A Path Analysis of Greenwashing in a Trust Crisis Among Chinese Energy Companies: The Role of Brand Legitimacy and Brand Loyalty

Guo, Rui; Lan, Tao; Li, Caroline Bingxin; Wang, Tao

doi:10.1007/s10551-015-2672-7

Cited by 148 publications

(111 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Despite growing interest from academics and professionals, there is no generally accepted definition of greenwashing in the current literature. Due to its interdisciplinary nature, different definitions and perspectives have been adopted by scholars in the analysis of greenwashing practices (Guo, Tao, Li, & Wang, ; Nyilasy, Gangadharbatla, & Paladino, ; Roulet & Touboul, ; Seele & Gatti, ; Wilson, Robinson, & Darke, ). In describing greenwashing, several scholars base themselves on the definition of the Oxford English Dictionary, others adopt the TerraChoice perspective, and others elaborate their own definition (Delmas & Burbano, ; Lyon & Montgomery, ; Walker & Wan, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Greenwashing and environmental communication: Effects on stakeholders' perceptions

2019

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Since the first Earth Day in the 1970s, corporate environmental performance has increased dramatically, and cases of greenwashing have increased sharply. The term greenwash refers to a variety of different misleading communications that aim to form overly positive beliefs among stakeholders about a company's environmental practices. The growing number of corporate social responsibility claims, whether founded or not, creates difficulties for stakeholders in distinguishing between truly positive business performance and companies that only appear to embrace a model of sustainable development. In this context, through the lens of legitimacy and signalling theory, we intend to understand and assess the different influences that various types of misleading communications about environmental issues have on stakeholders' perceptions of corporate environmental responsibility and greenwashing. Stakeholder responses to an environmental scandal will also be assessed. The hypotheses tested through a four-for-two design experiment reveal that different levels of greenwashing have a significantly different influence on stakeholders' perceptions of corporate environmental responsibility and stakeholders' reactions to environmental scandals.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Greenwashing and environmental communication: Effects on stakeholders' perceptions

2019

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“…Du (2014), in turn, described that greenwashing practices are recurring in the country and investigated how the market values green actions by exploring the association between greenwashing, environmental performance, and market reactions. Guo, Tao, Li and Wang (2015) have focused on energy companies, where green-brand strategy has become important to increase competitive advantage. For this reason, the authors pointed out that greenwashing behaviors result in a crisis of confidence, as Chinese consumers increasingly prefer green products and energy brands.…”

Section: ____________________________________________________________mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Later on, other perspectives have come to be covered, such as those related to the impacts that large corporations cause and suffer when practicing greenwashing (Chen & Chang, 2012, Wu & Shen, 2013, Du, 2014, Guo, Tao, Li & Wang , 2015, Testa, Boiral & Iraldo, 2015. In addition, different organizations, markets and localities were investigated, highlighting the plurality of the studies and the results found ou, without existing until then a prior replication effort.…”

Section: Indications Of Future Researchmentioning

confidence: 99%

What Has Been (Short) Written About Greenwashing: A Bibliometric Research and a Critical Analysis of the Articles Found Regarding This Theme.

Andreoli

Crespo

Minciotti

2017

RGSA

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The work´s purpose was mapping and analyzing the academic production concerning the greenwashing subject. Thus, a theoretical framework on green marketing and greenwashing has been developed. The method adopted was a bibliometric research and a critical analysis associated with critical analysis of the content of the articles found, targeting the academic publications on the greenwashing term and other correlates, in the main Business Administration events in Brasil (Semead, EnAnpad and EMA) and on the most acknowledged scientific databases worldwide (Proquest, Web of Science, Capes, Scopus, Scielo and Spell). Therefore, it has been possible to realize that the greenwashing subject, despite responding for a recent and relevant production, is still not very studied by the academy, especially in depth. In this sense, of the 42 articles identified, it was analyzed that only 17 actually work with the theme, and the others only mention it or work as superficially or as a backdrop. It was observed that the analysis focus of these 17 articles focused on the investigation and empirical identification of greenwashing or on possible aspects that influence or are influenced by this practice, such as market evaluation, role of the media and government and the impact on the consumer behavior. Considering this, new studies are concerning the subject, mainly from the perspective of how is it possible to undermine or combat this practice concerning the organizations, highlighting, also, the potentiality of negative impacts resulting from it both in society as a whole and in the organizational and consumer markets.Keywords: Environmental concern. Green marketing. Greenwashing. Academic production. Bibliographic survey. O QUE FOI (POUCO) ESCRITO SOBRE GREENWASHING: UMA PESQUISA BIBLIOMÉTRICA E UMA ANÁLISE CRÍTICA DOS ARTIGOS ENCONTRADOS SOBRE ESTE TEMA RESUMOO objetivo do trabalho foi mapear e analisar a produção acadêmica em relação ao assunto greenwashing. Assim, foi desenvolvido um quadro teórico sobre marketing verde e greenwashing. O método adotado foi uma pesquisa bibliométrica e uma análise crítica associada à análise crítica do conteúdo dos artigos encontrados, visando as publicações acadêmicas no termo greenwashing e outros correlatos, nos principais eventos da Administração de Empresas no Brasil (Semead, EnAnpad e EMA) E nas bases de dados científicas mais reconhecidas em todo o mundo (Proquest, Web of Science, Capes, Scopus, Scielo e Spell). Portanto, foi possível perceber que o assunto greenwashing, apesar de responder por uma produção recente e relevante, ainda não é muito estudado pela academia, especialmente em profundidade. Nesse sentido, dos 42 artigos identificados, foi analisado que apenas 17 realmente trabalham com o tema, e os outros apenas o mencionam ou trabalham de forma superficial ou como pano de fundo. Observou-se que o foco de análise desses 17 artigos se concentrou na investigação e identificação empírica de greenwashing ou em possíveis aspectos que influenciam ou são influenciados por esta pr...

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“…On the contrary, when consumers perceive an unambiguous consequence, they may apply risk reduction strategies such as a preference for well-known, truthful brand and seeking for additional -but true-information . Thus, risk perception on companies" performance and their products cause a trust crisis (Guo et al, 2015). Companies, the messages of which are perceived as unproven and misleading are likely to be treated as unreliable.…”

Section: The Effect Of Green Perceived Risk On Green Trustmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In order to manage the brand successfully, understanding customer based brand equity is important because the content of memory for the brand will affect the future effectiveness of brand strategies (Keller, 1993). Nevertheless, companies" greenwashing behaviors cause a crisis of trust (Guo et al, 2015) which, in turn, may affect brand equity.…”

Section: The Effect Of Green Trust On Green Brand Equitymentioning

confidence: 99%

Developing Perceived Greenwash Index and Its Effect on Green Brand Equity: A Research on Gas Station Companies in Turkey

Avcilar¹,

Demirgüneş²

2016

IBR

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Today, companies are searching for the ways to be perceived as more sensitive to the environment in order to enhance their green brand equity, because of consumers" increasing environmental concern. Companies have reacted to increasing environmental consciousness of consumers by introducing and developing eco-friendly products. However, there are still consumers being suspicious about the environmental performance of companies and their products. Greenwash or disclosure of deceptive green claims decreases the popularity of the real green product and decreases the effectiveness of green marketing.This study proposed four constructs -greenwashing, green perceived risk, green confusion and green trust-as the predictors of the green brand equity of gas station companies. The study offers a negative relationship between greenwash perception and green brand equity. Besides, the effects of green confusion, green perceived risk and green trust on green brand equity are tested. The study also develops perceived greenwash index, so that it reveals a direct effect of greenwash on green brand equity. The empirical analysis was carried out based on the data obtained from 400 customers of the gas station companies, which are located in Ankara, the capital city of Turkey. The survey result was analyzed by using Partial Least Squares (PLS-PM) analysis method. The results reveal that consumer"s greenwash perception has a positive effect on green confusion and green perceived risk, whereas green confusion and green perceived risk have negative effects on green trust. Expectedly, green trust has a positive effect on green brand equity. The result also indicates that consumer"s greenwash perception negatively and directly affects green brand equity.

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A Path Analysis of Greenwashing in a Trust Crisis Among Chinese Energy Companies: The Role of Brand Legitimacy and Brand Loyalty

Cited by 148 publications

References 33 publications

Greenwashing and environmental communication: Effects on stakeholders' perceptions

Greenwashing and environmental communication: Effects on stakeholders' perceptions

What Has Been (Short) Written About Greenwashing: A Bibliometric Research and a Critical Analysis of the Articles Found Regarding This Theme.

Developing Perceived Greenwash Index and Its Effect on Green Brand Equity: A Research on Gas Station Companies in Turkey

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