http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/index.asp 163 editor@iaeme.com
International Journal of Management (IJM)
Volume 8, Issue 6, Nov–Dec 2017, pp. 163–168, Article ID: IJM_08_06_017
Available online at
http://www.iaeme.com/ijm/issues.asp?JType=IJM&VType=8&IType=6
Journal Impact Factor (2016): 8.1920 (Calculated by GISI) www.jifactor.com
ISSN Print: 0976-6502 and ISSN Online: 0976-6510
© IAEME Publication
A STUDY ON FEMINIST PERSPECTIVE
TOWARDS ECO FRIENDLY PRODUCTS WITH
REFERENCE TO CHENNAI CITY
Princy Susan Selvakumari
Research Scholar, R&D Centre, Bharathiyar University,
Coimbatore Tamilnadu, India
Dr. N. Kannan
Research Supervisor, Bharathiyar University, Coimbatore, Tamilnadu, India
ABSTRACT
The deterioration has started because of the rapid economic growth and customer
consumption pattern .The scarcity of the resources has become the threat for the
environment The increasing environmental problems has shifted the focus of the
government and industries towards green marketing and green products. The objective
of the study is to understand the feminist thinking towards eco friendly products and to
know the advantages and disadvantages of the eco friendly products. The research
conducted was non-experimental, descriptive and quantitative research .The sample
size is 150.The stratified random sampling techniques was used in this research. The
feminist has different attitude towards green purchase. Customers who are older lack
interest towards the green products.
Cite this Article: Princy Susan Selvakumari and Dr. N. Kannan, A Study On Feminist
Perspective Towards Eco Friendly Products With Reference To Chennai City.
International Journal of Management, 8 (6), 2017, pp. 163–168.
http://www.iaeme.com/ijm/issues.asp?JType=IJM&VType=8&IType=6
1. INTRODUCTION
In recent years, terms like "going green" and "eco-friendly" have become buzz words on talk
shows, commercials and product packaging. The term "eco-friendly" has been used for so many
different products and practices; its meaning is in danger of being lost. By understanding the
true meaning of eco-friendly, you can implement the practices that will lead to healthier living
for the planet and its inhabitants, big and small. Eco-friendly literally means earth-friendly or
not harmful to the environment. This term most commonly refers to products that contribute to
green living or practices that help conserve resources like water and energy. Eco-friendly
products also prevent contributions to air, water and land pollution. Feminist engage in eco-
friendly habits or practices by being more conscious of how to use resources.
Princy Susan Selvakumari and Dr. N. Kannan
http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/index.asp 164 editor@iaeme.com
The world is facing the most critical problem the deterioration of the environment. The
deterioration has started because of the rapid economic growth and customer consumption
pattern .The scarcity of the resources has become the threat for the environment .The
importance of social needs has made the human beings to realize the conservation of the
environment. Green products are also considered as the safe products. It is also known as
ecological products or environmental friendly products. The Feminist consumers are aware and
use the products which are safe.
The increasing environmental problems have shifted the focus of the government and
industries towards green marketing and green products. The feminist perspective is that the
Consumer’s initiatives are important without their efforts it will be proved ineffective. They
also believe each customer has different attitude towards green purchase. Customers who are
older lack interest towards the green products. Companies have to start unified campaigning to
create the awareness of the green marketing. Legitimacy has to be practiced by the producers
in order create interest among the customers. Initially the organization has to incur high cost
later in the long run it will be more beneficiary.
Feminist agree that living the eco-friendly life has some advantages and disadvantages. As
mentioned earlier, one of the disadvantages is that may have to forgo some of the more modern
conveniences. Not many, but the conveniences like fast foods and certain types of luxury
activities do little more than create a burden on the environment. One of the best examples is
the idea of the personal car. While you may realistically need a personal vehicle, you do not
need one that gets poor gas mileage or is made with luxury accessories or advanced electronics
that are impractical, and also consume vital natural resources.
2. OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
• To understand the feminist thinking towards eco friendly products.
• To know the advantages and disadvantages of the eco friendly products.
• To analyze the feminist awareness towards the eco friendly product
• To study whether the feminist attitude influence the buying behavior.
3. REVIEW OF THE LITERATURE
According to American Marketing Association green marketing is defined on three perspective
first marketing of the product which are very safe to the environment, second the development
and marketing products have brought down the negative effect on the physical environment and
the third perspective is that organization produce ,promote ,package and reclaim products that
is responsive to ecological concern.
In the view of Ottman (1998) green product refers to the typically non toxic, originally
grown recycle, reusable not polluting the environmental and safely package contain natural
ingredients recycled content. D’Souza et al.(2006) stated that the price is the attribute that
consumers reflect on when making a purchasing decision on green products .Consumers are
less likely to purchase green products. Consumers less likely to purchase green products if they
are more expensive.
Polonsky (1994) mentions the terms like phosphate free, recyclable ,refillable, ozone
friendly and eco friendly are some of the things consumer relate to green marketing .It is
abroaden concept and can be applied consumer goods ,Industrial goods and even services. In
the view of Dodds et al.(1991)when consumers are wishing to purchase a product are meant as
purchase intention. Also some factors that will influence the attitude of consumer to a product
will constitute to consumer purchase intention. When purchase intention is high then the
willingness of consumer to purchase specific product is also higher.
A Study On Feminist Perspective Towards Eco Friendly Products With Reference To Chennai City
http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/index.asp 165 editor@iaeme.com
4. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Based on the previously cited theoretical and empirical literatures, the following hypothesis
referring to the feminist perspective towards eco-friendly products was proposed.
Hypothesis 1:
There is a significant difference between perspective of feminist and awareness of eco friendly
products.
Hypothesis 2:
There is a significant difference between perspective of feminist and buying behavior of eco
friendly products.
Hypothesis 3:
There is no significant relationship between perspective of feminist towards eco friendly
products and the sources of information regarding eco friendly products.
5. SAMPLE AND DATA COLLECTION
The respondents are selected from the Chennai city using convenient sampling techniques as it
is less time consuming .The sample size for the study is 150 and the feminist were chosen as
respondents and they have given responses in the considerable manner.
6. FINDING AND ANALYSIS
Table 1
S.No Variable Frequency Percentage
1. Age 18-25 48 32
26-35 44 29.3
36-45 37 24.62
>45 21 14
2. Marital Status Married 85 56.6
Unmarried 65 43.3
3. Education High school 2 1.3
Graduate 33 22
Post Graduate 38 25.3
Professionals 55 36.6
Doctorate 22 14.6
4. Income(p.m) >10,000 24 16
10001-20000 23 15.3
20001-30000 33 22
30001-40000 41 27.3
< 40000 29 19.3
As mentioned in the above table the characteristic of the sample vary across age, marital
status, education and income. Finding also suggests that out of the respondents almost 90%
have the positive thinking towards the purchase of green products.
7. DATA ANALYSIS
Chi-Square Statistics (Test of independence) has been used to understand if there is any
dependence among the demographic variables such as age income, marital status, education
and occupation and the awareness about eco-friendly products .The attempt also been made to
Princy Susan Selvakumari and Dr. N. Kannan
http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/index.asp 166 editor@iaeme.com
understand if there is any influence of above said demographic variables on the respondent’s
consideration for buying decision of the eco friendly product.
8. THE FOLLOWING TABLE SHOWS THE RESULT OF CHI-SQUARE
ANALYSIS.
Table 2
Variable p-value Null hypothesis
Accepted/ Rejected
Age
Awareness of eco
friendly products
0.315 Accepted
Marital Status 0.612 Accepted
Education 0.456 Accepted
Income(p.m) 0.562 Accepted
Age consideration for
buying decision of the
eco friendly product
0.026 Rejected
Marital Status 0.756 Accepted
Education 0.000 Rejected
Income(p.m) 0.197 Accepted
As it can be seen from the above table that the awareness about eco friendly products is
different from the demographic variables such as age, marital status, education and income. It
can be inferred that the awareness is not confined across a specific age group.
It is quiet visible from test results that the consideration for buying decision of the eco
friendly product shows some dependency on age and education while ,the marital status and
income plays no significant role in the consideration for buying decision of the eco friendly
product.
Since,chi-square statistics just helps in identifying the dependence between two categorical
variables in order to understand and establish a definite relationship between the variables ;we
can use binary logistics regression.
9. BINARY LOGISTIC REGRESSION
Binary Logistic Regression has been applied where the chi-square statistics showed some
dependence between the variables i.e, education and consideration for buying decision of the
eco friendly product. The result of an attempt to formulate a model using BLR is not significant
and the key regression coefficient shows very poor model fit.
Table 3
Cox&snell R Square Nagelkerke R square
.014 .024
The results signify there may be some dependence between the level of education and the
consideration for buying decision of the eco friendly product but the relation between these two
is not strong to convert in to a meaningful model.
A Study On Feminist Perspective Towards Eco Friendly Products With Reference To Chennai City
http://www.iaeme.com/IJM/index.asp 167 editor@iaeme.com
10. FREQUENCY TABLE FOR SOURCE OF INFORMATION
Table 4
Source Frequency Percentage
Internet 103 68.7
Television 23 15.3
Radio 12 8
Educational Institution 8 5.3
Government commercials 4 2.6
Total 150 100
From the above table it can be analyzed that respondents source of information regarding
eco friendly product are more from Internet and television with 68.7%and 15.3% respectively.
This may be so because many of the eco friendly product manufacturing companies are creating
awareness among the consumer by providing advertisements about their eco friendly products
on different medium.
Table 5
Variables p-value Null hypothesis Accepted
/Rejected
Environmental concern and
attitude towards eco friendly
product
0.000 Accepted
As it can be seen from the above table that the null hypothesis has been accepted which implies
that there is no significant relationship between Feminist Environmental concern and attitude
towards eco friendly product and their attitude towards eco-friendly products.
11. CONCLUSION
The research indicates that feminist perspective is that the Consumer’s initiatives are important
without their efforts it will be proved ineffective. Finding also suggests that out of the
respondents almost 90% have the positive thinking towards the purchase of green products. chi-
square statistics just helps in identifying the dependence between two categorical variables in
order to understand and establish a definite relationship between the variables; we can use
binary logistics regression As it can be seen from the above table that the null hypothesis has
been accepted which implies that there is no significant relationship between Feminist
Environmental concern and attitude towards eco friendly product and their attitude towards eco-
friendly products.