International Journal of Muamalat PDF

International Journal of Muamalat
November 2020, Vol. 4, No. 1
eISSN: 2600-9153
174
Social Norm, Ethical Consciousness and Purchase
Intention toward Counterfeit Product among
UniSHAMS Students
*Mohd Farid Abd Latib, Muhammad-Baqir Abdullah Farahiza Zaihan
Azizan, Ahmad Fahrizal Asmy Mohamed Universiti Islam Antarabangsa Sultan Abdul Halim Mu’adzam Shah (UniSHAMS),
Kampus Kuala Ketil, Kedah
Malaysia
Abstract The purpose of this study is to examine the purchase intention toward counterfeit
product among university students in Kedah. All variables were measured on a five-point
Likert scale where 1 – strongly disagrees to 5 – strongly agree. Social norms (8 items), Ethical
consciousness (4 items) adapted from (Riquelme, Mahdi Sayed Abbas, & Rios, 2012) and (9)
items purchase Intention adapted from Chen (2007) as exogenous variables. Questionnaires
were distributed to 100 students based on a random sampling method. A respond rate of 92%
(92 respondents) was obtained during data collection phase and 86 were usable. The data
was input into SPSS 18 and analyzed using linear regression in SPSS. The finding supports two
significant direct effects in the model, thus supporting the hypothesis social norms and ethical
consciousness is significantly influenced to purchase intention to buy product counterfeiting.
The result is discussed in the perspective of university students.
Keywords: Social Norm, Ethical Consciousness, Purchase Intention
Introduction
Product counterfeiting and piracy of either luxury consumer or industrial goods is a major
global problem and is more acute in developing countries than in developed nations. Of
serious concern is the fact that consumers, in general, do not perceive that their behavior is
harmful to a particular industry or that it can lead to a social cost (Lysonski and Durvasula,
2008); they only perceive the social benefits of fake products. According to the agreement on
Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights (A WTO agreement) counterfeits are any
goods bearing an unauthorized Trademark and thereby infringing the rights of the trademark
owner under the law of the country of importation. Selling counterfeit product in Malaysia

International Journal of Muamalat
November 2020, Vol. 4, No. 1
ISSN: 2590-4337
175
has become serious problem. Even though many laws that restrain the activities of selling
counterfeit product from happen. According to KPDNKK more than 200 counterfeit product
which value hundred million are estimated have been smuggled every year (Harian Metro,
2017). There is a clear provision under the Trade Descriptions Act 1972, upon conviction,
those who sell counterfeit products are liable to a fine of RM100 thousand or a three-year jail
or both upon conviction. Although enforcement is often done, however, to combat such
activities must be initiated from the consumer itself. "If there is no demand, there will be no
such syndicates to continue operating," (KPDNKK 2019).
Literature Review
Social Norms and Purchase Intention
Some previous studies have considered the influence of social influences on intention to
purchase counterfeits as social pressure can influence consumers either to follow or to break
the rules (Ang et al., 2001). The extent to which consumers are influenced by social pressure
in their attitude depends on their susceptibility to such pressure. Consumer susceptibility is
driven by the need to identify or enhance one’s image with significant others through the
acquisition and use of products and brands, the willingness to conform to the expectations of
others regarding purchase decisions, and the tendency to learn about products by observing
others or seeking information from others (Bearden et al., 1989).
Preliminary studies reveal that the presence of friends who buy an illegal good enhances the
willingness to buy counterfeited products, whereas buying alone decreases the willingness to
buy (Albers-Miller, 1999). Later researchers have reported a negative influence of normative
susceptibility on attitudes towards piracy (Ang et al., 2001; Wang et al., 2005) and have found
that normative pressure and perceived behavioral control positively influence purchase
intentions at low and high price levels; however subjective norm has no impact (Penz &
Stottinger, 2008).
Ethical Consciousness and Purchase Intention
Consumer ethics can be defined as the moral rules, principles and standards that guide the
behavior of an individual (or group) in the selection, purchase, use, or selling of goods, or
services (Muncy and Vitell, 1992). Ethics consciousness can be conceptualized as a value that
an individual holds and can be interpreted as an enduring belief (Schwartz, 1992). Ethical
consciousness can take the form of ethical idealism, which refers to the person’s moral
philosophy which is rooted in an understanding of the inherent propriety of an action,
regardless of its consequences (Lysonski & Durvasula, 2008). The other form of ethical

International Journal of Muamalat
November 2020, Vol. 4, No. 1
ISSN: 2590-4337
176
consciousness is the ethical self-concept which refers to the self-perception of one being
ethical. Both ethical idealism and ethical self-concept are used to gauge the ethical
orientation of consumers.
Moral judgments and consumer ethics have both been found to reduce purchase intentions
of pirated software (Tan, 2002) and counterfeits (Maldonado and Hume, 2005). While Lysonki
& Darvasula (2008) found that purchasing or downloading of pirated music is driven by a
strong belief that it is not ethically wrong, Swami et al. (2009) found their older participants
were more conscientious and were less likely to have bought counterfeits in the past and had
lower willingness (than younger participants) to buy counterfeits in the future.
Underpinning Theory
The study’s conceptual framework was adapted from (Ajzen, 1991) is Theory of Planned
Behavior (TPB) model. TPB was designed to conceptualize, measure, and empirically identify
factors that determine behavioral intention and behavior (Ajzen 1991; Fishbein 1975).
According to TPB, behavior is determined by the individual’s intention to perform the
behavior. Intention is determined by three factors; attitudes toward the behavior, which are
informed by beliefs needed to engage in the behavior; subjective norm, the social pressures
to perform or not to perform the behavior and perceived behavioral control refers to people's
perceptions of their ability to perform a given behavior. But for this paper, respondent will be
analyzing through direct effect between social norm and ethical consciousness among
university students to purchases intention of counterfeit product.
The TPB construct is a cognitive model of human behavior derived from the extension of TRA
(Fishbein & Ajzen, 1975). In the TPB Model, the main independent constructions are
Attitudes, Subjective Norms, and Perceived Behavioral Control which predict behavioral
intentions Ajzen (1991). Intention is defined as a plan to perform certain behaviors and the
most important factors to predict behavior directly Ajzen (1991). In the context of marketing,
behavioral intentions are the main indicators of actual purchases (Fishbein and Ajzen, 1975).
Purchase intention in this study is the purchase intention of Muslim consumers towards halal
products that are measured using indicators: 1) Social Norm among University students to
purchase intention toward counterfeit product and 2) Ethical consciousness among University
students to purchase intention toward counterfeit product.