Debt problems,home‐leaving,and boomeranging: A register‐based perspective on economic consequences of moving away from parental home

This article analyses the development of financial problems after leaving one's parental home, and considers how financial problems are associated with likelihood of boomeranging (i.e., adult children returning to parental home). The 9‐year follow‐up study focused on a nationally representative sample of Finnish young people between the ages of 15 and 25 who moved out from their parental home between 2006 and 2009 (n = 9,196). The measure of debt problems was based on monthly data on debt enforcement, a legal matter which may bring serious consequences for the debtors. The primary within‐individual, longitudinal analyses showed that debt problems increased directly after leaving parental home. Education and family background were significant predictors of debt problems in the four years after leaving parental home. Early leavers had significantly more debt problems than later leavers. Debt problems were associated with a higher likelihood of moving back to parental home. The results imply that it is important to support economic decision‐making during early adulthood.     

Why invest in green technologies? Sustainability engagement among small businesses

This study examines the links between sustainability engagement and green technology investments. Using data on 139 Finnish small businesses, the results show a positive relationship between the two. The sustainability engagement of small businesses affects their interest in investing in green technology. However, engagement in environmental sustainability does not seem to be the main motivator behind green technology investments. The results of the mediation analysis show that when investing in green technologies, companies do not consider environmental sustainability as a main value but as a way of achieving social and economic value.     

The consequences of perceived risk and objective knowledge for consumers’ investment behavior

Knowledge and risks have a focal role in consumer behavior. However, studies on consumers’ perceive risks in decision situations and the influence of objective knowledge and experience on risk perceptions, consumers’ attitudes and behavioral intentions are scarce. This paper introduces and tests a novel conceptual model that shows how consumers’ objective financial knowledge and investing experience affect their future investment intentions mediated by perceived risks, and attitudes toward investing. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The proposed model fits the data and accounts for attitudes and intentions to investing. This study advances knowledge by directly measuring the behavior-related objective knowledge and experience. We also suggest new insights into the risk concept by showing that consumers perceive five types of risk in investing context and objective financial knowledge and investment experience has varying effects on different risks types, attitudes and intentions. The results also show significant gender differences.     

The case for process approaches in loyalty research in tourism

The article reviews the literature on loyalty in consumer behaviour with particular emphasis on the difficulties of interpreting repeat purchasing in terms of loyalty. Problems of conceptual definition and measurement are examined in the context of tourism. A case is made for seeing the concept of loyalty as a process rather than as a state. In this respect two approaches related to information processing are suggested as possible research approaches. Psychological cost‐benefit technique and methods associated with optimum stimulation level are discussed. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How the unbanked cope with financial exclusion: Evidence from Pakistan

This article investigates both the coping strategies employed by low-income unbanked consumers in Pakistan and the consequences of those strategies. Qualitative data were gathered from low-income unbanked consumers through in-depth interviews. The findings suggest that unbanked consumers utilize their respective social networks and various market and personal resources to cope with financial exclusion. The utilization of social network resources to cope with financial exclusion typically enabled participants to fulfill their obligations in a positive manner and enhanced solidarity and trust among group members, whereas the use of market and personal resources tended to produce more negative consequences in the form of different types of risk. The article provides managerial implications for developing services that enhance the well-being of unbanked consumers.     

Ethical consumerism: a view from Finland

Business ethics and corporate social responsibility have gained more attention in recent years. However, the consumers’ perspective on ethics is still a little researched area. This study reports a survey (n = 713) on the views of Finnish consumers about ethics in trade. Consumers’ willingness to promote business ethics as well as the obstacles to ethical consumption are investigated. The results of the study show that while the majority of the respondents regard business ethics as important, this attitude does not translate into their choice behaviour. Consumers are uncertain about which products and firms follow ethical rules and which do not. The most important obstacles to ethical consumption were difficulties in obtaining information, problems in product availability and high prices of ethical products.     

The complexity of safety in wilderness guiding in Finnish Lapland

This article examines how safety is understood and practised by wilderness guides leading nature excursions with international customers in Finnish Lapland. Commercial nature tourism services in Lapland are not considered adventure-oriented since risk-taking is not an integral part of the guided services. The study shows that even though perceived as low-risk activities, risks are present in a significant part of the everyday actions in commercial nature tourism services. Thus, commercial nature tourism forms a rich context to study the sustainability of contemporary safety practices since it forms a specific, guide-dependent sector of the tourism industry. The discussion further underlines the complexity of safety issues within the industry and the importance of holistic approaches.     

Vulnerability of the unbanked: evidence from a developing country

Financial exclusion is an apparent phenomenon globally, the majority of people without bank accounts living in the developing countries. Those who lack access to financial services could experience vulnerability. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to unfold the vulnerability of the low‐income unbanked consumers in a Pakistani context. Qualitative data were gathered from low‐income unbanked consumers through in‐depth interviews. The findings suggest that unbanked consumers are vulnerable in many ways. The participants faced several negative consequences due to their financial exclusion, which resulted into their personal, economic and social detriment. Based on our study findings, we provide managerial and public policy implications for the well‐being of the low‐income unbanked consumers. Lastly, study limitations and future study guidelines are discussed.     

Purchase Behavior and Psychophysiological Responses to Different Price Levels

The aim of the study was to examine emotional processes when product prices for different brands were changed. In a within‐subjects design, the participants were presented purchase decision trials with 14 different products (seven private label and seven national brand products) whose price levels were changed while their facial electromyography (EMG) and electrodermal activity were recorded. The results suggest that low prices and national brand products induce higher positive emotions indexed with zygomatic EMG compared to high prices and private label products. Also, positive emotions are related to greater purchase intent. Naturally, a low price has also a direct positive influence on purchase intent. However, the involvement of emotions and the influence that price and brand have on elicitation of emotions may be one explanation for consumers’ varying purchase behavior. The results highlight the importance of emotional factors in pricing research and support the usefulness of psychophysiological measures in the consumer research.