Abstract
The work aims to achieve a better understanding of firms’ green strategy, and specifically, in the false green strategy called greenwashing, and the relationships between greenwashing (GW) and behaviour intention (BI), and how this relationship is affected by word of mouth (WOM) and corporative social responsability (CRS). A survey was conducted and 198 valid and complete online questionnaires were collected from users of urban mobility apps (Blablacar and Amovens) in Spain. The structural equation modeling technique partial least squares (PLS-SEM) was used to test the proposed research model and hypothesized relationships. The results of our study indicate that the direct relationship between GW and BI is not supported, although the indirect relationship through WOM and CRS is significant, so that both become mediating variables of the GW and BI relationship. The paper also analyzes the direct relationships between GW, CRS, WOM and BI, so that the direct effects GW and CRS; CRS and WOM; and WOM and BI are significant. This empirical study analyzes the effect of GW, which has not been studied much, especially in empirical research. The study analyzes several variable consequences of GW and analyzes mediating effects of CRS and WOM on the GW and BI relationship. The study also includes two behavioral indicators, WOM and BI, in a research model, and, additionally, the study demonstrates the relationship between GW and perceived CRS.
Highlights
In a review of the literature since the 1990s, we found the many businesses [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]and researchers that benefited from green marketing continue to rely on these benefits nearly 30 years later [13,14,15,16]
Hypotheses H1, H3, H5 and H7 are fulfilled, this last one being the hypothesis formulated about total mediation of GW over behaviour intention (BI) through Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and word of mouth (WOM)
Once the model is proposed and the data collected in our field work is obtained, the results show us that the market knowledge of the unethical activities of the companies has a significant influence on different variables, which can influence the BI in a direct or indirect way
Summary
In a review of the literature since the 1990s, we found the many businesses [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]and researchers that benefited from green marketing continue to rely on these benefits nearly 30 years later [13,14,15,16]. There is a trend in the literature on the opposite side of green marketing since, as a consequence of the concept, consumers are discovering the opportunistic advantages that companies have towards these environmental advantages [18]. In this sense, companies that promote their products using the support of the environment have apparently become “greener” in recent years [19]. One of the concepts about greenwashing (GW) most accepted by the research community was taken up by researchers Parguel et al [25], defining it as “the practices carried out by companies to appeal the excessive functionality of their product on Sustainability 2021, 13, 6720.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
