A1 Journal article (refereed)
Consumer biases in the perception of organizational greed (2023)
Arango, L., Singaraju, S., Niininen, O., & D'Souza, C. (2023). Consumer biases in the perception of organizational greed. International Journal of Consumer Studies, 47(2), 767-783. https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12870
JYU authors or editors
Publication details
All authors or editors: Arango, Luis; Singaraju, Stephen; Niininen, Outi; D'Souza, Clare
Journal or series: International Journal of Consumer Studies
ISSN: 1470-6423
eISSN: 1470-6431
Publication year: 2023
Volume: 47
Issue number: 2
Pages range: 767-783
Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
Publication country: United Kingdom
Publication language: English
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1111/ijcs.12870
Research data link: https://github.com/laarangoso/perceivedgreed
Publication open access: Not open
Publication channel open access:
Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/83291
Abstract
This article extends current models of how consumers judge or perceive organizations as greedy by employing the theoretical framework of motivated moral reasoning. We show that inherent features of an organization (size and “black sheep” status) and its behavior (relative frequency) bias consumer perceptions of organizational greed. We use an experimental methodology, present subjects with vignettes describing different scenarios, validate our questionnaire using confirmatory factor analysis, and test our hypotheses by employing a general linear model with covariates. Our findings suggest that consumer perceptions of organizational greed are subject to three effects: the underdog effect (Study 1, n = 496), the black sheep effect (Study 2, n = 229), and the “common is moral” heuristic (Study 3, n = 249). This is the first study to investigate greed under a motivated reasoning paradigm and to show that perceptions of organizational greed are subject to socio-psychological biases. This study also provides advice on branding and positioning strategies that appeal to the underdog status of an organization or its local origins.
Keywords: consumers; consumer behaviour; values (conceptions); valuation; organisations (systems); enterprises; corporate image; greed
Free keywords: biases; black sheep; common is moral heuristic; consumer perceptions; ingroups; morality; organizational greed; underdogs
Contributing organizations
Ministry reporting: Yes
Reporting Year: 2023
Preliminary JUFO rating: 1