Responsible Consumption Through Social Media. An Empirical Study of Responsible Posting on Social Media and Its Impact

Table of Contents

1 Introduction

1.1 Background and Relevance

1.2 Research Problem and Objectives

1.3 Research Method

1.4 Structure

2 Literature Review and Research Problem

2.1 Responsible Consumer Behavior

2.1.1 Definition of Responsible Consumer Behavior

2.1.2 Drivers and Antecedents of Responsible Consumer Behavior

2.2 Marketing in Social Enterprises

2.2.1 Definition of Social Enterprises

2.2.2 Marketing Challenges for Social Enterprises

2.2.3 Marketing Practices of Social Enterprises

2.3 Priming Effect

2.4 Objectives and Research Questions

3 Study 1: Content Analysis

3.1 Research Method

3.1.1 Research Design

3.1.2 Sampling Decisions

3.1.3 Coding Procedure

3.1.4 Intercoder Reliability

3.2 Analysis and Results

3.2.1 Category System

3.2.2 Quantitative Analysis of Categories

3.3 Discussion of Findings

4 Study 2: Online Experiment

4.1 Research Method

4.1.1 Research Design

4.1.2 Experimental Stimuli

4.1.3 Questionnaire Design and Measures

4.1.4 Procedure and Data Collection

4.2 Analysis and Results

4.2.1 Descriptive Statistics

4.2.2 Reliability and Validity Check of Measures

4.2.3 Verification of Premises

4.2.4 Test for Effects

4.3 Discussion of Findings

5 Conclusion

5.1 Summary and General Discussion of Findings

5.2 Theoretical Implications

5.3 Managerial Implications

5.4 Limitations and Future Research Avenues

Research Objectives and Themes

This thesis investigates how social food enterprises (SFEs) can utilize social media, specifically Instagram, to effectively encourage responsible consumption behavior among their target audience. Through a multi-method approach, the research aims to uncover how impact-oriented posts are designed and whether they exert a measurable influence on consumer attitudes and purchase intentions.

• Content design and characteristics of SFE-generated impact posts on Instagram.
• The proportion of impact-addressing posts within the total social media communication of SFEs.
• The influence of social media impact-primes on environmentally and socially responsible consumer intentions.
• Analysis of consumer perceptions regarding impact topics versus product-focused communication.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

1 Introduction: This chapter outlines the global challenges regarding sustainability, the growing importance of social enterprises in the food sector, and introduces the research objectives and methodology.

2 Literature Review and Research Problem: This section defines responsible consumer behavior, analyzes the role of social enterprises, discusses the priming effect, and establishes the foundation for the research questions.

3 Study 1: Content Analysis: This chapter details the methodology and results of the qualitative and quantitative content analysis performed on Instagram posts from selected social food enterprises.

4 Study 2: Online Experiment: This chapter describes the experimental design, data collection, and statistical analysis conducted to test the effects of impact-posts on consumer intentions.

5 Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the empirical findings, discusses theoretical and managerial implications, and addresses the study's limitations while suggesting future research directions.

Keywords

Social Enterprises, Responsible Consumer Behavior, Instagram, Content Analysis, Priming Effect, Sustainable Consumption, Social Marketing, Food Industry, Consumer Intentions, Impact Communication, Environmental Awareness, Social Responsibility, Digital Marketing, Experimental Research.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core focus of this research?

The research examines the effectiveness of social media communication by social food enterprises in promoting responsible consumption patterns.

What are the primary thematic areas covered?

The study revolves around responsible consumer behavior, the marketing strategies of social enterprises, and the application of priming theory in social media environments.

What is the central research question?

The central objective is to determine whether impact-focused content on social media helps social food enterprises foster more sustainable consumption behavior among their audiences.

What methodology is utilized?

The study employs a multi-method design, combining a quantitative content analysis of Instagram posts with a randomized between-subjects online experiment.

What is analyzed in the main part of the thesis?

The main part covers a comprehensive literature review followed by two empirical studies: a detailed coding analysis of Instagram content and a behavioral experiment assessing consumer response to SFE messaging.

Which keywords best describe this study?

Key terms include Social Enterprises, Responsible Consumer Behavior, Content Analysis, Priming Effect, and Sustainable Consumption.

How does the priming experiment work?

Participants were randomly assigned to view either an impact-focused or a non-impact Instagram stimulus to measure its subsequent influence on their intentions and concerns.

Why is the SFE sector uniquely positioned?

Social food enterprises face the challenge of balancing economic goals with social and environmental missions, making their communication strategies particularly critical for behavioral change.

What were the major conclusions regarding impact-posts?

The analysis found that while social enterprises use impact-posts, these are less frequent than general product posts, and the experimental results showed no statistically significant influence of the stimulus on the selected consumer variables.