Understanding museum vacationers' eco-friendly decision-making process: strengthening the VBN framework

ABSTRACT In the present research, the process of vacationers’ pro-environmental decision formation for environmentally responsible museums was examined. This research employed and broadened the value-belief-norm theory, using satisfaction with green product use, green trust, and frequency of past behavior for green product use as predictors. A structural equation modeling was utilized for modeling comparisons and hypothesis testing. A measurement model tested using the data gathered at museums was found to satisfactorily fit to the data. Newly integrated constructs significantly improved the prediction power of the theory. In addition, results of the structural equation modeling generally supported the proposed relationships. Moreover, a salient role of moral norm was identified. As expected, new environmental paradigm, awareness of consequences, ascribed responsibility, and moral norm played an important mediating role. A parsimonious model with greater prediction power than the original value-belief-norm theory was produced through modeling comparisons and the process of testing relationships among research variables. Our results offer a sufficient understanding of vacationers’ pro-environmental intention for eco-friendly museums.

[1]  Linda Steg,et al.  The psychology of participation and interest in smart energy systems: Comparing the value-belief-norm theory and the value-identity-personal norm model , 2016 .

[2]  Joanne Vining,et al.  Predicting Recycling Behavior from Global and Specific Environmental Attitudes and Changes in Recycling Opportunities1 , 1992 .

[3]  I. Ajzen.  Residual Effects of Past on Later Behavior: Habituation and Reasoned Action Perspectives , 2002 .

[4]  T. Milfont,et al.  Testing the Moderating Role of the Components of Norm Activation on the Relationship Between Values and Environmental Behavior , 2010 .

[5]  P. Martínez,et al.  CSR and customer loyalty: The roles of trust, customer identification with the company and satisfaction , 2013 .

[6]  Shaul Oreg,et al.  Predicting Proenvironmental Behavior Cross-Nationally , 2006 .

[7]  L. Steg,et al.  General Beliefs and the Theory of Planned Behavior: The Role of Environmental Concerns in the TPB , 2007 .

[8]  Heesup Han,et al.  Intention to pay conventional-hotel prices at a green hotel – a modification of the theory of planned behavior , 2010 .

[9]  R. Dunlap,et al.  THE NEW ENVIRONMENTAL PARADIGM: 5 PROPOSED MEASURING INSTRUMENT AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS , 1978 .

[10]  J. Kandampully,et al.  Application of the extended VBN theory to understand consumers’ decisions about green hotels , 2015 .

[11]  Heesup Han,et al.  Testing the Moderation Effect of Hotel Ambience on the Relationships Among Social Comparison, Affect, Satisfaction, and Behavioral Intentions , 2014 .

[12]  R. Oliver.  Satisfaction: A Behavioral Perspective On The Consumer , 1996 .

[13]  Yu-Shan Chen,et al.  Greenwash and Green Trust: The Mediation Effects of Green Consumer Confusion and Green Perceived Risk , 2013 .

[14]  Yu-Shan Chen,et al.  Towards green loyalty: driving from green perceived value, green satisfaction, and green trust , 2013 .

[15]  B. Sparks,et al.  The impact of online reviews on hotel booking intentions and perception of trust. , 2011 .

[16]  A. Parasuraman,et al.  A Conceptual Model of Service Quality and Its Implications for Future Research , 1985 .

[17]  S. Hunt,et al.  The Commitment-Trust Theory of Relationship Marketing , 1994 .

[18]  Cher-Min Fong,et al.  Green product quality, green corporate image, green customer satisfaction, and green customer loyalty , 2010 .

[19]  Heesup Han,et al.  Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to green hotel choice: Testing the effect of environmental friendly activities , 2010 .

[20]  Natalia López-Mosquera,et al.  Theory of Planned Behavior and the Value-Belief-Norm Theory explaining willingness to pay for a suburban park. , 2012, Journal of environmental management.

[21]  Sarah S. Brophy,et al.  The Green Museum: A Primer on Environmental Practice , 2008 .

[22]  Linda Steg,et al.  Morality and Prosocial Behavior: The Role of Awareness, Responsibility, and Norms in the Norm Activation Model , 2009, The Journal of social psychology.

[23]  Won-Moo Hur,et al.  Investigating the Antecedents of Green Brand Equity: A Sustainable Development Perspective , 2012 .

[24]  M. Perugini,et al.  The role of desires and anticipated emotions in goal-directed behaviours: broadening and deepening the theory of planned behaviour. , 2001, The British journal of social psychology.

[25]  S. Hyun,et al.  First-class airline travelers’ tendency to seek uniqueness: how does it influence their purchase of expensive tickets? , 2017 .

[26]  C. Fornell,et al.  Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. , 1981 .

[27]  G. Antonides,et al.  The Norm Activation Model: An exploration of the functions of anticipated pride and guilt in pro-environmental behaviour , 2013 .

[28]  Henk Staats,et al.  Situational and Personality Factors as Direct or Personal Norm Mediated Predictors of Pro-environmental Behavior: Questions Derived From Norm-activation Theory , 2007 .

[29]  Moses Makonjio Okello,et al.  Tourist satisfaction in relation to attractions and implications for conservation in the protected areas of the Northern Circuit, Tanzania , 2009 .

[30]  Heesup Han,et al.  Fostering customers' pro-environmental behavior at a museum , 2017 .

[31]  Ahmad Jamal,et al.  Retail Banking and Customer Behaviour: A Study of Self Concept, Satisfaction and Technology Usage , 2004 .

[32]  Heesup Han,et al.  The theory of repurchase decision-making (TRD): Identifying the critical factors in the post-purchase decision-making process , 2012 .

[33]  Rolph E. Anderson,et al.  Multivariate Data Analysis (7th ed. , 2009 .

[34]  Heesup Han,et al.  The value–belief–emotion–norm model: investigating customers’ eco-friendly behavior , 2017 .

[35]  Shinji Teraji,et al.  A model of corporate social performance: Social satisfaction and moral conduct , 2009 .

[36]  C. Klöckner,et al.  How habits interfere with norm-directed behaviour: A normative decision-making model for travel mode choice , 2004 .

[37]  Soo K. Kang,et al.  The effect of environmentally friendly perceptions on festival visitors’ decision-making process using an extended model of goal-directed behavior , 2012 .

[38]  Guanghui Zhou,et al.  Antecedents of employee electricity saving behavior in organizations: An empirical study based on norm activation model , 2013 .

[39]  Gerard T. Kyle,et al.  Understanding the internal processes of behavioral engagement in a national park: A latent variable path analysis of the value-belief-norm theory , 2014 .

[40]  Heesup Han.  The norm activation model and theory-broadening: Individuals' decision-making on environmentally-responsible convention attendance , 2014 .

[41]  C. Chen,et al.  The destination competitiveness of Kinmen's tourism industry: exploring the interrelationships between tourist perceptions, service performance, customer satisfaction and sustainable tourism , 2011 .

[42]  C. Klöckner.  A comprehensive model of the psychology of environmental behaviour—A meta-analysis , 2013 .

[43]  S. Schwartz.  Universals in the Content and Structure of Values: Theoretical Advances and Empirical Tests in 20 Countries , 1992 .

[44]  Joseph R. Hopper,et al.  Recycling as Altruistic Behavior , 1991 .

[45]  P. Stern.  New Environmental Theories: Toward a Coherent Theory of Environmentally Significant Behavior , 2000 .

[46]  R. Oliver.  Customer Satisfaction Research , 2006 .

[47]  Troy D. Abel,et al.  A Value-Belief-Norm Theory of Support for Social Movements: The Case of Environmentalism , 1999 .

[48]  P. Stern,et al.  Value Orientations, Gender, and Environmental Concern , 1993 .

[49]  S. Schwartz.  Normative Influences on Altruism , 1977 .

[50]  G. Zaltman,et al.  Factors affecting trust in market research relationships. , 1993 .

[51]  J. H. Davis,et al.  An Integrative Model Of Organizational Trust , 1995 .

[52]  R. Dunlap,et al.  Measuring Endorsement of the New Ecological Paradigm: A Revised NEP Scale , 2000 .

[53]  Heesup Han.  Travelers' pro-environmental behavior in a green lodging context: Converging value-belief-norm theory and the theory of planned behavior , 2015 .

[54]  I. Ajzen.  The theory of planned behavior , 1991 .

[55]  S. Bamberg,et al.  Twenty years after Hines, Hungerford, and Tomera: A new meta-analysis of psycho-social determinants of pro-environmental behaviour , 2007 .

[56]  Stephanie A. Welcomer,et al.  Understanding Cultural Differences in the Antecedents of Pro-Environmental Behavior: A Comparative Analysis of Business Students in the United States and Chile , 2010 .

[57]  R. Dunlap,et al.  The “New Environmental Paradigm” , 1978 .

[58]  Yu‐Shan Chen.  The Drivers of Green Brand Equity: Green Brand Image, Green Satisfaction, and Green Trust , 2010 .

[59]  F. Fornara,et al.  Predicting intention to improve household energy efficiency: the role of value-belief-norm theory, normative and informational influence, and specific attitude , 2016 .

[60]  Heesup Han,et al.  Customer retention in the eco-friendly hotel sector: examining the diverse processes of post-purchase decision-making , 2015 .

[61]  Zeinab Seyed Saleki,et al.  Green product quality, green customer satisfaction, and green customer loyalty , 2012 .

[62]  S. Bamberg,et al.  Social context, personal norms and the use of public transportation: Two field studies , 2007 .