Measuring situational factors in theory of attribution to consumer attitudes towards unlawful disposal of solid waste products in Ghana with special reference to Sunyani: a mediation and moderation analysis

Abstract

Consumer attitudes towards the unlawful disposal of solid waste products in Ghana, particularly Sunyani, continue to be a challenge. The study is based on the attribution theory. A sample size of seven hundred and twenty-seven (727) was selected through convenience sampling. Data collected were analysed using the covariance-based structural equation modelling (CB-SEM) technique with AMOS v24. The results revealed that three factors of task difficulty, luck and feelings under the situational factors were considered. Based on these three factors, two variables were found to be significantly related to the unlawful disposal of solid waste products, namely luck and feelings. The study also assessed media channel type as a mediator in the relationship between situational factors and unlawful disposal of solid waste products. Furthermore, the study evaluated consumer identity as a moderator of the interaction effect in the relationship between feelings and unlawful disposal of solid waste products. The media channel type as a mediator and consumer identity as a moderator were significant towards the unlawful disposal of solid waste products. This paper is pioneering, in that it generates the effects of using the theory of attribution and some intervening variables conceptualized in the context of solid waste product disposal towards unlawful disposal of solid waste products in Sunyani at the micro-level. This area is relevant to scholars, marketing-oriented firms and brand practitioners, who will be aided to lead the advocacy for the consumer solid waste product disposals starting from the point of sales in consumer buying behaviour.