Ethical Consumption and Consumer Behavior

This assignment delves into the complex relationship between ethical consumption and consumer behavior. It examines how consumers perceive retail business ethics and the impact these perceptions have on their loyalty to specific retailers. The role of social discount practices in shaping ethical consumption is also explored, highlighting the interplay between moral values and purchasing decisions.

Running head: APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
Applying mixed research methods to business- A Case study of ShopHere
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
Working title: Perceived characteristics of Ethical consumers
Research aim
The aim of this research is to increase the revenue of ShopHere
Research objectives
 To find out the behaviors of the customers on purchase of ethical products
 To speculate the reason why the customers want to buy ethical products
 To excavate the demarcation criteria between the ethical and non-ethical products
 To assess whether the products purchased by the customers meet the bottom line of
environmental, social and economic parameters
 To ensure that the products, which the consumers are buying, would increase the revenue
of ShopHere
Summary table of the articles
1. Arli, Denni, and Andre Pekerti. 2017. Who is more ethical? cross-cultural comparison of consumer
ethics between religious and non-religious consumers: Who is more ethical? Journal of Consumer
Behaviour 16 (1): 82-98.
Timing of Strands: Concurrent
Primary points of mixing: data analysis interpretation
Summary: This article attempts to excavate the ethical consumers from the cross-cultural perspective.
Cross-cultural includes religious and non-religious consumers. Ethical considerations while executing the
marketing activities enables the personnel to retain loyalty, trust and dependence from the customers.
2. Carrington, Michal J., Benjamin A. Neville, and Gregory J. Whitwell. 2014.. Journal of Business

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
Research 67 (1): 2759-67.
Timing of Strands: Sequential
Primary points of mixing: Data analysis interpretation
Summary: This journal delves deep into the business dynamics, which includes the basics of consumer
behavior for the consideration of the personnel. Seeking the means of survey and feedback enhances the
clarity of the personnel regarding the needs, demands and requirements of the customers. Even in this
process, ethics needs to be adhered for safeguarding their individual sentiments.
Chun, Rosa. 2016. What holds ethical consumers to a cosmetics brand: The body shop case. Business &
Society 55 (4): 528-49.
Timing of Strands: Sequential
Primary points of mixing: Design
Summary: The article deals with the cosmetic products, where ethical consideration attains prime
importance. The answer to “what” is quality, which attracts the customers towards the brand image. The
example of body shop acts as a lesson for the readers in terms of the activities undertaken by the
personnel towards preparing the products.
3. Crane, Diana. "The puzzle of the ethical fashion consumer: Implications for the future of the fashion
system." International Journal of Fashion Studies, ser., 3, no. 2, (October 2016): 249.
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=murdoch&v=2.1&id=GALE
%7CA472848277&it=r&asid=ec2878296653472c4421caf49b866338
Timing of Strands: Quantitative
Primary points of mixing: Data Collection interpretation
Summary: The article draws the attention of the readers towards the unethical business activities
undertaken by the fashion industry. Along with this, it also includes the impact of these unethical

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
activities on the consumers. Typical example in this direction is the portrayal of women as sexual taboos,
which strains their self-respect.
4. Davies, Iain Andrew, and Sabrina Gutsche. 2016. Consumer motivations for mainstream "ethical"
consumption. European Journal of Marketing 50 (7-8): 1326
Timing of Strands: Concurrent
Primary points of mixing: Data collection interpretation
Summary: The article emphasizes on motivation, which encourages the personnel to reach to the
expectations of the consumers. Viewing it from the other perspective, consistency in terms of ensuring the
wellbeing of the customers helps the customers to take a positive stance regarding the ethical
consumption from the brand.
5. Dootson, Paula, Kim A. Johnston, Amanda Beatson, and Ian Lings. 2016. Where do consumers draw
the line? factors informing perceptions and justifications of deviant consumer behaviour. Journal of
Marketing Management 32 (7-8): 750-76.
Timing of Strands: Sequential
Primary points of mixing: Data collection interpretation
Summary: This article sheds light on the demarcation between the ethical and non-ethical products. Along
with this, the article excavates the factors, which shape the perception of the consumers. Evaluation
justifies the exposed behaviors of the consumers. Consistency in this regards helps the personnel to
enhance their awareness regarding the needs of the customers.
6. Ghvanidze, Sophie, and Velikova Natalia. "Consumers' environmental and ethical consciousness and
the use of the related food products information: The role of perceived consumer effectiveness." Appetite
107, no. 2016 (December 2016): 311-22.
Timing of Strands: Concurrent
Primary points of mixing: Data analysis interpretation

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
Summary: This article deals with the consumer ethics through the example of food products. The
environment relates to the surroundings within which the consumers make the buying decisions. Effective
utilization of the products makes the decisions more valuable, which eases the evaluation process for the
personnel.
7. Ghvanidze, Sophie, Natalia Velikova, Tim H. Dodd, and Wilna Oldewage-Theron. 2016. Consumers'
environmental and ethical consciousness and the use of the related food products information: The role of
perceived consumer effectiveness. Appetite 107 : 311-22.
Timing of Strands: Sequential and concurrent
Primary points of mixing: Data collection interpretation
Summary: This article peeks into the environment of the customers, which helps them to make purchased
of ethical products. Viewing it from the perspective of food, presence of quality, freshness and health are
the major determinant, which helps the customers to make purchases of the ethical products.
8. Johnstone, Micael-Lee, and Lay Peng Tan. 2015. Exploring the gap between consumers’ green rhetoric
and purchasing behaviour. Journal of Business Ethics 132 (2): 311-28.
Timing of Strands: Sequential
Primary points of mixing: Data analysis interpretation
Summary: This article explores the gap between the consumers’ buying behavior and the rhetorical
expression towards this purchase. Provision of quality and branded products to the consumers adds value
to their expression. This initiates the struggle of the customers to produce quality products for
achievement of large scale customer satisfaction, trust and loyalty.
10. Khan, Zeenath Reza, and Rodrigues Gwendolyn. "Ethical Consumerism and Apparel Industry –
Towards a New Factor Model." World Journal of Social Sciences, 2017th ser., 7, no. 1 (March 2017): 89-
104.
Timing of Strands: Sequential

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
Primary points of mixing: Design
Summary: This article deals with the consumer ethics in the apparel industry. The major highlight of this
article is the theoretical approach, New Factor Model. The word “new” indicates the need for change
management in order to assess the effectiveness and appropriateness of the innovations. Within this,
ethical considerations are crucial in terms of reaching to the expectations of the customers.
11. Mbaye, DialloEmail Fall, and Checchin Lambey AuthorChristine. "Consumers’ Perceptions of Retail
Business Ethics and Loyalty to the Retailer: The Moderating Role of Social Discount Practices." Journal
of Business Ethics 141, no. 3 (March 2017): 435-49.
Timing of Strands: Sequential
Primary points of mixing: Data collection interpretation
Summary: This article sheds light on the business ethics in the retail chain industry. Here, loyalty is a
vital issue in terms of abiding by the ethics. Pondering on the aspect of discount practices, most of the
times; it is done through wrong methods, which makes the business activities of the retailers unethical.
Moderating role of the personnel is necessary in terms of practicing ethical consumerism.
12. Moser, Andrea K. 2015. Thinking green, buying green? drivers of pro-environmental purchasing
behavior. Journal of Consumer Marketing 32 (3): 167-75
Timing of Strands: Sequential
Primary points of mixing: Data collection analysis
Summary: This article excavates the determinants, which form the environment of the buying behaviors
in case of the consumers. Transaction of the green products helps the customers to take appropriate
decisions regarding their purchases. Maintaining consistency in these purchases enhances the thought
process of the consumers, which results in the appropriate expression for purchasing quality and branded
products.
13. Neo, Harvey. 2016. Ethical consumption, meaningful substitution and the challenges of vegetarianism

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
advocacy. The Geographical Journal 182 (2): 201-12.
Timing of Strands: Concurrent
Primary points of mixing: Data collection interpretation
Summary: This article enhances the clarity of the readers towards ethical consumption through the means
of challenges, which destroys the inner essence of vegetarianism. Typical examples in this direction are
mixing the vegetarian raw materials and the non-vegetarian items. This mixture is against the religious
ethics of the workplace. Substitution here contradicts the aspect of adulteration and relates to the
innovative means, which the personnel need to adopt for achieving loyalty, trust and dependence from the
customers.
14. Palihawadana, Dayananda, Pejvak Oghazi, and Yeyi Liu. 2016. Effects of ethical ideologies and
perceptions of CSR on consumer behavior. Journal of Business Research 69 (11): 4964-9.
209-31.
Timing of Strands: Sequential
Primary points of mixing: Data collection and Design
Summary: This article assesses the ideologies, which shape the perceptions of the consumers regarding
the ethical purchase. One of the main aspect of this article is the CSR, which enhances the brand image.
As a matter of specification, the extra-curricular activities, undertaken by the personnel affect the buying
behavior of the customers. It is this affectation, which results in the formation of the perception of the
customers regarding the purchases to be made for satisfying the needs, demands and requirements of the
customers.
15. Papaoikonomou, Eleni, Rosalia Cascon-Pereira, and Gerard Ryan. 2016. Constructing and
communicating an ethical consumer identity: A social identity approach. Journal of Consumer Culture 16
(1):
Timing of Strands: Quantitative
Primary points of mixing: Design and data collection interpretation

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
Summary: Formation of proper consumer identity is important for the personnel in terms of gaining
awareness regarding the customers’ needs. This fact is reflected in the article from a societal approach.
Communication has been perceived as an important means for this purpose. Using social media marketing
proves beneficial for the personnel to enrich their scope and arena. Within this usage, ethical
consideration is an expansion of the reputation for the brands in terms of penetrating into the foreign
markets.
Literature review
Ethics is such a parameter, which enhances the reputation and brand image of companies
and organizations. Moreover, ethics helps the personnel to achieve loyalty, trust and dependence
from the customers. Thinking of the customers, prior to the production, is an example of oriental
approach towards marketing (Arli and Andre 2017). Conducting marketing mix for the newly
launched products is also an example of planned approach towards increasing the revenue and
profit margin. Consumer ethics is one of an important issue, which the personnel need to adhere
for stabilizing their position within the competitive ambience of the market. If the personnel
expose selfish attitude for securing their seat, it deprives the customers from possessing quality
and branded products. This is against consumer ethics (Carrington et al. 2014).
Ethical consumers
Ethical consumerism is a practice, where purchases are done through the means of taking
stance towards buying the ethical products and boycotting the company based purchases. The
negative aspect reflects the intellectual thinking of the customers regarding buying the products
after thorough review and plans of the products, which are in demand in the market. These plans

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
negate the aspect of affirming the decisions of the company. Aligning with the case scenario, the
managers of ShopHere, decided to manufacture ethically sourced products (Chun 2016). The
major drive behind this is to meet the demands of the clothing lines. Taking this decision after
the scandalous issues and boycott by the consumers reflects lack of oriental approach towards
marketing.
Buying behavior of the customers
Customers expose different behaviors purchasing the required products. Here, prior
experience plays an important role. Prior experience results in negation of the suggestions
offered by the peers and relatives for buying a product, example cloth. On the contrary, these
suggestions are important for the customers, who are buying the products of a particular brand
from the first time. Differentiation exists in this segment also. The major drive behind this is the
social media, which has eased the task of the customers in terms of selecting a brand or
switching over a brand (Crane 2016). The opinions of the customers are mixed regarding the
social media marketing adopted by different brands for expansion of their business. Some of the
customers just blindly follow the advertised contents while some others apply their rational
thinking for taking appropriate decisions in terms of making purchases according to the needs,
demands and requirements. Application of rational thinking brings behavioral theory to the
discussion. Countering this, maturity is the most important component, which is expected from
both the customers and the personnel. Maturity in terms of satisfying the needs of the customers
projects the ethical means to marketing (Davies and Sabrina 2016). On the other hand,
instigating the customers to indulge in wrong methods for making purchases reflects the
indulgence of the personnel into unethical marketing practices. In this aspect also, there are

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segments into the wise and the customers, who lack the basic understanding about the steps
undertaken by the personnel to sell the products like clothes.
According to the arguments of Moser (2015), the greener vision of the ethical products
gains importance. Countering this, the article bears resemblance with bottom line of the
environmental parameter. Herein lays the effectiveness of the word, “green”. Rational thinking
in this direction can be perceived from the customers as well as the personnel’s’ side. In case of
the personnel, it is the responsibility to adopt solid waste management techniques for ensuring
the wellbeing of the customers. On the other hand, for the customers, it is the adherence to the
environmental directives for maintaining the cleanliness of the environment.
As per the opinions of Palihawadana et al. (2016), ideologies and perceptions attain more
preference. The thread, which ties the ideologies and perception, is the CSR activities, which the
companies and organizations perform for enhancing their brand image. Conducting social work
would enhance the reputation of ShopHere. Application of innovative thinking in the execution
of these activities would redefine the conception of the customers towards the brand. This would
enable them to undertake positive stance regarding the business activities.
Papaoikonomou et al. (2016) are of the opinion that the personnel need to create strong
identity of the customers. This can be done through the means of providing quality goods and
products. For this, providing ample opportunities to the customers for self-introspection is an
effective option in this direction. For this, surveys and feedbacks can be adopted.
Need for ethical products
Customers possess the desire of buying the products, which are ethical or are greener. As
a matter of specification, these are the products, which are certified and clinically proven. These

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tests ensure the quality of the products and are enough for achieving the satisfaction of the
customers (Dootson et al. 2016). Sourcing quality cotton for the producing quality clothes is one
of the mentionable steps, which ShopHere has taken for providing quality clothes to the
customers. One of the other steps, which ShopHere has taken is abandoning the use of fur for
producing clothes. Conscious and oriental approach towards strengthening the supply chain
reflects the professionals’ thought towards the wellbeing of the customers. Moreover, this
thought reflects the inner essence of “ethics”.
Difference between the ethical and non-ethical products
In business terminology, ethical products are those, which are certified and are clinically
proven for ensuring its quality. Here regular tests are conducted in the laboratory by quality
specialists. The results of these tests are analyzed for assessing the impact of these tests on the
needs, demands and requirements of the customers (Dootson et al. 2016). On the contrary, non-
ethical products are those, which are adulterated and possess high tendency for increasing the
health hazards of the customers. Delving deep into the buying behavior of the customers, ethical
products gain more preference than the non-ethical products. The major drive behind this is the
desire to possess quality products.
This difference can be perceived from advertising as an example. Keeping in mind the
needs, demands and requirements of the customers is a typical example of advertising for the
ethical products. Specific example can be given of portraying obscene images of women for
advertising the newly launched clothes (Ghvanidze and Velikova 2016). This example is against
the consumer ethics, as it destroys the self-respect of the customers, especially the women.
Spontaneous modification is an efficient means to restore the lost loyalty, trust and dependence.

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
On the contrary, exposing lackadaisical attitude would prove disastrous for ShopHere in terms of
selling the manufactured products.
On the other hand, highlighting the specifications of the cloth, especially the material and
its durability can be accounted within the criterion of ethical advertising. The material of the
product and its durability are the major things, which the customers want for enhancing their
buying behavior (Ghvanidze et al. 2016). Delving deep into this context, behavior possesses
direct relationship with ethics. This is considered both ways from the side of the customers as
well as the personnel. Thinking of the wellbeing of the customers is accounted as the prime
responsibility of the personnel for generating standardized revenue.
Bottom line of the products
Along with manufacturing, the personnel need to ensure that the products meet the
bottom line. As a matter of specification, ensuring that the products satisfy the economic, social
and environment parameters, falls within the essential functionalities of the personnel of
ShopHere. Economic parameter includes setting reasonable price for the produced clothes, so
that high revenue is generated and maximum value is added to the profit margin. For this,
meetings with the trade union members prove beneficial for the personnel in terms of averting
encountering instances of financial crisis- inflation, fluctuating prices of the raw materials like
cotton, silk, flax among others (Iain and Gutsche 2016). Social parameter relates to the capability
of the personnel to emerge successful in aligning their business with the needs, demands and
requirements of the customers. Adopting social media is an effective option in this direction in
terms of spreading the company to a large number of customers. Environmental parameter is
most important, which ensures the corporate social responsibility of the company. Adopting solid

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
waste management for disposing the production would reflect the conscious approach of the
personnel towards reducing the environmental pollution (Johnstone, Micael and Lay 2015). This
step is ethical in terms of ensuring the wellbeing of public domain as a whole.
Revenue aspect of the products
The products are manufactured with the sole intention to sell them and earn high
revenues. Here, the consideration of demarcation between the ethical and non-ethical products is
essential. Ethical products or clinically proven and tested itself generates high revenue, provided
the personnel expose conscious and rational thinking in the marketing activities. On the other
hand, products, which are not tested and are lackadaisically manufactured, needs lot of effort,
time and energy of the personnel to make the products ethical (Khan, Reza, and Rodrigues
2017). The personnel, prior to the initiation of marketing, need to construct planning for
proceeding with the tasks in an efficient and effective manner for the achievement of positive
results. Frequent evaluation needs to be done, so that potential drawbacks can be covered well in
time. Conscious attitude towards time management can be considered as the prime responsibility
of the ethical behavior, which the personnel are expected to reveal for achieving trust, loyalty
and dependence of the customers (Mbaye et al. 2017)
Research questions
Based on the conducted literature review, the following questions need to be pondered
upon for progressing with the research:
 What are the behavioral expressions of the customers on the purchase of ethical products
at ShopHere?

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
 What are the reasons behind the desire of the customers to buy ethical products of
ShopHere?
 On what grounds do the customers differentiate between the ethical and non-ethical
products of ShopHere?
 What are the processes through which the manufactured products of ShopHere meet the
bottom line of social, economic and environmental parameters?
 What are the ways through which high standardized revenue can be generated in the
business activities of ShopHere?

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
References and Bibliography
Arli, Denni, and Andre Pekerti. 2017. Who is more ethical? cross-cultural comparison of
consumer ethics between religious and non-religious consumers: Who is more ethical? Journal
of Consumer Behaviour 16 (1): 82-98.
Carrington, Michal J., Benjamin A. Neville, and Gregory J. Whitwell. 2014.. Journal of Business
Research 67 (1): 2759-67.
Chun, Rosa. 2016. What holds ethical consumers to a cosmetics brand: The body shop case.
Business & Society 55 (4): 528-49.
Crane, Diana. "The puzzle of the ethical fashion consumer: Implications for the future of the
fashion system." International Journal of Fashion Studies, ser., 3, no. 2, (October 2016): 249.
go.galegroup.com/ps/i.do?p=AONE&sw=w&u=murdoch&v=2.1&id=GALE
%7CA472848277&it=r&asid=ec2878296653472c4421caf49b866338
Davies, Iain Andrew, and Sabrina Gutsche. 2016. Consumer motivations for mainstream
"ethical" consumption. European Journal of Marketing 50 (7-8): 1326.
Dootson, Paula, Kim A. Johnston, Amanda Beatson, and Ian Lings. 2016. Where do consumers
draw the line? factors informing perceptions and justifications of deviant consumer behaviour.
Journal of Marketing Management 32 (7-8): 750-76.
Ghvanidze, Sophie, and Velikova Natalia. "Consumers' environmental and ethical consciousness
and the use of the related food products information: The role of perceived consumer
effectiveness." Appetite 107, no. 2016 (December 2016): 311-22.

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
Ghvanidze, Sophie, Natalia Velikova, Tim H. Dodd, and Wilna Oldewage-Theron. 2016.
Consumers' environmental and ethical consciousness and the use of the related food products
information: The role of perceived consumer effectiveness. Appetite 107 : 311-22.
Iain, Davies Andrew, and Gutsche Sabrina. "Consumer motivations for mainstream “ethical”
consumption." European Journal of Marketing 50, no. 7/8 (March 2016): 1326-347.
doi:https://doi.org/10.1108/EJM-11-2015-0795
Johnstone, Micael-Lee, and Lay Peng Tan. 2015. Exploring the gap between consumers’ green
rhetoric and purchasing behaviour. Journal of Business Ethics 132 (2): 311-28.
Khan, Zeenath Reza, and Rodrigues Gwendolyn. "Ethical Consumerism and Apparel Industry –
Towards a New Factor Model." World Journal of Social Sciences, 2017th ser., 7, no. 1 (March
2017): 89-104.
Mbaye, DialloEmail Fall, and Checchin Lambey AuthorChristine. "Consumers’ Perceptions of
Retail Business Ethics and Loyalty to the Retailer: The Moderating Role of Social Discount
Practices." Journal of Business Ethics 141, no. 3 (March 2017): 435-49.
Moser, Andrea K. 2015. Thinking green, buying green? drivers of pro-environmental purchasing
behavior. Journal of Consumer Marketing 32 (3): 167-75.
Neo, Harvey. 2016. Ethical consumption, meaningful substitution and the challenges of
vegetarianism advocacy. The Geographical Journal 182 (2): 201-12.
Palihawadana, Dayananda, Pejvak Oghazi, and Yeyi Liu. 2016. Effects of ethical ideologies and
perceptions of CSR on consumer behavior. Journal of Business Research 69 (11): 4964-9.

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
Papaoikonomou, Eleni, Rosalia Cascon-Pereira, and Gerard Ryan. 2016. Constructing and
communicating an ethical consumer identity: A social identity approach. Journal of Consumer
Culture 16 (1): 209-31.
Papaoikonomou, Eleni. 2013. Sustainable lifestyles in an urban context: Towards a holistic
understanding of ethical consumer behaviours. empirical evidence from catalonia, spain:
Towards a holistic understanding of ethical consumer behaviours. International Journal of
Consumer Studies 37 (2): 181-8.
Park, Eunil, Kim Ki Joon, and Kwon Sang Jib. "Corporate social responsibility as a determinant
of consumer loyalty: An examination of ethical standard, satisfaction, and trust." Journal of
Business Research 76 (July 2017): 8-13.
Pudaruth, Sharmila, Thanika Devi Juwaheer, and Yogini Devi Seewoo. 2015. Gender-based
differences in understanding the purchasing patterns of eco-friendly cosmetics and beauty care
products in mauritius: A study of female customers. Social Responsibility Journal 11 (1): 179-
98.
Rambe, P. & Ndofirepi, T.M. “Ethical perceptions of employees in small retailing firms: A case
of indigenousowned fast-food outlets in Zimbabwe”, South African Journal of Economic and
Management Sciences 20(1), a1574 (July 2017) 1015-8812
https://doi.org/ 10.4102/sajems.v20i1.1574
Ružica, Kovač-Žnideršić, and Marić Dražen. 2013. Gender differences and influence on ethical
behaviour of consumers. Marketing (Beograd. 1991) 44 (1): 29-38.
Syed Afzal Moshadi Shah, and Shehla Amjad. 2017. Consumer ethical decision making: Linking
moral intensity, self- consciousness and neutralization techniques. Australasian Accounting

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS
Business & Finance Journal 11 (1): 99.
Syed, Shah Afzal Moshadi, and Amjad Shehla. "Consumer Ethical Decision Making: Linking
Moral Intensity, Self-Consciousness and Neutralization Techniques." Australasian Accounting,
Business and Finance Journal, 5th ser., 11, no. 1 (2017): 99-103.

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APPLYING MIXED RESEARCH METHODS TO BUSINESS