This article explores the extent to which consumers consider ethics in luxury goods consumption. In particular, it explores whether there is a significant difference between consumers' propensity to consider ethics in luxury versus commodity purchase and whether consumers are ready to purchase ethical-luxury. Prior research in ethical consumption focuses on low value, commoditized product categories such as food, cosmetics and high street apparel. It is debatable if consumers follow similar ethical consumption patterns in luxury purchases. Findings indicate that consumers' propensity to consider ethics is significantly lower in luxury purchases when compared to commoditized purchases and explores some of the potential reasons for this reduced propensity to identify or act upon ethical issues in luxury consumption.

PurposeThis paper aims to address the issue of survey distortion caused by one of the most common and pervasive sources of bias, namely social desirability bias (SDB). Despite 50 years of research, there are still many unanswered questions about its conceptualisation and operationalisation. The authors argue that traditional measures of SDB are inadequate and that the context in which the research is being conducted should be reflected in the measures employed. Hence, the authors develop and validate a multi‐dimensional scale that may be used to measure the degree of SDB present in responses to giving surveys.Design/methodology/approachFollowing initial scale development procedures a convenience sample of 820 donors to a national charity was employed to refine the resultant scale items. Exploratory factor analysis and reliability tests were conducted to establish the dimensionality of the new scale and its reliability. Using a separate sample of 1,500 active donors, the scale was then subject to confirmatory procedures to test its predictive validity.FindingsThe findings support the assertion that SDB is a multi‐dimensional construct consisting of six dimensions. However, in the context of postal surveys it is found that self‐deception and the degree of intrinsic benefit accruing to a donor are the primary determinants of the level of SDB an individual will exhibit. The authors also highlight the significance of the SDB issue since in the survey reported here, 65 per cent of respondents were found to over‐report their giving.Originality/valueThis is one of the first published studies that has been able to explore the predictive validity of a SDB scale. The work has expanded our understanding of the determinants of SDB and provided an instrument that may now be employed to reduce a significant proportion of this error in giving surveys.

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Although survey research is one of the most frequently used methods for studying charitable giving, the quality of the data is seldom stated or known. In particular, social desirability bias (SDB) has been found to distort data validity where respondents tend to over-report what is socially desirable and vice versa. We argue that this phenomenon has not been fully understood in the nonprofit context as existing social desirability scales are not appropriate to be used in giving surveys. Thus, this paper is the first to extend understanding of SDB to the nonprofit context and to explore its motivating factors. Based on a multidisciplinary literature review and qualitative interviews with various senior practitioners from the fundraising and marketing research sectors, it is suggested that SDB is a multidimensional construct yielding five dimensions, namely, impression management, self-deception, level of involvement, perceived benefits and social norms. The paper then discusses the implications for nonprofit researchers and concludes with directions for future research.Résumé Bien que les enquêtes soient l'une des méthodes les plus fréquemment utilisées pour l'étude des dons de bienfaisance, la qualité des données est rarement définie ni connue. En particulier, il a été constaté que le biais de désirabilité sociale faussait la validité des données lorsque les répondants avaient tendance à surévaluer ce qui est socialement souhaitable, et inversement. Nous montrons que ce phé-nomène n'a pas été totalement compris dans le secteur non lucratif, puisque les échelles actuelles de désirabilité sociale ne sont pas adaptées pour être utilisés dans les enquêtes sur les dons. Cette étude est donc la première à étendre la conception du biais de désirabilité sociale au contexte du secteur non lucratif et à en explorer les facteurs de motivation. Reposant sur une revue de la littérature multidisciplinaire et des entretiens qualitatifs menés auprès de différents spécialistes de haut niveau dans les secteurs de collecte de fonds et des études de marché, il y est suggéré que le biais de désirabilité sociale est un concept multidimensionnel qui produit cinq dimensions, à savoir la gestion des impressions, la tromperie, le niveau de participation, les avantages perçus et les normes sociales. Ce document examine ensuite les conséquences pour les chercheurs du secteur non lucratif et se termine par des orientations pour la recherche future.Zusammenfassung Obgleich die Umfrageforschung eine der am häufigsten verwendeten Methoden zur Studie von wohltätigem Spendenverhalten ist, werden nur selten Angaben zur Datenqualität gemacht bzw. die Datenqualität ist oftmals gänzlich unbekannt. Insbesondere das sozial erwünschte Antwortverhalten (zu englisch: Social Desirability Bias (SDB)) verzerrt die Datengültigkeit in Fällen, in denen die Befragten dazu neigen, ihre Antworten übermäßig auf das, was sozial erwünscht bzw. unerwünscht ist, abzustimmen. Wir glauben, dass dieses Phänomen im NonprofitKontext nicht vollständig verstanden wird; denn d...

Nonprofit organizations that engage in rebranding strategies face challenges reconciling normative (social or mission driven) and utilitarian (business driven) identities of their organizations. This research examines the interplay between rebranding processes and dual identities of ten rebranded charitable organizations, in particular how these identities are reflected in managers' narratives and subsequently shape rebranding strategies. The study reveals four types of rebranding strategies and the potential drivers for their adoption. Pressure to secure resources can lead nonprofit organizations to emphasize utilitarian identities in rebranding, and so surface hidden tensions amongst stakeholders reluctant to relinquish established normative identities. In managing the process of rebranding, senior managers engage in practices of justifying, re-visioning, and influencing to reduce emerging tensions.The research suggests that both utilitarian and normative identity concerns need to be addressed during the process.