Understanding the determinants of green trust: The role of green value sharing

Authors: Tser-Yieth Chen; Chi-Jui Huang

Journal: Corporate Management Review. Dec. 2021, 41(2): 81-128

Keywords: Green trust, green communication, green value sharing, greenwashing, green value endorsement.

Abstract:
This study proposes three green appeal routes—green communication, green value sharing, and greenwashing—to explain green trust formation and explore how green trust affects green value endorsement. We designed questionnaires in three languages: Chinese, Korean, and Japanese, and collected 600 valid questionnaires from respondents who had purchased environmentally friendly products in Taiwan, Korea, and Japan. We employed structural equation modeling to analyze the results. The main path indicated that green value sharing positively affected green trust, positively influencing green value endorsement. The second path showed greenwashing negatively affected green trust, positively impacting green value endorsement. Green businesses can employ a green value-sharing strategy to achieve green trust formation and create a win-win solution for marketers and consumers. This study is the first to examine comprehensive green appeal routes and green trust formation. The literature examines green communication, green value sharing, and greenwashing of green trust formation. Furthermore, it reveals new findings in cognitive learning, cognitive responses, and cognitive appraisal factors, supplying valuable and practical green marketing literature.