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Greenhushing: the deliberate under communicating of sustainability practices by tourism businesses
Journal of Sustainable Tourism
Abstract
Greenhushing selectively communicates fewer pro-sustainability actions by businesses than are practiced; based on a perception of customers’ rights to consumerism. We first studied the gap between the communication of sustainability practices in the audits and websites of 31 small rural tourism businesses in the Peak District National Park (UK). The analysis showed that businesses only communicate 30% of all the sustainability actions practiced. Their websites emphasised customer benefits, using explicit, affective, experiential and active language that legitimises the customers’ hedonistic use of the landscape, while downplaying complex issues and normalising sustainability to reduce customer guilt. Just one website mentioned climate change. We found that greenhushing results from a low moral intensity, masking potentially negative consequences of perceived lower competence, whilst protecting business from more cynical consumers who may interpret their statements as hypocritical. Subsequent textual analysis and interviews were used to understand how communication constitutes these organisations. We propose that greenhushing reshapes and constitutes tourism businesses through their communications. Moreover, greenhushing is a form of public moralisation that adopts communication practices similar to greenwashing, reflecting the social norms expected from a business; however, in this case, located in a moral muteness, rather than moral hypocrisy, that businesses accept but resent.
... Meanwhile, many vocal green firms truly advocate and publicize their involvement with sustainable efforts (Delmas & Burbano, 2011); not all companies are engaged in this communication, even though they are highly committed to sustainable issues. This strategy of under-communicating green efforts is called greenhushing (Falchi et al., 2022;Font et al., 2017). ...
... The expression greenhushing was coined in 2008 by a brand strategist, Jerry Stifelman, and introduced by Font et al. (2017) in the academic setting. While the current body of literature may not be as extensive as other terms, such as "greenwashing," scholars and business leaders are growing interested in this strategy. ...
... To expand the number of articles in our database, we explored scientific papers that used Font et al. (2017) as one of their references. Font's article was the first to mention "greenhushing" and became an essential reference for authors studying this topic. ...
Purpose: Our paper explores how “not communicating” or “under communicating” is addressed in academic literature and the resulting impact on sustainability marketing and communication. Design/methodology/approach: This study conducted a systematic literature review with 21 documents, exploring the effects of under-communication on sustainability marketing and consumer behavior considering the terminology of “greenblushing,” “silent green,” and “silent sustainability” firms. We search documents published until December 2023 on Web of Science (WoS), Scopus, and Google Scholar. Findings: The studies follow three main discussions: the categorization regarding companies’ sustainability communication versus commitment, the effects of greenhushing as a message style, and why companies choose not to disclose their sustainability efforts. Theoretical/methodological contributions: This study proposes a future research agenda and encourages thoughtful consideration of the practical and theoretical aspects of understanding the “why,” “how,” and “when” companies should not communicate. Relevance and originality: Considering that communication is the connection between the company and consumers, not communicating can be considered counterintuitive. Recognized as the opposite of greenwashing, greenhushing has been gaining space in academic discussions.
... Traditionally, tourism operators and marketers accentuate the sustainable attributes of domestic cycling tourism, often neglecting or minimising the environmental costs associated with travel behaviours, notably car usage. This phenomenon, termed "greenhushing", involves deliberately underrepresenting or omitting specific environmental impacts to maintain a favourable public perception [7]. In domestic cycling tourism, greenhushing may manifest when tourism operators emphasise the eco-friendly essence of cycling while failing to acknowledge the emissions resulting from car travel that typically precede cycling activities. ...
... Second, the concept of "double pollution", which encompasses emissions from car travel and cycling activities, has received limited attention in the literature [13,14]. Third, while the issue of greenwashing has been widely discussed, the more subtle practice of "greenhushing"-the intentional underreporting of negative environmental impacts-has yet to be thoroughly examined within the context of cycling tourism [7,15]. This research addresses these gaps by critically analysing the dual environmental impact of cycling tourism and assessing the prevalence of greenhushing practices in Slovenia's tourism sector. ...
... The authors of [7] highlighted that greenhushing often occurs in industries where eco-friendly branding is central to consumer appeal, as disclosing total environmental costs could harm a brand's reputation. ...
This study investigates the environmental and socioeconomic dimensions of domestic cycling tourism in Slovenia, focusing on “double pollution” and “greenhushing” practices. The aim is to evaluate the sustainability of cycling tourism by examining its indirect environmental impacts, particularly emissions from ancillary travel behaviours such as car usage to reach cycling destinations. Utilizing data from 2011 to 2021, this research employs factor analyses using the principal component analysis (PCA) extraction method and vector autoregression (VAR) modelling to explore relationships between key socioeconomic, environmental, and tourism-related variables. This study identifies three common factors influencing cycling tourism: (1) socioeconomic and urban dynamics, (2) tourism-driven environmental factors, and (3) climatic sustainability challenges. Results highlight that cycling tourism contributes to emissions due to associated car travel, counteracting its eco-friendly image. Findings reveal that favourable economic conditions and urbanisation drive tourism demand, while increased tourist arrivals correlate with higher emissions. This study also uncovers greenhushing, where stakeholders underreport the environmental costs of cycling tourism, leading to mistaken perceptions of its sustainability. This study concludes that, while domestic cycling tourism supports economic growth and health, its environmental benefits are compromised by ancillary emissions. Transparent environmental reporting, enhanced public transport, and local bike rental systems are recommended to mitigate these challenges and align cycling tourism with Slovenia’s sustainability goals.
... With the advent of several difficulties caused by greenwashing practices, the number of greenwashing-related publications from different sectors started to increase (Alevizou, 2021;Bernardo and Pereiro, 2020;Brydges et al., 2022;Font et al., 2017;Guo et al., 2014;Ha et al., 2022;Herzog, 2020;Montero-Navarro et al., 2021;Sailer et al., 2022;Zhang et al., 2022). Indirectly, this also contributes to the increased interest among scientists in greenwashing investigations. ...
... Although the shift in consumer attitudes was described in many sectors, previous studies suggest that businesses tend to respond to that with the introduction of more and more greenwashing practices instead of well-accountable efforts, such as in the food sector (Guyader et W.S. Nugraha et al. Cleaner and Responsible Consumption 15 (2024) 100227 (Font et al., 2017), fashion (Rausch and Kopplin, 2021), and beauty industry (Alevizou, 2021). The growing number of greenwashing incidents throughout the world has prompted a rise in the number of social and environmental audits to address the absence of public monitoring and verification (Seele and Gatti, 2017). ...
... After investigating each current cluster, it was determined that there is a major gap in greenwashing studies, notably greenwashing, which focuses more on the food business. With so many recorded incidents of greenwashing from different businesses (Guyader et al., 2017;Font et al., 2017;Rausch and Kopplin, 2021;Alevizou, 2021), however, it is well-recognized that the food sector is suffering the most from greenwashing practices (Foodcycler, 2021). Not just because an increasing number of food firms are unable to give proof for the eco-friendly labelling of their products (European Commission, 2023); Fig. 9. ...
... Some community groups accuse organizers of greenwashing, that is, overcommunicating sustainability for the purpose of self-promotion (Laing & Frost, 2010). Other organizers are accused of greenhushing, that is, undercommunicating sustainability efforts to avoid negative feedback (Ettinger et al., 2021;Font et al., 2017). Some organizers consider that greenhushing is necessary to avoid disturbing the consumer's hedonistic experiences Werner et al., 2019); however, greenhushing can bring reputational damage if organizers are perceived to be less environmentally friendly than they actually are (Kim & Lyon, 2015). ...
... One theoretical approach to understanding online communication of green innovations is message framing theory (Bortree et al., 2013;Font et al., 2017;X. Zhang et al., 2021). ...
... Event organizers have begun to implement green innovations to reduce the negative environmental effects of the events they hold (Qin et al., 2023;Satta et al., 2019;Sharma et al., 2020). However, organizers often find communicating about sustainability challenging and are often accused of greenwashing, which may lead to organizational greenhushing merely to avoid negative feedback (Ettinger et al., 2021;Font et al., 2017;Laing & Frost, 2010). Research indicates that both greenwashing and greenhushing can bring reputational damage to the organizations (Kim & Lyon, 2015). ...
Tourism and event organizers implement green innovation to mitigate the negative environmental impacts they cause. However, how to effectively communicate these green innovations to online communities remains a challenge. Drawing on message framing and construal level theories, we collected 503 tweets and used an exploratory sequential mixed-methods approach to analyze the textual data. First, we conducted abductive coding analysis, identifying two novel framing forms, innovative and value chain framings. Second, using negative binomial regressions, we found that input-value (vs. output-value) framing is often used but decreases online engagement. Moreover, proximal (vs. distal) framing is less used but enhances online engagement. Third, we explored the moderating effect of green innovation, revealing that innovative and proximal framings are more effective for green organizational innovation, whereas emotional framing is more effective for green service innovation. This study offers novel insights on how to strategically communicate green innovation to event online communities.
... Prática louvável, se não fosse pelos equívocos nos tratamentos, por vezes reducionistas, por parte do establishment, de um conceito historicamente debatido. Achismos e a adoção de práticas voltadas, exclusivamente, a interesses particulares alicerçaram a simplificação do raciocínio (SOLOW, 1974), acentuando o comportamento de indivíduos, grupos sociais ou empresas que publicizam um código ético de responsabilidade socioambiental os quais atestam se comprometer (FONT;ELGAMMAL;LAMOND, 2017). ...
... Prática louvável, se não fosse pelos equívocos nos tratamentos, por vezes reducionistas, por parte do establishment, de um conceito historicamente debatido. Achismos e a adoção de práticas voltadas, exclusivamente, a interesses particulares alicerçaram a simplificação do raciocínio (SOLOW, 1974), acentuando o comportamento de indivíduos, grupos sociais ou empresas que publicizam um código ético de responsabilidade socioambiental os quais atestam se comprometer (FONT;ELGAMMAL;LAMOND, 2017). ...
... Prática louvável, se não fosse pelos equívocos nos tratamentos, por vezes reducionistas, por parte do establishment, de um conceito historicamente debatido. Achismos e a adoção de práticas voltadas, exclusivamente, a interesses particulares alicerçaram a simplificação do raciocínio (SOLOW, 1974), acentuando o comportamento de indivíduos, grupos sociais ou empresas que publicizam um código ético de responsabilidade socioambiental os quais atestam se comprometer (FONT;ELGAMMAL;LAMOND, 2017). ...
A contemporaneidade vem sendo marcada pelo uso trivial e descomedido do adjetivo “sustentável”, e o contexto do turismo não ficou de fora. O
aclamado título “destino sustentável” se tornou premissa central entre grupos gestores dos territórios. Entretanto, o processo de elaboração de
políticas públicas, para atender a esta condição, tem evidenciado tratamentos reducionistas e, por vezes, equivocados, que não incorporam a real
complexidade da sustentabilidade ao turismo. O resultado? Ações desconexas, pontuais e ineficazes, alicerçadas em achismos ou interesses
particulares dos atores do território. O presente ensaio objetiva apresentar uma proposta simplificada e didática de instrumento de planejamento
territorial (Mandala da Sustentabilidade no Turismo – MST), a fim de contribuir com o intento de busca da sustentabilidade no desenvolvimento
turístico. A MST é composta por 21 indicadores, definidos a partir da análise de instrumentos internacionais e de estratégias nacionais vigentes na
área de planejamento turístico. O instrumento perpassa pelas 07 dimensões da sustentabilidade (ambiental, territorial, política, cultural, social,
econômica e tecnológica), desenvolvido para orientar, pragmaticamente, grupos gestores locais e regionais do turismo.
... 1-The inherent complexity of the concept of sustainability and its multiple dimensions make it difficult for stakeholders to understand each other and, consequently, hinder decision-making processes (AGBEDAHIN, 2019); 2-The ineffectiveness of public tourism policies based on assumptions or particular interests. They are more concerned with publicizing the so-called "sustainable destination" and do not reflect the fundamental sustainability gaps between the territory and the sector (FONT et al., 2017); 3-The lack of educational, innovative strategic tools aimed at tourism to support the planning, monitoring, and evaluation of sustainability in the sector. This challenge signifies overcoming political and theoretical proposals and achieving practical applications for sustainable tourism SAARINEN, 2014). ...
... The need to develop new tourism indicators is emphasized to recognize destinations' degree of sustainability and the actions needed to strengthen them(BLANCAS et al., 2011;LANDFORD, 2009;PALOMEQUE, 2014).Historically, efforts have been continuous in this debate(BELL;MORSE, 2001;HEZRI, 2004;INNES;BOOHER, 2000). Gradually, tourist inventories, load capacity studies, demand surveys, and guest and overnight records have given way to newly proposed indicators (AGYEIWAAH; MCKERCHER;SUNTIKUL, 2017;BLANCAS et al., 2011; DEDUCE CONSORTIUM, 2007;FODRANOVÁ;KUBIČKOVÁ;MICHALKOVÁ, 2015). These are more holistic, based on multidimensional criteria, certifications, and best practices, and more attentive to stakeholder participation in decision-making (MATIKU; ZUWARIMWE; TSHIPALA, 2021). ...
... The need to develop new tourism indicators is emphasized to recognize destinations' degree of sustainability and the actions needed to strengthen them(BLANCAS et al., 2011;LANDFORD, 2009;PALOMEQUE, 2014).Historically, efforts have been continuous in this debate(BELL;MORSE, 2001;HEZRI, 2004;INNES;BOOHER, 2000). Gradually, tourist inventories, load capacity studies, demand surveys, and guest and overnight records have given way to newly proposed indicators (AGYEIWAAH; MCKERCHER;SUNTIKUL, 2017;BLANCAS et al., 2011; DEDUCE CONSORTIUM, 2007;FODRANOVÁ;KUBIČKOVÁ;MICHALKOVÁ, 2015). These are more holistic, based on multidimensional criteria, certifications, and best practices, and more attentive to stakeholder participation in decision-making (MATIKU; ZUWARIMWE; TSHIPALA, 2021). ...
The acclaimed title “sustainable destination” has become a central premise among territorial management groups. However, the process of developing public policies to meet this condition has revealed reductionist and sometimes misguided treatments that fail to incorporate the true complexity of sustainability in tourism. The result? Disconnected, sporadic and ineffective actions, based on assumptions or individual interests of the territory's actors. The present essay aims to present a simplified and didactic proposal for a territorial planning tool (Mandala of Sustainability in Tourism – MST) in order to contribute to the pursuit of sustainability in tourism development. The MST is made up of 21 indicators, defined based on the analysis of international instruments and current national strategies in the area of tourism planning. The instrument covers the 7 dimensions of sustainability (environmental, territorial, political, cultural, social, economic and technological), developed to pragmatically guide local and regional tourism management groups.
... These practices have traditionally been studied in the field of marketing; this study extends their analysis to the strategic management sphere in tourism. In this paper, we consider greenwashing as the "co-creation of an external accusation toward an organisation with regard to presenting a misleading green message" (Seele & Gatti, 2017, p. 248) and greenhushing (Font et al., 2017) as the way in which companies avoid communicating their responsible practices for fear of public exposure. Both practices are ways of developing CSR without the aim of value creation, i.e. with no strategic orientation. ...
... This is especially important for the tourism sector, which is susceptible to the development of environmental practices with image-enhancing objectives (Farrington et al., 2017), which can lead to undesirable performance levels (Bocquet et al., 2013). Consequently, it is advisable to extend the traditional analysis of greenwashing and greenhushing, which has usually been approached from the commercial or marketing areas (Font et al., 2017;Smith & Font, 2014), to the field of strategic decision-making, assessing whether a SO-CSR favours the creation of value. ...
... This result can also explain the losses experienced by some companies when carrying out CSR actions with image-enhancing objectives (greenwashing), which have been perceived by stakeholders as fraudulent and, therefore, have been penalised in terms of results. Moreover, not all losses are caused by greenwashing, some are caused by greenhushing (Font et al., 2017), since in order to avoid any conflict between their sustainability actions and the expectations of certain stakeholders, companies seek social acceptance by avoiding reflecting their real CSR practices, which means that the purpose of these practices is not too far from greenwashing in the eyes of their customers. In this sense, the traditional CSR approach could be linked to reputation targets while strategic CSR is necessary for value creation from an integrated perspective (Khurshid & Snell, 2022). ...
... Currently, various Swiss ski resorts are marketing their green innovations, such as the project in St. Moritz to capture 100% of the water used for snowmaking (Schweiz Tourismus, 2023). Yet, from a brand strategy perspective the question arises whether these achievements should be touted to differentiate oneself from the competition or should rather be kept quiet to avoid potential discrepancies between brand image and public perception (Font et al., 2016). ...
... Initial studies on so-called 'Greenhushing' indicate that this phenomenon is widespread in the hotel industry specifically to avoid indirectly rebuking guests for their consumption (Coles et al., 2016;Ettinger et al., 2021;Font et al., 2016;Font & McCabe, 2017). At the same time, these studies also show that active involvement of guests in sustainability efforts leads to higher approval rates than deliberately concealing the same activities (Ettinger et al., 2021). ...
... Sustainability communication or corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication (hereinafter referred to as CSRC) is mostly depicted in literature as an objective transmission of information about the economic, social, and environmental sustainability to a company's stakeholders (Coles et al., 2013). It aims to both convey positive brand values and create a control mechanism for sustainable behavior (Font et al., 2016). In the context of ski tourism, the focus is primarily on environmental sustainability to address the dangers of climate change to the industry and to sensitize guests to the issue, urging them toward more sustainable behavior (Ettinger et al., 2021, p. 619). ...
Due to the reliance on low temperatures and snowfall, ski tourism is particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change. Swiss ski destinations have reacted to the challenge by investing into a more sustainable infrastructure as well as communication measures to highlight their individual contribution to the mission of carbon neutrality to their customers (e.g., the Swisstainable program). However, events such as the warm winter of 2022 or the use of contentious technologies like snowmaking complicate the perceived authenticity of these efforts from the customer's perspective. Consequently, the question arises whether proactive communication of sustainability efforts can also be detrimental from a brand strategy perspective. Initial studies in the tourism industry on greenhushing, namely the concealment of sustainability efforts, indicate that this phenomenon is widespread. Especially the hospitality industry tries to avoid indirectly criticizing their guests for their consumption. At the same time, these studies also show that active customer involvement in sustainability efforts results in higher approval rates among guests than deliberately concealing the same activities. In a survey experiment amongst 434 winter tourists from the German-speaking Alpine region, this study examines whether ski destinations can increase both positive customer perception and desired sustainable behavior, such as arrival by public transport, by involving customers in their CSR messages. The results highlight the effectiveness of CSR-focused brand messages from ski destinations and demonstrate that greenhushing is not desirable from the customer's perspective. Additionally, it was found that by directly involving guests in CSR-communication, their psychological distance to the topic was reduced and sustainable behavioral intentions could be increased. Ski destinations can use these findings to sharpen their marketing strategy and simultaneously increase desired sustainable behavior among guests.
... Zurzeit setzen verschiedene Schweizer Skigebiete auf die Vermarktung ihrer grünen Innovationen, z.B. das Projekt von St. Moritz um 100% des eingesetzten Wassers für Schneeherstellung aufzufangen (Schweiz Tourismus, 2023). Markenstrategisch stellt sich aber die Frage, ob diese Errungenschaften angepriesen werden sollten, um sich stärker von der Konkurrenz abzugrenzen, oder besser verschwiegen werden sollten, um potenzielle Diskrepanzen nicht aufkommen zu lassen (Font et al., 2016). ...
... Erste Studien über dieses sog. "Greenhushing" zeigen auf, dass das Phänomen im Hotelgewerbe verbreitet ist, um die Kundschaft nicht indirekt für ihren Konsum zu rügen (Coles et al., 2016;Ettinger et al., 2021;Font et al., 2016;Font & McCabe, 2017). Gleichzeitig zeigen diese Studien auch, dass eine aktive Involvierung von Gästen in Nachhaltigkeitsbemühen auf höhere Zustimmungsrate stösst als ein bewusstes Verschweigen derselben Tätigkeiten (Ettinger et al., 2021). ...
... Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation (im Folgenden als NK gekürzt) wird in der Literatur meist als objektive Informationsvermittlung über die ökonomische, soziale und ökologische Nachhaltigkeit an die Stakeholder eines Unternehmens dargestellt (Coles et al., 2013). Dabei sollen sowohl positive Markenwerte vermittelt werden als auch ein Kontrollmechanismus für nachhaltiges Verhalten geschaffen werden (Font et al., 2016). Im Kontext des Skitourismus wird dabei hauptsächlich die ökologische Nachhaltigkeit betont. ...
Dank der Notwendigkeit von tiefen Temperaturen und Schneefall ist der Skitourismus besonders anfällig für die Auswirkungen des Klimawandels. Der daraus resultierende Handlungsbedarf ist der schweizerischen Tourismusbranche schon seit geraumer Zeit bekannt und mehrere Ski-Destinationen haben sich um technologische Innovationen bemüht, um ihren individuellen Beitrag zur Mission der Klimaneutralität der Kundschaft zu vermitteln (z.B. das Swisstainable Programm). Jedoch erschweren Ereignisse wie der Hitzewinter 2022 oder der Einsatz von vorbelasteten Technologien wie Schneekanonen die wahrgenommene Authentizität dieser Bemühungen aus Kundensicht. Dementsprechend stellt sich die Frage, ob eine pro-aktive Kommunikation von Nachhaltigkeitsbemühungen aus markenstrategischer Sicht auch schädlich sein kann. Erste Studien im Tourismusgewerbe über Greenhushing, sprich dem Verschweigen von Nachhaltigkeitsbemühungen, zeigen auf, dass das Phänomen im Hotelgewerbe verbreitet ist, um die Kundschaft nicht indirekt für ihren Konsum zu kritisieren. Gleichzeitig zeigen diese Studien aber auch, dass eine aktive Involvierung der Kundschaft in Nachhaltigkeitsbemühen eine höhere Zustimmungsrate in Gästen verursacht als ein bewusstes Verschweigen derselben Tätigkeiten. In einer experimentellen Umfrage unter 434 Wintertouristinnen und Wintertouristen aus dem deutschsprachigen Alpenraum, untersucht diese Studie, ob Ski-Destination durch den Einbezug der Kundschaft in Nachhaltigkeitsbotschaften sowohl positive Kundenwahrnehmung als auch gewünschtes nachhaltiges Verhalten, wie beispielsweise die Anreise mit öffentlichen Verkehrsmitteln, steigern kann. Die Ergebnisse beleuchten die Effektivität von nachhaltigkeitsfokussierten Markenbotschaften von Skidestinationen und demonstrieren, das Greenhushing aus Kundensicht nicht wünschenswert ist. Zudem zeigte sich, dass durch den direkten Einbezug der Gäste in die Nachhaltigkeitskommunikation, deren psychologische Distanz zum Thema reduziert und nachhaltige Verhaltensabsichten gesteigert werden konnten. Ski-Destinationen können diese Erkenntnisse nutzen, um ihre Vermarktungsstrategie zu schärfen und gleichzeitig erwünschtes Nachhaltigkeitsverhalten unter Gästen zu erhöhen.
... As an important counter-trend, recent evidence shows that companies may choose to engage in withdrawal behaviors, such as strategic silence (Carlos & Lewis, 2018) or "greenhushing", that is, a firm's deliberate withholding of information about its accomplishments in the area of corporate sustainability (Font et al., 2017), to avoid concerns about being perceived as hypocritical or to avoid the online firestorms most often associated with greenwashing or other forms of "-washing" (Qu et al., 2023). These are seen as useful strategies in times of polarization, when a few active and vocal stakeholders and certain media outlets can be quite successful in their attempts to initiate, channel, and amplify greenwashing (or other "-washing") debates (Blazkova et al., 2023). ...
... Similar conclusions were drawn from an analysis of Volkswagen's communication on social media around the "Dieselgate" scandal, where this unconventional strategy of silence was at the forefront of the company's response to the crisis (Stieglitz et al., 2019). Another study found that concerns about appearing hypocritical likely cause companies to remain silent and not communicate about green or CSR efforts at all (Carlos & Lewis, 2018), thus further facilitating greenhushing (Ettinger et al., 2021;Font et al., 2017). However, the absence of CSR communication as a strategic inaction is not without its problems, as it can stifle the progress of CSR behavior and leave more room for "pretenders" (Carlos & Lewis, 2018;Ettinger et al., 2021), and, consequently, further alienate or polarize consumer populations (e.g., Weber et al., 2021). ...
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication faces significant challenges due to an increasing polarization of public discourses. This polarization oversimplifies societal differences into “us versus them” dynamics, complicating consensus building and eroding trust in democratic processes. Traditionally, CSR communication research has focused on how organizations negotiate meanings between various stakeholders. However, the rise in polarization necessitates a broader research scope to understand its impact on CSR practices and organizational relationships. This Special Issue of Management Communication Quarterly explores these evolving challenges, analyzing how polarization reshapes CSR communication and outlining strategies for businesses to navigate this fragmented landscape. The issue also reflects on the broader role of corporations amidst tendencies of polarization and suggests directions for future research.
... Despite the potential benefits of providing climate interpretation, the nature-based tourism sector is often cautious about discussing climate change (Fernández-Llamazares et al., 2020). For instance, in a review of tourism businesses in Peak District National Park, Font et al. (2017) found that only one of 31 businesses mentioned climate change on their website. Similarly, Roberts et al. (2021) evaluated online climate interpretation across the U.S. National Park System (NPS) and discovered that 57% provided no information about climate change, despite the NPS Climate Response Strategy advocating for robust climate communication. ...
... Pereira and Mykletun (2017) also find that generally sustainability and climate issues are not well integrated in tourist guide training programs. This reluctance, sometimes termed 'green-hushing', may arise from fears of negative visitor responses, such as reduced enjoyment or feelings of moral guilt, and concerns about being perceived as hypocritical, as tourism is an extractive industry that largely relies on fossil fuels (Falchi et al., 2022;Font et al., 2017;Goldberg et al., 2018). ...
Nature‐based tourism has a unique opportunity, and arguably responsibility, to promote widespread action on climate change. However, research suggests an aversion to providing information that might appear divisive or ‘ruin’ peoples day, particularly in places that are vulnerable to degradation.
We explore how exposure to climate change information in vulnerable nature settings influences indicators of (i) the visitor experience and (ii) climate change engagement. Using a quasi‐experimental approach, we provided climate information on tourist boats operating on the Great Barrier Reef, Australia and compared visitor experiences with a control condition where climate information was not provided. Visitor surveys (n = 656) assessed perceptions and experiences.
Overall, visitors on trips where climate information was provided were more likely to report that the reef experience exceeded their expectations and did not report any reduction in subjective trip satisfaction.
However, we detected minimal effects of climate information on indicators of climate engagement (threat awareness, action awareness, or information seeking), suggesting room for improvement in interpretation approach and design. Indeed, visitors reported high levels of acceptability for incorporating more information about climate change, particularly about actions.
Synthesis and applications: These results suggest that providing climate information does not undermine visitor experiences and while further research is required to determine the most effective approach for influencing climate change engagement, an appetite for more information exists. It is possible that what tourism operators are fearful of, may be an opportunity to improve outcomes aligned with both industry and environmental objectives.
Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
... In this context, greenwashing is defined as the concentrated effort of organizations to communicate their environmental performance without actively engaging in such practices or delivering substantial changes in this direction (Becker-Olsen and Potucek 2023;Ripoll-González and Gale 2023). Conversely, the term greenhushing is used to describe organizations that have good environmental performance, but deliberately decide not to communicate it (Font et al. 2016). In both cases, there is a mismatch, an imbalance, between two types of behaviour: communication about environmental performance and environmental performance (de Freiras Netto et al. 2020). ...
... In both cases, there is a mismatch, an imbalance, between two types of behaviour: communication about environmental performance and environmental performance (de Freiras Netto et al. 2020). In the first instance, the imbalance leans towards communication about environmental performance, while in the second scenario, there is an inclination towards environmental performance (Font et al. 2016). ...
Place branding is a multidisciplinary field of research and practice that plays an important role in sustainable development by stimulating economic growth, social prosperity and environmental sustainability. Despite the significance of this intersection, research on place branding and sustainable development is limited. This article contributes to fill this gap by examining the main characteristics of this domain. Additionally, this study analyses the relationship between place branding and sustainable development literature and the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). A scoping review of research published from 2013 to 2023 indexed in Scopus and Web of Science is undertaken, involving the analysis of 33 articles. The results find literature is scattered across several journals and focused mainly on single-place case studies located in Europe. While there is a growing interest in the topic of place branding and sustainable development, articles tend to address sustainable development in an abstract or generic way without explicitly incorporating the 2030 Agenda in their methodology or result outcomes. This exploratory review contributes to existing literature on place branding by highlighting its linkages with sustainable development. It also underscores the need for further research on this topic and the importance of incorporating the SDGs in the place branding discussion.
... Özellikle turizm konusundaki marka iletişiminde kavramın daha yoğun uygulandığı görülmektedir: "Turizm işletmelerinde greenhushing, sürdürülebilirlik eylemlerinin %30'unu seçerek duyurmakta, olumsuz sonuçları maskelemekte ve işletmeleri alaycı tüketicilerden korumaktadır." (Font, Elgammal & Lamond, 2017). Bu anlamda greenhushing, değerleri suistimal edilen tüketicinin sürdürülebilirlik konusunda şüpheci yaklaştığı markalara bakışını değiştirecek bir uygulama olabilir. ...
... however, csr practices, if not implemented strategically, can have negative consequences. Despite the obvious strategic importance of csr activities for the tourism industry, there are some shortcomings in practice (Font et al., 2017). csr activities in the tourism industry lack a strategic dimension. ...
The perception of motivation for corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities among individuals plays a crucial role in achieving successful outcomes. Therefore, it is essential to gain an understanding of how different CSR activities can affect the perception of motivation for corporate social responsibility, with a view to ensuring the success of a hotel’s CSR strategy. This study aims to explore the effects of proactive and reactive communication strategies employed by hotel companies in relation to CSR, with a view to identifying how these strategies impact perceptions of CSR motivation and the subsequent influence on company outputs. To facilitate comparison between the two groups, an experimental design utilizing a fictional hotel brochure and two contrasting newspaper articles has been created. The newspaper articles have been fictionalized in accordance with both proactive and reactive CSR communication strategies. The study sample comprises 406 participants, and the data has been analyzed using structural equation modelling and t-tests. The findings indicate that perceptions of CSR motivation play a pivotal role in hotel evaluation. The proactive scenario is perceived as more value-driven by the first group, whereas in the second group, the reactive scenario is regarded as more strategy-oriented. Furthermore, the proactive group exhibits relatively more positive evaluations of firms in comparison. Consequently, there is an imperative for hotel companies to consider the interconnections between these variables when designing their CSR communication strategies.
... Una nueva alternativa es la que se conoce como greenhushing (Font et al., 2017), que consiste en no comunicar los esfuerzos en materia de sustentabilidad ante el riesgo de que la CESR sea malinterpretada o genere escepticismo por parte de los consumidores y de otras partes interesadas. En términos de la teoría de señalización, equivaldría a no realizar señal alguna. ...
Although socially responsible business communication (SRBC) can affect consumers' perceptions of
corporate ethics and influence their purchasing and consumption decisions, it can also be perceived as
greenwashing. Based on signaling theory, we propose that membership in alternative food networks (AFNs)
moderates how the perception of SRBC impacts brand trust. Using a cross-sectional experimental design,
and Likert-type scales with structural equation modeling, we find that individuals belonging to AFNs develop
a higher brand trust in the face of SRBC signaling. This research contributes to a better understanding of
consumer transformation towards a more sustainable consumption.
Keywords: Socially Responsible Business Communication (SRBC), Alternative Food Networks (AFNs),
Brand Trust.
... For example, some studies emphasize the potential consequences of a refusal to implement environmental practices in organizations (Delmas and Burbano, 2011;De Freitas Netto et al., 2020;Seele and Gatti, 2017). Another group of researchers focused on the tourism sector and the actions that these companies should consider to contribute to environmental sustainability (Font et al., 2017;Chen et al., 2019). The need to offer environmentally friendly services to generate greater customer confidence is also mentioned (Gupta et al., 2019). ...
Greenwashing is a misleading practice that affects environmental sustainability and has an impact on the organizational, social, and environmental levels, as it is generated to create a non-real and illusory image of ecological responsibility. The present study conducted a review of the scientific production in the Scopus database, obtaining 1438 documents. Inclusion criteria were used and the PRISMA statement was used to guide the documentary analysis. Likewise, bibliometric tools such as VOSviewer and Biblioshiny were used. The results obtained show that the topic of study has grown exponentially in recent years and the keywords that stand out are corporate social responsibility, environmental communications and reporting, normative regulation, and implications at the financial, social, and ethical levels. There is also interest in consolidating new collaborative networks among authors, with the most cited paper being "The drivers of Greenwashing". It was concluded that greenwashing is a multidisciplinary phenomenon that requires attention from the scientific community and that it is the clients or consumers who perceive the lack of ethics and the absence of environmental commitment in organizations. Criminal liability arising from greenwashing is identified as a future line of research.
... However, some evidence shows that the travel sector has largely coopted sustainable tourism largely for convenient corporate social responsibility and marketing endeavors resulting in a gradual dilution of the original concept (e.g. Hall, 2011;Garay and Font, 2012;Font et al., 2017;Gupta et al., 2019). The emergence of the regeneration concept could possibly serve as a corrective measure to these misapplications, steering the focus back towards a comprehensive approach to sustainability. ...
... The meaning of corporate greenhushing is proposed in Delmas and Burbano (2011), who classified enterprises according to their environmental performance and the degree of environmental information communication and call firms with good environmental performance but poor environmental information communication "silent green firms". Font et al. (2017) officially proposed corporate greenhushing. ...
As sustainability gains momentum, there is a growing expectation for companies to enhance their environmental disclosures. However, a contrasting trend has emerged: corporate greenhushing. This phenomenon entails companies implementing emission reduction strategies without actively publicizing their environmental efforts. In this paper, we constructed a corporate greenhushing database using text analysis and analyzed heavily polluting Chinese A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2021. Our research found that corporate greenhushing effectively reduces stock price crash risk. Specifically, both the degree and tendency of greenhushing can restrain stock price crash risk by increasing market attention and reducing agency costs. In our further analysis, we included business environment uncertainty and environmental policy uncertainty in our framework and found that companies are more likely to adopt greenhushing strategies in high uncertainty environments, which reduces stock price crash risk. Our study does not imply that reducing environmental disclosures is a positive behavior. Instead, it reveals corporate greenhushing represents the equilibrium point between environmental consciousness and economic interests for companies. Our study contributes to furthering related research, aiding policymakers in understanding corporate greenhushing from the perspective of companies, and offering empirical evidence and a theoretical foundation for refining environmental disclosure policies.
... At the associative level, therefore, the approach adopted at the micro level, for the promotion of a clear role in self-improvement that is aimed at the protection of smaller companies from criticism or misunderstanding (Font et al., 2017;Schoeneborn et al., 2020). ...
This study seeks to examine the interconnections and potential influencing factors between firms' sustainability initiatives and the pressures exerted by industry associations for sustainability reporting. Given the reluctance of many firms to disclose their sustainability efforts, particular attention is directed toward the Italian meat and cured meat industry, with a focus on uncovering the drivers that link firms' sustainability actions to the level of engagement by industry associations in promoting sustainability reporting. Employing a multiple case study design, this research adopts a qualitative and interpretative methodology, leveraging semi‐structured interviews to elucidate pertinent strengths and weaknesses associated with both external and internal factors, as well as managerial strategies. Encompassing various stages of the supply chain, from genetic selection and animal husbandry to processing and distribution, this study aims to bridge a gap in the existing literature on sustainability reporting by shedding light on firms' approaches to both reporting and action. Furthermore, it offers novel insights into the often‐overlooked meso‐level factors influencing firms' propensity for sustainability reporting, including the role played by trade associations.
... At once, one of the managers motivations for adopting green innovations is to help organizations attain a competitive advantage and achieve better economic performance (Font et al., 2017). Thanks to green innovation, it is possible to save on operating costs, improve the image of the company, comply with regulations and increase sales by serving new market segments (Quazi, 1999), in which they include consumers with a preference for sustainable products and more willing to pay a premium price for them. ...
As a result of social, technological and economic changes, there is a need to transform the currently dominant linear economic paradigm into one of circular economy. This transformation requires the implementation of effective green innovations that economically and environmentally encourage their main potential promoters: companies and managers. The objective of this research is to verify whether, as in other industries, green innovation has positive effects on the firms’ corporate performance in the accommodation industry, evaluating whether the organizational culture enhances the success of this type of innovation. Proposals developed have been contrasted with an empirical analysis on a sample of 202 tourist accommodation on the Spanish coast, especially hotels, using the Partial Least Squares (PLS-SEM) technique. The results obtained support the positive effect of green innovation on corporate performance, as well as the importance of the robustness of an organizational culture that supports the exploitation of this type of innovation in terms of results. The conclusions that are derived are especially relevant since they highlight the importance of a culture based on commitment and innovation that favors the implementation of the circular economy model in the tourism sector.
... At once, one of the managers motivations for adopting green innovations is to help organizations attain a competitive advantage and achieve better economic performance (Font et al., 2017). Thanks to green innovation, it is possible to save on operating costs, improve the image of the company, comply with regulations and increase sales by serving new market segments (Quazi, 1999), in which they include consumers with a preference for sustainable products and more willing to pay a premium price for them. ...
As this book concludes, it is essential to summarise the critical mission we have engaged in: facilitating a shift towards the circular economy within the expanding tourism industry in the Valencian Region. This complex task has involved a multidimensional approach combining rigorous academic research, empirical field analyses, active collaboration with key stakeholders, and the development of the InnoEcoTur Innovation Platform.
... The fossil fuel industry has also "perpetrated a multi-decade, multibillion dollar disinformation, propaganda and lobbying campaign to delay climate action by confusing the public and policymakers about the climate crisis and its solutions" (Supran and Oreskes 2021). Equally as deceptive is the use of "greenhushing," defined as the deliberate withholding of information about sustainability practices (Font et al. (2017). University administrators often control external communications through media press releases and can greenwash or greenhush intentions and accomplishments. ...
Higher education institutions have a mandate to serve the public good, yet in many cases fail to adequately respond to the global climate crisis. The inability of academic institutions to commit to purposeful climate action through targeted research, education, outreach, and policy is due in large part to “capture” by special interests. Capture involves powerful minority interests that exert influence and derive benefits at the expense of a larger group or purpose. This paper makes a conceptual contribution to advance a framework of “academic capture” applied to the climate crisis in higher education institutions. Academic capture is the result of the three contributing factors of increasing financialization issues, influence of the fossil fuel industry, and reticence of university employees to challenge the status quo. The framework guides an empirical assessment evaluating eight activities and related indices of transparency and participation based on principles of climate justice and the growing democracy-climate nexus. The framework can be a helpful tool for citizens and academics to assess the potential for academic capture and capacity for more just and democratic methods of climate action in higher education. We conclude with a series of recommendations on how to refine and apply our framework and assessment in academic settings. Our goal is to further the discussion on academic capture and continue to develop tools that transform higher education institutions to places of deep democracy and innovative climate education, research, and outreach to meet the challenges of the Anthropocene.
... Equally important is that firms should recognize that being silent about their CSR activities or HIHRS activities may have negative consequences on recruiting. While this "under-promise and over-deliver" strategy might be tempting or preferred due to various considerations (e.g., Carlos & Lewis, 2018;Font et al., 2017;Hawn & Ioannou, 2016;Kim & Lyon, 2014), our research suggests that job seekers need and indeed value other information to make an assessment about the organizational attractiveness of a firm. Managers should publicize both their CSR and HIHRS efforts to job seekers. ...
This paper explores the conditions under which job seekers may not respond positively to a potential employer's corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. We propose that the relationship between an organization's externally‐directed CSR activities and job seekers’ perceptions of the organization's attractiveness is moderated by whether the organization is also engaging in internally‐directed high‐investment human resource systems (HIHRS). Results from a combination of three studies—an archival study of Fortune 500 companies (Study 1), a survey study (Study 2), and an experiment (Study 3)—provide support for our hypotheses. When an organization has lower levels of internally‐directed HIHRS, the positive influence of externally‐directed CSR on attraction to an organization diminishes (Study 3) or disappears (Studies 1 and 2). Importantly, we identify perceptions of organizational authenticity as one key mechanism driving these effects (Studies 2 and 3).
... Sustainability is now a major concern, and millennials are willing to pay more for products and services that are seen as sustainable or have a positive social impact (Dabija & Băbuț, 2019;Sogari et al., 2017;Hanks et al., 2008). Customers feel reassured when their products are free of artificial chemicals and are made from recyclable materials that do not harm the environment (Chaney et al., 2021;Oates, 2020;Alqershi et al., 2021;Font et al., 2017). ...
Do corporate communications regarding firms’ environmental performance accurately reflect their environmental actions and impacts? While substantial research has focused on greenwashing, less attention has been given to companies’ under‐reporting of their environmental performance. Building on middle‐status conformity theory, this study examines the relationship between organizational status and environmental disclosure and performance. We find that only middle‐status firms fully disclose their environmental performance, while both high‐ and low‐status firms under‐report their achievements: high‐status firms to minimize risk to their reputation, and low‐status firms to avoid additional conformity costs. Firms in stakeholder‐sensitive industries, with higher institutional ownership, and those with corporate social responsibility committees are less likely to under‐report. Moreover, middle‐status firms are particularly vulnerable to penalties for concealing environmental information. Overall, our findings suggest that organizational status plays a significant role in shaping firms’ propensity to disclose environmental achievements.
Amid escalating global sustainability challenges, tourism and hospitality (T&H) has emerged as an important arena for understanding and fostering pro-sustainable consumer behaviour. The hedonic priorities and complexity of decision-making in T&H often exacerbate the gap between stated attitudes and actual pro-sustainable behaviour, which contributes to issues like climate change. However, these contexts also offer opportunities to better understand and influence pro-sustainable behaviour through tailored interventions.
Behavioural interventions like nudges have shown promise in terms of guiding behaviour towards desirable outcomes by modifying decision-making environments based on behavioural economics. However, gaps remain with regard to understanding pro-sustainable behaviours across diverse T&H settings and developing effective interventions that T&H providers can implement to enhance informed consumer choices without compromising their experience.
This thesis addresses these gaps by using a mixed-method field experimental approach to study pro-sustainable behaviour in two distinct T&H contexts: donations for mountain-biking trails in Rörbäcksnäs, Dalarna (Sweden), and climate-friendly food choices in restaurants in the Swedish locations of Sälen, Dalarna, and Stockholm. Each setting involved two field experiments – testing social norms and carbon label interventions – which together constitute four independent papers. This field experimental approach not only provides insights into real-life behavioural processes but also incorporates providers’ perspectives on promoting pro-sustainable options, informing the design of context-relevant interventions.
The findings culminate in a framework that researchers, providers, and policymakers can use to design and test behavioural interventions that foster pro-sustainable consumer behaviour in T&H and other out-of-home consumption domains. Methodologically, this framework emphasises the importance of collaborative design and iterative adaptation of interventions based on field experiments, to effectively bridge theory and practice in T&H sustainability. Theoretically, the research offers new insights into pro-sustainable consumer behaviour, highlighting the significant influence of social norms and contextual factors across diverse T&H settings. Practically, the study stresses the need to align interventions with the context-specific goals of consumer segments, showcasing the value of tailored social norm interventions, carbon labels, and staff engagement in promoting pro-sustainable choices while preserving the overall consumer experience.
Purpose
This study aims to deepen the understanding of what stakeholders talk about when it comes to sustainable fashion on social media and how. Sustainable fashion is a broad umbrella term, which can distract attention from the differences between the individual subtopics and the sentiments ascribed to them. However, little systematic research exists on how the stakeholder activity and dominant sentiments vary across different sustainable fashion topics.
Design/methodology/approach
This study is based on a social media analysis of 19,179 tweets authored by 1,819 distinct stakeholders on Twitter (now “X”) from 2007 to 2022. A large language model, a type of artificial intelligence (AI) that focuses on understanding and generating human language, is used to conduct a sentiment analysis of six stakeholder groups and 81 keywords linked to sustainable fashion. Two case examples are used to highlight the differences in stakeholder perceptions of sustainable fashion.
Findings
The social media analysis demonstrates how subcategories of sustainable fashion significantly differ in terms of stakeholder interest, activity and sentiments. For instance, tweets on circular economy and relevant subcategories (closed loop, recycling, upcycling, etc.) are popular, whereas issues linked to environmental, social and governance (ESG) and due diligence receive little attention on social media. While sentiments toward sustainable fashion are in general positive, discussions on topics such as labor rights issues are consistently associated with negative sentiments across most stakeholder groups.
Originality/value
This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating how stakeholders and sentiments vary across different topics linked to sustainable fashion on social media, which has become one of the main channels for communicating sustainability content. The findings thereby shed new light on dominant stakeholder positions regarding a wide variety of sustainable fashion topics.
Decoupling in sustainability reporting raises concerns about the credibility of sustainability disclosures. This study conducts a bibliometric review of 74 articles from 44 journals indexed in the Web of Science up to 2023, tracking key trends. The findings reveal two phases in research: an erratic growth from 2012 to 2017, followed by a surge from 2018 to 2023, with almost half of the publications in the last two years. Regulatory frameworks, particularly Directive 2014/95/EU, have notably influenced decoupling practises. Researchers use different proxies to measure decoupling, diverse theoretical lenses and empirical approaches, with China emerging as the most studied country. This study identifies five main research streams: characterisation, drivers, mitigating factors, impacts, and alternative views. Complementary analysis of recent publications confirms this trend, with the largest number of articles being published in 2024. The study contributes to the debate on the implications of decoupling for corporate transparency and accountability.
Purpose of the paper: The pervasiveness of the greenwashing phenomenon poses important challenges for companies in leading sustainability communication, an increasingly strategic asset for organizations. Recognizing the current complexity of greenwashing phenomena, this conceptual paper aims to provide a reflection on the role, research directions and managerial implications of a strategic communication approach designed to prevent greenwashing. Methodology: The conceptual study develops starting from an integrative review of the literature. Findings: The study highlights scarce consideration for the strategic communication perspective, despite the constant emergence of new forms of greenwashing. Explanations of greenwashing behaviors mainly tend to focus on the supposed benefits/harms derived from the discrepancy between talk and action, rather than questioning the underlying processes governing and effectively managing the phenomena that lead to such misalignments. Research limits: The conceptual paper presents the typical limitations of the deductive approach based on literature review. Practical implications: From the practical standpoint, the research provides several recommendations for decision-makers aimed at preventing accusations of greenwashing and the negative associated consequences. Originality of the paper: This paper is a first attempt to address some unresolved issues in sustainability communication approaches that cause deep-rooted greenwashing, and suggests a systemic approach to strategic communication to prevent such phenomena.
Drawing on existing literature, this study aims to propose a conceptual framework to showcase the relationship between social media influencers’ (SMIs’) sustainability communication and consumer-brand relationship (CBR). This framework is grounded in the concept of information quality, which has previously been mixed and fragmented in its application. From the perspective of destination brand relationship, this study reveals how parasocial relationships with SMIs influence followers’ perceptions of the quality of sustainability-related information shared on different social media platforms which in turns affects the development of CBR. The proposed conceptual framework clarifies the interconnectedness of SMI sustainability communication, parasocial relationship, information quality (including perceived relevance, perceived accuracy, and perceived timeliness), brand trust, and brand loyalty in the stream of research on destination brand marketing and CBR. This study opens the door for future empirical investigations to provide additional insights into the theory and practice of variables presented in the conceptual framework.
This systematic review provides a comprehensive overview of greenwashing through an analysis of 180 academic articles published in 58 journals from 1997 to 2023. The review examines the fragmented definitions, measurements, and manifestations of greenwashing. Furthermore, a framework of greenwashing was developed by systematically reviewing the motivations and outcomes of greenwashing and its mediators and moderators at both the firm level and the external level. Finally, the review highlights three directions for future research on greenwashing, offering useful guidance for future academic studies, government policy, and corporate practice.
Seuraava teksti perustuu väitöstilaisuudessa esitettyyn lektioon liittyen väitöstutkimukseen ”Vakuuttava vastuullisuusviestintä maaseutumatkailuyrityksen markkinointiviestinnässä”. Väitöstilaisuus pidettiin Itä-Suomen yliopistolla Joensuussa 5.12.2023. Väitöskirja on luettavissa kokonaisuudessaan osoitteessa https://erepo.uef.fi/handle/123456789/30828
This case study examines the challenges and opportunities faced by hoteliers in leveraging their sustainability to optimize their revenue. Although it has been shown that sustainability has several positive effects and is demanded by customers, it is not clear how it affects a hotel’s profit margins. This raises the question of how sustainability can positively impact revenue if hoteliers must, by definition, make significant investments to operate more sustainably. The solution may lie in effectively measuring and benchmarking their sustainability against their competition, and then using that information in the hotel’s marketing efforts. If done correctly, these strategies will allow hoteliers use the sustainability of their operations as a point of differentiation that could be used to achieve competitive advantage. In other words, raising the reputation of the hotel in the customers’ minds, could directly lead to increased revenue.
The global tourism industry has undergone a paradigm shift towards sustainability, prompting tourist destinations to adopt environmentally responsible or green practices. This paper focuses on sustainable tourism management, with a special focus on Belgrade, exploring the city's endeavors to incorporate green practices in its tourist product. The primary goal is to assess the efficacy of these sustainable measures in promoting environmental conservation and enhancing the overall tourist experience. By employing a comprehensive research methodology, including analysis and synthesis of secondary data, and existing scientific literature in this field, this study aims to provide valuable insights into the impact of green practices on the management of tourist destinations. The paper highlights the importance of incorporating and promoting green practices in the management of sustainable tourism, emphasizing their critical role in sustaining Belgrade as a tourist destination.
Tourism businesses in the country pay special attention to Bounce-forward resilience or sustainability in order to generate their sources of income. But sanctions as an economic-political constraint have led to significant uncertainty and turmoil in many industries, including the tourism industry, and the sudden outbreak of the Corona virus has increased the effects of sanctions on the industry. Therefore, the purpose of this study is identifying the precedents of Bounce-forward resilience of tourism businesses in the conditions of economic sanctions. For this purpose, a qualitative approach was taken to identify those factors and 18 experts who were selected from tourism business activists through snowball sampling were interviewed. Based on the obtained data, a conceptual framework was developed and validated by content analysis method. Then in a quantitative section, the ranking of themes was made with using the weighted average method. The reliability of the interviews was obtained by the two-coder method with an agreement rate of 79%.The findings of the study led to the identification of seven main themes in order of priority, including environmental protection for tourism development, development of social interactions with tourists, development of financial-economic capacity in attracting tourism, development of competitiveness compared to other tourist countries, institutional capacity building in relation to tourist attraction, management of tourism-related processes and development of human capabilities in providing tourism services were organized with 21 themes and 127 basic themes. Finally, suggestions have been made based on the research findings.
Sustainability and its communication have become an ethical imperative among tourism firms, destinations and within academic education. However, the use of virtual reality tools to transfer a holistic knowledge about sustainable tourism and to foster behavioral change is still underexplored. Based on a theoretical framework at the interface between the Theory of Planned Behavior and the Theory of Environmentally Significant Behavior, this paper explores the effects of a Virtual Reality Learning Environment (VLRE) on a convenience sample of 44 students. Using a mixed method approach, the study explores the attitudes, awareness levels, and intended behaviors before and after having experienced the VRLE. First results show significant differences in the perceived behavioral control of users and in the awareness about the consequences of the own behavior. Further validation is needed to generalize these first results.
Stakeholders expect corporations to address socio-political issues. The socio-political issues create affective polarization, when partisans dislike and distrust one another. Crusaders willingly address socio-political issues because it is who the corporation is. Conformists feel compelled by stakeholders to address the socio-political issues. Polarizing socio-political issues create a duality in scandalization. Corporations can be both lionized and scandalized for the same position on a socio-political issue. Disney’s involvement in the “Don’t Say Gay Bill” is used to illustrate this duality in scandalization. Moreover, the case illustrates how corporations can be scandalized for silence on socio-political issues. Stakeholders view the situation as a scandal because the corporation’s silence is viewed as cowardly. The chapter considers the implications of polarization around socio-political issues on how we conceptualize and evaluate the scandalization of corporations.
Social-Cognitive Theory is used to test the argument that the motivations behind sustainable tourism, and the types of sustainable actions undertaken, depend on one’s empathy towards sustainability. Latin American businesses were surveyed about their motivations for acting sustainably and any sustainability actions undertaken. Based on their responses, TwoStep cluster analysis found four clusters (cost, legitimisation, biospheric, and lifestyle). Acceptance of responsibility to be more sustainable depends on one’s level of empathy with, and attachment to, sustainability, explained by a beneficiary focus (personal norms that drive one to act to help oneself or others) and a cultural focus (acting in response to individualistic or collectivistic social norms). Lifestyle businesses are argued to be culturally individualistic but self-transcendent in benefit focus.
This paper reviews the regrets and fears expressed by North American scholars about the commercialization of culture and presents a method for measuring the cultural character of advertising. This content analysis of manifest values yields a value profile of advertising and shows high consistency over time and across media. There is, however, a low correlation between this value profile and that of either the population at large or of heavy media users. This seriously challenges the conventional notion that advertising merely mirrors social values.
Negatives provide cognitively critical information and are also interactively signicant. The present study compares the prosodic realization of nega- tives in three languages, and in two social settings for each language. The study provided evidence for three loci of prosodic variation in negatives as they are used in amicable social interactions and in informative newscasts in American English, Latin American Spanish, and Japanese. Comparative evidence from adversarial interactions are cited where relevant.
This article looks at the subject of corporate social responsibility and how companies use it in their marketing communication activities, a practice known as cause-related marketing (CRM). According to the definition of Angelidis and Ibrahim (1993), corporate social responsibility is ‘corporate social actions whose purpose is to satisfy social needs’. Corporate social responsibility requires investment and it yields measurable outcomes.
It is commonly accepted that cause-related marketing is a communications tool for increasing customer loyalty and building reputation. The expected change in a company's image because of CRM campaigns appears to depend a great deal upon how customers perceive the reasons for a company's involvement in cause-related programmes and the amount of help given to the cause through a company's involvement (Webb and Mohr, 1998). Mohr et al. (1998) suggest that consumers with a high level of scepticism will be less likely to respond positively to CRM campaigns as opposed to consumers with a low level of scepticism.
This article analyses the use of mixed methods in papers published in the Journal of Sustainable Tourism over the 10 years, 2005–2014. First, a content analysis of the articles shows that mixed methods are used primarily for expansion and development of results, and less often for triangulation or complementarity. Sequential designs are slightly more popular than simultaneous designs, with qualitative research preceding the quantitative element. In the majority of cases, both the quantitative and qualitative methods have equivalent importance, yet where one is dominant, this is usually the quantitative part. Second, we contextualise the content analysis by exemplifying the use of mixed methods in selected papers, using commentary from authors who have recently published mixed methods papers. We reflect on the reasons for, strengths and weaknesses of using mixed methods, and we argue that mixed methods provide sustainable tourism academics with more opportunities for pragmatic transformative research for societal change, and increasing research reliability in relation to social desirability bias, stakeholder comparisons and transdisciplinarity. The paper notes the need for greater understanding of mixed methods by researchers, its special value and growing importance in sustainable tourism research, and its challenges and strengths for authors and editors.
Sustainability communication in accommodation businesses tends to be factual and descriptive, as companies are concerned with product-based messages that focus on what they do, and they appear not to understand the potential benefits of constructing messages that would influence consumers to behave more sustainably, which is effectively sustainability marketing myopia. An analysis of 1835 sustainability messages from award-winning businesses shows that messages communicate facts not emotions and benefits for society as a whole rather than for the individual customer. The messages are explicit but passive and not experiential, hence they positively affect the cognitive but not the affective image of the business. The lack of message normalization and customer focus reinforces the image of sustainability being a niche concern. We reflect on the reasons for these shortcomings and highlight opportunities to improve persuasive communication, which we have now applied commercially in more than 400 website analyses and 60 training courses.
Ecolabels are widespread tools for policy and marketing in many industry sectors. Carbon labels focussing on carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions are one specialised category of ecolabel in use by tourism corporations. All ecolabels, including carbon labels, rely on persuasive communication: i.e., providing technical information to individuals in ways that induce them to change relevant behaviours. This requires that individuals understand that information, appreciate its significance, trust its reliability, and know how to act more sustainably. Here, these four criteria are applied to a set of tourism carbon label schemes, to assess whether the information provided by existing labels is comprehensive. Secondly, results are presented from a survey of environmentally aware tourists and their perspectives of two different types of carbon labels. Results indicate that tourism carbon label schemes suffer significant shortcomings both from the theoretical perspective of communications analysis and from the practical perspective of tourist understanding and action. Results indicate that even if tourists care about their climate change impacts, carbon labels are currently ineffective because of deficiencies in communications. Since such deficiencies can be overcome, there are opportunities for carbon labels to become more widely and successfully used.
This research uses a market segmentation approach to reducing transport-related environmental burdens from visitors, while maintaining economic benefit. The approach was tested in the Lake District National Park (UK). It aimed first to explore visitor transport behaviour using a social psychological framework, to understand what might best predict desired behaviour change (i.e. reduced visitor car use). Second, it developed and tested different types of marketing messages to reduce car use, based on persuasive communication theory, establishing marketing propositions appropriate to different visitor types and market segments. Third, it identified market segments with both a high propensity towards positive behavioural change and the highest economic contribution to the destination. The work is based on Ajzen's Theory of Planned Behaviour and on persuasive communication. Three hundred and ninety completed questionnaires were obtained. The paper emphasises the importance of context in successful communication to influence behaviour and shows that a market segmentation approach to behavioural change can be successful. Complex patterns of visitor mobility and modal choice emerge. For example "New Explorers" and "Familiar Families" are most likely to reduce their car use (45% and 48% respectively) and less likely to perceive this as difficult.
Ethical decisions to visit disappearing destinations are self-serving and influences feed into self-interest. Data were collected from a sample of pre-, during- and post-visit tourists to Venice and Svalbard, using expressive techniques and scenarios using the Hunt-Vitell model to understand ethical decisions, and the constructive technique and collage to understand influences. The results show that travel decisions are driven by individual selfishness, and any threat to freedom (i.e. the right to travel) is underplayed. The preferred scenario for long-term benefit for planet and people is via short-term economic and social negative impacts on the destination's locals, rather than the tourists' own experience. Respondents believe that they are blameless for their purchasing habits as they lack perceived behavioural control, and instead corporations ought to be providing sustainable products as the norm and not sell products that harm. In the scenarios, where respondents express concern for the locals in a disappearing destination (i.e. if we do not visit, they will not benefit from our expenditure), individual selfishness to visit could be the driver, rather than an altruistic act to provide support. Theoretical and policy implications are discussed.
Green marketing in hotel rooms relies particularly on the hotel's communication to the guest, with a goal of gaining the guest's voluntary participation in sustainable programs. Developing a persuasive message, therefore, is critical to the effectiveness of the hotel's green efforts. To explore effective in-room green communication strategies of the hotel industry, we propose application of several widely adopted information processing theories. We review relevant theories, develop key propositions for the hotel industry, and offer a theoretical framework and propositions for future research. Our content analysis of the contents of thirty-six guestroom message cards finds that many hotels are using some of these information theories, but a more scientific approach is indicated.
A survey of around 900 tourism enterprises in 57 European protected areas shows that small firms are more involved in taking responsibility for being sustainable than previously expected, including eco-savings related operational practices but also reporting a wide range of social and economic responsibility actions. Two-step cluster analysis was used to group the firms in three groups based on their motivations to be sustainable. Business driven firms implement primarily eco-savings activities and are commercially oriented. Legitimization driven firms respond to perceived stakeholder pressure and report a broad spectrum of activities. Lifestyle and value driven firms report the greatest number of environmental, social and economic activities. No profile has a higher business performance than average. The study has implications for policy programmes promoting sustainability behaviour change based primarily on a business case argument.
This study used an experimental approach to examine the influence of message framing and source credibility on potential hotel customers' attitudes, behavioral intentions, attention, and environmentally friendly activities (EFAs) toward messages about protecting the environment. With 386 participants, this study employed a 2 x 2 between-subject design comparing a positive message frame, a negative message frame, a credible source, and a noncredible source. The results reveal that messages from a credible source that are positively framed led to the most positive attitudes toward the messages themselves, visit intention, and EFAs. Even without regard to source credibility, positively framed messages were more effective than those with a negative frame. The implication for hospitality practitioners is to maintain a positive frame for messages that encourage guests to participate in a hotel's sustainability programs, and to add a credible source for additional message strength.
Purpose
Extant research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication primarily relies on a transmission model of communication that treats organizations and communication as distinct phenomena. This approach has been criticized for neglecting the formative role of communication in the emergence of organizations. This paper seeks to propose to reconceptualize CSR communication by drawing on the “communication constitutes organizations” (CCO) perspective.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper that explores the implications of switching from an instrumental to a constitutive notion of communication.
Findings
The study brings forth four main findings: from the CCO view, organizations are constituted by several, partly dissonant, and potentially contradictory communicative practices. From that viewpoint, the potential impact of CSR communication becomes a matter of connectivity of CSR to other practices of organizational communication. Communication practices that concern CSR should not be generally dismissed as mere “greenwashing” – given that some forms of talk can be action. Consequently, there is a need to investigate which specific speech acts create accountability and commitment in the context of CSR. The CCO view shows that CSR communication potentially extends the boundary of the organization through the involvement of third parties. Thus, it is fruitful to study CSR communication as a set of practices that aims at boundary maintenance and extension. Organizations are stabilized by various non‐human entities that “act” on their behalf. Accordingly, CSR communication should also take into account non‐human agency and responsibility.
Originality/value
This paper links the literature on CSR communication to broader debates in organizational communication studies and, in particular, to the CCO perspective. By applying the CCO view, it reconceptualizes CSR communication as a complex process of meaning negotiation.
Small firms in tourism are characterised by informal approaches to management, allowing their owners to meet a variety of often overlapping business and personal goals. Environmental certification schemes generally require members to subscribe to formal environmental management systems (EMS), even when aimed at small business operators. This paper examines in detail the managerial approaches of a small group of owner-managers who are operating within the approximately 3000-member Green Tourism Business Scheme (GTBS) available in the UK and Ireland. The findings suggest that the type of environmental practices adopted most willingly reflect the formality of management within the business and the owner-managers’ various backgrounds, values, reasons to be in business, expectations from acting and their understanding of the “environment”. It finds that the “Plan-Do-Check-Review” approach of most EMS does not easily relate to the complex motivations and needs of the world of small business. The paper concludes that environmental engagement is more likely to be fostered if owner-managers’ managerial approaches and assumptions are better understood and that shared visions for environmental engagement are encouraged through informed dialogue. Both economic benefits and the fostering of “feel good” factors should be stressed if small tourism businesses are to adopt EMS programmes.
In recent times, much has been written about consumers' co-responsibility for addressing environmental problems, with consumers expected to steer or regulate their consumption in an instrumental way. By drawing on data from in-depth interviews with green consumers in urban Ireland, this article examines how green consumers engage with environmental issues at an everyday level. The article considers green consumption through the theoretical lens of reflexive modernization, particularly its relevance to self-identity. We argue that although green consumption is important to the maintenance and constitution of a green subjectivity, it must be understood within the context of a process of increasing individualization, where individuals feel both responsible and empowered in dealing with environmental risks to both the wider global planet and themselves. However, such feelings are accompanied by doubts and insecurities about the choices to be made, creating a rather dichotomous situation. This challenges the idea that green consumption as some form of politics of choice can unambiguously form part of a strategy for environmental reform as it does not adequately address the fundamental dilemmas that people face.
The relationship between marketing and the environment has been examined since the early 1970s but began to focus on advertising in the early 1990s. Environmentally related ads were frequently analyzed for content, and then a framework for green advertising was developed, expanding the domain of inquiry to the level of paradigms. This article expands on both of these areas of research by examining both green advertising and sustainable communication and positioning them within the dominant social paradigm of western industrial society. It is argued that achieving sustainable consumption is problematic for both areas because their goal contradicts the basic elements of the paradigm. For meaningful change to occur over time, it is necessary to develop the theory of sustainable communication further and expand knowledge of the functioning of the dominant social paradigm of western industrial societies.
Numerous theoretical frameworks have been developed to explain the gap between the possession of environmental knowledge and environmental awareness, and displaying pro-environmental behavior. Although many hundreds of studies have been undertaken, no definitive explanation has yet been found. Our article describes a few of the most influential and commonly used analytical frameworks: early US linear progression models; altruism, empathy and prosocial behavior models; and finally, sociological models. All of the models we discuss (and many of the ones we do not such as economic models, psychological models that look at behavior in general, social marketing models and that have become known as deliberative and inclusionary processes or procedures (DIPS)) have some validity in certain circumstances. This indicates that the question of what shapes pro-environmental behavior is such a complex one that it cannot be visualized through one single framework or diagram. We then analyze the factors that have been found to have some influence, positive or negative, on pro-environmental behavior such as demographic factors, external factors (e.g. institutional, economic, social and cultural) and internal factors (e.g. motivation, pro-environmental knowledge, awareness, values, attitudes, emotion, locus of control, responsibilities and priorities). Although we point out that developing a model that tries to incorporate all factors might neither be feasible nor useful, we feel that it can help illuminate this complex field. Accordingly, we propose our own model based on the work of Fliegenschnee and Schelakovsky (1998) who were influenced by Fietkau and Kessel (1981).
This article examines the global sustainability movement through the lens of a green commodity discourse as introduced by Prothero and Fitchett. The current wave of sustainability efforts and initiatives is different from the previous incarnations in that it is more global and systems oriented. The authors submit that a green commodity discourse has begun to move the sustainability discourse away from the bonds of the dominant social paradigm (DSP) and toward a more holistic and global perspective. The authors conclude that a new typology that delineates consumption from citizenry will better encapsulate the values and behaviors of green consumers. This new typology allows for better representation of those consumers who are choosing to live a greener lifestyle on a grander scale. These new green citizens reflect more the sustainability ideas and efforts discussed here and seen worldwide.
The author responds to Pollay's review of the “conventional wisdom” or “prevailing opinion” about the unintended consequences of advertising. After (re)constructing the implicit train of thought underlying Pollay's reflections, he suggests that the thin strands of the arguments Pollay cites compose only the weakest logical thread. The author finds unfairness in the attacks of critics who would smash the advertising mirror because they do not like what they see in it.
Social Marketing is the utilisation of marketing principles and methods to encourage individual and organisational behaviour change for the public good. Traditionally the domain of government it is increasingly also utilised by non-government and non-profit organisations and other institutions of civil society as a non-regulatory means to achieve policy and public good goals. at a time when concerns over tourism's contribution to undesirable environmental, economic and social change is greater than ever, social marketing strategies are important for encouraging more appropriate and desirable behaviours by tourists and the tourism industry.
This multiphase and empirical study explores the best communication style for reaching different international tourism markets and provides an understanding of how purchase decisions could be better influenced in travel brochures. A pre-test experiment evaluated the perceived emotionality and rationality of communication elements in a fictional travel brochure designed for a typical beach holiday but managed according to sustainability principles. In phase two, a choice experiment was conducted to test how Swiss, German, British and US travellers could be influenced by varying visual and textual communication elements in the fictional brochure (based on Mexico for US respondents and Menorca for all others). The choice experiment produced 3006 responses from an online survey in the four countries. Results confirm a general preference for emotionally laden communication styles for sustainable tourism products, while respondents were indifferent to the emotionality of standard product feature communications. Respondents did not show a preference for the inclusion of a graph explaining the product's sustainability attributes.
In this study, Richard Alexander presents a series of original and empirically based case studies of the language and discourse involved in the discussion of environmental and ecological issues. Relying upon a variety of different text types and genres - including company websites, advertisements, press articles, speeches and lectures - Alexander interrogates how in the media, press, corporate and activist circles language is employed to argue for and propagate selected positions on the growing ecological crisis. For example, he asks: How are ecological and environmental concerns articulated in texts? What do we learn about ecological 'problems' through texts from differing sources? What language features accompany ecological discourse in differing contexts and registers? Attention is especially directed at where this discourse comes into contact with business, economic and political concerns.
Purpose
– The green marketing concept emerged in the late 1980s, and many hotels have since implemented a variety of green marketing strategies, such as the use of the “green hotel” label to project a green image and attract potential customers. However, some companies that have launched environment-based promotions have been accused of “green washing” by their customers. This study aims to investigate the gap between hotel manager and customer perceptions of the relative importance of green marketing-related activities.
Design/methodology/approach
– Two sets of 30-statement questionnaires designed for hotel managers and customers were used to gauge respondents' perceptions of a variety of hotel green marketing-related activities. Independent samples t -tests and one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to examine the significant differences between the ways in which hotel managers and customers rate the importance of these activities.
Findings
– The two statements that gained the highest level of agreement amongst both hotel managers and customers were: “The internet is an effective channel for marketing a hotel's green initiatives directly to customers”; and “Green hotels can elevate industry members' image and reputation to attract green tourists who demand green accommodation when travelling”. Both also perceived: “The environmental claims in advertisements are often met with criticism from competitors and consumer organisations”; “Hotel customers are willing to pay a higher price for eco-facilities”; and “Customers are willing to pay a higher green price if part of the amount paid is donated to green activities” to be the three least important statements. The results also indicated ten over-perceptions and three under-perceptions amongst hotel managers, thus implying that they may require a better understanding of customer expectations. Several demographic differences were also identified. Female hotel managers and customers were found to be more concerned with green hotel products and a green image; hotel managers aged over 59 were found to have reservations about certain green marketing strategies probably because of service quality issues, although green supporters are in general older than average; younger customers aged between 20-29 become more concerned about environmental issues; and customers with a Master degree level of education or above challenged whether hotels are truly innovative in their development of green products and services and had reservations about the use of eco-labels.
Research limitations/implications
– The results of this study may not reflect the full picture of managerial perceptions of green hotel marketing, as the sample was restricted to hotels on the Hong Kong Hotels Association list. Researchers may thus wish to undertake further studies with larger hotel samples over a longer time period in future. Drawing on the foundations laid by this study, future researchers may also wish to investigate smaller, lower-ranked hotels, which may experience greater challenges in implementing green marketing strategies than those considered here.
Originality/value
– Few studies to date have investigated green hotel marketing. The findings of this study can be viewed as a preliminary step towards greater understanding of green hotel marketing-related activities.
From a management and research perspective, it is important to get a better understanding of what influences tourists in their decision to choose environmentally friendly travel options, and how these are related to social cognitive processes. This paper reports findings from two separate studies investigating the role of biases in social comparison, with particular reference to tourists' perception of their personal roles as environmentally friendly tourists, and especially tourists’ views of the environmental attitudes of other tourists. Samples of N = 1607 and N = 2076 tourists, respectively, were obtained for two studies in Western Norway. Results indicate that tourists perceive themselves to hold more pro-environmental attitudes than other tourists (i.e. “typical tourist”, “average tourist”, “tourists”). This suggests that there are differences in the perception of the self and others when it comes to social comparisons concerning issues of environmental sustainability. The findings also suggest that tourists hold overly positive views of themselves generally concerning issues of environmental sustainability and that their environmental attitudes reflect perceived desirable standards. The theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed from a social psychological perspective, and implications for tourism managers and researchers noted.
Despite the growth of green marketing, there is a shortage of studies on green communication. Thus, this research aims to understand whether consumers who are concerned about the environment conserve resources and have environmentally friendly buying habits and whether they are skeptical about the green communications conveyed by companies. Using a proposal of a model about skepticism toward green advertising, several hypotheses are tested. The results indicate that the more environmentally concerned an individual is, the more skepticism he or she will be toward green claims exhibited on packages or featured in ads. In addition, results indicated no significant differences between men and women regarding this skepticism.
This is a pioneering study which should serve as a model for future research and will to a wide audience' Dharam Ghai, Director United Nations Research Institute for Social Development Structural Adjustment and the Environment (Earthscan, 1992) was the first book to fully examine the effects of 'structural adjustment programmes the economic reform policies required by the World Bank and IMF as part of their lending operations with borrowing countries. To widespread Critical acclaim it exposed the damaging environmental and social effects of structural adjustment policies, and called for a thorough revision of the then-current development policy. This new work; Structural Adjustment, the Environment and sustainable Development is a major step forward in the study of structural adjustment policies. It looks in detail at new research and analysis into their effects, and incorporates recent studies by a wide range of academics and policy-makers, leading experts and institutes. Focusing on nine in-depth case studies, the book examines the complex links between macroeconomic policies, social impacts and environmental outcomes, and takes a forward-looking perspective in outlining the alternatives to current structural adjustment policies. Review quotes for Structural Adjustment and the Environment 'Should be essential reading for all students of development' Third World Planning Review 'Breaks new ground in the debate on structural adjustment generally. and in the environment/development debate' International Affairs 'The most substantial contribution to date to what is undoubtedly an important area' Development and Change David Reed is director of the Macroeconomics for Sustainable Development Programme of WWF International, and editor of Structural Adjustment and the Environment (Earthscan, 1992). Originally published in 1996.
The Tourist Gaze, Third Edition restructures, reworks and remakes the groundbreaking previous versions making this successful book even more relevant for tourism students, researchers and designers in the new century. The tourist gaze remains an agenda setting theory, incorporating new principles and research. Packed full of fascinating insights this new edition is fresh and contemporary, intelligently broadening its theoretical and geographical scope and providing a nuanced account which responds to various critiques.The book has been significantly revised to include up-to-date empirical data, many new case studies and fresh concepts. Three new chapters have been added which explore photography and digitization, embodied performances, risks, and alternative futures.Innovative and informative, this book is essential reading for all involved in contemporary tourism, leisure, cultural policy, design, economic regeneration, heritage and the arts.
This study examines whether consumers' purchase intentions are influenced by the type of green marketing communications message to which they are exposed, and whether this effect is moderated by their level of environmental involvement (EI), measured across cognitive, affective and behavioural attitude components. A sample of university students (N = 171) were exposed to one of three print advertisements showing a typical ad for the product, an ad promoting a personal benefit to product purchase and an ad promoting a pure environmental benefit. Results revealed no difference in purchase intention across the three types of advertisement; however, it was found that participants' level of environmental affect moderated the effect of the advertisements on purchase intention. Participants with higher environmental affect showed greater purchase intention when exposed to the pure environmental advertisement; those with a lower level of affect showed greater purchase intention when exposed to the personal environmental advertisement. Implications for the meaning and measurement of EI are discussed, as well as for marketers of green products.
Using environmental appeals to promote products is a popular marketing technique. However, little is known about how the effectiveness of green appeals varies across different product categories. The purpose of this study is to examine whether and to what extent green appeals in advertising are effective and how that effectiveness differs between products with more versus less environmental impact. Using the theoretical frameworks of ad-product fit hypothesis, our two product types (more harmful vs. less harmful) × two appeal types (green appeal vs. non-green appeal) experiment shows that ads with a green appeal are more effective for more-harmful products, whereas for less-harmful products, there is no significant difference between a green and a non-green appeal. Furthermore, cognitive response was found to mediate the interaction effect of green appeal and product type on ad persuasiveness. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Responding to conflicting pressures to justify decisions both in terms of ethical standards and in terms of self-interested rationality, actors in organizations often make the dubious claim that value-driven goals are good for business. Whereas much work has already explored cases where moral and self-interested rationales clash, this review explores situations where they coincide, and discusses the factors that would lead a manager to choose to publicly frame an issue in moral or pragmatic terms. We analyze cases of mismatch between private and public moralization (e.g., moral muteness and moral hypocrisy), illustrating the value of considering these two levels of moral framing separately. Then we identify some of the precursors of moral awareness (moral intuitions, moral template matching and meta-perceptions) that signal the availability of a moral frame for a given issue. Finally, we explore what positive or negative consequences actors expect to result from public moralization, and present what research is available regarding the accuracy of these expectations.
Recent research has emphasized the close connections between writing and the construction of an author’s identity. While academic contexts privilege certain ways of making meanings and so restrict what resources participants can bring from their past experiences, we can also see these writing conventions as a repertoire of options that allow writers to actively and publicly accomplish an identity through discourse choices. This article takes a somewhat novel approach to the issue of authorial identity by using the tools of corpus analysis to examine the published works of two leading figures in applied linguistics: John Swales and Debbie Cameron. By comparing high frequency keywords and clusters in their writing with a larger applied linguistics reference corpus, I attempt to show how corpus techniques might inform our study of identity construction and something of the ways identity can be seen as independent creativity shaped by an accountability to shared practices.
Lifestyle, non-economic motives have been recognised as significant stimuli for tourism entrepreneurship and growth of the small-business sector. Tourism research, to date, has focused on the conceptualisation of entrepreneurship informed largely by economic analysis. In this context, the long-term survival of lifestyle entrepreneurs in tourism has been addressed as a constraint within regional economic development. Our research of an emerging cohort of lifestyle entrepreneurs in New Zealand tourism, focusing on the motivating values of these entrepreneurs, reveals that their often conscious rejection of economic and business growth opportunities is an expression of their sociopolitical ideology. Coincidentally, this rejection of an overtly profit-driven orientation does not necessarily result in financial suicide or developmental stagnation but rather provides opportunities to engage with 'niche' market consumers informed by values common to themselves within rapidly segmenting markets. Moreover, the research indicates that these lifestyle entrepreneurs are often instrumental in the creation and introduction of innovative products to the wider industry which are not only capable of articulating values common to the sustainability debate with respect to a sense of place and community, but also stimulate regional development and reproduction of niche market products.
Existing theoretical models of individual ethical decision making in organizations place little or no emphasis on characteristics of the ethical issue itself. This article (a) proposes an issue-contingent model containing a new set of variables called moral intensity; (b) using concepts, theory, and evidence derived largely from social psychology, argues that moral intensity influences every component of moral decision making and behavior; (c) offers four research propositions; and (d) discusses implications of the theory.
The author responds to Pollay's review of the "conventional wisdom" or "prevailing opinion" about the unintended consequences of advertising. After (re)constructing the implicit train of thought underlying Pollay's reflections, he suggests that the thin strands of the arguments Pollay cites compose only the weakest logical thread. The author finds unfairness in the attacks of critics who would smash the advertising mirror because they do not like what they see in it.