Determinants of Green Electronic Devices Purchasing Decisions: with Special Reference to Young, Educated Consumers in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Purpose: This research is to examine the determinants of green electronic purchasing decisions of young, educated consumers in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach: This novel study is a conclusive research and deductive methodology was deployed as the study approach. Primary data were collected from 200 university students living in Southern Province in Sri Lanka based on convenient sampling method through a 23-item self-administered questionnaire.  After feeding data into SPSS 25.0, data were analysed using several statistical tools.  In here, Multiple Regression analysis was used to measure the impact of each of the key determinant on green electronic purchasing decisions of young, educated consumers.

Findings: Results indicated that there is a statistically significant impact of four determinants namely, Environmental Concern, Supporting Environmental Protection, Social Influence and Environmental Friendliness of Businesses, on young, educated consumers’ green electronic purchasing decisions in Southern Province, Sri Lanka. Among the four, Environmental Concern is the strongest determinant of purchasing decisions of green household electronics. 

Originality: This study contributes to the existing debates on green product purchasing decisions of young consumers.  Although, number of studies are available on green purchasing decisions among young consumers, the determinants of green electronic purchasing decisions of young, educated consumers are not well documented both in Sri Lankan as well as in international contexts.  So, findings of the present study fulfilled that current knowledge gap.

Implications: The current study provides good insights for both practitioners and theoreticians who want to identify the young consumers as environmentally conscious individuals. The paper concludes that marketing professionals need to relate green electronic devices with functional, emotional and experiential needs of consumers.

Keywords: Young Educated Consumers, Green Electronic Devices, Determinants of Green Consumption, Southern Province, Sri Lanka.