Cleaner and Responsible Consumption 12 (2024) 100170
Available online 11 January 2024
2666-7843/© 2024 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an open access article under the CC BY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Corporate social responsibility and behavioral intentions in an emerging
market: The mediating roles of green brand image and green trust
Bang Nguyen-Viet
a
,
*
, Cong Thanh Tran
a
, Hoa Thi Kim Ngo
b
a
University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam
b
Academy of Finance, Hanoi, Viet Nam
ARTICLE INFO
Keywords:
Stimulus–organism–response theory
Corporate social responsibility
Behavioral intentions
Green brand image
Green trust
Emerging market
ABSTRACT
This study is driven by the absence of thorough investigations into the behavioral intentions of organizational
consumers in the B2B market for paint and coatings, particularly within the industrial and marine coatings sector
in Vietnam. Employing the stimulus–organism–response model, we tested the relationship between corporate
social responsibility (CSR), green brand image (GBI), green trust (GT), and behavioral intentions (word-of-mouth
intention, willingness to pay, and purchase intention) in the Vietnamese industrial and marine coatings industry.
We also examined how GBI and GT mediate the relationship between CSR and behavioral intentions. Structural
equation modeling was used to test the structural and measurement models and hypothetical relationships. The
sample comprised 332 responses from stakeholders in the Vietnamese coating industry. Evidently, GT and CSR
positively influenced word-of-mouth, willingness-to-pay, and green purchase intentions, with trust and
commitment to sustainability being important drivers. While GBI positively influences purchase intention and
willingness-to-pay, it has a weak effect on word-of-mouth intention, indicating that additional strategies are
needed to stimulate word of mouth. Further, GT mediates the relationship between green purchase intentions
and GBI, as well as between CSR and green purchase intentions. The outcomes highlight the value of incorpo-
rating CSR, GT, and GBI into the business strategies of Vietnamese industrial and marine coating companies. We
discuss several theoretical and managerial implications, and the importance of studying the influence of GT, CSR,
and GBI on consumers’ behavioral intentions across various cultural contexts.
1. Introduction
There is growing concern for corporate social responsibility (CSR) as
part of corporate ethics and sustainability (Freeman and Hasnaoui,
2011), including ethics-driven practices, stakeholder obligations, and
social obligations (Maignan and Ferrell, 2004). Indeed, CSR influences
purchase intention, satisfaction, and loyalty, particularly when indus-
trial purchasers begin to see CSR value while making purchase decisions
(Youssef et al., 2018). While cost minimization remains a priority in the
maritime industry, companies that practice CSR are viewed favorably by
both stakeholders and the general public (Grewal, 2018). These socially
and environmentally responsible businesses can positively impact the
economy by improving their reputation and brand image, and attracting
more clients (Donner et al., 2018). Here, innovation is a key mediator of
the significantly positive correlation between CSR and corporate per-
formance (Reverte et al., 2016).
Because volatile organic compounds (VOCs) negatively influence
human health, reducing VOCs is a major concern for the paint and
coating industry (Mo et al., 2021). One means is utilizing sustainable
bio-based materials to replace petroleum-derived polymers and resins
(Balgude and Sabnis, 2014). To safeguard the maritime environment,
the International Maritime Organization enacted a convention in 2001
that outlawed organotin compounds and encouraged the creation of
tin-free antifouling paints (Champ, 2003). The marine industry has
sought eco-friendly, biodegradable, and cost-effective alternatives to
tributyltin-based antifouling coatings made from natural materials as
well (Kyei et al., 2020). Kaolin, for instance, has recently emerged as a
preferable alternative to titanium dioxide because of its lower cost and
reduced health risks, such as kidney and nervous system damage, can-
cer, and allergic reactions in humans and animals (Buyondo et al.,
2022).
The European Commission (2006) identified three critical ways in
which CSR might boost corporate performance and innovative potential:
by addressing societal challenges such as low-carbon technologies,
* Corresponding author.
E-mail addresses: bangnv@ueh.edu.vn (B. Nguyen-Viet), tranthanhcong2301@gmail.com (C.T. Tran), ngokimhoa@hvtc.edu.vn (H.T.K. Ngo).
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Cleaner and Responsible Consumption
journal homepage: www.journals.elsevier.com/cleaner-and-responsible-consumption
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clrc.2024.100170
Received 10 October 2023; Received in revised form 19 December 2023; Accepted 6 January 2024
Cleaner and Responsible Consumption 12 (2024) 100170
2
bio-based products, and eHealth. This increases favorable stakeholder
attitudes and engagement behaviors (e.g., purchasing), helps build a
corporate image, and strengthens long-term stakeholder–company re-
lationships (Du et al., 2011). Along these lines, Gonz´
alez-Rodrguez et al.
(2020) tested the correlation between green brand image (GBI), green
trust (GT), and willingness to pay a higher price; Rahman and
Nguyen-Viet (2022) found that GBI mediated the relationship between
GT and green purchase intention (GTI); Rambocas et al. (2018)
confirmed the effect of brand equity on word-of-mouth (WOM) inten-
tion; and Meilatinova (2021) confirmed the influence of trust and
satisfaction on WOM intention. While studies have examined consumer
behavioral intentions, including purchase intention (Helm and ¨
Ozergin,
2015), willingness-to-pay (WTP) (Hamzaoui-Essoussi and Zahaf, 2012),
and WOM intention (Konuk, 2019), there exists very scarce literature on
the behavioral intentions of organizational consumers or market for
paint and coatings between businesses (B2B).
Within the domain of paints and coatings, Suresh and Yogesh (2021)
explored the factors of product variety, competitive pricing, and product
reliability, and their influence on consumer choices of a specific dealer
shop. Mousavi et al. (2023) uncovered the relationship between con-
sumer satisfaction and coating applicators operating across the United
States and elucidated the connection between different regions and
states. Prasetya et al. (2019) examined the fundamental values and re-
tailers of the Southeast Asian paint industry, an emerging market. Their
study touched on various aspects, including distribution channels as
conduits for goods and services, the dynamics of interaction between
principals and agents, optimization of benefits, cost minimization, and
the often-overlooked influence of non-economic factors. However, these
studies focused on individual consumers rather than organizational
consumers. To date, no research has tested the behavioral intentions of
organizational consumers in the paint and coating industry, particularly
in emerging markets such as Vietnam. According to a report from
Coating World 2022, Vietnam is a rapidly growing market and receiving
significant investments in infrastructure and ship fleets, which has
surged demand for industrial and marine coatings. Despite paint and
coatings being indispensable to marine and industrial projects (Irish,
2014), studies on industrial and marine coatings in Vietnam are scarce.
In marketing and B2B contexts, numerous studies have explored
CSR. Most prior research has focused on describing buyer and supplier
perceptions and attitudes toward social and environmental concerns
across countries and various industries, including automotive, con-
struction, transportation, and food and beverage (Huang et al., 2022).
To the best of our knowledge, no study has tested the influence of CSR on
consumers’ behavioral intentions in paint and coatings, industrial and
marine coatings, or Vietnamese industries. The existing literature has
only explored mediators such as consumer loyalty (Homburg et al.,
2013), and reputation (Quintana-García et al., 2021) between CSR and
outcomes, while the potentially mediating roles of GBI and GT between
CSR and behavioral intentions remain unexplored.
To address these gaps, this study examines the correlations between
CSR, GT, GBI, and behavioral intentions (WOM, GTI, and WTP) in the
Vietnamese industrial and marine coatings industry using the stim-
ulus–organism–response (SOR) model. We also explored the mediating
roles of GBI and GT in the relationship between CSR and behavioral
intentions. This way, we advance the understanding of organizational
consumers’ behavioral intentions in the paint and coatings industry and
shed light on the B2B market in emerging countries such as Vietnam.
The remainder of this article is organized as follows: Section 2 crit-
ically examines the pertinent theoretical foundations and formulates
hypotheses integral to the proposed structural model. Section 3 outlines
the methodology. Section 4 discusses the findings. Section 5 outlines the
conclusions and explores its theoretical and managerial implications.
Section 6 outlines the limitations of this study and proposes avenues for
future research.
2. Literature review and hypotheses development
2.1. Stimulus–organism–response theory
In this study, we understand the impact of CSR as a motivating factor
on consumer behavior based on the SOR paradigm (Jacoby, 2002). The
SOR paradigm has been tested in green consumption studies to elucidate
how external factors, such as CSR, affect consumers’ affective and
cognitive assessments and drive their behavioral intentions (Sun et al.,
2021; Gil and Jacob, 2018; Nguyen-Viet, 2022). In the proposed con-
ceptual framework, CSR acts as a stimulus (S) that triggers the organism
(O) factors, GBI and GT. These internal evaluations influence response
(R) elements, which comprise WOM, WTP, and GPI.
SOR theory suggests that consumers’ cognitive and affective assess-
ments are initiated by stimuli such as CSR and play a crucial role in
shaping their responses. Previous studies have used various internal
state variables to explore the relationships between responses and
stimuli, such as trust (Gupta et al., 2019), involvement (Liu et al., 2012),
and green perceived value (Wu and Li, 2018). In this research, internal
evaluations comprised GT, green WOM, and consumer social re-
sponsibility, which CSR influences as an environmental stimulus. Ulti-
mately, these internal assessments affect consumer WOM, WTP, and
GPI.
By applying the SOR theory to the context of CSR, GBI, and GT, this
investigation provides valuable insights into how these factors influence
consumer behavior, particularly concerning WOM, WTP, and GPI.
2.2. Behavioral intentions to purchase
Ajzen (1991) first introduced the concept of behavioral intention in
his planned behavior theory, arguing that the greater the intention, the
more plausible the behavior. According to Ajzen (1991), intention in-
dicates how much effort a person is prepared to put into conducting an
activity. Following Zeithaml et al. (1996), behavioral intentions include
four factors: complaining behavior, purchase intention, price sensitivity,
and WOM communication. Konuk et al. (2015) recently proposed three
sub-dimensions of behavioral intentions: WOM, WTP, and GPI. Lee et al.
(2010) also used a three-factor measure of WOM, WTP as a premium,
and revisit intention, considering behavioral intentions. In Zeithaml’s
(1988) study, GPI describes a consumer’s plan to purchase or consider
buying an environmentally friendly item or service. This concept has
been further considered a personal propensity and preference for
ecological brands/products over similar options when making purchases
(Oliver and Lee, 2010). In contrast, WOM intentions are defined as po-
tential efforts to exchange experiences directly and indirectly with ca-
sual products and services (Anderson, 1998). They constitute
“communication” by consumers with other people about their preferred
products or services regarding the brand, product, organization, and
service (Walker, 2001), and the willingness of consumers to purchase
their favorite brands of goods or services at a greater cost (Netemeyer
et al., 2004).
2.3. Green brand image
According to Chen (2010), consumers’ opinions of a business’s sus-
tainable practices and concerns comprise its GBI. This term also de-
scribes how a brand is considered environmentally responsible and
sustainable. It encompasses the company’s green values and how aware
people are of the brand’s involvement in environmental issues (Chen,
2010).
There exists a positive correlation between consumer trust and brand
image, which can affect how people participating in transactions select a
product (Flavian et al., 2005). According to this argument, a stronger
GBI results in a greater inclination to rely on the brand based on its
perceived environmental performance, credibility, benevolence, and
capabilities (Chen, 2010).
B. Nguyen-Viet et al.
Cleaner and Responsible Consumption 12 (2024) 100170
3
Studies have found evidence of the impact of GBI on consumer
behavior in firms. Wu et al. (2016) demonstrated that consumers’ in-
tentions to switch to green products are influenced by both their satis-
faction levels and their awareness of the green image. According to Lee
et al. (2010), there is a strong correlation between positive green
cognition, consumer behavioral intentions, and affective image, such as
revisiting, providing high recommendations, and willingness to pay a
greater cost. Lita et al. (2014) found that consumers’ perceptions of a
firm’s image favorably correlate with their attitude toward green
behavior, which significantly influences their intention to share positive
WOM and purchase at a greater cost. Finally, Martínez et al. (2018)
discovered that GBI positively influences behavioral intentions,
including consumers’ intention to remain loyal, promote positive WOM,
and willingness to pay a greater cost. We thus hypothesize.
H1.Green brand image positively influences (a) word-of-mouth, (b) green
purchase intention, (c) willingness-to-pay, and (d) green trust.
2.4. Green trust
Green trust is the confidence or reliance placed on a brand, product,
or service thanks to its perceived environmental performance and
credibility (Chen, 2010). As Chen (2010) asserts, placing trust in the
sustainable development of a product results from faith in its
eco-friendliness, reliability, and competence, which subsequently leads
to increased confidence in the product.
Consumers’ behavioral intentions toward green consumption
include GPI (Kang and Hur, 2012), WOM (Chen and Chang, 2013), and
willingness to pay a premium (Konuk et al., 2015). Given this, the
expectation is that a rising GT in white goods will increase WOM
intention, the willingness to pay a premium, and GPI. We thus
hypothesize.
H2.Green trust positively influences (a) word-of-mouth, (b) green pur-
chase intention, and (c) willingness-to-pay.
2.5. Corporate social responsibility
Based on the SOR model and literature insights on CSR and GBI,
Leppelt et al. (2013) define CSR as actions extending beyond legal
compliance to benefit society. CSR, which has economic, ethical, legal,
and philanthropic dimensions, involves voluntary adherence to its pil-
lars (Diallo et al., 2021). Environment-driven CSR involves a business
mitigating negative impacts by minimizing its emissions, reducing pol-
lutants, and safeguarding ecosystems (Bekmezci, 2015), which yields
prompt effects (Wei et al., 2017) and benefits for stakeholders (Rahbar
and Wahid, 2011). Environmental CSR enhances the corporate image,
reputation, and business development opportunities (Javed et al., 2020;
Liu et al., 2021) through energy conservation, pollution prevention, and
green production (Abu Zayyad et al., 2021).
CSR significantly influences consumer behavioral intentions, atti-
tudes, purchase decisions, loyalty, and brand satisfaction (Al Jarah and
Emeagwali, 2017). There exists a positive and direct relationship be-
tween the implementation of CSR strategies and organizational perfor-
mance (Khan and Riaz, 2023). Implementing an effective CSR campaign
improves a firm’s brand image, reputation, consumer satisfaction, and
loyalty, which are key factors in establishing trust in the firm (Hayat
et al., 2022).
Environmental corporate social responsibility (ECSR) is especially
important for cultivating a green corporate image and gaining a
competitive edge (Alam and Islam, 2021). Green CSR emphasizes
environmental, sustainability, and business performance (Le, 2022b; Wu
and Yu, 2023). CSR activities play a crucial role as mediators in shaping
the corporate image and positive reputation, significantly affecting
business performance, especially for small and medium-sized enter-
prises (Le, 2022a).
Trust, a fundamental component, according to Rousseau et al.
(1998), involves confidence and willingness to rely on another party.
Green trust, as defined by Hang et al. (2022) and Wang et al. (2018),
refers to consumer reliance on an entity based on their beliefs about its
benevolence, reputation, and eco-friendly practices. We also know of a
positive link between CSR and trust, which influences consumers’ green
trust (Chuah et al., 2020; Ahmad et al., 2023). CSR activities that adhere
to legal, environmental, social, and developmental principles and
contribute to community well-being are more likely to be trusted
(Wirba, 2023), making organizations that incorporate CSR or
green-oriented activities preferred by consumers. We thus hypothesize.
H3.Corporate social responsibility positively influences (a) willingness-to-
pay, (b) green trust, (c) green purchase intention, (d) green brand image, and
(e) word-of-mouth.
2.6. Mediating roles of green brand image and green trust
Tian et al. (2020) stated that CSR attributes translate into consumer
behavior through trust. Yu et al. (2021) also confirm the role of con-
sumer trust in mediating the relationship between CSR and consumer
purchase intention. More recently, Ahmad et al. (2023) proposed that
consumer green psychological factors such as GT, green satisfaction, and
green perceived value mediate the relationship between CSR and GPI,
and ultimately lead to positive economic outcomes. Overall, these re-
sults indicate that green psychology significantly links CSR to positive
economic outcomes.
Several studies have underpinned the mediating effect of business
reputation/brand image on the correlation between consumer behav-
ioral intentions and CSR. Su et al. (2014) state that business reputation
mediates the relationship between CSR and consumer impressions.
Similarly, the strong mediating role of brand image supports the link
between CSR and behavioral intention, especially brand loyalty (He and
Lai, 2014). Auger et al. (2003) found that symbolic images and functions
are crucial in influencing brand loyalty (Carroll and Shabana, 2010; He
and Lai, 2014; Wu et al., 2016). Kim et al. (2017) also noted the medi-
ating impact of the corporate image on the association between
perceived revisit intentions and CSR.
Therefore, improvements in corporate image and the promotion of
future purchase behavior, as well as a negative image, can be detri-
mental to the long-term success of companies. Previous studies have
shown that participating in CSR allows a company to highlight its
philanthropic deeds, strengths, and public spiritedness, and build re-
lationships with consumers, thus enhancing consumers’ favorable re-
sponses and competitiveness. The ultimate result is an increase in
purchase intention and loyalty. According to Alam and Islam (2021),
CSR is vital for developing both green competitiveness and a GBI, which
can empower green competitive advantage, decrease compliance costs,
attain sustainable green competitive capability, and ultimately increase
consumer GPI (Chang and Chen, 2013).
Brand trust significantly influences purchasing attitudes and be-
haviors toward organic products. Consumers who do not trust a brand’s
content are less likely to adopt a favorable view of the product and, as a
result, will not buy it (Wang et al., 2022). Lavuri et al. (2022) confirm
that brand trust positively influences stimulus factors and purchase in-
tentions. To enhance consumer loyalty and trust in a brand, brands
should implement green ads and enhance their GBI (Lavuri et al., 2022).
GT also mediates the link between the antecedents of green purchasing
goals and buying intentions (Chen and Chang, 2012). Rahman and
Nguyen-Viet (2022) similarly established a correlation between GPIs
and GBI.
Green brands that promote environmental responsibility through
green advertising and positive images can convince consumers and earn
their trust. Consumers with a favorable impression of green brands and
their advertising show increased trust in and intention to purchase green
items. We thus hypothesize.
H4.The relationship between corporate social responsibility and green
B. Nguyen-Viet et al.
Cleaner and Responsible Consumption 12 (2024) 100170
4
purchase intention is mediated by (a) green brand image and (b) green trust.
H5.The relationship between green brand image and green purchase
intention is mediated by green trust.
3. Methodology
3.1. Sample and data
The selection of trial respondents from companies to participate in
the survey was part of the sampling and data collection procedures. A
questionnaire intended to measure the constructs was used to obtain
data. In this study, convenience sampling or nonprobability sampling
was applied. The questionnaires were designed using an online form
(Google Form) and sent directly to the participating representatives
through email and various digital apps such as Zalo (a popular social
network in Vietnam), Viber, and Messenger. This approach was selected
to reach a large number of participating representatives quickly and
efficiently, making it convenient and easy to collect data. In cases where
direct questioning was not possible at the site, attendees were surveyed
via phone. A total of 460 questionnaires were distributed to potential
participating representatives, and 332 responses were collected, result-
ing in an approximate response rate of 72%. The sample size was above
200, which is reasonable for structural equation modelling (SEM)
analysis (Hair et al., 2010). Respondents were selected according to
their willingness and availability to participate in the study. This tech-
nique is often applied when the population is challenging to access, or
when time and resources are limited. To collect data, we used a
self-administered questionnaire as our research instrument, and a
combination of multiple-choice and Likert scale (five-point) questions
applied to examine the constructs. A questionnaire pretest was applied
to a limited group of specialists in industrial and marine coatings, such
as sales managers from coating companies and some lecturers from
business schools, to guarantee that the questionnaire was crystal-clear,
understandable, and appropriate for the population. The survey
involved crucial decision makers within the marine and construction
sectors, including constructors, marine shipowners, applicators, con-
sultants, distributors, and dealers. Business contacts were obtained from
the Vietnam Register website and the consumer databases of Vietnamese
industrial and marine coating manufacturers. The authors’ association
with a prominent coating brand in Vietnam played a role in refining the
selection process. Prior to the survey, cover letters were sent to
participating representatives outlining the research goals, expected
survey duration (approximately 15 min), and commitment to confi-
dentiality. Subsequently, the authors contacted the selected respondents
to coordinate direct surveys or to provide an online survey link if an
in-person meeting was not feasible. As a gesture of appreciation, the
participating representatives received small tokens of gratitude after
completing the survey.
3.2. Measurement
We used a combination of measures that prior authors adopted and
selected in accordance with their relevance to the research question and
their previous use in similar studies. For the CSR construct, we used four
scale items adopted from Anselmsson et al. (2014). These scale items
were used to gauge the extent to which the participating representatives
perceived the business as engaging in CSR activities. We used two
five-point scale items adopted from Chen (2009) to construct the GT and
GBI. In addition, we utilized three scale items for the WTP construct
based on Konuk et al. (2015). These scale items aimed to gauge the
willingness of the participating representatives to purchase higher prices
for the products and services of ecologically responsible businesses.
Three scale items from Konuk et al. (2015) were used for the WOM
construct. These scale objects were designed to test the extent to which
participating representatives intended to recommend the business to
others based on their CSR activities. We use three scale items from
Konuk et al. (2015) to gauge the GPI construct. As shown in Table 1,
these scale items were created to estimate how likely consumers were to
purchase services or products from a company participating in CSR
initiatives (Table 1).
The reliability and validity of the measures should be examined to
guarantee that they are suitable for the population and research issues in
question, even if incorporating measures from previous authors might
save time.
3.3. Sample characteristics
The sample used in this investigation was selected from stakeholder
businesses in Vietnam’s coating industry (Table 2). Most businesses in
the sample were headquartered in the southern region of Vietnam
(51.81%), followed by the northern (34.34%) and central (13.86%)
regions. The types of businesses that invested in equities were pre-
dominantly Vietnamese private companies (41.27%), followed by joint
stock companies (34.64%), and foreign companies (24.10%).
Considering the size of the businesses in the sample, the majority
were classified as large businesses, with annual sales above 50 million
VND and more than 50 employees (51.51%). Small businesses with
annual sales of less than 20 million VND and employees under 20 years
accounted for 34.64% of the sample. In contrast, middle-sized
Table 1
Source of constructs.
Construct Items
CSR Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), adopted from Anselmsson et al.
(2014)
CSR1 This company sells ecologically friendly products
CSR2 Products of this brand do not impact human health
CSR3 Products of this brand are manufactured under good working conditions
CSR4 This brand’s products are sourced from businesses that consider the
effects on the environment
GBI Green Image (GBI), adopted from Chen (2009)
GBI1 The brand is considered as providing the highest standard of
environmental commitments
GBI2 The brand is professional about its environmental reputation
GBI3 The brand successfully performs in terms of the environment
GBI4 The brand is highly known for its environmental issues
GBI5 The brand is reliable in its environmental commitment
GT Green Trust (GT), adopted from Chen (2009)
GT1 You believe this company’s environmental commitments to be generally
trustworthy
GT2 This brand’s environmental performance generally brings dependence
to your feel
GT3 You believe that this company’s environmental claims are typically
reliable
GT4 The environmental commitment of this company surpasses your
expectations
GT5 This company follows its environmental protection commitments and
promises
GPI Green Purchase Intention (GPI), adopted from Konuk et al. (2015)
GPI1 Due to this paint and coating’s environmental performance, I want to
purchase it in the future
GPI2 Given that this firm cares about the environment, I intend to buy paint
and coating from them
GPI3 Because this paint and coating brand is ecologically friendly, I plan to
purchase it
WOM Word of mouth (WOM)_Adopted from Konuk et al. (2015)
WOM1 I recommend buying this brand to my friends and family
WOM2 I generally recommend this brand to someone seeking paints and
coatings
WOM3 Regarding this eco-friendly company, I have only positive things to say
WTP Willing to Pay (WTP), adopted from Konuk et al. (2015)
WTP1 I am willing to spend higher to purchase this environmentally friendly
paint and coating brand
WTP2 Because of its environmental performance, paying a premium to buy this
paint and coating brand is acceptable
WTP3 I am ready to pay more for this green brand’s products because it show
the highly environmental functions
B. Nguyen-Viet et al.
Cleaner and Responsible Consumption 12 (2024) 100170
5
businesses with annual sales between 20 and 50 million VND and em-
ployees between 20 and 50 made up 13.86% of the sample.
Finally, the participants were asked about the coating brands
frequently used by the participating businesses. The findings reflect that
the majority of businesses in the sample used brands from Europe or
America (51.81%), followed by brands from Vietnam (41.27%) and Asia
(6.93%). It is crucial to remember that not all Vietnamese firms may
have been represented by the outcomes of this study because the sample
was designed from a limited number of businesses that chose to
participate in the study.
3.4. Structural model assessment
According to Hair et al. (2021), to model and estimating the
complicated link between several dependent and independent variables
while accounting for measurement errors in the observed data using a
statistical approach known as SEM is crucial. SEM was used to examine
the measurement and structural models and identify potential correla-
tions. This study was conducted to evaluate the measurement model
using reliable, convergent, and discriminant analyses in the initial step.
Subsequently, the structural model and hypothesized relationships were
analyzed using SEM.
4. Results
4.1. Measurement model
The validity and reliability of the measurements used in this study
are presented in Table 3. Overall, the construct reliability of the mea-
surement was high, with Cronbach’s alpha coefficients ranging from
0.882 for CSR to 0.863 for WOM. Hair et al. (2010) claimed that these
values reflect the fact that the items within each construct are highly
consistent and reliable measures of the underlying construct.
Convergent validity is also supported, with all constructs exceeding
the suggested threshold of 0.5 for average variance extracted (AVE),
fluctuating between 0.594 of GT and 0.763 of GPI. All constructs’
composite reliability (CR) surpasses the suggested threshold of 0.7 (Hair
et al., 2010), ranging from 0.594 of GT to 0.763 of GPI. These outcomes
reflect that the measurement items are sufficiently reliable, consistent,
and similar to the underlying construct.
The validity of the measurement is further supported by the high
outer loadings, fluctuating between 0.748 for GT1 and 0.886 for GPI1.
All items meet the recommended threshold of 0.5 for outer loadings,
indicating significant indicators of their respective constructs (Hair
et al., 2010).
In summary, the measurement tested in this investigation is a valid
and reliable instrument for measuring CSR, GBI, GT, GPI, WOM, and
WTP in the paint and coating industry, based on the reliability and
validity analysis outcomes.
The Fornell–Larcker criterion table findings (Table 4) show that all
diagonal indices are larger than the off-diagonal indices, generally
supporting discriminant validity between constructs. For instance, the
diagonal value of the CSR was 0.807, which is larger than the off-
diagonal value of 0.466 for the GBI, indicating that the CSR has a high
level of discriminant validity with the GBI. Similarly, the diagonal
values for GPI, GT, WOM, and WTP are higher than the off-diagonal
values for other constructs, indicating discriminant validity (Hair
et al., 2010).
4.2. Common bias method and multicollinearity
Following Hair et al. (2010), we used various techniques to assess
potential complications, including multicollinearity and common
method bias (CMB). A variance inflation factor (VIF) value of less than
3.0 indicates the lack of problematic multicollinearity, and CMB is
specifically employed to measure multicollinearity. The results of the
VIF analysis indicated that all VIF values were between 1.495 and 2.108
for the constructs, suggesting that the model was free of these problems.
Table 2
Samples characteristics (n =332).
Description Frequency Percentage
Headquarter
location
Northern 114 34.34%
Central 46 13.86%
Southern 172 51.81%
Business types
following invested
equities
Vietnamese private companies 137 41.27%
Foreign companies 80 24.10%
Joint stock companies 115 34.64%
Business sizes Small (annual sales under 20
mils VND and employees under
20)
115 34.64%
Middle (annual sales between
20 and 50 mils VND and
employees between 20 and 50)
46 13.86%
Large (annual sales above 50
mils VND and employees above
50)
171 51.51%
Coating brand is
used frequently
Brands come from Vietnam 137 41.27%
Brands come from Europe or
America
172 51.81%
Brands come from Asia 23 6.93%
Table 3
Results of reliability and validity.
Variance and construct Outer loadings
α
CR AVE VIF
CSR 0.821 0.882 0.651
CSR1 0.804 1.724
CSR2 0.779 1.624
CSR3 0.863 2.005
CSR4 0.779 1.614
GBI 0.859 0.899 0.640
GBI1 0.803 1.917
GBI2 0.820 1.974
GBI3 0.816 1.987
GBI4 0.794 1.799
GBI5 0.767 1.665
GT 0.829 0.879 0.594
GT1 0.748 1.573
GT2 0.786 1.727
GT3 0.768 1.700
GT4 0.750 1.646
GT5 0.799 1.749
GPI 0.845 0.906 0.763
GPI1 0.886 2.108
GPI2 0.874 2.019
GPI3 0.860 1.960
WOM 0.762 0.863 0.677
WOM1 0.839 1.607
WOM2 0.824 1.495
WOM3 0.805 1.537
WTP 0.820 0.893 0.735
WTP1 0.863 1.871
WTP2 0.869 1.846
WTP3 0.841 1.786
Note:
α
: Cronbach’s alpha; CR: composite reliability; AVE: average variance
extracted; VIF: variance inflation factor; CSR: corporate social responsibility;
GBI: green brand image; GT: green trust; GPI: green purchase intentions, WOM:
word of mouth; WTP: willingness to pay.
Table 4
Discriminant validity of the model.
CSR GBI GPI GT WOM WTP
CSR 0.807
GBI 0.466 0.800
GPI 0.583 0.611 0.874
GT 0.447 0.550 0.592 0.770
WOM 0.419 0.330 0.557 0.424 0.823
WTP 0.522 0.500 0.648 0.525 0.474 0.858
B. Nguyen-Viet et al.