Title: Differences in horizontally individualist and vertically collectivist consumers' environmental behaviour: a regulatory focus perspective

Authors: Saleem Ur Rahman

Addresses: School of Marketing and Communication, University of Vaasa, Wolffintie 34, FI, 65200 Vaasa, Finland

Abstract: Building on horizontal and vertical individualism and collectivism (HV I-C) typology and regulatory focus theory (RFT), this study aims to examine cross-cultural environmental behaviour differences between HI-Finnish and VC-Pakistani consumers. In regards to consumers' attitude towards environmentally friendly products, the results demonstrated predominantly HI-promotion-focused regulatory fit effect in Finland and VC-prevention-focused regulatory fit effect in Pakistan. Consequently, consumers' environmentally friendly products' attitude positively affect their purchase intentions. This study contributes to the sustainability literature by examining the overlooked appropriateness of RFT and HV I-C in cross-cultural environmental behaviour. Managers can use the insights of this study to market their environmentally friendly products more effectively across different cultures.

Keywords: environmentally friendly products; consumers; regulatory focus; cross-cultural; horizontal individualism vs. vertical collectivism.

DOI: 10.1504/IJBEM.2019.097479

International Journal of Business and Emerging Markets, 2019 Vol.11 No.1, pp.73 - 88

Received: 02 Sep 2018
Accepted: 20 Oct 2018
Published online: 23 Jan 2019 *

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