What is Different about Volunteers? A Study on Factors of Buying Decisions of Products with Recycled Content

Claudia Stoian (Bobâlcă), Oana Țugulea, Liviu-George Maha and Claudia-Ioana Ciobanu
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Claudia Stoian (Bobâlcă): Department of Management, Marketing and Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, 22 Carol I Street, 700505 Iași, Romania
Oana Țugulea: Department of Management, Marketing and Business Administration, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Alexandru Ioan Cuza University of Iasi, 22 Carol I Street, 700505 Iași, Romania
Claudia-Ioana Ciobanu: Management BMTM, Faculty of Civil Engineering and Building Services, “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University of Iași, 700050 Iași, Romania
Authors registered in the RePEc Author Service: Claudia Iuliana Stoian (Bobalca)

Sustainability, 2018, vol. 10, issue 5, 1-21

Abstract: Volunteering is a way to express civic behavior, including pro-environmental behavior such as buying products with recycled content. The purpose of this research is to understand the differences between individuals involved in volunteering activities and individuals who have never been involved in volunteering activities. In order to do this, dimensions are analyzed by categories of public: the general public, individuals involved in volunteering activities (volunteers), and individuals who have never been involved in volunteering activities (non-volunteers). Qualitative methods, based on in-depth interviews; and quantitative methods, based on Anova, Independent Samples T tests, factor analyses, and regression analyses have been combined. The sample included 469 respondents. The general dimensions of buying decisions are: product features, social values, promotions, low risk, uniqueness, and affordable price. The volunteers’ dimensions of buying decisions are product features, social values, uniqueness, benefits, and promotions. The non-volunteers’ dimensions of buying decisions are product features, uniqueness, credibility support, promotions, and low risk. In the conclusions section, implications are presented using specific communication for each of the three public categories, based on important resulting dimensions for each public.

Keywords: volunteers; factor analysis; regression analysis; buying decision; products with recycled content (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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