Knowledge Constraint on Consumer Boycott Against Global Businesses' Social Sustainability Violations

Yıl 2024, , 25 - 52, 30.05.2024

Ayşegül Karataş , Ali Erkan Abdullah

https://doi.org/10.30561/sinopusd.1353944

Öz

Sustainability concerns of both businesses and consumers are increasing. For a more sustainable world, businesses should prioritize sustainability in their operations, and consumers should support these practises by their purchasing power. However, it is still seen that even global businesses commit sustainability violations, and some consumers fail to boycott them even though they have motivation and intent. There are many constraints that limit the intent to turn into action. Knowledge about the violation stands out as a prerequisite among these constraints.
In this quantitative research, consumers' boycott motivation and intent are examined in the context of social sustainability violations of Apple and Amazon, without giving the names of the companies. Then, the knowledge of the sample is questioned related to the commiters of the violations. Results show that more than two third of the sample has high motivation to boycott these companies and the relationship between boycott motivation and intention is statiscally significant. However, nearly half of the motivated consumers do not know the committer of the violation in each case. Consumers who are motivated and identify the committer in the cases are about one-third of the sample. The most remarkable result of this research is that consumers have severe knowledge limitations on the enforcement power of businesses in penalizing their violations.
This exploratory study gives insights into the knowledge constraints on consumer boycotts against social sustainability violations of global businesses. However, the results can not be generalizable. More similar research focused on different cases is required. For practitioners, the foundation of an organization that can handle communication regarding sustainability violations is recommended to increase consumers' knowledge.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Sustainability violations, Social sustainability, Sustainable consumption, Boycott motivation

Küresel Şirketlerin Sosyal Sürdürülebilirlik İhlallerine Yönelik Boykot Davranışında Farkındalık Engeli

Öz

Hem işletmelerin hem de tüketicilerin sürdürülebilirlik kaygıları günden güne artmaktadır. Daha sürdürülebilir bir dünya için işletmelerin sürdürülebilir uygulamalara öncelik vermesi ve tüketicilerin de bu eylemleri satın alma gücüyle desteklemesi beklenmektedir. Ancak hâlâ küresel işletmelerin bile sürdürülebilirlik ihlalleri yaptığı ve bazı tüketicilerin motivasyon ve niyetleri olmasına rağmen bu işletmeleri boykot etmedikleri görülmektedir. Çünkü, motivasyon ve niyetlerin eyleme dönüşmesini sınırlandıran pek çok kısıt bulunmaktadır. Bu kısıtlar arasında tüketicinin ihlale ilişkin bilgisinin olup olmaması bir önkoşul olarak öne çıkmaktadır.
Bu nicel araştırmada, şirketlerin isimleri verilmeden, Apple ve Amazon'un sosyal sürdürülebilirlik ihlalleri konusunda tüketicilerin boykot motivasyonu ve niyeti incelenmektedir. Daha sonra örneklemin ihlalleri gerçekleştirenlerle ilgili bilgisi sorgulanmaktadır. Sonuçlar, araştırma örnekleminin yaklaşık olarak üçte ikisinin yüksek boykot motivasyonu taşıdığını göstermektedir. Boykot motivasyonu ile boykot niyeti arasındaki ilişki de istatistikî açıdan anlamlıdır. Ancak motivasyonu yüksek tüketicilerin neredeyse yarısı ihlali gerçekleştiren şirketi bilmemektedir. Yüksek motivasyonu olan ve şirketleri bilen tüketiciler ise örneklemin yaklaşık üçte birini oluşturmaktadır. Bu araştırmanın en dikkat çekici sonucu, tüketicilerin, işletmelerin sosyal sürdürülebilirlik ihlallerine yönelik boykot motivasyonlarına sahip olmalarına rağmen bilgi eksiklikleri nedeniyle bu motivasyonların davranışa dönüşmesi ihtimalinin düştüğüdür. Tüketicilerin bilgi düzeyinin artırılması için sürdürülebilirlik ihlallerine ilişkin iletişimi yönetebilecek bir organizasyonun kurulması önerilmektedir. Araştırmanın en büyük kısıtı sonuçlarının genelleştirilmesinin mümkün olmamasıdır. Genelleme yapabilmek için farklı ihlallere odaklanan benzer araştırmalara ihtiyaç duyulmaktadır.

Anahtar Kelimeler

Sürdürülebilirlik İhlalleri, Sosyal Sürdürülebilirlik, Sürdürülebilir Tüketim, Boykot Motivasyonu

Kaynakça

• Ajmal, M. M., Khan, M., Hussain, M., & Helo, P. (2018). Conceptualizing and Incorporating Social Sustainability in the Business World. International Journal of Sustainable Development & World Ecology, 25 (4), 327-339. https://doi.org/10.1080/13504509.2017.1408714
• Ajzen, I. (1985). From Intention to Actions: A Theory of Planned Behavior. In: J. Kuhl & J. Beckmann (Eds.), Action-control: from cognition to behavior, (p. 11-39). Heidelberg: Springer.
• Alan G. (2020, 17 April). Amazon çalışanları 'kötü çalışma koşullarına' tepki olarak greve hazırlanıyor. Euronews. Retrieved from: https://tr.euronews.com/my-europe/2020/04/17/amazon-cal-sanlar-kotu-cal-sma-kosullar-na-tepki-olarak-greve-haz-rlan-yor
• Almanya'da Amazon işçilerine grev çağrısı. (2021, 21 June). Retrieved from: https://www.bloomberght.com/alman-sendikasindan-amazon-iscilerine-grev-cagrisi-2282764
• Altunışık, R., Coşkun, R., Bayraktaroğlu, S. ve Yıldırım, E. (2012). Sosyal bilimlerde araştırma yöntemleri SPSS uygulamalı. Türkiye. Sakarya: Sakarya Kitabevi.
• Amazon'daki kötü çalışma koşulları dünyayı ayağa kaldırdı. (2018, 15 September). Retrieved from: https://www.hurriyet.com.tr/teknoloji/amazondaki-kotu-calisma-kosullari-dunyayi-ayaga-kaldirdi-40956811
• American Marketing Association. (2023). Green marketing. Retrieved from: https://www.ama.org/the-definition-of-marketing-what-is marketing/#:~:text=Green%20Marketing,or%20to%20improve%20its%20quality).
• Ayboğan G. (2022, 4 December) Starbucks'ta ırkçılık skandalı: Siparişe adı yerine ‘maymun’ yazdılar. Türkiye Gazetesi. Retrieved from: https://www.turkiyegazetesi.com.tr/dunya/starbucksta-irkcilik-skandali-siparise-adi-yerine-maymun-yazdilar-931845
• Aytekin, E. (2022, 23 November). Çin'de iPhone fabrikasının işçileri, karantinayı ve ertelenen ödemeleri protesto etti. Anadolu Haber Ajansı. Retrieved from: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/cinde-iphone-fabrikasinin-iscileri-karantinayi-ve-ertelenen-odemeleri-protesto-etti/2746137
• Bektaş, A. (2022, 17 December). İngiltere Amazon’da grev kararı alındı. Evrensel. Retrieved from: https://www.evrensel.net/haber/477238/ingiltere-amazonda-grev-karari-alindi
• Bilgi Teknolojileri ve İletişim Kurumu. (2022). Türkiye elektronik haberleşme sektörü üç aylık pazar verileri raporu. Retrieved from: https://www.btk.gov.tr/uploads/pages/pazar-verileri/uc-aylik-pazar-verileri-raporu-2022-1.pdf
• Bolelli Ş. (2023, 17 April). Amazon şirketinin Sevilya'daki çalışanları greve gitti. Anadolu Ajansı. Retrieved from: https://www.aa.com.tr/tr/dunya/amazon-sirketinin-sevilyadaki-calisanlari-greve-gitti-/2874270
• Brand Finance. (2022). Brandfinance global 500 (100). Retrieved from: https://www.rankingthebrands.com/The-Brand-Rankings.aspx?rankingID=83&year=1397
• Brundtland, G., Khalid, M., Agnelli, S., Al-Athel, S., Chidzero, B., Fadika, L., Hauff, V., Lang, I., Shijun, M., Okita, S. et al. (1987). Our Common Future (Brundtland Report). UK: Oxford: Oxford University Press
• Chandrakant, R., & Rajesh, R. (2023). Social Sustainability, Corporate Governance, and Sustainability Performances: An Empirical Study of the Effects. Journal of Ambient Intelligence and Humanized Computing, 14 (7), 9131-9143. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12652-022-04417-4
• Cuesta, J., Madrigal, L., & Pecorari, N. (2022, August). Social sustainability, poverty, and ıncome: an empirical exploration. Paper prepared for the 37th IARIW General Conference, Luxembourg. https://iariw.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Cuesta-IARIW-2022.pdf
• Danielle, L., Fernando, H. & Dana, E. (2016). The Social Lab Classroom: Wrestling with–and Learning from Sustainability Challenges. Sustainability Science Practice Policy, 12(1), 76-89. https://doi.org/10.1080/15487733.2016.11908155
• Dempsey, N., Bramley, G., Power, S., & Brown, C. (2011). The Social Dimension of Sustainable Development: Defining Urban Social Sustainability. Sustainable Development, 19(5), 289-300. https://doi.org/10.1002/sd.417
• Dijk V., Wit A., Wilke H., Budescu D.V. (2004). What We Know (And Do Not Know) About The Effects of Uncertainty on Behavior in Social Dilemmas. In Suleiman R., Budescu D.V., Fischer I. & Messick D.M. (Eds.) Contemporary psychological research on social dilemmas, (p. 315-331). UK. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
• Dünyanın en büyük iPhone fabrikasında karantina kaosu: İşçiler nasıl kaçtıklarını anlattı. (2022, 4 November). Retrieved from: https://www.indyturk.com/node/572496/d%C3%BCnya/d%C3%BCnyan%C4%B1n-en-b%C3%BCy%C3%BCk-iphone-fabrikas%C4%B1nda-karantina-kaosu-i%CC%87%C5%9F%C3%A7iler-nas%C4%B1l-ka%C3%A7t%C4%B1klar%C4%B1n%C4%B1
• Eizenberg, E. & Jabareen, Y. (2017). Social Sustainability: A New Conceptual Framework. Sustainability, 9(1), 68. https://doi.org/10.3390/su9010068
• Ernst & Young Global. (June 2021). The EY Future Consumer Index I. Retrieved from: https://www.ey.com/en_gl/news/2021/06/ey-future-consumer-index-68-of-global-consumers-expect-companies-to-solve-sustainability-issues
• Friedman, M. (1985). Consumer Boycotts in the United States, 1970–1980: Contemporary Events in Historical Perspective. The Journal of Consumer Affairs, 19 (1), 96-117. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-6606.1985.tb00346.x
• Gilg, A., Barr, S. & Ford, N. (2005). Green Consumption or Sustainable Lifestyles? Identifying the Sustainable Consumer. Futures, 37 (6), 481-504. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.futures.2004.10.016
• Global Reporting Initiative. (2023a). The GRI Standards A Guide For Policy Makers. Retrieved from: https://www.globalreporting.org/media/nmmnwfsm/gri-policymakers-guide.pdf
• Global Reporting Initiative. (2023b). GRI standards. Retrieved from: https://www.globalreporting.org/how-to-use-the-gri-standards/gri-standards-english-language/
• Hayta, A. (2009). Sürdürülebilir Tüketim Davranışının Kazanılmasında Tüketici Eğitiminin Rolü. Ahi Evran Üniversitesi Eğitim Fakültesi Dergisi, 10 (3), 143-151. Retrieved from https://dergipark.org.tr/en/pub/kefad/issue/59508/855702
• Hoffmann, S., Balderjahn, I., Seegebarth, B., Mai, R., ve Peyer, M. (2018). Under Which Conditions Are Consumers Ready to Boycott or Buycott? The Roles of Hedonism and Simplicity. Ecological Economics, 147, 167-178. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2018.01.004
• Holmberg, J. & Sandbrook, R. (1992). Sustainable Development: What is To Be Done ? In: Holmberg, J. (Ed.), Policies for a small planet. (p. 19-38). London. UK: Earth Scan Publications.
• International Institute for Sustainable Development. (2005, 5 July). Sustaining Excellence: The 2004-2005 Annual Report of the International Institute for Sustainable Development. Retrieved from: https://www.iisd.org/publications/annual-report/sustaining-excellence-2004-2005-annual-report-international-institute
• Javadi, S., Hashemy, S. M., Mohammadi, K., Howard, K. W. F., & Neshat, A. (2017). Classification of Aquifer Vulnerability Using K-means Cluster Analysis. Journal of Hydrology, 549, 27-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.03.060
• Kalfaoğlu, S. (2023). Social Sustainability Indicators from Employees’ Perspective: A Qualitative Study on Whether Social Sustainability in Businesses Is Perceived as a Necessity, Preference, or Dream. Sustainability, 5 (10), 7954. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15107954
• Klein, J. G., Smith, N. C., & John, A. (2004). Why We Boycott: Consumer Motivations For Boycott Participation. Journal of Marketing, 68 (3), 92–109. https://doi.org/10.1509/jmkg.68.3.92.34770
• Koning, J. (2001, November). Social sustainability in a globalizing world: Context, theory and methodology explored. Proceedings of the UNESCO/MOST Meeting, The Hague, The Netherlands. Retrieved from: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Juliette-Koning/publication/242642851_Social_Sustainability_in_a_Globalizing_World_Context_theory_and_methodology_explored/links/55128bca0cf270fd7e32e75f/Social-Sustainability-in-a-Globalizing-World-Context-theory-and-methodology-explored.pdf
• Lehtonen M. (2004). The Environmental–Social Interface of Sustainable Development: Capabilities, Social Capital, Institutions. Ecological Economics, 49 (2), 199-214. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolecon.2004.03.019.
• Littig, B. & Grießler, E. (2005). Social Sustainability: A Catchword Between Political Pragmatism and Social Theory. International Journal of Sustainable Development, 8 (1–2), 65–79. https://doi.org/10.1504/IJSD.2005.007375
• Maheshwari, V., Lodorfos, G. & Jacobsen, S. (2014). Determinants of Brand Loyalty: A Study of the Experience-Commitment-Loyalty Constructs. International Journal of Business Administration, 5 (6), 3-23. https://doi.org/10.5430/ijba.v5n6p13.
• McKenzie, S. (2004). Social sustainability: towards some definitions. Hawke Research Institute Working Paper Series, 27. Retrieved From: https://apo.org.au/node/565
• Ottman, J. A. (1993). Green marketing: challenges and opportunities. USA. Chicago: NTC Business Books.
• Ölander, F., & Thøgersen, J. (1995). Understanding of Consumer Behaviour as a Prerequisite for Environmental Protection. Journal of Consumer Policy, 18, 345-385. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01024160
• Phipps, M., Ozanne, L. K., Luchs, M. G., Subrahmanyan, S., Kapitan, S., Catlin, J. R., & Weaver, T. (2013).
• Understanding the Inherent Complexity of Sustainable Consumption: A Social Cognitive Framework. Journal of Business Research, 66 (8), 1227-1234. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2012.08.016
• Piracci, G., Boncinelli, F., & Casini, L. (2022). Wine Consumers' Demand for Social Sustainability Labeling: Evidence for the Fair Labor Claim. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 44 (4), 1742-1761. https://doi.org/10.1002/aepp.13260
• S&P Global (2023, 10 May). ESG Scores. Retrieved from: https://www.spglobal.com/esg/solutions/data-intelligence-esg-scores?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Brand_Sustainable1_Search&utm_term=sustainable1%20s%26p&utm_content=534418150275&gclid=Cj0KCQjw3JanBhCPARIsAJpXTx5DygMb6UThve62lkA620YgCm68AHjFnhIpYbnevPRq58oEceZp2wEaAk2eEALw_wcB
• Sachs, I. (1999). Social Sustainability and Whole Development: Exploring the Dimensions of Sustainable Development. In E. Becker & Th. Jahn (Eds), Sustainability and the social sciences: across-disciplinarv approach to ıntegrating environmental considerations ınto theoretical reorientation (p. 25–36).London. UK: Zed Books.
• Salomone, M. (2014). Sustainability. In A. C. Michalos (Ed.) , Encyclopedia of quality of life and well-being research, (p.6492–6496). New York, London: Springer Dordrecht Heidelberg.
• Sarıkaya, M., Erdoğan, M. & Kara, Z. (2010). İnternet Ekonomisi ve Kurumsal Sürdürülebilirlik. Eskişehir Osmangazi Üniversitesi İktisadi ve İdari Bilimler Dergisi, 5 (2), 31 – 50. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.12451/1097
• Scheiber N. (2023 1 January). Judge Finds Amazon Broke Labor Law in Anti-Union Effort. Newyork Times. Retrieved from: 2023 https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/31/business/economy/amazon-union-staten-island-nlrb.html
• Shaw, D. & Newholm, T. (2002). Voluntary Simplicity and the Ethics of Consumption. Psychology and Marketing, 19 (2), 167 – 185. https://doi.org/10.1002/mar.10008
• Shayan Fallah, N., Mohabbati-Kalejahi, N., Alavi, S. & Zahed, M.A. (2022). Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a Framework for Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Sustainability, 14 (3), 1222. https://doi.org/ 10.3390/su14031222.
• Similarweb (2022). Amazon.com.tr traffic and engagement analysis. Retrieved from: https://www.similarweb.com/website/amazon.com.tr/#traffic
• Stack L. (2018, 8 January). H&M Apologizes for ‘Monkey’ Image Featuring Black Child. Newyork Times. Retrieved from: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/01/08/business/hm-monkey.html
• Starbucks shuts 8,000 us stores for race training. (2018, 29 May). BBC. Retrieved from: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-44285234
• Swarnakar, V., Singh, A. R., & Tiwari, A. K. (2021). Effect of Lean Six Sigma on Firm Performance: A Case of Indian Automotive Component Manufacturing Organization. Materials Today: Proceedings, 46, 9617-9622. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2020.07.115
• Thøgersen, J. (2005). How May Consumer Policy Empower Consumers for Sustainable Lifestyles?. Journal of Consumer Policy, 28 (2), 143-177. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10603-005-2982-8
• Turunen, L. L. M., & Halme, M. (2021). Communicating Actionable Sustainability Information To Consumers: The Shades Of Green Instrument For Fashion. Journal of Cleaner Production, 297, 126605. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.126605.
• White, K., Hardisty, D. J., & Habib, R. (2019). The Elusive Green Consumer. Harvard Business Review, 11 (1), 124-133.
• Yee L. & Goh B. (2022, 24 November). Foxconn apologises for pay-related error at China iPhone plant after worker unrest. Reuters. Retrieved from: https://www.reuters.com/technology/apple-supplier-foxconn-apologises-hiring-blunder-covid-hit-china-plant-2022-11-24/