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Gray Shades of Green: Causes and Consequences of Green Skepticism

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Abstract

Consumer skepticism of corporate environmental activities is on the rise. Yet research on this timely, intriguing, and important topic is scarce for both academics and practitioners. Building on attribution theory, we develop and test a theoretically anchored model that explains the sources and consequences of green skepticism. The study findings reveal that consumers’ perceptions of industry norms, corporate social responsibility, and corporate history are important factors that explain why consumers assign different motives to corporate environmental actions. In addition, the results show that while intrinsic motives exert a strong negative effect on green skepticism, extrinsic motives have no discernible effect. Furthermore, the findings indicate that green skepticism prompts consumers to seek more information about the products, sparks negative word of mouth to friends and acquaintances, and forestalls purchase intentions. The study offers several implications for corporate and public policy makers and presents fruitful research directions.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Constantine S. Katsikeas and Matthew Robson, University of Leeds, for their constructive comments and suggestions on previous versions of this manuscript.

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  1. Leeds University Business School, University of Leeds, Maurice Keyworth Building, Leeds, LS2 9JT, UK

    Constantinos N. Leonidou

  2. Athens University of Economics and Business, 12 Derigny St., 10434, Athens, Greece

    Dionysis Skarmeas

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  1. Constantinos N. Leonidou
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Correspondence to Constantinos N. Leonidou.

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Leonidou, C.N., Skarmeas, D. Gray Shades of Green: Causes and Consequences of Green Skepticism. J Bus Ethics 144, 401–415 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-015-2829-4

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