Consumer Activism in Times of Economic Crisis and Recovery: A Cross-Country aAnalysis of the Role of Social Capital in Boycotting Products

Grzegorz Zasuwa, Agnieszka Marek, Grzegorz Wesolowski and Joanna Niewiadoma

European Research Studies Journal, 2020, vol. XXIII, issue Special 2, 928-938

Abstract: Purpose: This paper’s objective is twofold: 1) to show how the outbreak of an economic crisis and then an economic recovery affect consumer activism; and 2) to examine how social capital moderates the effects of economic crisis and economic recovery. Design/Methodology/Approach: Drawing on the economic and sociological literature, this study develops a set of hypotheses that explain the role of social capital in consumer activism under different economic conditions. In order to test research predictions, the study uses a reliable data source that is European Social Survey. Findings: The research findings clearly demonstrate that social capital at the country level boosts consumer activism during an economic recovery. Intriguingly, the study shows that social capital seems to have a neutral effect on boycotting products during an economic crisis. Practical Implications: This study suggests that consumers are likely to become more sensitive to unethical behaviour by companies in a situation of economic recovery. Thus, firms should be particularly careful about ethically questionable situations in that time. Originality/Value: The added value arises from showing the role of social capital in consumer activism, in different economic conditions.

Keywords: Economic crisis; social capital; consumer boycotts. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: A14 D19 M14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.ersj.eu/journal/1907/download (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ers:journl:v:xxiii:y:2020:i:special2:p:928-938

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in European Research Studies Journal from European Research Studies Journal
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Marios Agiomavritis ().