Global warming, pollution and climate change are some of the problems that have become an increasingly concerning issue internationally. Environmental deterioration has led to businesses changing the way in which they conduct themselves, leading to the emergence of green marketing. A considerable amount of research has been conducted on green marketing and consumer behavior, mainly, in developed countries. There is, however, a noticeable dearth of knowledge pertaining to consumers in South Africa. Thus, the aim of this paper is to examine, at an exploratory level, the influence of green marketing on the purchasing behavior of South African consumers. A survey was conducted on a sample of 100 consumers using a quantitative, exploratory and descriptive design. The results indicate that South African citizens have high knowledge levels on the issues facing the environment. Elements of the green marketing mix, specifically, green promotion, were found to raise awareness and encourage positive change in consumption behavior. A large proportion of respondents preferred to patronize socially responsible retailers. Furthermore, respondents preferred green products over standard alternatives. However, they were price sensitive which affected their purchasing decisions. It emerged that there was no significant difference between low and high income earners in terms of price sensitivity, and no significant difference between lower and higher qualified respondents in terms of knowledge and awareness of environmental degradation and green marketing

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to investigate the underlying corporate social responsibility (CSR) factors which trigger consumers’ scrutiny of corporate behavior in the purchasing experience. There is more focus on how the direct effects of CSR can predict consumer behavior than the expression of value-based purchasing habits, especially in relation to how the multidimensionality of consumers’ expectations of CSR indirectly informs such behavior. Design/methodology/approach Mall-intercept survey interviews were conducted with 411 shoppers across five shopping malls in South Africa. Data were based on the emotional, social and functional values consumers derive from the purchasing experience vis-à-vis economic, legal, ethical and philanthropic expectations of CSR and analyzed using the path analysis technique of structural equation modeling. Findings It was found that the relationship between consumers’ sense of value and purchasing behavior is mediated by perceived fulfillment of legal expectations of CSR (a primary redressing tool). Conversely, the fulfillment of ethical and economic CSR expectations (secondary redressing tools) serves as moderators of the relationship. Research limitations/implications The benefit of approaching corporate communication from a value-based perspective is a proactive risk mitigation strategy. Consumers’ sense of value in the purchasing experience is triggered by companies’ adherence to institutionalized law on corporate behavior and reinforced by compliance to code of ethics and financial viability. Practical implications This study offers insights for understanding how consumers redress corporate misconduct during crisis through the buying experience and explains how such understanding can be used to better predict and manage crisis communication. Social implications The findings of this study suggest that CSR and corporate communication practices should be informed by the taken-for-granted assumptions which underpin espoused consumer values, where negligence of unspoken patterns of CSR-based consumer behavior could signal a crisis risk. Originality/value This study offers a model which demonstrates for the first time that consumers implicitly utilize CSR to redress corporate misconduct in the purchasing experience.

Research has suggested a relationship between leadership style and job satisfaction. This paper examines this relationship in the context of a developing country, viz., South Africa. The objective of the paper is to assess the relationship between the two variables as well as the influence of biographical variables on leadership style and job satisfaction. The survey was based on the Minnesota Satisfaction Questionnaire and the Multifactor Leadership Questionnaire. The results suggest a significant correlation between the three leadership styles, viz., transformational leadership, transactional leadership and laissez-faire leadership, and job satisfaction. There were no significant differences between the biographical variables and the three leadership styles.

Electronic communication (e-communication) refers to communicating by electronic means, especially over computer networks. Organisations use the internet to distribute valuable content in a variety of ways including e-newsletters, articles, videos, webinars, chats, live online events, social networks and forums. Customer satisfaction measures how well the expectations of a customer concerning a product or service provided by an organisation have been met. Customers can be satisfied with more than just the organisation’s product offerings. Customers use the Internet to search for general information, instruction guides or tips that they consider interesting or valuable. They often base their buying decisions on what they find. Valuable content can result in positive advertising as customers share positive content-related experiences with others. It can also increase loyalty as customers start to view or perceive an organisation as an expert about industry-related topics. This paper examines the relationship between e-communication and customer satisfaction within the mobile telecommunications industry in South Africa. This research was quantitative, descriptive and cross sectional in nature. The study found that e-communication was being used by the majority of the service providers in the mobile telecommunications industry and that it led to increased customer satisfaction.

South Africa is now in its third decade of democracy and is characterised by a social and political dispensation based on the principles of freedom of expression, non-racialism and non-sexism. These values ought to be entrenched in all aspects