An Exploration of Perceived Risk in Young Chinese Consumers' Internet Banking Services Decision Making

This thesis explores how perceived risk, which has been primarily developed in Western contexts, may help understand consumers' action in relation to the Chinese Internet banking services market. This market is new and acknowledged as having great potential, but there is insufficient information regarding potential consumers and their perceptions or decision-making. The theory of perceived risk is a key construct influencing Western consumers' decision making; whether it is applicable in the current context is unknown. A wider customer perspective is therefore important to improve both our understanding of perceived risk theory and its usefulness in the Chinese Internet banking services market. The thesis reviews the major research perspectives on perceived risk within consumer behaviour literature. It provides a comprehensive understanding of the concept itself, to identify research gaps, and also develops a research model to evaluate consumers' risk perception within the context of Chinese Internet banking services. This research is conducted through the application of a critical realist approach, utilizing mixed methods. This approach enables the research to address a main controversy in the perceived risk field by evaluating the two common measurement models. It also develops an understanding of Chinese consumers' risk perceptions and how consumers' perceptions are formed and influenced by considering a range of contextual issues. This approach highlights the importance of obtaining social and cultural meanings to understand the measurement of risk perception- this is seldom addressed in the majority of perceived risk research. Results are thoroughly analysed, compared and contrasted to relevant Western research. Perceived risk, as a construct, is meaningful in helping to understand potential Chinese Internet banking services users. The principle risk dimensions identified in this research are consistent with those detailed in Western studies. However, the underlying relationships between the risk variables are different. Such differences can be attributed to the specific The measurement of risk is best operationalised through the application of one of the commonly used models - the multiplicative. This model produces results that are more consistent with the qualitative patterns derived from the application of mixed methods research. Whilst this research advocates the use of the multiplicative model, it also contends that future researchers should evaluate both common models- as the impact of context needs to be addressed sensitively,and this would also be consistent with the application of a critical realist perspective. Further, when considering perceived risk measurement, this research has found that the application of multiple variables is useful to test validity and reliability. These two issues are seldom considered or evaluated in previous perceived risk studies. This application also lends itself to the development of greater depth in data analysis, and therefore provides a more specific perspective to understand risk perceptions through detailed measurement. Future research in perceived risk should also address risk evaluation by considering the purchase stages, as consumers risk perceptions may be influenced and subject to change at different stages. Without such an approach results generated may be misleading, and may not provide an adequate basis for understanding consumers and developing appropriate marketing strategies to meet these concerns

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

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

Three little words: A pragmatic qualitative method to understand modern markets

This paper explores a rapid and low-intensity qualitative method that yields deep and rich insights into Generation Z and Millennials, who constitute the largest consumer group in history. This group favours frictionless digital solutions and their engagement with ‘elaborate’ qualitative techniques is unlikely, requiring researchers to marshal efficient technology-facilitated methods that render comparable insight. We assess the capacity of a ‘simple’ projective technique – online word association, accompanied by a few supporting questions – to offer as fine-grained insight into this consumer group against a more involved story stem completion method. The UK buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) context provides a complex novel market for this examination. Results suggest strong conceptual interconnection between the word association and the story stem completion task. Word associations generated similar resonance and tonality to that of the story stem but in a more compact manner, which liberates researchers and participants alike. The word association task focuses and delineates attention on a narrower set of words, not often done in the context of more traditional qualitative techniques, including story stem completion. Young consumers’ vocabularies reveal their most salient perceptions of the phenomenon. The word association task also facilitates Generation Z and Millennials’ active and positive online engagement, removing resistance and withdrawal from the research. This improves marketing response through immediacy, relevancy, and potency

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

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

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

The Buy-Now-Pay-Later Ecosystem - New (Algo)Rhythms of Spending and Reframed Relationships

Buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) is changing young consumers’ spending and relationships to credit through an integrated digital ecosystem predicated on algorithmic marketing. Whilst BNPL has the capacity to liberate young consumers by fostering a more entrepreneurial disposition to credit, this view is founded on the supposition that consumers have the necessary knowledge and capability to make informed financial decisions. However, the use of algorithms means that young consumers are, perhaps, more accurately framed as being constrained and any inherent patterns of damaging behavior maintained. Therefore, while the provision of BNPL appears to offer opportunities such as greater accessibility and flexibility, it inevitably evidences numerous disadvantages, such as impulsive borrowing and financial vulnerability, which are intensified by a lack of regulation. These complexities create a challenging operational space for consumers, service providers, retailers, and regulators alike–arguably changing the relationships between them and necessitating continued consideration of the evolving nature of digital consumer credit solutions