The Ethical Marketing Leadership in PRC Consumers’ Purchase Judgment Toward Thailand’s Organic Rice Consumption

Citation

Li, Baoguo. (2022). The ethical marketing leadership in PRC consumers’ purchase judgment toward Thailand’s organic rice consumption. (Doctoral dissertation). Bangkok: Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing, Siam University.

Abstract

The research on the formation mechanism of ethical purchase behavior of organic agricultural products is a relatively new research trend, which will have great research potential in the future. This study aimed to: 1) study the consumer’s ethical judgments influence on purchase behavior process associated with decisions concerning goods and service on perceived ethical issues; 2) analysis the key factors (ecological ethics, social ethics, and cultural ethics and international marketing ethics ) are affected on Chinese consumers’ ethical purchase decision making toward Thailand’s organic rice consumption; 3) find out the causal model of Chinese consumers’ ethical purchase judgment decision making toward Thailand’s organic rice consumption. The quantitative research which employed instrument was a questionnaire. The research samples consisted of 620 Chinese consumers from four major Chinese cities（Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Chengdu), obtained by random sampling technique. The statistics used for the data analysis were descriptive statistics. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was used to assess model fit and investigate the key factors (ecological ethics, social ethics, and cultural ethics and international marketing ethics ) were affected on Chinese consumers’ ethical purchase decision making process toward Thailand’s organic rice consumption.

The results showed: All structural paths shown in the model were statistically significant at p<0.01, ethical judgment positively impacted by ecological ethics (β= 0.219**) and social ethics ( β=0.298***), cultural ethics (β= 0.467***), and international market ethics (β= 0.606***). Ethical purchase decision making positively impacted by ethical judgment (β=0.773***). Ethical judgment as mediator: ethical purchase decision making positively impacted by ecological ethics (β= 0.169**), social ethics ( β=0.231***), cultural ethics (β= 0.361***), and international market ethics (β= 0.468***). The conclusions are the key factors (ecological ethics, social ethics, and cultural ethics and international marketing ethics ) were positive affected on Chinese consumers’ ethical judgment toward Thailand’s organic rice consumption, and Chinese consumers’ ethical judgment were positive affected on purchase decision making. The key factors (ecological ethics, social ethics, and cultural ethics and international marketing ethics) were positive affected on purchase decision making through Chinese consumers’ ethical judgment as mediator.

The results of this study confirmed the ethical consumption of organic agricultural products is the consumption trend in the mainland of China, explored the important level of key marketing ethics affected on Chinese consumers’ ethical purchase decision making processing on organic rice consumption. Based on the results of empirical study, the strategic suggestions for Chinese consumers, building values and attitudes towards ethical consumption, cultivating ethical consumption lifestyles and shopping patterns and improving consumers’ ethical purchasing ability. For enterprises, improving the perceived value of organic agricultural products and increasing the consumers’ ethical purchase decision making, setting the reasonably price and improving the distribution channels of organic agricultural products to enhance the consumers’ ethical perception, increasing the promotion of ethical purchase of organic agricultural products and enhancing ethical scene marketing, linking ethical purchasing achievements with ethical consumption. For government and relevant organizations, strengthening the supervision and building ethical social norms, improving trust mechanism and establishing ethical certification, providing technical and policy support to the organic agricultural products consumption.

Keywords:  Thailand’s organic rice, Marketing ethics, Ethical judgments, Ethical purchase decision making, Chinese consumers’ consumption.

The Ethical Marketing Leadership in PRC Consumers’ Purchase Judgment Toward Thailand’s Organic Rice Consumption

Doctor of Business Administration in Marketing, Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand