Investigating circular economy and sustainability marketing in the gulf: the case of UAE

Jan, Muhammad Tahir and Khan, Tariqullah (2023) Investigating circular economy and sustainability marketing in the gulf: the case of UAE. In: Gulf Research Meeting 2023, 11 - 13 July 2023, University of Cambridge, UK. (Unpublished)

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Abstract

Gulf countries are known for their high levels of consumption with the United Arab Emirates (UAE) topping the list. The per capita consumption rate of the UAE is reported to be over USD 21675 per person in 2021. This alarmingly high rate of consumption comes with the cost in the form of environmental decimation. Usually, marketing is considered the main culprit behind the high rate of consumption, as it usually encourages people (customers) to buy, use, and upgrade frequently. However, this is not entirely true because of the latest paradigm in marketing, which is, “Sustainability Marketing”. The concept of the “Circular Economy” and “Sustainability Marketing” could be used to mitigate this issue of environmental turndown through exploration, investigation, and education of these emerging concepts, especially, in the Gulf region. Circular economy and sustainability marketing are closely related concepts where the focus is on meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs through closed-loop systems. In this process, the waste is eliminated, and resources are conserved through reuse, repair, refurbishment, and recycling. Interestingly, these marketing philosophies are also aligned with the Islamic behaviour of moderation and avoiding wasteful spending and could be used as the potential driving forces to further enhance the concepts of circular economy and sustainability marketing. The present study attempts to undertake the same challenge in proposing and empirically investigating a comprehensive model of the circular economy and sustainability marketing in the Gulf by using the UAE as a representative case of the GCC countries. For this purpose, factors related to consumer intention have been extracted from the extensive review of the marketing literature. In this case, the underlying theory deemed appropriate was the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB). Further, TPB was extended by including two more variables related to the circular economy and sustainability marketing, namely, convenience, and environmental concern. A comprehensive model is then proposed and empirically tested by collecting data from 450 consumers in the UAE. Complex statistical analyses were performed for the same purpose. It includes detailed descriptive analysis for understanding respondents’ profiles, exploratory factor analysis for extracting the underlying factors in the data, confirmatory factors analysis for the confirmation of the extracted factors and validity, and finally, full-fledged structural model testing for the proposed model fitness along with hypotheses testing. Interesting findings emerged, which will certainly contribute to helping policymakers in the Gulf and specifically the UAE, devise strategies that are not only aligned with the philosophy of the circular economy and sustainability marketing but will also ensure positive consumer behaviour. The novelty of this research is evident from the fact that in marketing these concepts are rarely researched, and to the best of the knowledge of the researchers, never attempted in the context of the Gulf region. Therefore, it will not only be a guiding research for future researchers, but also a solid foundational attempt for education, as there is a greater need to incorporate sustainability concerns in marketing education in the Gulf countries. The results of the present study can also be generalised to other Gulf countries because of the cultural similarity.

Item Type:	Proceeding Paper (Slide Presentation)
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Circular economy, sustainability marketing, consumer purchase intention, structural equation modelling, TPB, Gulf countries, GCC, UAE.
Subjects:	H Social Sciences > HF Commerce > HF5001 Business. Business Administration
Kulliyyahs/Centres/Divisions/Institutes (Can select more than one option. Press CONTROL button):	Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences > Department of Business Administration Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences > Department of Accounting Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences > Department of Economics Kulliyyah of Economics and Management Sciences > Department of Finance
Depositing User:	Dr Muhammad Tahir Jan
Date Deposited:	01 Nov 2023 14:42
Last Modified:	01 Nov 2023 14:42
URI:	http://irep.iium.edu.my/id/eprint/106990

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