دانلود رایگان مقاله نقش پایداری در توصیف ساده کننده داوطلبانه

abstract

Studies focusing on voluntary simplifiers are gaining in popularity, but doubt remains about the relevance to business of this segment and to what extent this lifestyle is attributable to sustainability-rooted choices. Instead of the commonly used self-reported scales, a novel measurement approach is applied using objective data to identify voluntary simplifiers. Based on equivalent household incomes and level of product possession this research provides, using a large-scale, representative sample, empirical evidence that voluntary simplifiers comprise almost one-sixth of the German population. Results indicate that voluntary simplifiers buy more green products, exhibit a greater environmental and economic sustainability consciousness and share more universalistic values compared to four other uncovered segments, namely well-off consumers, over-consumption consumers, less well-off consumers and poor consumers. From a business perspective, moderate voluntary simplifiers do not exit the market. Instead, they constitute an attractive target group for ecological products and alternative consumption options such as sharing.

6. Conclusions and future research

This paper makes two key contributions. First, in contrast to commonly used self-reported scales, it presents an attractive alternative measurement by using two objective measures – equivalent household income and level of owned durables – to identify the voluntary simpli- fier (14.4%). Second, this research adds useful knowledge to the sustainability profile of this segment of voluntary simplifiers. Whereas previous research mainly focused on the environmental aspect to profile simplifiers (e.g., Elgin and Mitchell, 1977; Shaw and Newholm, 2002), this research draws a comprehensive picture of sustainability by using several sustainable consumption intentions, human values, and the multi-faceted CSC model of consumer consciousness for sustainability. In comparison to other segments, results reveal that voluntary simplifiers are more ecologically and economically concerned, which means that they consume less and prefer to buy green products. Although they show a high social consciousness and high preferences for Fairtrade products, voluntary simplifiers' social concern does not differ among all segments.