Original Research - Special Collection: 17th IBC Conference

Comparing green customer citizenship attitudes and behaviours in South Africa and South Korea

Christo Bisschoff, Sam Fullerton
Acta Commercii | Vol 25, No 2 | a1336 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/ac.v25i2.1336 | © 2025 Christo Bisschoff, Sam Fullerton | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 01 October 2024 | Published: 16 January 2025

About the author(s)

Christo Bisschoff, North-West University Business School, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa
Sam Fullerton, North-West University Business School, Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences, North-West University, Potchefstroom, South Africa

Abstract

Orientation: Green consumption is a popular topic of conversation and research. Green initiatives are characterised by considerations, attitudes and behaviours.

Research purpose: This article compares Korean and South African customers on five constructs plausibly associated with green customer citizenship attitudes or behaviours.

Motivation for the study: Korean consumers are favourably orientated to green consumerism and serve as valuable benchmark for South African consumers.

Research design, approach and method: Independent samples of 513 consumers in South Africa and 292 consumers in South Korea responded to an invitation-only, Internet-based questionnaire that focussed on attitudinal and behavioural issues of green purchasing and green consumption.

Main findings: Statistically significant differences exist on all five scales. The secondary data favoured South Korea from a green perspective; however, for all five constructs subjected to empirical scrutiny, the results from South Africa produced a significantly higher mean than what was in evidence in the sample of South Korean residents.

Practical/managerial implications: South African consumers tend to possess a stronger green disposition (attitude) while concurrently embracing and engaging in anti-consumption, advocacy, consumer coaching and customer helping (behaviours) – all in a green context – more so than do their South Korean peers. This implies that local consumers value green initiatives and that businesses could capitalise on the favourable green consumer trend.

Contribution/value-add: The study compares South Africa’s green attitudes and behaviour internationally. Also, a country benchmark will be established as a reference mark in future studies to determine if South Africa is progressing on green consumerism.


Keywords

green; customer citizenship; behaviour; attitudes; anti-consumption; South Korea; South Africa

JEL Codes

M30: General; M31: Marketing

Sustainable Development Goal

Goal 3: Good health and well-being

Metrics

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