Nghiên cứu sinh Đỗ Thanh Long bảo vệ luận án tiến sĩ
ORIGINAL CONTRIBUTIONS OF THE DISSERTATION
Dissertation title: Exposure to internet content and the formation of green consumption behavioural intention among generation Yers in Vietnam
Specialization: Business Administration Specialization code: 9340101
PhD candidate: Do Thanh Long
Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Vu Hung
Original contributions on academic and theoretical aspects
This research contributes to the extant literature in some significant ways:
First, for human value based theories including the theory of basic human value or Value – Belief – Norm theory, this study provides an empirical evidence for the important role of external factors in keeping the consistence of human value-behaviour connection that has been mentioned in literature but often overlooked by scholars. While values reflect abstract desirable goals in human life, the linkage between values and specific behaviours is dependent on the beliefs toward the behaviours. Accordingly, the value-behaviour relation is affected by various factors that can change such beliefs. The findings in this study indicate that environmental content exposure, an external factor, could narrow the gap between values and behaviours if the content is designed in proper ways.
Second, going beyond the general suggestions of the potential moderating effects by media content, current study contributes to the green consumption literature by highlighting a nuanced picture about differential moderating effects of media contents on the relationship between value and behaviour. While some contents can activate and facilitate the value transformation into behaviour, other may demotivate and hinder such relationship. Research about pro-environmental consumption behaviours thus should look at not only the internal individual difference but also contextual factors. Accordingly, for media effect theories and research, this study emphasizes the importance of the combination of individual differences and the heterogeneity of media content in explaining the effects. Overlooking individual differences and media content heterogeneity would result in reduction in the overall explanatory power.
Recommendations derived from the findings of the dissertation
For governments and policy makers in general, the results of this study offer some insightful implications in designing effective behaviour change strategies to encourage the adoption of green consumption among consumers:
The motivational impacts of biospheric-altruistic value on consumers’ green consumption behaviours indicates an obvious strategy to foster green consumption behaviours by strengthening consumers’ biospheric-altruistic value. When biospheric-altruistic value of consumers is built up, consumers are more likely to prioritize environmental consequences of their choice and actions.
Furthermore, while media information campaigns are critical in promoting green consumption practices, the results of this study indicates that the media campaigns need to be properly designed for different consumers who hold different value to bring on the most effectiveness. Informational interventions may be more effective if they communicate and strengthen beliefs about appropriate benefits of targeted behaviours that is congruent with the values they endorse.
