Assessing customers' perceived value of the anti-haze cosmetics under haze pollution

Embracing New Love: Why Customers Are Loyal to Plant Extract-Based Skin-Care Cosmetics

BACKGROUND

In recent years, increases in consumer awareness regarding health and the environment have enhanced their willingness to purchase plant extract-based skin-care products. Although the skin-care product industry has paid increasing attention to consumer behavior in recent years, few studies have investigated customer loyalty to this type of product; in-depth research is urgently required to fill this gap.

AIMS

This study investigated Taiwanese skin-care products derived from plant extracts by identifying the relationships between consumer prior experience, involvement, perceived value, and loyalty. It also examined how demographic characteristics influence consumer loyalty.

PATIENTS/METHODS

An online survey yielded 920 valid samples for statistical analysis. Three constructs of involvement, namely product, message, and situational involvement; three constructs of perceived value, namely functional, emotional, and social value; and three constructs of consumer loyalty, namely repurchase intention, willingness to receive information, and willingness to pay, were identified through factor analysis.

RESULTS

The respondents' perceived value significantly influenced their loyalty toward Taiwanese plant-extract-based skin-care products. The factor with the strongest effect on repurchase intention was emotional value, followed by functional value, product involvement, and social value. The factor with the strongest influence on willingness to receive information and willingness to pay was functional value, followed by product involvement, situational involvement, and emotional value.

CONCLUSIONS

Respondents with higher educational levels were less likely to repurchase and less willing to receive information on plant extract-based skin-care products. Moreover, men were more willing to pay price premiums for these products than were women.

Nonlinear effects of socio-economic factors on urban haze in China: Evidence from spatial econometric smooth transition autoregressive regression approach

In recent years, China has achieved numerous economic miracles but it has also been plagued by severe air pollution. The frequent hazy weather has severely restricted China's sustainable development. To investigate the nonlinear threshold effect of socio-economic factors on urban haze in China, this study constructs a spatial econometric Smooth Transition Autoregressive Regression (STAR) model based on the STIRPAT theory by using the remote sensing inversion PM2.5 data of 223 prefecture-level and above cities in China mainland during 2004-2016. In this study, the ARAR-STAR model is estimated by quasi-maximum likelihood estimation, and the accuracy of parameter estimation is verified by Monte Carlo simulation, which proves that the ARAR-STAR model constructed in this study is robust. It is concluded that: there is a complex spatial nonlinear relationship between socio-economic factors such as economic development level, population density, advanced industrial structure, energy consumption, opening-up, and haze pollution. The effect of socio-economic factors on haze emission reduction under the spatial influence has complex heterogeneity with the smooth transition between high and low regimes with economic development. The ARAR-STAR model constructed in this paper, which has both individual fixed effects and time fixed effects, expands the form of existing spatial panel nonlinear models and enriches and implements the application of spatial panel smooth transfer threshold models in the environmental field. Not only can it provide policy recommendations for China to achieve "coordinated efficiency in pollution reduction and carbon reduction" as soon as possible, but it also contributes to China's plan to address global climate change and promote global sustainable development.

Haze Exposure Changes the Skin Fungal Community and Promotes the Growth of Talaromyces Strains

Haze pollution has been a public health issue. The skin microbiota, as a component of the first line of defense, is disturbed by environmental pollutants, which may have an impact on human health. A total of 74 skin samples from healthy students were collected during haze and nonhaze days in spring and winter. Significant differences of skin fungal community composition between haze and nonhaze days were observed in female and male samples in spring and male samples in winter based on unweighted UniFrac distance analysis. Phylogenetic diversity whole-tree indices and observed features were significantly increased during haze days in male samples in winter compared to nonhaze days, but no significant difference was observed in other groups. Dothideomycetes, Capnodiales, Mycosphaerellaceae, etc. were significantly enriched during nonhaze days, whereas Trichocomaceae, Talaromyces, and Pezizaceae were significantly enriched during haze days. Thus, five Talaromyces strains were isolated, and an in vitro culture experiment revealed that the growth of representative Talaromyces strains was increased at high concentrations of particulate matter, confirming the sequencing results. Furthermore, during haze days, the fungal community assembly was better fitted to a niche-based assembly model than during nonhaze days. Talaromyces enriched during haze days deviated from the neutral assembly process. Our findings provided a comprehensive characterization of the skin fungal community during haze and nonhaze days and elucidated novel insights into how haze exposure influences the skin fungal community. IMPORTANCE Skin fungi play an important role in human health. Particulate matter (PM), the main haze pollutant, has been a public environmental threat. However, few studies have assessed the effects of air pollutants on skin fungi. Here, haze exposure influenced the diversity and composition of the skin fungal community. In an in vitro experiment, a high concentration of PM promoted the growth of Talaromyces strains. The fungal community assembly is better fitted to a niche-based assembly model during haze days. We anticipate that this study may provide new insights on the role of haze exposure disturbing the skin fungal community. It lays the groundwork for further clarifying the association between the changes of the skin fungal community and adverse health outcomes. Our study is the first to report the changes in the skin fungal community during haze and nonhaze days, which expands the understanding of the relationship between haze and skin fungi.

Effect of green marketing mix, green customer value, and attitude on green purchase intention: evidence from the USA

The undertaken research examines the impact of green attitude, green customer value (e.g., environmental image and perceived value), and green marketing mix (e.g., product, packaging, price, promotion, and place) on green purchasing intention. The research has integrated fundamental theoretical approaches of customers' purchasing such as attitude-behavior context (ABC) theory, signaling theory, and theory of planned behavior (TPB) in the modified conceptual framework. Additionally, this research has also incorporated the green psychological benefits (e.g., nature experience, self-expressive, and warm glow) as mediating construct. The modified conceptual framework also unified green marketing (e.g., environmental advertising and green word of mouth) as moderator to investigate further the connotation between attitude, green customer value, green marketing mix, and green purchase intention. The survey method is used to collect data with a sample size of 896 customers that are well-versed with eco-friendly green products and services from the different urban centers of the USA. The data is analyzed through a structural equation modeling (SEM)-based multivariate approach by using SPSS 26, AMOS 26, and conditional process modeling software. The findings have demonstrated a positive and significant impact of green customer value, green marketing mix, and attitude on the green purchase intention of US customers. The study has further concluded that the green psychological benefits (mediator) and green advertising (moderator) have a significant influence on a relationship between attitude, green customer value (environmental image and perceived value), green marketing mix, and green purchasing intention. The results of this research can be helpful for researchers and academicians to get insight into theoretical approaches to green purchasing, and it can also be helpful for marketers to devise green marketing strategies to gain optimal competitive advantage in the long run.

Influence Mechanism of Energy Efficiency Label on Consumers' Purchasing Behavior of Energy-Saving Household Appliances

Mandatory energy efficiency label is an effective way to change consumers’ consumption habits and guide them to buy energy-saving appliances. However, few studies concerned about the impact of energy efficiency label on consumers’ purchasing behavior. Based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB), social cognitive theory and signaling theory, this paper constructs a theoretical model of the effect of the energy label on consumers’ purchasing behavior of energy-saving household appliances. The survey data of 396 household appliance consumers in Mianyang City, China, are collected by the interception method, and the theoretical model is tested by structural equation modeling (SEM). Empirical results of this study indicate that consumers’ cognition and perceived value of energy efficiency label significantly affect label trust. Perceived value has a significant impact on consumers’ purchasing behavior of energy-saving appliances, while label cognition and label trust indirectly influence consumers’ purchasing behavior through the intermediary variable of purchase intention. External environmental factors such as publicity and education as well as subjective norms affect consumers’ actual purchasing behavior through the intermediary effect of purchase intention. This study provides important insights into the policy intervention measures to promote consumers’ purchasing behavior of energy-saving appliances.

Formal or informal recycling sectors? Household solid waste recycling behavior based on multi-agent simulation

Urban household solid waste recycling and management are complex adaptive systems with multiple agents, stages, and elements. Previous studies neglected the impact of municipal residents' behavioral decisions on recycling sectors. In this study, the degree of regret-joy and personality characteristics were introduced into a multi-agent-based model to simulate the action decision-making of agents under different strategies. The results demonstrate that, without the government's role, nearly 60% of municipal residents preferred the informal recycling sector (IFRS). Meanwhile, the formal recycling sectors (FRS) find it difficult to attract urban residents because of their low income levels. Regarding a single policy, the subsidy policy is more beneficial than the regulation policy for increasing the income of the FRS from 20 to 250 Yuan. However, neither of the two single policies can weaken the market competitiveness of the IFRS. Moreover, a comprehensive policy combining both subsidies and regulations has enabled more than 60% of urban residents to choose the FRS, thereby increasing its profit and market share to 270 yuan and 500 kg, respectively. These results provide policy suggestions for optimizing the waste recycling management systems.

Determining the Influencing Factors in the Adoption of Solar Photovoltaic Technology in Pakistan: A Decomposed Technology Acceptance Model Approach

Accelerating demand for energy and its consumption has become a credible threat to the sustainable ecosystem due to the exploitation of scarce natural resources and environmental hazards. The adoption of renewable energy sources for sustainable development has been gaining traction among researchers and practitioners alike. Considering its hot climate, Pakistan has a huge potential to meet its energy requirements by tapping into renewable energy resources, especially through the use of solar photovoltaic (SPV) technologies. However, the adoption rate of this technology remains still quite scant among consumers. In this regard, the present research explores the factors that affect households’ purchase intention of SPV technology in Pakistan. The study has developed a comprehensive research framework by decomposing the technology acceptance model (DTAM) into second-order sub-constructs. Afterward, Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data by decomposing perceived usefulness (PU) into social, economic, and environmental usefulness and perceived ease of use (PEOU) into discomfort and insecurity and to assess their cumulative effects on consumer attitude. Moreover, the moderating role of policy and propaganda was also investigated. Empirical results assert that PU and PEOU positively and significantly shape the consumer attitude toward SPV adoption. Subsequently, consumer attitude has a positive and significant impact on the actual purchase intention of SPV technology. Furthermore, the moderating role of governmental policy and propaganda between the consumer attitude and actual purchase intention was also confirmed. The policy implications of these results are discussed. Finally, the limitations and future directions of the research are also elaborated.

Examining the Moderating Effects of Green Marketing and Green Psychological Benefits on Customers’ Green Attitude, Value and Purchase Intention

The purpose of this study is to integrate the theoretical base of green purchasing by using the signaling theory approach to green marketing. Since previous studies do not combine relevant factors from the perspective of Signaling Theory and Attitude-Behavior-Context (ABC) Theory for green purchase, this study attempts to examine the effects of green customer value and attitude towards green products on green purchase intention. Moreover, it aims to identify the moderating effects of green marketing and green psychological benefits on the relationships between customer value, attitude, and green purchase intention. This study involved a survey that comprised 319 customers with at least a year’s experience in buying green products in Cambodia. The findings empirically revealed a significant and positive influence of green customer value on attitude towards green products. Furthermore, both green customer value and attitudes towards green products have a positive effect on green purchase intention. Green marketing (environmental advertising, and green word-of-mouth) and green psychological benefits (warm glow, self-expressive benefits, and nature experience) moderate the relationships between customer value, attitude towards the green product, and green purchase intention. The results may be beneficial for managers and marketers to develop appropriate green marketing strategies. They may also be helpful for academicians to conduct further validations regarding the theoretical framework of green purchasing.

Socio-demographic characteristics and green consumption behavior in developing countries: the case of Malaysia

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of customers’ socio-demographic characteristics on the formation of behavioral intention toward green hotels in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study used partial least square-structural equation modeling to analyze a sample of 400 green hotel customers in Malaysia. Further, multi-group analysis (MGA) is conducted to examine whether a significant difference exists across demographic groups.

Findings

Attitude and perceived behavioral control exert positive effects on desire, which in turn considerably influences behavioral intention. Results of MGA indicate that attributions have varying effects on the desire and behavioral intention with different socio-demographic characteristics. In particular, negative anticipated emotion negatively predicts desire among the customers of the older group, whereas positive anticipated emotion and subjective norm positively influence desire among the customers of the low educational level group.

Research limitations/implications

The study examines green hotel customers’ behavior in Malaysia, and further research is needed to determine whether the impact of the proposed determinants across different industries. As the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has started to influence customers’ behavior, the findings may be changing over time. Thus, a further longitudinal study would be beneficial to monitor the performance hotel CSR activities.

Originality/value

Although there is an increasing interest in CSR activities among Malaysian customers, there is a lack of information regarding customers’ motivation in the green hotel context. Furthermore, limited studies examined the role of customers’ demographic characteristics in the CSR literature. There is a need to understand green hotel industry and customers’ responses toward CSR activities.

Exploring the impact of environmental regulations on happiness: new evidence from China

Lower happiness caused by environmental pollution has attracted widespread attention, but existing studies have ignored the impact of environmental governance on happiness, and hardly a research has discussed whether environmental regulations will affect happiness. To make up for the above shortfall, based on the micro data come from Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS) in 2015 and the macro data of 28 provinces in China from 2013 to 2015, this study distinguishes three types of environmental regulations which are economical environmental regulation (EER), legal environmental regulation (LER) and supervised environmental regulation (SER), and the econometrical analysis of the linear relationship or potential nonlinear relationship between them and happiness is carried by ordinary least square (OLS) and ordered probit (Oprobit). Considering the time lag of policy implementation, this paper further tests the lagging effects. The results show that EER significantly improves happiness in the long run after implementation, and LER has no significant effect on happiness in the current year and the following year, while the significant nonlinear relationship appear after 2 years, whereas SER has a negative effect on happiness in the year and 2 years later. Therefore, in addition to continuing to increase government investment in environmental administration with adequate budgets, local governments should strengthen the environmental legal system and administrative accountability. And the most important of all, the government should create more avenues for public participation and pay enough attention to the supervision of the public. Finally, this research has great theoretical and realistic significance for the government to control environmental pollution.

Behavioral intention of environmentally friendly agricultural food: the role of policy, perceived value, subjective norm

This study explores the determinants of intention and behavior towards environmentally friendly agricultural (EFA) food in China. We conduct the influencing factor model on behavioral intention and behavior toward EFA food by extending TPB model with the theory of public environmental policy and perceived value and trust. The empirical analysis revealed that public environmental policy and subjective norm positively affect behavioral intention and behavior for purchasing EFA food. However, trust and attitude have no significant effect on the intention of purchasing EFA food. Subjective norm and perceived behavioral control have a significant effect on intentions toward purchasing EFA food. And the effect of intentions on behavior towards purchasing environmentally friendly agricultural food is significant and positive. Moreover, we have found that female consumers may consume more of environmentally friendly agricultural food compared with males, and the consumption of EFA food was significantly different across different level of income.

Does environmental information disclosure contribute to improve firm financial performance? An examination of the underlying mechanism

Given the widespread impacts of firm activities on the environment, firms are increasingly required to disclose environmental information. However, the relation between environmental information disclosure and firm financial performance is controversial and the mechanism through which environmental information disclosure affects financial performance is insufficiently investigated. This research examined the effect of environmental information disclosure on financial performance and explored the mediating effects of visibility (e.g., analyst coverage and institutional ownership) and liquidity. Panel data from 289 Chinese listed firms were analyzed with the assistance of STATA Software. The results revealed that environmental information disclosure positively (directly) affects financial performance. Further, environmental information disclosure also indirectly affects financial performance via analyst coverage (e.g., number of analysts and number of reports) and liquidity. Analyst coverage and liquidity mediate the relationship between environmental information disclosure and financial performance while institutional ownership has no mediating effect. According to the results, practical implications were discussed and future research directions were noted.

Development of Multiple Linear Regression for Particulate Matter (PM10) Forecasting during Episodic Transboundary Haze Event in Malaysia

Malaysia has been facing transboundary haze events every year in which the air contains particulate matter, particularly PM10, which affects human health and the environment. Therefore, it is crucial to develop a PM10 forecasting model for early information and warning alerts to the responsible parties in order for them to mitigate and plan precautionary measures during such events. Therefore, this study aimed to develop and compare the best-fitted model for PM10 prediction from the first hour until the next three hours during transboundary haze events. The air pollution data acquired from the Malaysian Department of Environment spanned from the years 2005 until 2014 (excluding years 2007–2009), which included particulate matter (PM10), ozone (O3), nitrogen oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide (SO2), wind speed (WS), ambient temperature (T), and relative humidity (RH) on an hourly basis. Three different stepwise Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) models for predicting the PM10 concentration were then developed based on three different prediction hours, namely t+1, t+2, and t+3. The PM10, t+1 model was the best MLR model to predict PM10 during transboundary haze events compared to PM10,.t+2 and PM10,t+3 models, having the lowest percentage of total error (28%) and the highest accuracy of 46%. A better prediction and explanation of PM10 concentration will help the authorities in getting early information for preserving the air quality, especially during transboundary haze episodes.

Effect of Trust in Domain-Specific Information of Safety, Brand Loyalty, and Perceived Value for Cosmetics on Purchase Intentions in Mobile E-Commerce Context

In 2016, the safety issues of humidifier disinfectants and some other safety incidents in personal cares caused chemical phobia syndrome in the Korean society. This series of events has created a trend for cosmetic consumers to undermine brand confidence and to self-check the safety of commercial cosmetic formulations through mobile apps. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of trust in domain specific information on the safety rating of cosmetic ingredients on the perceived value and the purchase intention of the cosmetics. The results of structural equation modeling showed that involvement of skin safety (ISS) had a positive effect on trust in domain specific information on safety (TDSI) and brand loyalty (BL). TDSI showed a positive effect on the perceived safety value (PFV) and the perceived social value (PSV), and BL had a positive effect on the PSV. ISS, TDSI, and PSV had a positive effect on the purchase intention (PI) of green-grade cosmetics (GGC). As hypothesized, BL had an adverse effect on PI of GGC. Given the results, utilizing the signal of the domain specific information may be recommended to new entrants to the cosmetic business or manufacturers with relatively weak brand power.

A Critical Review of Recent Progress and Perspective in Practical Denitration Application

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) represent one of the main sources of haze and pollution of the atmosphere as well as the causes of photochemical smog and acid rain. Furthermore, it poses a serious threat to human health. With the increasing emission of NOx, it is urgent to control NOx. According to the different mechanisms of NOx removal methods, this paper elaborated on the adsorption method represented by activated carbon adsorption, analyzed the oxidation method represented by Fenton oxidation, discussed the reduction method represented by selective catalytic reduction, and summarized the plasma method represented by plasma-modified catalyst to remove NOx. At the same time, the current research status and existing problems of different NOx removal technologies were revealed and the future development prospects were forecasted.