| Summary: | This study is comprised of two distinct components. The first is a 'theoretical' component, which explores the nature of the latent construct of environmental consciousness as it applies to the UK consumer. Specifically, using established procedures from the measure development literature, a total of five instruments were devised from extensive qualitative and quantitative research, capturing individual's knowledge, attitudes and behaviour related to the environment. The psychometric properties of dimensionality, reliability and validity were confirmed through rigorous statistical assessment on data obtained from a mail survey of the general public, which achieved a sample of 1,697 respondents throughout the UK. Using the five developed scales, an investigation of the value of socio-demographic characteristics for profiling the environmentally conscious members of the population was undertaken. The results suggested that there is no typical green consumer in terms of such characteristics. The second component of the investigation is an 'applied' component, which investigates public perceptions of key environmental issues in the freight transportation industry. Here, the nature of public concern about the environmental effects of freight transportation was explored and, again using the measure development framework, comparative instruments capturing perceptions of road and rail freight transport were devised. Using the latter scales, an assessment of the utility of segmentation variables (situational, socio-demographic and environment-related) for profiling population members according to their concerns about freight nuisances was carried out. Finally, perceptions of possible action strategies to reduce the environmental disbenefits of freight transportation were addressed. The thesis is concluded with a discussion of theoretical and managerial implications in the study of environment-related issues and a number of suggestions for future research are outlined.
|
|---|
