Attitudes and Motives of Chinese Consumers When Purchasing Green Vehicles – A Study into the Nissan LEAF Electric Car (2014)

Purchasing Green Vehicles Chinese Consumers Dissertation – Green marketing is a concept that has been embraced by many organisations as part of corporate social responsibility. Nissan Motor Company is among the automotive companies that have introduced green vehicles in their production processes, hence the manufacture of LEAF, an electric car. LEAF is manufactured purposely for environmental conservation, to meet consumer needs and to help the company achieve competitive advantage. Despite the explosion of green products in the recent years, there is still insufficient data on how consumers have reacted to the products.

This research therefore studies the attitudes, purchasing behaviour and motives of Chinese consumers when they buy LEAF. This research meets its objectives by doing an investigation onto the relevant available literature to guide the research to its outcome. It adopts various data collection methods including in-depth interviews, inductive approach, and interprevitism philosophy. Eight interviewees are interviewed; customers of LEAF and marketing managers of the company. Collected data is then linked with available relevant literature relating to the topic to give the research a comprehensive data analysis.

This research ascertains that consumers have different motives, purchasing behaviour and attitudes towards green vehicles. Although there is a considerable change of attitude towards green purchase, leading to an increasing number of consumers adapting to green products, there are those consumers who view green marketing as a tool being exploited by corporate organisations to achieve their own interests. Others consumers have not embraced green products because they claim that they are do not perform as well as conventional products, while others question the claims made by the companies over green product.

The research establishes that these misconceptions held by consumers can be cleared by using the right promotional strategies and help promote the right attitudes towards green products. This dissertation aims to shed some light on the attitudes and motive of Chinese consumers when they purchase green vehicles. In accordance to this aim, the research will focus on the following objectives:

• To investigate Chinese consumers’ attitudes toward green vehicles
• To summarize Chinese consumers’ purchasing motive
• To conclude Chinese consumers’ behaviours of purchasing green vehicles
• To explore the influence and purpose of green marketing to the Chinese market
• To explore the influence of enterprises’ sense of social responsibility on Chinese consumers’ willingness to purchase green vehicles

• 15,000 words – 52 pages in length
• Excellent use of literature
• Good analysis of subject area
• Well written throughout
• Includes interview transcript
• Ideal for international marketing students

1 – Introduction
Research background
Rationale
Research aim and objectives
Contributions
Research outline

2 – Literature Review
The concept of Green Marketing
Consumer attitudes, purchasing behaviour and motives towards green products
Influence and Purpose of green marketing
The current situation of green marketing in China
Green marketing position in China
Attitudes and motive of Chinese consumers towards green vehicles
Environment concerns and changing consumption trends
Green marketing strategies
Consumer value positioning
Consumer Knowledge
Credibility of product claims
Social responsibilities of enterprises

3 – Methodology
Research philosophy
Research approach
Research strategy
Research design
Sampling
Interview protocol design
Data collection
Data analysis
Reliability and validity
Research ethics

4 – Findings and Analysis
The concept of Green marketing
Consumer attitudes, purchasing behaviour and motives towards green products
Influence and Purpose of green marketing
Environmental concerns and changing consumption trends
Nissan marketing strategies in relation to promoting Nissan LEAF
Consumer value positioning
Credibility of product claims
Consumer Knowledge
Social responsibilities of Nissan LEAF

5 – Conclusion
Key finding of the research
Green marketing and Chinese consumers? attitudes, behaviours and motives toward green products
Influence and purpose of Green marketing
Environmental concerns and consumption trends
Social responsibilities of Nissan LEAF
Recommendations
Influence and purpose of Green marketing
Marketing strategies in relation to promoting Nissan LEAF
Limitations of research
Future research

References

Appendix
Interview Transcript