The study indicates a relationship between eco-orientation and company performance and implicates, on the basis of the theoretical and empirical findings without considering any financial aspects, that integrating ecological features and good performance in a company is possible. Trust and confidence are as important concepts in green marketing as in CRM as competitive advantage, through for example product differentiation, could not merely be achieved with technical solutions. It is indicated that companies ought to take a determined approach when incorporating ecological aspects into their businesses, demonstrating that they have implemented sustainable practices in all areas of the company and pursue certain goals conscientiously.
Many companies strive towards becoming greener and adapt to standards to convert sustainable development into concrete and practicable steps. It is an orientation many companies pursue and this study indicates the importance of the attitudes regarding ecological issues being closely related to the company. The adaptation of standards is, in my opinion, a way to create environmental sustainability and make companies concern about ecological issues in order to improve environmental performance and create trust and confidence in consumers‟ minds. Taken their responsibility seriously, customers realize the intention of companies going beyond green.
This study contributes to enhance the level of understanding of green marketing effects on customer relationship management concepts, aiming to gain competitive advantage through the creation of trust and confidence in order to satisfy customers and retain them. This study is based only on three in-depth interviews and one general overview of a company‟s ecological orientation. A future study could take a longitudinal perspective, for example focusing on company‟s adaptation and improvements to achieve further goals and standards in their eco- orientation. For further research it could be a possibility to research consumer behavior and their trust and confidence when a company adapts only to a political agenda and how this affects their perception towards a company and its products or brands. In addition, the relationship between ecological orientation and sales of ecological products could be observed
to cover an overall company performance. Moreover, future studies could probably grasp ecological orientation from a broader basis and include employees as well as customers to contribute to a better understanding of the eco-orientation as well as a cross-national study, comparing ecological orientation in different countries.
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Interview (2008-04-22), with the sales manager Nils-Erik Haglöw from Konsum Gävleborg, via email Interview (2008-04-30), with the customer service manager Katrin Bejmar from IKEA Gävle, personally at the IKEA store in Gävle
Interview (2008-04-25), with the project manager for sustainable transportation Ingegerd Krantz from the municipality of Gävle, via mail
Interview (2008-05-12), with the project leader of a rural development project Denise Fahlander, who has worked for a government's expert authority on forests and forest policy, via mail (findings are not included separately as the interview answers were obtained lately)
List of Appendices
Appendix 1: Interview Questions for companies (Konsum Gävleborg, IKEA Gävle) Appendix 2: Interview Questions for non-businesses (Ingegerd Krantz, Denise Fahlander)
Appendix 1:
Name: Position:
Field of Responsibility: In the company since:
1. Does your company offer eco-labeled products? For how long and why?
2. To which groups / segments are eco-labeled products promoted? How big is this segment?
3. Has your company realized a change in consumer behavior, due to a change in environment? And how real or long does your company think this movement is?
4. Is there an environmental policy at your company? How is the responsibility for ecological issues organized (one person is responsible / responsibility is decentralized to the different heads of departments?
5. Are there concrete environmental goals to be achieved at your company? Are these goals to be increased every year? What happens when they reach 100%?
6. Does your company financially support any ecological projects? Can you give examples of eco-projects that refused to get help from your company, or projects that actively wanted help?
7. Is there any cooperation concerning ecological issues with environmental groups or authorities? Which and why? Isn‟t there a risk of “greenmailing” that cooperating with ENGOs risk your company being less able to do what they want?
8. How and to what extend does your company inform customers about its eco-issues and eco-adjustments? Do you think this is your company‟s task in the market?
9. Are there any green marketing activities?
10. Feel consumers more confident with eco-friendly products? Do they buy more of it?
11. Many people believe they are doing well when buying “green” products and buy even more because they purchase environmental friendly products. To be critical, do you think that Eco-/Green marketing might harm the environment?
12. Do your company‟s main competitors have very strong green profiles? Are there maybe any worries about what happens when every company uses green marketing and has eco-labels?
Appendix 2:
Name: Position:
Field of Responsibility:
1. Can eco labels be taken serious today as so many companies have eco-labeled products?
2. Is there any criticism about eco labels? If yes, describe the criticism against eco labels?
3. Do consumers feel satisfied / confident when buying eco-labeled products? Do you think this is a false sense of confidence?
4. Is there a need for eco-products, or is it better to spend the eco-money directly to eco- projects?
5. Do you think that eco-/green marketing, including eco-labeled products, harms the environment, as many people believe by buying those products they can buy more because they are “environmental-friendly”? Is there any other harm you think might come from this false sense of confidence?
6. Green marketing encourages consumption of environmental-friendly products. Does this mean to you, that green marketing is harmful for the environment?
7. Can eco-products create confidence in consumer‟s minds and thus create satisfaction? Is there anything that might be critical here?