dates appears to be the only discriminatory variable, and at negligible or low levels of food waste, the presence of young children in the household seems to be a crucial predictor for food waste. Policy implications: Research on factors that explain variances in levels of food waste is crucial if modern society is to make a transition to more sustainable lifestyles

Food waste in Australia and consumers' willingness to buy novel, value-added foods

This research explores consumers' willingness to buy novel, value-added food. Respondent-completed questionnaires from 330 Australians reveal that half of the sample are willing to buy value-added food. The survey indicates that helping farmers is the top ranking factor driving demand for value-added foods. There are significant differences in attitudes towards food waste and price sensitivity between respondents who are willing to buy a value-added snack product and those who are not willing or neutral about purchase. Surprisingly, moral concerns are not significant in distinguishing consumers who are willing to buy value-added foods from those who are not; hence, the authors find only partial support for the norm-activation model (Schwartz, 1977; Schwartz & Howard, 1981). Nonetheless, the survey findings are promising with regard to consumer acceptance of new, plant-based products and early adopters of innovation in the horticultural sector should heed the study's findings