Matching Items (16)
Description
This study investigates how well prominent behavioral theories from social psychology explain green purchasing behavior (GPB). I assess three prominent theories in terms of their suitability for GPB research, their attractiveness to GPB empiricists, and the strength of their empirical evidence when applied to GPB. First, a qualitative assessment of the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Norm Activation Theory (NAT), and Value-Belief-Norm Theory (VBN) is conducted to evaluate a) how well the phenomenon and concepts in each theory match the characteristics of pro-environmental behavior and b) how well the assumptions made in each theory match common assumptions made in purchasing theory. Second, a quantitative assessment of these three theories is conducted in which r2 values and methodological parameters (e.g., sample size) are collected from a sample of 21 empirical studies on GPB to evaluate the accuracy and generalize-ability of empirical evidence. In the qualitative assessment, the results show each theory has its advantages and disadvantages. The results also provide a theoretically-grounded roadmap for modifying each theory to be more suitable for GPB research. In the quantitative assessment, the TPB outperforms the other two theories in every aspect taken into consideration. It proves to 1) create the most accurate models 2) be supported by the most generalize-able empirical evidence and 3) be the most attractive theory to empiricists. Although the TPB establishes itself as the best foundational theory for an empiricist to start from, it's clear that a more comprehensive model is needed to achieve consistent results and improve our understanding of GPB. NAT and the Theory of Interpersonal Behavior (TIB) offer pathways to extend the TPB. The TIB seems particularly apt for this endeavor, while VBN does not appear to have much to offer. Overall, the TPB has already proven to hold a relatively high predictive value. But with the state of ecosystem services continuing to decline on a global scale, it's important for models of GPB to become more accurate and reliable. Better models have the capacity to help marketing professionals, product developers, and policy makers develop strategies for encouraging consumers to buy green products.
ContributorsRedd, Thomas Christopher (Author) / Dooley, Kevin (Thesis advisor) / Basile, George (Committee member) / Darnall, Nicole (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2012
Description
Derived from the idea that the utilization of sustainable practices could improve small business practice, this honors thesis offers a full business assessment and recommendations for improvements of a local, family-owned coffee shop, Gold Bar. A thorough analysis of the shop's current business practices and research on unnecessary expenses and waste guides this assessment.
ContributorsSorden, Clarissa (Co-author) / Boden, Alexandra (Co-author) / Darnall, Nicole (Thesis director) / Dooley, Kevin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / Department of Management (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
The goal of this project is to gain and use knowledge of sustainability topics as a value-adding function for a business in the Tempe, AZ area and to develop the skills to approach and consult with business owners and staff about sustainable business options. Sustainability searches for a balance between society, economy and the environment where all three can thrive; therefore, the ideal project partner was a business that values the wellbeing of mankind, is locally owned and operated and promotes environmental stewardship. The Original Chop Shop Co in Tempe Arizona was appropriately selected. Throughout the duration of our partnership, I observed their daily routine, interviewed employees and managers and used the collected information to identify three areas of focus that have the largest potential to reduce The Original Chop Shop Company's impact on the environment. Information on the areas of recycling, composting, and food sourcing was researched and synthesized to make suggestions for ecofriendly changes to business practices. The scope of the project includes small changes in daily practices such as implementing a recycling and composting program and employee training sessions and minor investments such as purchasing a micro washer and silverware in order to eliminate nonrenewable plastic utensils. The scope does not include major renovations or investments in technology. The suggestions offered position The Original Chop Shop to conduct business in a way that does not compromise the health of the environment, society, or economy.
ContributorsFerry, Brianna Aislinn (Author) / Dooley, Kevin (Thesis director) / Darnall, Nicole (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / W. P. Carey School of Business (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor)
Created2015-05
Description
This thesis compared two measures of phonological assessment of children, Shriberg and Kwiatkowski's 1980 Percentage of Correct Consonants (PCC) and Ingram's 2002 Proportion of Whole Word Proximity (PWP). Two typically developing two-year-old children were initially studied, and then nine children with speech sound disorders. The children's words were divided into four categories ranging from least complex to most complex. It was hypothesized that the measures would correlate with word simplicity. The hypothesis was supported for the two typically developing children, and for five of the children with speech sound disorders. The other four children with speech disorders, however, did not show the correlation. It was concluded that PCC and PWP did not measure the same thing, that PCC alone was sufficient to assess the typically developing children, and that the two measures together better captured the ability of the children with speech sound disorders than either singularly. Further, the differences between the two groups of children with speech sound disorders were interpreted as showing a difference between phonological delay and phonological disorder.
ContributorsKnodel, Rebekah Katelyn (Author) / Ingram, David (Thesis director) / Major, Roy (Committee member) / Fox, Angela (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / Department of Speech and Hearing Science (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
This thesis examines how the wording of proposed government policies can affect the level of public support that a given policy generates. By surveying 158 Phoenix residents, I tested the differing degrees of support that voters would have for a proposed city ordinance, which would stop Homeowners' Associations from restricting the use of native desert plants in residential landscaping. The ordinance was framed in the survey as a self-governance issue or a water conservation issue. I found that the message frames had little effect on the overall level of support for the ordinance, since most residents had moderate support for the policy. However, participants who were either residents of Homeowners' Associations that did not have native plant restrictions, or native residents of Arizona, demonstrated greater levels of support for the self-determination frame of the proposed ordinance. These findings have implications for policy makers who use targeted messages to establish pro-environmental policies at the local level.
ContributorsSmith, Mary Hannah (Author) / Darnall, Nicole (Thesis director) / Ramirez, Mark (Committee member) / Tetreault, Colin (Committee member) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / School of Politics and Global Studies (Contributor)
Created2013-05
Description
This research seeks to identify key influencers on a relatively new type of policy instrument, the Sustainable Purchasing Policy, in the local government context. Specifically, we analyze how vendor relationships and organizational capacity affect perceived Sustainable Purchasing Policy success. Using statistical analysis on a nationally distributed survey to city directors as well as interviews with city purchasing agents, we are able to identify what factors are likely to lead to successful policy implementation. Our findings show that cities benefit from their vendors providing reliable information regarding sustainable offerings, that vendors offering sustainable goods need superior technical capabilities to compete in a cost-driven environment, and that purchasing agents require support from a city’s top management if they want to successfully implement sustainable purchasing. Future avenues for research are discussed.
ContributorsAmbrose, Harrison Noah (Author) / Darnall, Nicole (Thesis director) / Wiedmer, Robert (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor) / Department of Supply Chain Management (Contributor) / Barrett, The Honors College (Contributor)
Created2020-05
Description
This three-essay dissertation examines how local governments manage sustainability policies/practices and how these actions are shaped by their organizational, social, and institutional environment. The first essay uses a 2015 Local Government Sustainability Practices Survey to investigate how social media shapes government sustainability plan and how its impact differs from other participatory mechanisms such as public hearings and advisory committees. Drawing from a theoretical framework of individualism-collectivism, the second essay uses data on local governments in the U.S. and Japan to conduct a cross-national comparative analysis. The study finds that governments embedded in a more individualism-oriented culture are more likely to adopt environmental management practices when facing growing external pressures. The final essay uses contingency theory to provide a dynamic view of how sustainability policies might be effectively integrated into the government’s working routines. It finds that the ways through which responsibility delegation affects policy implementation are contingent upon the government’s structural and cultural arrangement. Taken together, the dissertation coincides with the growing interest among public managers and researchers in enhancing government sustainability performance and outcomes. It provides an integrated and comprehensive investigation of the organizational, social, and institutional factors that shape the development and execution of sustainability policies and practices.
ContributorsChen, Yifan (Author) / Bretschneider, Stuart (Thesis advisor) / Darnall, Nicole (Committee member) / Mossberger, Karen (Committee member) / Stritch, Justin (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
Plastic is a valuable part of the consumer economy, but it creates negative environmental externalities throughout its lifecycle. To reduce these effects, a sustainable circular economy is needed, where more plastic is diverted from landfill or environmental sinks through reduction, reuse, recycling, or composting, while addressing social needs. Although many different stakeholders (industry, academia, policymakers) are calling for a sustainable circular economy for plastics, globally, less than 20% of plastic is recycled with no data on reduction and reuse. In this dissertation, a mixed methods approach is used to suggest how organizations related to the plastic industry can implement a sustainable circular economy. The first chapter identifies how firms across the plastic value chain can innovate to adopt a sustainable circular flow. A systematic review reveals over 300 examples, which are used to create a material flow typology. Findings summarize five critical points of innovation and indicate that innovation adoption is low. More concerted efforts are needed to improve innovation adoption and there is a need to shift innovation focus from resource efficiency to sustainability. The second chapters studies U.S. plastic recyclers’ price signals to generate evidence for favorable recycling policies. A hedonic analysis reveals recyclers preferences for recyclability – plastic properties that enable recycling. Results suggest that adequate recycling infrastructure and absence of virgin plastic can play an important role in facilitating more recycling. In the third paper, the role of governments as consumers is studied. As the largest consumers in a market, governments can signal a large demand for circular products and services, however public administration literature has paid limited attention to it. A theoretical framework is created to fill the knowledge gap and suggest how governments can use sustainable public procurement for a circular economy. A systematic literature review of the top ten public administration journals over 32 years reveals critical knowledge gaps and the potential for important sustainable public procurement research
ContributorsHafsa, Fatima (Author) / Englin, Jeffrey (Thesis advisor) / Abbott, Joshua K (Committee member) / Darnall, Nicole (Committee member) / Dooley, Kevin J (Committee member) / Arizona State University (Publisher)
Created2022
Description
These documents were developed as part of the culminating experience project for the Masters of Sustainability Solutions (MSUS) graduate program.
This report was developed for the ASU Foundation and the Fulton Center by Team Green Impact with the goal of establishing a facility based year for the foundation to meet their 2035 net-zero target. Contents of this report include: Scope 1 and Scope 2 GHG emission measurements for the Fulton Center, GHG emission reduction recommendations, an infographic for internal stakeholder engagement, and an example net-zero strategy the foundation can utilize in their current and future building. The purpose of the report and the infographic is to inform next steps for reducing GHG emissions and to help the ASU Foundation make progress towards their net-zero target.
ContributorsFowler, Carissa (Author) / Boss, Lauren (Author) / Austin, Lesley (Author)
Created2023-05-01
Description
For decades, understanding the complexity of behaviors, motivations, and values has interested researchers across various disciplines. So much so that there are numerous terms, frameworks, theories, and studies devoted to understanding these complexities and how they interact and evolve into actions. However, little research has examined how employee behaviors translate into the work environment, particularly regarding perceived organizational success. This study advances research by quantitatively assessing how a greater number of individual employees’ pro-environmental behaviors are related to the perceived success of environmentally sustainable workplace activities. We have concluded that the more pro-environmental behaviors an employee embodies, the more positively they perceive the success of their local government's sustainable purchasing policy. Additionally, other factors matter, including organizational behaviors, like training, innovation, and reduction of red tape.
ContributorsFox, Angela (Author) / Darnall, Nicole (Thesis advisor) / Bretschneider, Stuart (Committee member) / Behravesh, Shirley-Ann (Committee member) / School of Sustainability (Contributor)
Created2022-04-19