Determinant factors of responsible consumer behaviour – the case of electric vehicles in Morocco

Czynniki determinujące odpowiedzialne zachowania konsumenckie – przykład pojazdów elektrycznych w Maroku

The automotive industry faces the challenge of adopting green strategies to align with sustainable development goals. Green marketing and sustainable consumption have gained attention in recent years. The global automotive industry has prioritized the development and promotion of energy-efficient vehicles powered by alternative energy sources. Understanding green consumption behaviours holistically, including social purchasing preferences, is essential to encouraging the adoption of electric vehicles. This article investigates the determinants of green consumer behaviour in the electric vehicle market. Using a mixed-methods approach, qualitative findings were applied to develop hypotheses, which were subsequently tested through quantitative analysis. The study confirms the relevance of the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory in explaining pro-environmental behaviours. While qualitative insights highlight the importance of values such as pollution reduction and climate change mitigation, quantitative results indicate that Moroccan consumers value technical features, such as innovation, over environmental factors. Electric vehicles are perceived as symbols of sustainability and modernity.

 

Przemysł motoryzacyjny staje przed wyzwaniem wdrażania „zielonych” strategii, zgodnych z celami zrównoważonego rozwoju. W ostatnich latach wzrosło zainteresowanie marketingiem ekologicznym i zrównoważoną konsumpcją. Globalny przemysł motoryzacyjny koncentruje się na rozwoju i promowaniu energooszczędnych pojazdów zasilanych alternatywnymi źródłami energii. Zrozumienie zielonych zachowań konsumenckich w sposób holistyczny, uwzględniając preferencje społeczne, jest kluczowe dla promocji pojazdów elektrycznych. Niniejszy artykuł analizuje czynniki determinujące zielone zachowania konsumenckie na rynku pojazdów elektrycznych. Zastosowano podejście mieszane, w którym wyniki jakościowe posłużyły do sformułowania hipotez testowanych metodami ilościowymi. Badanie potwierdza przydatność teorii wartości–- przekonań–norm (VBN) w wyjaśnianiu zachowań proekologicznych. Chociaż wyniki jakościowe podkreślają znaczenie wartości, takich jak redukcja zanieczyszczeń i przeciwdziałanie zmianom klimatu, wyniki ilościowe wskazują, że marokańscy konsumenci bardziej cenią innowacje technologiczne niż czynniki środowiskowe. Pojazdy elektryczne postrzegane są jako symbole zrównoważonego rozwoju i nowoczesności.

References/Bibliografia

Ajzen, I., & Fishbein, M. (1975). La théorie du comportement planifié. Comportement organisationnel et processus de décision humaine. Addison Wesley.

Axsen, J., & Kurani, K. S. (2013). Developing sustainability-oriented values: Insights from households in a trial of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles. Global Environmental Change, 23(1), 70–80. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloenvcha.2012.08.002

Bai, G. L., & Wan, C. Y. (2012). Investigation on green consumption status and influencing factors of urban residents. Consumer Economy, (2), 92–94+57.

Bian, T. (2020). A review on green consumption. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 615, 012029. https://doi.org/10.1088/1755-1315/615/1/012029

Chan, R. Y. K., & Lau, L. B. Y. (2002). Explaining green purchasing behavior: A cross-cultural study on American and Chinese consumers. Journal of International Consumer Marketing, 14(2–3), 9–40. https://doi.org/10.1300/J046v14n02_02

Chen, X. (2007). Perception environnementale, comportement des consommateurs et recherche en marketing écologique. Université de Jiangnan.

Choi, S., Jang, J., & Kandampully, J. (2015). Application of the extended VBN theory to understand consumers' decisions about green hotels. International Journal of Hospitality Management, 51, 87–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhm.2015.08.004

Choi, Y., Kim, J., & Woo, J. (2016). Understanding the impact of the United Nations Framework Convention on climate change on national policies: The case of Morocco. Journal of Environmental Policy and Planning, 18(4), 456–475. https://doi.org/10.1080/1523908X.2016.1143357

Dahlstrand, U., & Biel, A. (1997). Pro-environmental habits: Propensity levels in behavioral change. Journal of applied Social Psychology, 27(7), 588–601. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1559-1816.1997.tb00650.x

Dentelski, D., Damari, R., Marmor, Y., Niv, A., Roses, M., & Dubi, Y. (2023). Ninety-nine percent? Re-examining the consensus on the anthropogenic contribution to climate change. Climate, 11(11), 215. https://doi.org/10.3390/cli11110215

Egbue, O., & Long, S. (2012). Barriers to widespread adoption of electric vehicles: An analysis of consumer attitudes and perceptions. Energy Policy, 48, 717–729. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enpol.2012.06.009

Elkington, J., & Hailes, J. (1987). Green consumer guide. Gollancz.

Geiger, S. M., Fischer, D., & Schrader, U. (2021). Measuring what matters in sustainable consumption: An integrative framework for the selection of relevant behaviors. Sustainability Science, 16(3), 1007–1021. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11625-021-00907-0

Han, H., Yu, J., & Kim, H. (2022). Roles of value-belief-norm theory in sustainable tourism: A study on tourists' pro-environmental behavior intentions. Tourism Management, 90, 104494. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tourman.2022.104494

Hannach, M., Abouaomar, A., & El Alaoui, A. (2023). Exploring barriers to electric vehicle adoption in Morocco: A qualitative study. Journal of Cleaner Transport, 15, 32–45.

He, A. Z., Li, T. W., & Gai, Y. T. (2011). The impact of urban residents' concern for low-carbon interests and their awareness of low-carbon responsibility on low-carbon consumption-analysis of the differences between East, Middle and West Based on Multi-Group Structural Equation Model. China Soft Science, 8, 185–192.

Huang, Y., Qian, Y., & Yang, X. (2020). Understanding the adoption of electric vehicles in China: Technology adoption and environmental awareness. Journal of Cleaner Production, 265, 121731. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.121731

International Energy Agency (IEA). (2023). Global EV Outlook 2023. Catching up with climate ambitions. https://www.iea.org/reports/global-evoutlook-2023

Jansson, J., Marell, A., & Nordlund, A. (2017). Exploring consumer adoption of a high involvement eco-innovation using value-belief-norm theory. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 16(5), 356–365. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1632

Jiang, Y. H., Wu, Q. Q., Li, M., Gu, Y. L., & Yang, J. (2023). What is affecting the popularity of new energy vehicles? A systematic review based on the public perspective. Sustainability, 15(18), 13471. https://doi.org/10.3390/su151813471

Joshi, Y., & Rahman, Z. (2019). Investigating the dynamics of green consumption and its determinants: A systematic literature review and future research agenda. Business Strategy and the Environment, 28(4), 459–478. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2273

Lane, B., & Potter, S. (2007). The adoption of cleaner vehicles in the UK: Exploring the consumer attitude-action gap. Journal of Cleaner Production, 15(11–12), 1085–1092. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2006.05.026

Li, J. X. (2006). Analyse et mise en lumiere des facteurs d'influence des achats verts. Journal des étudiants de l'Université des sciences et technologies de Changsha: édition des sciences sociales, 70–74.

Lui, Z. Y., & Yang, S. Q. (2004). Recherche sur les caractéristiques du mode de vie des consommateurs verts. Revue de gestion de Nankai, 4–10.

Luo, C., Tai, X. J., & Zheng, Q. C. (2009). Empirical research on consumers' purchasing tendency of safe food-survey findings from Xiamen. Journal of Xi'an Jiaotong University: Social Science, 29, 20–27.

Moisander, J. (2007). Complexité motivationnelle du consumérisme vert. Wiley. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1470-6431.2007.00586.x

Moscovici, S. (1961). La psychanalyse, son image et son public. Presses Universitaires de France.

Newbold, P., Carlson, W. L. & Thorne B. (2012). Statistics for Business and Economics (8th Edition). Pearson.

Oliver, A., Sovacool, B. K., & Brossmann, B. (2020). Cross-cultural preferences for electric vehicles and charging infrastructure in Europe. Transport Policy, 85, 1–13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tranpol.2019.11.004

Patel, S., Klerk, A. de, & Hayes, K. (2022). Barriers and drivers of green consumption in emerging economies: Insights from behavioral models. Journal of Consumer Behavior, 21(6), 987–999. https://doi.org/10.1002/cb.1912

Qiu, H., Wang, F., & Zhao, X. (2012). Study on consumers' green purchase intention in China. Journal of Industrial Engineering & Engineering Management, 26(4), 1–8.

Rezvani, Z., Jansson, J., & Bodin, J. (2015). Advances in consumer adoption of alternative fuel vehicles: A meta-analysis. Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment, 34, 14–31.

Schwartz, S. (1992). Universals in the content and structure of values: Theoretical advances and empirical tests in 20 countries. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 25. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2601(08)60281-6

Si, L. (2002). Recherche empirique sur le concept et le comportement de consommation verte des consommateurs chinois. Économie de la consommation, 5, 39–42.

Stern, P. C., Dietz, T., Abel, T., Guagnano, G. A., & Kalof, L. (1999). A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: The case of environmentalism. Human Ecology Review, 6(2), 81–97.

Stern. (2000). New environmental theories: Toward a coherent theory of environmentally significant behavior. Journal of Social Issues, 56(3), 407–424. https://doi.org/10.1111/0022-4537.00175

Tarkiainen, A., & Sundqvist, S. (2005). Subjective norms, attitudes and intentions of Finnish consumers in buying organic food. British Food Journal 107(11), 808–822. https://doi.org/10.1108/00070700510629760

Verges, P. (1989). Représentations sociales de l'économie. Revue Internationale de Psychologie Sociale, 2(3), 273–299.

Wang, D., Yu, Z., Liu, H., Cai, X., & Zhang, Z. (2024). Green consumption, environmental regulation and carbon emissions – An empirical study based on a PVAR model. Sustainability, 16(3), 1024. https://doi.org/10.3390/su16031024

Wang, M. (2006). Réflexion philosophique sur la consommation verte. Fuzhou. Université normale du Fujian.

Wang, S., Wang, J., & Li, J. (2021). Consumer attitudes and purchase intentions toward renewable energy vehicles: Integrating technology acceptance and environmental concern. Renewable Energy, 163, 12–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.renene.2020.09.070

Wang, X., & Hao, J. (2020). Sustainable consumption and production: Consumers' behavioral intentions toward green consumption. Journal of Cleaner Production, 256, 120721. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.120721

Webster, F. E., Jr. (1975). Determining the characteristics of the socially conscious consumer. Journal of Consumer Research, 188–196. https://doi.org/10.1086/208631

World Bank. (2022). Transport decarbonization in Morocco. https://thedocs.worldbank.org/en/doc/006e680515c79d607a63c2a64933b12c-0280012023/original/TK-Note-Transport-Decarbonization-2ndDraft-04Apr2022.pdf

Yu, W. (2009). Analysis on the formation mechanism of consumers' green consumption behavior: From the perspective of group pressure and environmental cognition. Consumer Economy, 4, 75–77.