INFERRING CRITICAL FACTORS PREDICTING CONSUMERS' SUSTAINABLE GREEN PURCHASE BEHAVIOR FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF DEVELOPING NATION.

• Author: Dutta, Bireswar

1. Introduction

   Over recent decades, consuming goods and services has rapidly grown, as have promoting austere impairment to the nature and increasing diminution of natural reserves (Joshi and Rahman 2015). It creates severe environmental damage such as depletion of natural resources, acid rain, global warming and decline in flora and fauna (Joshi and Rahman 2015). Report of World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF 2017) indicated the usage of natural resources by human had doubled and exceeded earth's determined capacity during the last 50 years. It is further reported that if humans do not control their consumption and continue to demand more natural resources, a second earth is required by 2030 (WWF 2017).

   Ceaseless deterioration of natural resources initiated the protection of the natural resources, introduced the concept of principled consumption acknowledged as environmentally friendly consumerism (Beibie et al. 2020). Environmentally friendly consumption is considered as an intricate moral accountable behavior and made up as one of the extensive categories of socially responsible behavior (Hsiu-Hua 2017). The notion of environmentally friendly consumption is receiving greater consideration amongst practitioners as well as academicians (Lynn Sudbury and Florian 2016), which initiated the concept of 'sustainable development' and transformed consumers' purchasing behaviors (Kim and Chung 2011). Thus, consumers started choosing and using eco-friendly products (Xiaoyun and Feng 2020).

   The concept of green consumerism is an important study area in the developed nations and several investigations regarding consumers' attitude and preferences of green purchase intention was carried out (Kamonthip et al. 2016, Leibao et al. 2019). Simultaneously, few studies have examined consumers' perspectives towards purchasing intention of green products in terms of developing countries (Khare 2015, Paul et al. 2016). However, the perception of consumers' green purchase intention is required for marketers (UNEP 2011) to formulate sustainable strategies for developing markets of green products.

   Currently, India's economy is considered as one of the expeditious developing economy, causing rapid depletion of natural resources as well as environmental pollution. According to United Nations environment report (UNEP 2011) India ranked among top 10 (7th) of the environmentally polluted countries in the world. Unplanned and uncontrolled industrial development, along with urbanization, are among the leading reasons. In recent time Indian government has addressed these issues and initiated several measures (Ministry of Environment 2018), such as the Clean India Mission, Introduction of cleaner/alternate fuel like CNG, LPG, and launched National Air Quality index, etc. to secure environmental protection and curb the pollution level. However, natural resources are disappearing rapidly and pollution level is rising continuously (Joshi and Rahman 2016).

   The present study employed the theory of planned behavior (TPB) to apprehend consumers' purchasing intention relating to green products, since TPB is among the most preferential researched models in social psychology used to predict users'

   attitudinal intention (Kamonthip et al. 2016, Leibao et al. 2019). Several studies concerning consumers' pro-environmental intention (Wu and Chen 2014, Yadav and Pathak 2017, Chen and Hung 2016, Chen and Tung 2010, Carman and Eddie 2015) also employed TPB as a theoretical model to fnd out in case consumers consider to execute environmentally sustainable practice. Despite the comprehensive appropriateness of the TPB, previous research suggested that integrating context-specifc factors reinforces TPB model's explanatory and predictive power (Aurelio et al. 2018). Joshi and Rahman (2016) recommended individual's concern regarding recycling participation call to be investigated in terms of consumers' readiness to carry out green purchase behavior. Han (2014) also indicated an investigation prophesying individuals' pro-environmentally sustainable behavior should comprise a value attribute, that signifcantly cognate with individuals' environmentally sustainable intention. Additionally, previous studies (Ajzen 1991, Beck and Ajzen 1991) confrmed perceived moral responsibility might be considered while investigating consumers' pro-environmental intention.

   Inferences of global green marketers are multifarious. Since Indian market is considered as one of the most prominent marketplaces along with considerable potential for green products, understanding predictors infuence consumers' green purchase decision-making might help to develop suitable strategies to increase consumers' green purchase intention. Thus, the primary purpose of the current study is to understand Indian consumers' green purchase intention employing a modifed TPB model. Context specifc predictors perceived environmental knowledge, personal norm, perceived value, recycling participation, and willingness to pay are incorporated with TPB model for assessing its infuence on consumers' green purchase behavioral intention. We are affrmative that fndings of the current investigation endorse our present apprehension relating to consumers' green purchase intention, along with encourage both enterprise and government to fnd out determinants might be useful to increase consumers' intention towards green purchase.

   HYPOTHESIS. The following hypothesis was verifed to support rational and applicable empirical verities on the determinants infuencing consumers' green purchase intention to explore the purposes mentioned above.

   [H.sub.1] Personal norm positively influences consumers' green purchase intention. [H.sub.2] Attitude to green purchase positively impacts consumer's green purchase intention. [H.sub.3] Subjective norm significantly influences consumers' personal norm of green purchase intention. [H.sub.4a] Subjective norm has a positive influence on consumers' green purchase intention. [H.sub.4b] Personal norm mediates the relationship between subjective norm and green purchase intention. [H.sub.5] Perceived behavioral control significantly influences consumers' green purchase intention. [H.sub.6] Perceived environmental knowledge significantly influences consumers' green purchase intention. [H.sub.7] Perceived value has a positive impact on consumers' green purchase intention. [H.sub.8] Recycling participation has a significant impact on consumers' green purchase intention. [H.sub.9] Willingness to pay significantly influences consumers' green purchase intention. 2. Literature review

   2.1. Theory of planned behavior (TPB)

   Theory of reasoned action (TRA) (Ajzen 1980) and Theory of planned behavior (TPB) are the two primitive theories were utilized by previous investigations to explore consumers' green purchase intentional behavior. Previous studies mainly crack down on underlying values, attitudes, and behavioral intentions with regard to environmental-responsive product. According to the TPB was proposed by Ajzen (1985), an individual's overall performance of purchasing a green product is decided through his/her behavioral goal to execute the conduct. Consumers' intention to buy green product depend on three basic principles namely attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. The TPB primarily states individuals' participation in most of their behavior is under their own control and is reasonable.

   Literature examined consumers' intention to purchase green product using the TPB (Kim et al. 2013, Hsu et al. 2017). However, several studies have integrated independently with the TPB model to carefully consider positive motives associated with green consumption (Moisander 2007). Wu and Chen (2014) used independent factors to evaluate their direct effect on TPB and their mediating impacts on individuals' intention to purchase green product. Chen and Hung (2016) incorporated three independent variables with TPB to envisage consumers' green product adoption intention. Yadav and Pathak (2017) combined environmental concern and environmental knowledge with TPB to explore consumers' eco-friendly products purchase intention. Several studies had employed TPB to explore consumers' green purchase adoption intention. But findings of these studies are inconsistent. Thus, the current study employed the TPB model as a basic model and incorporated several cognitive factors (perceived environmental knowledge, recycling participation, willingness to pay) to explore consumers' intention to adopt green products more comprehensively.

   2.2. Social cognitive theory

   Phipps et al. (2013) proposed a new approach integrating the social cognitive theory (SCT) to understand sustainable consumer behavior. The model considered consumer behavior as not just an outcome but also a determinant of other factors. Phipps et al. (2013) indicated that consumers' pro-environmental behavior in a specific context could pass through into other context, and the sustainable consuming behavior influence upcoming sustainable consuming behaviors. Social cognitive theory proposes a novel technique to predict consumers' forthcoming sustainable conduct insisting their personal traits, their current ecological behavior in addition socio-culture atmospheres. Lee (2014) found that very few studies have taken reciprocal determinism model into consideration to envisage purchasers' sustainable consuming conduct from the perspective of Asia. To the best knowledge of the authors no studies have included reciprocal determinism model with TPB to envisage Indian purchasers' intention to buy green product. Literature had explored Social cognitive theory to comprehend consumers' sustainable behavior regarding green purchase intention. Nonetheless, the conclusions are inconsistent. Thus, the authors consider that being relatively novel and unused in green purchase intention context; Social cognitive theory would predict innate understandings of Indian...