Sustainable Luxury Research Articles

Sustainable hospitality practices and the impact of personalized guest experience: A case study of Sheraton Guangzhou Nansha Hotel

This study explores the unique hospitality experience provided by Sheraton Guangzhou Nansha Hotel, focusing on its commitment to sustainability, personalized guest service, and integration of local culture. The research employs observational and participatory methods to examine how these factors contribute to the hotel's exceptional guest experiences, setting it apart as a model of sustainable luxury. Through direct engagement and close observation, the study investigates the impact of the hotel’s initiatives, such as locally sourced products and personalized service touches, on guest satisfaction. The findings reveal that the integration of sustainability into the hotel’s operations not only enhances guest experiences but also supports local communities, presenting a holistic approach to hospitality management. This paper aims to provide insights into how hotels can balance luxury with sustainability and create meaningful, memorable experiences for guests. Keywords: Hospitality, Sustainability, Personalized Service.

Investigating the Critical Factors That Shape Customers’ pro-environmental behavior in luxury hotels

ABSTRACT In the last few years, there has been a shift in consumer behavior toward companies adopting sustainability practices, but luxury hoteliers have not been proactive in adopting such practices. This research investigates the critical factors that impact consumers’ pro-environmental consumption behavior toward luxury hotels. In Study 1, data was collected using projective techniques (n = 46), and in Study 2, an online questionnaire-based survey (n = 272) was conducted with users of luxury hotels. Broadly, the results of Study 1 indicate that consumers associate sustainable luxury hotels with environment-friendly practices, and prefer them over others to experience guilt-free consumption. The results of Study 2 show that pro-environmental values of consumers impact their consumption behavior, both directly and indirectly through pro-environmental self-identity, psychological ownership, environmental certification, and marketer-generated content. The study contributes to the literature by identifying key factors impacting pro-environmental behavior using psychological ownership and cue utilization theories in the luxury hospitality field.

Impact of value-consciousness and brand-self value congruity on sustainable luxury brands and commodities

ABSTRACT Drawing on Self-Congruity and Equity Theories, this research examines the distinct impacts of communicating uniform sustainability initiatives for luxury brands versus commodity brands. This paper introduces a conceptual model that highlights the moderated mediation effect of brand-self value congruity and the three-way moderating effect of value-consciousness on the adverse impact of sustainability on luxury versus commodity brands. The findings from two experimental studies demonstrate that communicating sustainability initiatives has distinct effects on different brands. Specifically, sustainability initiatives enhance the evaluations of commodity brands but diminish the evaluations of luxury brands. The negative impact of sustainability on luxury brands is mediated by brand-self congruity. Moreover, value-consciousness moderates the relationship between sustainability and luxury brands, such that low value-conscious consumers tend to value sustainable luxury brands less than their non-sustainable counterparts, unlike high value-conscious consumers. These findings offer valuable managerial and practical insights for brand managers and communication strategists considering adopting sustainability communication strategies.

A cross-cultural examination of sustainable luxury consumption: a comparative study of social norms, self-control and future orientation in the UK and China

PurposeThe study addresses gaps in sustainable luxury consumption research by analyzing the role of social norms in different cultural settings. It investigates how social norms, self-control, conspicuousness and future orientation shape sustainable luxury consumption in individualistic (UK) versus collectivist (China) national cultures.Design/methodology/approachThe study was based on survey data from British and Chinese luxury product consumers collected through online panels. The final sample included 452 valid responses from the UK and 414 from China. Hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe study found that descriptive norms positively influence sustainable luxury consumption in individualistic (UK) and collectivist (China) cultures. Injunctive norms affect sustainable consumption only in the UK. Future consequences universally impact sustainable consumption. Conspicuous consumption negatively affects preferences for sustainable luxury brands. Self-control enhances the impact of descriptive norms in the UK but reduces the impact of injunctive norms in China.Originality/valueThis study uniquely explores how social norms and cultural influences impact sustainable luxury consumption in individualistic and collectivistic societies. It highlights the moderating role of national culture, providing actionable insights for luxury brands to enhance sustainable consumption with culturally tailored strategies. The research challenges the universality of the theory of normative social behavior, advocating for its refined application across different cultures.

Consumer Buying Behaviour in Sustainable Luxury Fashion

The purpose of this research paper on sustainability in luxury fashion is to analyse the current state of how each gender has a different purchasing behaviour in terms of sustainability practisesin luxury fashion, identify challenges, and contribute to a larger discussion on the role of luxury fashion in shaping a more sustainable and equitable global fashion industry. Chi- square test has been used to determine how gender influences the sustainability of luxury fashion. The two variables in this case are luxury fashion sustainability and gender. To achieve this objective, a primary survey was conducted with a sample of 124 participants who were divided into gender group namely female, male, others and prefer not to say. In this research paper it was found out using data analysis based on the primary survey of 124 respondents on how often do people purchase luxury fashion products that are marketed as sustainable or eco-friendly based on gender. As seen in the table 1,64% percentage of men always purchase fashion products that are marketed as sustainable, which is 29% more than women. 56% of the of the men never buy luxury goods that are more sustainable compared to 44% women who never buy sustainable goods. 53% of women sometimes purchase fashion products that are marketed as sustainable than 47% of the men. The same has been depicted in chart 1. It can be found out that overall men purchase more sustainable goods than women Keywords: sustainability, luxury fashion, purchasing behavior, gender differences, Chi-square test, eco-friendly products, consumer behavior

Sustainable Luxury Stays: Investigating Eco-Friendly Practices in High-End Hotels

The study investigates the connection between sustainable hotel practices and luxury. This is due to the rise in sustainable luxury lodging options as well as increased interest in eco-friendly travel among affluent travellers. This study aims to fill this knowledge gap by focusing on sustainable hotel operations, combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies in a mixed-methods approach. A representative sample of upscale hotels throughout the world was selected using stratified random selection.

‘New’ Luxury or Off-Canon Luxury: A Compendium for the Changing Definition of Classical Luxury

This study aims to present a review for understanding the changing definition of luxury consumption. The ‘new’ luxury concept is shaped by democratization, globalization, sustainability, and meeting luxury with non-western societies. Although the first footsteps of new luxury began to be heard in the early 2000s, studies on this subject started to increase after 2010. This review focuses on 129 studies carried out in 2010-2021 to explain new luxury concept. It was concluded that ‘attainable luxury’, ‘creatable luxury’, ‘sustainable luxury’ and ‘rental (shareable) luxury’ can be components of new luxury. Accordingly, a framework was created, and adjacent keywords were presented with references. Finally, a research agenda for this ‘new’ luxury trend was presented. In contrast to the current many literature reviews on luxury treating the issue as a conservative and classical concept, this study focuses on the ‘new luxury’ and its potential horizons.

From personal to corporate social responsibility: (de)individuation in luxury retailing

PurposeThe New York Times has suggested replacing sustainable fashion with responsible fashion, emphasizing the need for joint efforts by both individual consumers and retailers to take responsibility for their own decisions and actions. This study seeks to investigate the mechanism that activates individuals' personal social responsibility (PSR) and its association with their perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) from a responsible luxury fashion retailer.Design/methodology/approachAn online experiment was conducted with a nationwide US sample of luxury consumers who were randomly assigned to either individuation or deindividuation groups. Covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) and multi-group SEM were employed to test the hypotheses.FindingsIndividuals' universalism positively affected PSR, which then enhanced their recognition of a responsible luxury retailer’s CSR and led to a greater willingness to pay a premium. More importantly, the positive effect of universalism on PSR was strengthened when consumers’ unique individuality, rather than their deindividuated state, was emphasized. Moreover, the moderating effect of individuation was indirectly transmitted through PSR to perceived CSR, hence reinforcing the relationship between PSR and CSR.Originality/valueThis study significantly advances existing scholarship on sustainable luxury retailing and adds rigor to deindividuation theory by demonstrating the central role of PSR and the moderating effect of individuation in enhancing recognition of a luxury fashion retailer’s CSR commitments. The findings provide luxury fashion retailers with communication and marketing strategies that highlight consumers' unique individuality to more effectively activate their sense of personal responsibility and thereby increase their recognition of the retailer’s CSR.

Silent Luxury or Revenge Consumption? Reimagining the World of Luxury and Consumer Purchase Intentions Post-Covid 19

COVID-19 not only sent a health shockwave to the world but also disrupted global economies. Major shifts in luxury consumer behavior emerged as a result of the pandemic. This study aims to empirically investigate luxury purchase patterns in a post-COVID-19 world for different cultural, ethnic, and gender segments. It employs a quantitative survey with a sample of 262 participants to examine whether consumers prefer revenge or silent luxury, in-store or online channels. Results exhibit that high power distance and more masculine consumers favor revenge luxury while low power distance and more feminine ones prefer silent luxury consumption. Females and non-binary genders also exhibit higher purchase intentions for silent, more sustainable luxury consumption than males. Collectivistic, African American consumers are more inclined towards in-store luxury channels than their Non-Hispanic White counterparts. The study findings have several pertinent corporate and managerial implications as the US$1.52 trillion world of luxury is reimagined post-COVID-19.

How Sustainable Luxury Influences Product Value Perceptions and Behavioral Intentions: A Comparative Study of Emerging vs. Developed Markets

How Sustainable Luxury Influences Product Value Perceptions and Behavioral Intentions: A Comparative Study of Emerging vs. Developed Markets

BAWAH RESERVE: EXPLORING THE POSSIBILITIES OF SUSTAINABLE LUXURY TOURISM ON ANAMBAS ISLAND

This article publication aims to examine the Bawah Reserve’s efforts towards sustainability, a luxury resort located on remote and marine conservation area Anambas Island, Indonesia. Its appeal is based on luxury, but it also offers insights into the small island’s nature and community development. By analyzing the content based on the grounded theory approach, this study sheds light on the opportunities that arise when striving for both opulence and environmental responsibility in the context of tourism. The paper attempts to address how eco-luxury is projected by management and perceived by customers and community. A qualitative study was adopted, and the findings identify four themes: Sustainable Management, Sustainable Socioeconomic Benefits, Cultural Heritage and Reduced Cultural Impacts, and Environmental Protection and Conservation. The findings of sustainable tourism practices in Bawah Reserve, such as tourism packages based on natural conservation and community empowerment as well as eco-friendly infrastructure and operations add to the literature review and case studies in the field of sustainable luxury tourism, the majority of which focus on Bali or Maldives. This study offers insights for achieving a harmonious balance between luxury tourism and sustainability on a remote island within the Indonesian context.

Tourists’ Luxury Value and Sustainability Perceptions of South African Exotic Leather Products

Travelling mostly involves expenditure on products beyond daily consumables (i.e. tourism shopping), but sometimes tourists visit a country with the specific intention of acquiring goods unique to that particular context, either for personal or commercial use. This type of “shopping tourism” contributes to the growth of luxury markets such as the exotic leather industry. In stimulating shopping tourism and promoting the local exotic leather industry, it is crucial to understand tourists’ underlying perceptions and sustainable values that influence their luxury shopping behaviour. Using animal skins to create fashion accessories involves several environmental concerns and remains controversial among American and Chinese consumers, who rank among the world’s top luxury goods spenders. This research, therefore, investigated American and Chinese shopping tourists’ luxury value perceptions, sustainability excellence perceptions, and purchase intent for South African exotic leather products. Data was derived from a purposive sample including both American and Chinese tourists, aged 25 years and older, who had either visited South Africa in the past or intended to visit the country soon. A structured online questionnaire consisting of scales adapted from prior empirical research was developed. The English version of the questionnaire was translated into Mandarin and Cantonese for Chinese tourists. Data analysis involved two structural equation models (one based on the American and another on the Chinese tourists’ responses) to test hierarchical relationships among variables. The results confirm that personal luxury value strongly influences sustainability excellence and the purchase intent of exotic leather products for both American and Chinese respondents. These findings highlight the potential of positioning South Africa as a luxury shopping tourism destination for exotic leather products, thus contributing toward economic growth and employment opportunities. However, environmental concerns must be addressed to conform to Eastern and Western tourists' sustainable luxury value perceptions.

Identifying factors influencing purchase intention of sustainable luxury retailing products

PurposeThis study investigated the antecedents influencing purchase intentions of sustainable luxury products using the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) model.Design/methodology/approachThe data were collected from 513 participants through surveys about recent purchases of sustainable luxury products. As part of this study, the authors visited luxury retail outlets in Hyderabad, Mumbai and Chennai, and AMOS version 23 was used to analyze the data.FindingsConsumer trust and attitude (organism) are positively influenced by utilitarian, hedonic, epistemic, social and self-image (SEI) stimuli. Consumer trust and attitude (organism) have a significant impact on sustainable luxury purchase intention (response). In addition, escapism (ESC) moderated the organism–response relationship.Practical implicationsAs a result of the findings regarding utilitarian, hedonistic, epistemic, social and SI aspects of luxury brands, practitioners can develop sustainable marketing strategies that will promote luxury brands.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the existing literature by examining the moderating role of entertainment (ENT) and ESC in the S-O-R model in terms of antecedents influencing the purchase intention of sustainable luxury products. Furthermore, this new model contributes by providing a deeper understanding of sustainable luxury shoppers' intentions in India through analyzing purchase intentions for sustainable luxury products.

Does consumption values and ascribed responsibility predict attitudes towards sustainable luxury brands

PurposeThe young generation (Gen Z and Millennials) has a different set of values that the brand needs to interpret better. There is evidence of a correlation between luxury brands and sustainability. The purpose of this study is to assess the impact of consumers’ consumption values (functional, experiential, and symbolic) and ethical values (ascribed responsibility) through flow experience (FE) on consumers’ attitudes towards sustainable luxury brands (SLB) in the young generation based on stimulus-organism-response theory.Design/methodology/approachThe research design consists of Studies 1 and 2. Study 1 used a structured questionnaire on a sample of 396 respondents based on the scales of luxury consumption values. For Study 2, the authors collected 30 qualitative responses from the target group (young Indian shoppers who indulge in luxury fashion shopping frequently) via open-ended essays. PLS-SEM was used to test the hypothesised relationship.FindingsAs per the results, functional values are the most significant predictors of FE, followed by AR, experiential values and symbolic values. The study also discovered that FE has a substantial influence on the formation of attitudes towards sustainable luxury fashion brands. The qualitative findings were in line with the quantitative findings, except that the respondents have reservations with respect to the authenticity of sustainable initiatives by the brands.Practical implicationsAs the young consumer represents the future development of the luxury market, it is crucial to fully comprehend their view with respect to consumption value and AR in an emerging economy like India, which constitutes one of the highest populations of young consumers. The new research framework will also assist luxury brand managers in the formulation of efficient brand marketing strategies for sustainable luxury apparel.Originality/valuePrevious studies have mainly focused on FE in the context of the service industry. There are limited studies exploring the impact of achieving FE in framing the attitude towards sustainable luxury fashion brands. Academic research in the area so far has limited its scope to quantitative and a few qualitative studies, but this study provides a mixed-methods approach in a luxury setting, contributing to the study’s distinctiveness.

Sustainable luxury brands: the moderating effects of salient identity-based goals

Purpose Luxury brands struggle to communicate their sustainability commitments to consumers due to the perceived incongruence between “luxury” and “sustainability”. This study aims to provide luxury brands with insights on how to engage consumers with different social value orientations (SVOs) to make sustainable luxury purchases in a compatible manner. It investigates the relationships between personal values (symbolism/universalism), SVOs (pro-self/prosocial orientation) and behavioral intentions toward sustainable luxury brands. It further explores whether these relationships may differ when consumers view themselves as individuals (salient personal identity is activated) versus group members (salient social identity is activated). Design/methodology/approach Study 1 (N = 419) used an online experiment in which participants were randomly assigned to either salient personal or social identity conditions to test the proposed model. Study 2 (N = 438) used a fictional brand to further validate the findings. Hypotheses were tested using covariance-based structural equation modeling (CB-SEM) and multi-group SEM. Findings Results indicate that prosocial orientation significantly increases consumers’ behavioral intentions toward sustainable luxury brands. Interestingly, pro-self-orientation can also drive intentions to support sustainable luxury brands when consumers’ personal identity is salient. Salient social identity can further strengthen the relationship between prosocial orientation and sustainable luxury behavioral intentions. Originality/value This study presents a novel, inclusive definition of sustainable luxury brands and adds theoretical rigor to the SVO framework by revealing the moderating role of salient identities, contributing to the body of knowledge in luxury brand research.

Sustainable Luxury Fashion in India: A Case of Grassroot by Anita Dongre

The present case is based on an Indian fashion brand, ‘Grassroot by Anita Dongre’, focusing on sustainable luxury. Fashion designer, Anita Dongre, who is behind the brand, is helping to revive the old Indian art and crafts through its environment-friendly luxury offerings. The present study examine the issues that have aroused in sustainable luxury worldwide. It explores the various sustainable practices and challenges being face by Anita Dongre at her ‘Grassroot by Anita Dongre’ brand for inculcating sustainability. It also traverses the rise of Anita Dongre as one of the most premier fashion designer of India. The current case is an example of how and why Luxury brands should focus on sustainability as a key differentiating factor in an emerging economy like India. In future, we might come across laws and policies for the promotion and development of sustainable practices in the fashion industry, as India being the world’s largest producer of organic cotton has immense potential for future growth.

Leaveraging Digital Twin & Artificial Intelligence in Consumption Forecasting System for Sustainable Luxury Yacht

Leaveraging Digital Twin & Artificial Intelligence in Consumption Forecasting System for Sustainable Luxury Yacht

Editorial: Transnational Business in an Era of Uncertainty

In the dynamic landscape of global business, where boundaries are blurred, markets are interconnected, and technology accelerates the pace of change, uncertainty has become a pervasive force shaping the decisions and strategies of transnational enterprises. We would like to see the forthcoming issues of the Transnational Business and Management Journal delve into the multifaceted realm of uncertainties in global markets, with a particular emphasis on the challenges posed by evolving market dynamics. In this issue, our contributors provide scholarship and case studies on different aspects relevant to transnational business and management practices. The first article titled “Understanding the Role of Social Media in Cryptocurrency Investment” by Nattapong Robkob. The second paper titled “Inclusive Entrepreneurial Intention Among Women Ex-Prisoners in Tunisia” by Bardaa Mohamed Amin. “Evaluating Consumer Behavior Towards Sustainable Luxury Real Estate Investment” is the third article coauthored by Nikhil Sharma and Susan Nwadinachi Akinwalere. The last paper in this issue is a case study titled “Online Luxury Consumer’s Brands Loyalty Among Bangladeshi Women in East London” by Ananya Rahman.

Evaluating Consumer’s Behaviour Towards Investing in Sustainable Luxury Real Estate

This study aimed to explore consumer's investment intentions toward sustainable luxury real estate by examining the impact of their environmental concerns, attitude, subjective norms, perceived behaviour control, and perception of buying/investing in sustainable luxury real estate. The study also looked at how customer gender and age affected the difference between purchase intentions for luxury real estate that is sustainable and luxury real estate that is not sustainable. This study employs a conceptual framework that expands the Theory of Planned Behavior by adding a new dimension (environmental concern), which previous research has shown to be extremely important in influencing customer purchase intentions for sustainable goods. 282 respondents were surveyed online and provided with a questionnaire, which was utilized to gather data. People in the age range of 18 to 40 who live in various parts of the world were the survey's target respondents since environmental concerns are not exclusive to any one nation or geographic area. The Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet was used to code and enter the data, and IBM SPSS version 26 was used for the analysis. The results of the overall modelling testing show a high influence of environmental concern, subjective norm, attitude and consumer perception on consumers’ purchase intention for environmentally sustainable luxury real estate. A considerable disparity between women and men customers as well as between various age groups was found in the research on gender variations in consumer's perceptions of sustainable luxury real estate.

Redefining Luxury: Exploring Sustainable Practices and Ethical Branding in the Green Age

The luxury industry has traditionally been associated with opulence, exclusivity, and a disregard for environmental and social considerations. However, as sustainability becomes a critical global issue, luxury brands are facing the need to adapt and redefine their value propositions. There are a number of challenges that luxury brands face in embracing sustainability. These challenges include: • The high cost of sustainable materials and processes • The lack of consumer demand for sustainable luxury products • The difficulty in communicating the sustainability credentials of luxury brands