Output details

Exploring consumer boycott intelligence using a socio-cognitive approach

Despite a worldwide growth in the number of boycott campaigns, the results of studies are inconclusive asthe motives behind individual participation are still largely ignored. Drawing on a socio-cognitive theory, thetheory of planned behavior, this research investigates whether the direct variables of attitude, subjectivenorm and perceived behavioral control, help predict consumers' boycott intention. Conducted in Lebanon,this work employs a survey design administered to a randomized systematic sample of 500 Muslim andChristian consumers. The sample is split into two sub-samples reflecting the main religious groups in theMiddle-East. Results show that although the Muslim participants appear more prone to participate in theboycott, still attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control are all significant predictors ofintentions in both communities with the attitudinal component carrying the most weight. This applicationof a social psychology theory to the consumers' passive resistance to purchasing yielded significantcontributions at the theoretical, empirical, and managerial levels.