Boycott Research Articles

Unpalatable solutions: Consumer resistance towards Insect‐Based foods is moderated by uncertainty avoidance

AbstractTraditional livestock meat poses sustainability challenges, while insect proteins offer a low‐impact alternative. Cultural barriers, such as uncertainty avoidance, hinder widespread acceptance of insect‐based foods, despite a growing market. Research on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions towards insect‐based foods yields mixed results, prompting a meta‐analysis to explore cultural influences and contextual factors. This meta‐analysis investigates consumers’ willingness to try insect‐based food products. Analysis of 24 publications (97 studies, with 13,609 observations; participant Mage = 34.6), supports the notion that consumers around the world are not readily willing to adopt insect‐based food products. Moderating this effect, at the country level, high uncertainty avoidance negatively affects consumers’ intentions to try insect‐based products. Two follow‐up studies replicate the findings of the meta‐analysis, incorporating an individual‐level assessment of the moderating effect of uncertainty avoidance, and testing the mediating effect of food neophobia on consumers’ (un)willingness to adopt insect‐based food products. A third study provides evidence as how to buffer the negative reactions of consumers towards insect‐based foods: after sensory evaluation of a cricket‐flour nacho in a laboratory setting, participants were more willing to try it and generally evaluated the product and the experience more favorably, compared to their previously stated expectations. Theoretical contributions and practical implications for marketing strategy and communication, to overcome the negative perceptions related to insect‐based food, along with limitations and future research directions, are discussed.

Consumer resistance to WhatsApp payment system: integrating innovation resistance theory and SOR framework

PurposeDespite an exponential rise in the frequency of online payments in India, the cause of consumer resistance towards the WhatsApp payment system (WPS) remains unexplored. This research is aimed at exploring the barriers to the adoption of WPS.Design/methodology/approachA research model was proposed using stimulus-organism-response framework and innovation resistance theory. Data were collected from 392 users of the WhatsApp application using the mall intercept technique, which also utilizes digital payment platforms. A co-variance based structural equation modelling was employed to test proposed relationships in this cross-sectional study.FindingsThe study findings indicate that personal innovativeness as a personal stimulus negatively influences the usage and value barrier, while negative word of mouth (NWOM) increases the intensity of tradition and the image barrier. Additionally, value barrier, usage barrier, risk barrier and tradition barrier were found to have a negative influence on the intention to adopt the WhatsApp payment system.Originality/valueThis research is an initial endeavour that sheds light on the consumer cognition resisting the adoption of the WPS.

The strength of stance: The impact of brand activism on resistance to negative information, purchasing, and premium paying intents across different types of failures

This paper represents a pioneering exploration of how brand activism influences consumer responses to performance and value-related failures. Specifically, across two experiments, the research explores how brand activism influences consumer resistance to negative information, purchase intent, and willingness to pay more, in response to product, service, and value-related failures. Study 1 (N = 237) reveals that consumers who are more involved in activism and are exposed to a product failure from activist brands exhibit higher resistance to negative information compared to those who encounter product failures from non-activist brands. This suggests that activist branding may protect companies by cultivating a resilient, loyal consumer base in such adverse situations. Study 2 (N = 261) extends these findings by examining whether value-related (vs service-related) failures impact the buffering effect generated by a brand’s activist stance. Results indicate that activist brands particularly benefit from a protective buffer in the context of service failure scenarios. However, this buffer does not extend to value-related failures, leading to harsher consumer judgments and intentions. The research significantly contributes to brand activism literature by uniquely integrating the themes of brand activism and brand transgressions, exploring how brand activism affects consumer responses to both performance and value-related failures.

Decoding consumer resistance to near-expired products: The role of social stereotyping

Why are consumers reluctant to purchase near-expired products despite the commonly tempting price deals associated with them? Whereas prior literature attributes this phenomenon to various product-related factors (e.g., freshness or quality concerns), we propose that it may also partially stem from consumers’ concern of being stereotyped as stingy; that is, people tend to stereotype the purchasers of near-expired products as stingy, which may in turn motivate consumers to resist these products to maintain their social evaluation. Seven studies—including an IAT (Implicit Association Test) experiment, a field experiment, lab and online experiments—offer converging evidence for the proposed effect. The authors also validate the proposed underlying process by showing that the effect is magnified when price discounts are applied to near-expired products and attenuates when purchases are made privately or when purchasers are imbued with socially desirable characteristics such as being proenvironmental and smart consumers. The authors conclude by highlighting insights for emerging ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) marketing and retailing practices.

Consumer resistance to mobile health consultation: the role of IT affordances and IT identity

Consumer resistance to mobile health consultation: the role of IT affordances and IT identity

Changing Consumer Preferences in the Prefabricated Housing Sector in Hungary: Construction Companies' Experiences and Statistical Data on Consumer Behaviour

The study aims to explore the consumer behaviour of prefabricated house owners, by analysing the insights of 12 managers of domestic construction companies in Hungary. These interviews reveal consumer behaviour and value considerations in purchasing decisions. The study’s strength lies in the relevance of the interviewed firms, representing 20.45% of production value in domestic single-family housing construction in 2022, according to the Central Statistical Office. Data from three housing-related censuses further complements the interview findings. Despite the ecological advantages of technology, the surveyed consumers are characterised as self-conscious, prioritising self-interest factors such as price, speed, predictability, reliability, and low maintenance costs in their choices. The research also indicates that consumer resistance to the concept of prefabricated housing is diminishing, something that is most likely to be due to generational shifts.

How does obsolescence risk influence consumer resistance to smartwatches?

PurposeDue to advances in both software and hardware, obsolescence risk refers to the fear that a product will soon become obsolete, which can be very high for technological products such as smartwatches or smartphones. Drawing on the perceived risk theory and innovation resistance, this study examines the effects of different obsolescence risks on consumer resistance to smartwatches.Design/methodology/approachA sequential explanatory approach using a mixed method was adopted in this study. In Study 1, we conducted semi-structured and in-depth face-to-face interviews with 16 individuals to identify the most important obsolescence risks affecting consumers’ resistance to smartwatches. This qualitative study develops a novel theoretical model based on interpretive results, including technological, economic, functional, and aesthetic obsolescence risks. In Study 2, we tested our theoretical model by applying partial least-squares structural equation modeling to a sample of 298 smartwatch users.FindingsThe results show that consumer resistance to smartwatches is affected by technological, economic, functional, and aesthetic obsolescence risks.Originality/valueAlthough most extant studies have focused on the factors influencing the adoption and use of consumer electronics, little is known about the role of obsolescence risk in consumers’ resistance to these products.

Pengaruh Aktivis Mahasiswa Dalam Perubahan Sosial Politik Di Era Digital 5.0

The study explores how student activists at the Islamic State University of North Sumatra (UINSU) influence the socio-political dynamics of the digital era 5.0. This era is marked by technological advances that integrate the physical, digital, and biological worlds, thus providing a new platform for student activism. Student activists not only act as agents of change through social and political activities, but they also use digital technology to expand their influence. The research uses a survey method with structured questionnaires distributed to UINSU student activists, as well as a qualitative approach to gaining an in-depth understanding of their views, attitudes, and experiences of socio-political change. Research findings indicate that student activists effectively use social media and digital technology for campaigns and mobilization. Through social media and internet platforms, activists can quickly mobilize people and draw attention to key topics such as gender equality, climate change, and human rights on a global scale. In the digital age of 5.0, student activists can also more successfully challenge existing forces by using digital tactics, including online campaigns, digital petitions, and online boycott movements, in addition to conducting physical demonstrations in public spaces. They not only use technology as a tool of struggle, but also as a new space for building critical awareness and solidarity. However, the research also finds challenges faced by student activists, such as the spread of disinformation and hoaxes, digital gaps, and technology access. Nonetheless, student activists continue to adapt quickly and innovate to overcome these barriers. The study provides significant insights into the role of digital technology in student activism and its implications for healthy political participation in the digital age 5.0, as well as solutions to strengthen the integrity of democracy at the local level.

Adoption of contact tracing app during pandemic: Users’ resistance behavior

ObjectivesThe study investigates the key issues influencing different barriers resulting in user resistance toward adopting contact tracing smartphone apps launched to track COVID-19 infections. MethodsIndian users’ experiences regarding the Aarogya Setu app for preventing the spread of COVID-19 were examined in two phases. In Phase I, online users’ comments available at the Google Play Store were qualitatively analyzed using open and axial coding. These codes were then used to create an implication matrix and hierarchical value maps to illustrate and interpret the relationships between issues, barriers, and user behavior. In Phase II, a supplementary empirical study, data was collected from users and non-users of the app through semi-structured telephone interviews and then qualitatively analyzed. ResultsBy drawing on innovation resistance theory, the current study mapped a set of adoption barriers with three types of user resistance, i.e., postponement, opposition, and rejection. Rejection emerged as the most prominent consumer resistance behavior; usage barriers, functional risk, and value barriers related to the app's usage were the key drivers of this behavior. Postponement was the second most observed consumer resistance behavior. If usage barriers, functional risk, and value barriers of the app resulted in functional barriers toward adoption of the app, then image barrier was the key reason behind the psychological barrier. ConclusionAdministrators and developers of future interventions need to be conscious of usage barriers, functional risks, and value barriers related to the app's usage through stakeholder engagement to secure broader and faster adoption of such apps to improve health information systems.

Creating a healthy and sustainable food environment to promote plant-based food consumption: clear barriers and a gradual transition

BackgroundA shift away from diets high in animal-based foods towards diets high in plant-based foods is desirable considering human health, environmental sustainability, and animal welfare. As the food environment plays a crucial role in shaping consumption patterns, understanding of how changes in the food environment can facilitate plant-based consumption is crucial for the so-called protein transition. The current study aims to garner insight into barriers and facilitators for food outlet managers to take action to stimulate plant-based consumption within a local food environment.MethodsUsing a maximum-variation sample approach, we examined possible barriers and facilitators to promote plant-based consumption across different types of food outlets located within a geographically shared food environment (a city in the Netherlands). We conducted in-depth semi-structured interviews among food outlet managers and applied multi-stage thematic analysis to the interview transcripts.ResultsMost managers underscored the urgency of shifting towards more plant-based diets, and perceived a growing demand for plant-based products. However, three barriers hindered most of them from taking decisive action: Managers’ perception of low consumer demand for plant-based food options; fear of consumer resistance when stimulating plant-based food options; and limited behavioral agency to offer attractive plant-based food options. The few managers who made changes, or intend to make changes, are individuals with high intrinsic motivation, knowledge and skills.ConclusionsThe present work suggests the key for change towards a food environment stimulating plant-based consumption lies in addressing three (perceived) barriers shared among diverse outlets. These are partly different from barriers for stimulating healthy consumption in general. Furthermore, current changes appear to be driven incidentally by individuals who are motivated and able to stimulate more plant-based purchases among a small targeted group of consumers.

A STUDY OF THE INTERRELATIONSHIP BETWEEN SWITCHING COSTS AND CONSUMERS RESISTANCE TO SWITCHING BRAND LOYALTY IN INDIAN MOBILE MARKET

To keep customers loyal to their brand is the main problem for companies in the mobile telecommunications market today. This research examines how and why consumers resist switching from one brand to another when they want to maintain loyalty, but there are many drawbacks associated with this. Interviews will be scheduled for qualitative data while quantitative data will also be collected through surveys so as to establish what makes consumer loyalty tick by understanding the impact of monetary and non-monetary switching costs on brand-switching behaviour across various industries including Indian’s Mobile Market. The researchers discover that although some customers might switch brands due to costs related to contract termination, handset subsidy, among others; however non-monetary switching expenses such as inconvenience and perceived risk tend to play an equal role in influencing customers’ willingness to shift. Additionally, it provides insights on how switching costs interact with consumer resistance towards changing brands, thereby highlighting intricate dynamics at work. Therefore, it is a significant study that contributes both theoretical knowledge and practical aspects of enhancing brand loyalty and reducing customer churn in a highly competitive Indian telecom industry. As a result, marketing managers can use the knowledge about interaction between consumer behaviour and switching costs as an input into their decisions making process. KEYWORDS: Switching Costs, Brand loyalty, Consumer resistance, Mobile marketing, Indian marketing, Customer Behaviour, Competitive advantage, Marketing strategy.

Race in Consumer Research: Past, Present, and Future

Abstract Race has been a market force in society for centuries. Still, the question of what constitutes focused and sustainable consumer research engagement with race remains opaque. We propose a guide for scholars and scholarship that extends the current canon of race in consumer research toward understanding race, racism, and related racial dynamics as foundational to global markets and central to consumer research efforts. We discuss the nature, relevance, and meaning of race for consumer research and offer a thematic framework that critically categorizes and synthesizes extant consumer research on race along the following dimensions: (1) racial structuring of consumption and consumer markets, (2) consumer navigation of racialized markets, and (3) consumer resistance and advocacy movements. We build on our discussion to guide future research that foregrounds racial dynamics in consumer research and offers impactful theoretical and practical contributions.

‘Meat’ the influencers: Crafting authentic endorsements that drive willingness to buy cultured meat

Cultured meat is a promising substitute for regular meat, but its introduction faces challenges and expected consumer resistance. While some studies investigate how communication strategies and advertising appeals can address these concerns, the role of social media influencers in promoting cultured meat adoption remains yet to be explored. Across two online experimental studies involving 752 participants recruited from Prolific, this research investigates how influencer type (micro- vs. mega-influencer) affects consumers' willingness to buy cultured meat. Study 1 reveals that consumers are more willing to buy cultured meat when it is endorsed by micro- rather than mega-influencers. Further, perceived endorsement authenticity mediates this effect such that micro-influencers endorsements are perceived as more authentic than those of mega-influencers. Study 2 demonstrates that these effects are moderated by influencer expertise and type of meat, where micro-influencers with health (but not fashion) expertise have a more pronounced impact on increasing willingness to purchase cultured meat (but not regular meat). This research provides theoretical insights into how consumers perceive influencer endorsements for cultured meat. These findings aim to enhance consumer acceptance of cultured meat while offering actionable guidance for practitioners on promoting cultured meat brands on social media.

Consumer resistance diminishes environmental gains of dietary change

The environmental gains of dietary change are often assessed in relation to average national diets, overlooking differences in individual consumption habits and people’s willingness to change. This study combines microdata on food intake and consumer behaviour to elicit the likely environmental gains of dietary shifts. We focus on the Netherlands owing to the country’s ambition to halve its dietary footprint by 2050. Linking food recall survey data from a cross-section of the population (n = 4313), life cycle inventory analysis for 220 food products, and behavioural survey data (n = 1233), we estimate the dietary footprints of consumer groups across water, land, biodiversity and greenhouse gas (GHG). We find that meat and dairy significantly contribute to the dietary GHG footprint (59%), land footprint (54%), and biodiversity footprint (59%) of all consumer groups and that male consumers impose a 30%–32% greater burden than women across these impact areas. Our scenario analysis reveals that simply replacing cow milk with soy milk could reduce the GHG, land and biodiversity footprints by ≈8% if widely adopted by the Dutch adult population. These footprints could be further reduced to ≈20% with full adoption of the EAT-Lancet diet but with a significantly increased blue water footprint. However, when incorporating gender- and age-specific willingness to reduce meat and dairy consumption, the environmental gains resulting from partial adoption of the No-Milk diet and EAT diet diminish to a mere ≈0.8% and ≈4.5%, respectively. Consequently, consumer motivation alone is insufficient to realise the significant environmental gains often promised by dietary change. Yet, substituting high-impact food products offers a near-term opportunity to accelerate a rapid sustainable dietary transition. Future studies on sustainable dietary transition must incorporate consumer behaviour to fully comprehend the lock-in of food consumption patterns and targeted policy action required to secure a sustainable food future.

리테일 서비스 로봇 저항요인에 관한 연구

리테일 서비스 로봇 저항요인에 관한 연구

Investigating the impact of customer innovation characteristics on resistance to innovation: Case study of smartphone adoption in Erbil, Iraq

This research explores consumer resistance to smartphone innovation in the Erbil/Iraq, uncovering several significant findings. The main goal of the study was to identify the consumer characteristics that influence this resistance and its implications. For smartphone manufacturers, marketers, representatives, and researchers, this study offers a comprehensive understanding of consumer behavior and resistance to technological progress. The results can guide targeted strategies to overcome barriers, improve product development, and increase market share. The study contributes to our understanding of innovation resistance in the unique context of the Erbil/Iraq, highlighting the importance of conducting thorough investigations in similar circumstances. In light of the findings of the demographic survey, a significant portion of respondents were young people, supporting the widely held belief that young individuals are more likely to adopt new technology. However, the study emphasizes that age is not the sole determinant of resistance to innovation. The diminished impact of income, marital status, and gender on resistance indicates a complex interplay of factors. Conversely, a higher level of education was associated with a greater likelihood of embracing smartphone innovation. The study delved into various aspects of innovation and revealed that self-efficacy, motivation, complexity, perceived risk, and expectations of a superior product all significantly influenced consumer resistance. Resistance showed a negative correlation with self-efficacy as a psychological trait, suggesting that individuals with higher levels of self-efficacy were less resistant to smartphone innovation. Conversely, higher levels of complexity, perceived risk, expectations of a better product, and motivation were linked to increased resistance, highlighting the crucial role of behavioral and psychological characteristics in shaping consumer attitudes towards innovation. Relative advantage did not appear to have a significant influence, while compatibility and attitudes towards current products were deemed insignificant predictors of resistance. These findings underscore the intricate nature of innovation resistance and demonstrate that socio-demographic traits alone are insufficient as predictors. Consumer resistance is largely shaped by psychological elements such as self-efficacy, motivation, expectations, complexity, and perceived risk.

An Unclaimed Arab League Victory: The Foreign Office–Led Cessation of Kuwaiti Oil to Haifa

ABSTRACT In 1952, the Anglo-Iranian Oil Company and Shell were clandestinely shipping Kuwaiti oil to the Haifa refinery (owned by the same companies) to meet Israel’s growing energy needs. Later that year, aided by the advent of German reparations, the companies agreed to further supply Kuwaiti oil to the Israel Fuel Corporation for it to refine. By 1953, Kuwait became the leading source of crude oil to the Haifa refinery. That February, the Arab League publicly stated that it wanted the Gulf countries to join its economic boycott on Israel and, as a result, received a public assurance from the ruler of Kuwait that his country, still a British protectorate, would not be used as a ‘bridge for trade with Israel’. From that moment onwards, and with the shipments under investigation by the Arab League, a monthslong debate emerged between the British government and the oil companies over whether to wait for an Arab League–inspired directive from the ruler forbidding these shipments, which would grant the organisation a moral victory at the expense of British interests, or to anticipate the event by ceasing of their own accord for maximum convenience at the expense of Israel. The Foreign Office, which forcefully pushed for cessation despite resistance from other government bodies and the oil companies, ultimately had its way and managed to pre-empt an Arab League hammer in the making that might have driven a wedge between the United Kingdom and what had become her most prized foreign asset, Kuwait.

Complement or substitute? A study of the impact of artificial intelligence on consumers’ resistance

PurposeArtificial intelligence (AI) is experiencing growth and prosperity worldwide because of its convenience and other benefits. However, AI faces challenges related to consumer resistance. Thus, drawing on the user resistance theory, this study explores factors that influence consumers’ resistance to AI and suggests ways to mitigate this negative influence.Design/methodology/approachThis study tested four hypotheses across four studies by conducting lab experiments. Study 1 used a questionnaire to verify the hypothesis that AI’s “substitute” image leads to consumer resistance to AI; Study 2 focused on the role of perceived threat as an underlying driver of resistance to AI. Studies 3–4 provided process evidence by the way of a measured moderator, testing whether AI with servant communication style and literal language style is resisted less.FindingsThis study showed that AI’s “substitute” image increased users' resistance to AI. This occurs because the substitute image increases consumers’ perceived threat. The study also found that using servant communication and literal language styles in the interaction between AI and consumers can mitigate the negative effects of AI-substituted images.Originality/valueThis study reveals the mechanism of action between AI image and consumers’ resistance and sheds light on how to choose appropriate image and expression styles for AI products, which is important for lowering consumer resistance to AI.

Book Review: Consumer Activism Promotional Culture and Resistance

Book Review: Consumer Activism Promotional Culture and Resistance

"we are what we have... And we love what we have": resisting resistance

Supported by a postmodern view of consumption, the author of this article recognizes as legitimate and pertinent to consider the theme “consumer resistance” as a growing and relevant aspect in the study of the areas of Marketing and Consumer Behavior. However, it is postulated that more radical resistance behaviors on the part of consumers, especially boycotting, may result in ineffective effects in some types of market. This proposition is anchored in the prominent need to create, reinforce and extend the so-called self of consumers, especially when their consumption relationships are based on emotional aspects, as observed in offers related to sport, in which the sense of connoisseur or fan appears to violate the logic of exit or repudiation of brands, products or companies. In this way, the so-called fragility of the concept of boycott is proposed, considered as one of the most radical manifestations of resistance and also considered as one of the ways out of the market logic then in force through the real transfer and exercise of power by part of consumers. My arguments suggest that such a boycott may contain propositions considered innocuous or without practical effect in some consumer relations, such as those characterized and governed by fanaticism. In this way, this article suggests that emotions – an intrinsic characteristic of the aforementioned market – exert a moderating effect on the relationship between companies/entities and consumers, a fact that would make boycott efforts less likely, and continuous acts of extension of the so-called self more evident.