Antecedents of public participation intention in waste incineration power projects: an empirical study from China

Abstract

To fully investigate the antecedents of public participation intention, a holistic framework was developed by integrating theory of planned behavior (TPB) and norm activation model (NAM), coupling with corporate social responsibility (CSR), community organizational support (COS), and channel availability (CA). Data was collected from questionnaire surveys conducted with nearby residents of three waste incineration power (WIP) projects in China, and was analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that all variables of TPB and NAM, except perceived behavioral control, were validated to positively affect participation intention. Moreover, CSR was found to have a positive effect on participation intention, while CA played a negative role. The positive moderating effect of COS on the relationship between CSR and participation intention was also supported. By comprehending the factors motivating participation in WIP projects, the findings contribute to developing participation intervention policies and addressing Not-In-My-Back-Yard issues of the projects referring to environmental hazard.