Are Boycott Motives Rationalizations?
Previous models of boycott motivation are incomplete because they only
consider beliefs and attitudes. This article argues that consumers'
proximity to the consequences of the critical actions of a company is
the primary trigger of the desire to boycott. As consumers need to
justify this desire, they search for supportive arguments. Thus, the
arguments consumers give to explain why they are boycotting or not are
pre-decisional rationalizations rather than independent rational
considerations. Consequently, the paper suggests that scholars need to
respecify the antecedents identified in prior studies. These constructs
are mediator variables of the indirect influence of proximity on boycott
participation. The paper tests the assumptions on the basis of survey
data gathered from 544 consumers using the example of a real boycott
that was called in response to factory relocation. The model proposed
was tested by means of partial least squares regression analysis. The
mediation hypotheses were examined using simple and multiple mediation
tests. The empirical study confirms that boycott motives are mainly
rationalizations of a pre-existing desire to boycott, which is
contingent on proximity. Managerial implications and avenues for further
research are proposed.
Hoffmann, S.. (2013) Are Boycott Motives Rationalizations?, Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 12 (3), 214-222.