The Attitude Towards Boycotts: Determining Factors

Abstract

According to the theories of reasoned action and planned behavior, the precedent to any human conduct is the intention to display such conduct. One of those precedents is the attitude of people. Our work is framed within this line of research, as it seeks to analyze and explain the main determinants of attitude towards boycott. Thus, we understand that the attitude of consumers towards boycott behavior depends on three fundamental beliefs: perceived legitimacy of the behavior, ethical idealism towards such behavior, and finally, ethical relativism towards boycott behavior. We emphasize legitimacy, since the relevance of legitimacy processes in the business-client relationship lies in the recognition of the validity of actions that allow their subjective recognition and, therefore, differentiate them from the legal nature of the acts. The research is carried out with 371 people and the hypotheses presented are verified through structural equation models. Discussion of the results and its implications contribute to a better understanding of the factors that determine the attitude towards customer boycott by business managers and academics.

Explaining the boycott behavior: A conceptual model proposal and validation

“…Both have been confirmed in this study, explaining in a moderate way, 41% of the variance of the attitude. The effect of ethical idealism in the attitude towards a boycott is in line with other researchs about consumer moral behaviors (Lu & Lu, 2010; Palacios Florencio et al, 2019) and confirms H2. This variable explains 8.3% of the variance of the attitude towards boycotts.…”

“…It can therefore be stated that people with strong scores in idealism try to avoid behaviors harmful to others. For its part, as has been shown in previous studies (Palacios Florencio et al, 2019), legitimacy explains most of this variance, 32.6%, corroborating H1. This implies that if consumers consider that the boycott is legitimate, useful and morally acceptable their participation in the boycott will be more likely than in the case in which they question that legitimacy.…”

“…Klein et al (2004); Rose et al (2009); Abosag and Farah (2014); Abdul‐Talib et al (2016); Palacios Florencio et al (2019).…”

“…Therefore, consumers' beliefs about the legitimacy of boycotts as tools to punish organizations that do not conform to the norms and values accepted by society can determine their boycott attitude (Palacios Florencio, Revilla‐Camacho, & Garzón‐Benítez, 2019). On the other hand, Braunsberger and Buckler (2011) establish “enhance social self‐esteem through identification with the cause and enhance personal self‐esteem by viewing themselves as moral persons” (p. 99) as motivations for adopting a boycott.…”

“…The perception that consumers have about the extent to which it is legitimate to boycott certain goods, brands, companies or countries (regions) is a determining factor in making the decision not to buy. As previously introduced, the legitimacy of the boycott of a territory is based on three aspects: pragmatic legitimacy, referring to the usefulness of the boycott; moral legitimacy, referring to the moral conviction that it is necessary to carry it out, regardless of its outcome; and cognitive legitimacy, related to the effectiveness of the boycott action (Palacios Florencio et al, 2019).…”