POLISH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES 2017

Askadilla W.L., Krisjanti M.N., Vol.15 No.2

UNDERSTANDING INDONESIAN GREEN CONSUMER

BEHAVIOR ON COSMETIC PRODUCTS: THEORY OF PLANNED
BEHAVIOR MODEL
Askadilla W.L., Krisjanti M.N.,
Abstract: This study aims to explain Green Purchase Behavior toward Green Cosmetic
products using theoretical model developed from The Theory Planned Behavior. A web-
based survey was conducted during January – March 2017. In total, 275 respondents were
analyzed with SPSS. The results show that beliefs would positively affect the three
predictors on TPB (attitude, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control). Green
Purchase Intention were simultaneously affected by Attitude, Subjective Norms as well as
Perceived Behavioral Control. The results also indicate that both Green Purchase Intention
and Perceived Behavioral Control demonstrated significant relationship toward Green
Behavior. Additionally mediating effect of Green Purchase Intention was found between
Perceived Behavioral Control toward Green Behavior.
Key words: green behavior, green cosmetics, green purchase intention, mediation analysis,
theory of planned behavior
DOI: 10.17512/pjms.2017.15.2.01
Article’s history:
Received February 12, 2017; Revised April 3, 2017; Accepted May 29, 2017

Introduction
Predicting Consumers behavior is one of the most important things to elaborate
before determine the development of marketing strategy (Han and Kim, 2010).
Marketers are continously investigated the patterns of consumers buying behavior
as well as purchase decisions in order to predict the forthcoming trends for the key
success of business. The analysis of what, when, why, and how can be explained as
consumer behavior (Anute et al., 2015). The significant increase of green products
awareness among people in Indonesia nowadays has created tremendous
implications on the many industry, especially cosmetics industry. Consumer
showed higher interest with product that not only offer good quality but also
environmental friendly.
With increasing competition in cosmetic industries, each companies should be able
to understand their consumers’ green behaviors as one of success keys
for company. In this study, we applied Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB)
as theoretical model, which was purposed to explain the consumer green behavior
(Han et al., 2010) and that can be utilized by cosmetic companies to increase their
competitive advantages. The purpose of the research is to analysis Indonesian


Wilhelmina Leli Askadilla MM., Mahestu N Krisjanti Msc. IB., Phd., Universitas
Atma Jaya Yogyakarta, Master of Management
 Corresponding author: mariawilhelmina1179@gmail.com
 mahestu@mail.uajy.ac.id

7
 2017 POLIASH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES
Vol.15 No.2 Askadilla W.L., Krisjanti M.N.,

consumers green behavior on green cosmetic products by using TPB model.

In addition, this study objectives is also to investigate further the moderating effect
of Green Purchase Intention on the Perceived Behavioral Control-Green Behavior
relationship.

Literature Review
Consumer purchase intention is very important to understand because purchase
intention is used to predict consumer behavior in purchasing environmentally-
friendly products (Han and Kim, 2010). Predicting consumer behavior is very
crucial for it determines the development of marketing strategy (Han et al., 2010).
TPB model were used in the study, which is a theory that predicts the behavior
consideration because behavior can be considered and planned (Krueger
and Carsrud, 1993).

Behavioral Belief, Normative Belief, and Control Belief

According to TPB, human behavior is developed based on three kinds of elements:
Belief about the possible consequences or other response from the behavior
(Behavioral Belief), belief about the normative expectations of others
and motivation to approve the expectations held by Normative Belief and belief
about the presence of factors from behavior (Control Belief) (Ajzen, 2002). Based
on a research by Han and Kim (2010), Control Belief has a significant effect
on Perceived Behavioral Control, and Normative Belief also significantly affects
Subjective Norms. Another significant influence is also shown by Behavioral
Belief on Attitude. Therefore, the hypotheses are as follows:
H1 = Behavioral Belief has a positive effect on consumers’ Attitude in purchasing-
environmentally friendly cosmetic products.
H2 = Normative Belief has a positive effect on consumers’ Subjective Norm
in purchasing-environmentally friendly cosmetic products.
H3 = Control Belief has a positive effect on consumers’ Perceived Behavioral
Control in purchasing-environmentally friendly cosmetic products.

Attitude, Subjective Norm, and Perceived Behavioral Control (PBC)

Attitude is positive or negative belief to show a specific behavior (Ajzen, 1991).
Subjective Norm is assumed to be the functions of specific beliefs that someone
agrees or disagrees to display a behavior (Ajzen and Fishbein, 1980). PBC
indicates that the motivation of a person is affected by how he perceives the level
of difficulty or ease to display a specific behavior (Ajzen, 1991). Chen and Chai
(2010) also conclude that there are effects and relationship that are significant and
positive between consumers’ attitude, Subjective Norm, and PBC with the
purchase intention for environmentally-friendly products (Chen and Chai, 2010;
Rehman and Dost, 2013; Tseng and Chang, 2015). Therefore, the following
hypotheses are proposed:

8
 POLISH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES 2017
Askadilla W.L., Krisjanti M.N., Vol.15 No.2

H4 = Attitude has a positive influence on Green Purchase Intention

of environmentally-friendly cosmetic products.
H5 = Subjective Norm has a positive influence on Green Purchase Intention
of environmentally-friendly cosmetic products.
H6 = Perceived Behavioral Control has a positive influence on consumers’ Green
Purchase Intention of environmentally-friendly cosmetic products.

Green Purchase Intention and Green Behavior

Green purchase intention is the most determining factor of the real purchasing
behavior of consumers towards environmentally-friendly products (Rehman and
Dost, 2013). The term of Green Behavior in this study refers to the consumption of
products that are good or beneficial for the environment (Lee, 2009). Perceived
behavior control also significantly influences consumer behavior in Taiwan
on organic products (Tseng and Chang, 2015). Purchase Intention functions as
a mediator for the influence of Perceived behavioral control on Green Behavior in
Swedish adolescents in purchasing green products (Promotosh and Sajedul, 2011).
Shabani et al. (2013) conclude that Green Purchase Intention has significant effect
on consumers’ Green Behavior towards green products in general in the market.
Hence, the following hypotheses are proposed:
H7 = Perceived Behavioral Control has a positive effect on consumers’ Green
Behavior in purchasing cosmetic products that are environmentally friendly.
H7a = Green Purchase Intention mediates the influence of Perceived Behavioral
Control on consumers’ Green Behavior in purchasing cosmetic products that are
environmentally friendly.
H8 = Green Purchase Intention has a positive effect on consumers’ Green Behavior
in purchasing cosmetic products that are environmentally friendly.

Research Methodology
The population for this study was general Indonesian green cosmetic products
consumers’. Sample of this study consisted of consumers who experienced buying
environmentally friendly cosmetic products, in the last 6 months. The sample in
this study used a purposive sample. A Web-based survey was used to collect data.
In the opening instructions of this survey, a thorough description of a green
cosmetic was given. A total of 34 questions were used to measure 8 variables. The
measurement of each variables were developed based on previous researchs (Han
and Kim, 2010; Chan, 2001). A five-point Likert scale ranging from “1-strongly
disagree” to “5-strongly agree” were used. At first, 308 questionnaires were
collected over a period of three months (January-March 2017).
Data screening were performed to ensure that only qualified sample were included
for the data analysis. To do so, two screening questions were used for the data
screening: “Do you ever buy environmentally friendly cosmetic products in the last
6 months?” and “Do you buy those cosmetic products because they are

9
 2017 POLIASH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES
Vol.15 No.2 Askadilla W.L., Krisjanti M.N.,

environmental friendly?”. Only respondents who answered yes for both questions
that included for final data. Therefore, 275 data were used for data analysis.
The demographic data indicate that the sample in this study consisted of 67.6%
female respondents and 32.4% male ones. There were 41.1% respondents whose
age was between 17-24 years, and 58.9% whose age was ≥ 25 years. The
respondents whose income was 150 USD per month were 14.5%, 150 – 370 USD
per month were 81.1%, and > 370 USD per month were 4.4%. In this study,
income refer as pocket money considering that majority of the respondents were
young people.
The measurement instrument was tested with validity and reliability tests to see if it
was good to use. The questionnaires were considered valid because r count was
larger than r table and the positive value of r count of each statement (Corrected
item-total correlation) > 0.1183. The variables in this study were considered
reliable because the value of Cronbach Alpha > 0.70 (Normative Belief 0.866;
Behavioral Belief 0.868; Control Belief 0.831; Attitude 0.909; Subjective Norm
0.899; Perceived Behavioral Control 0.940; Green Purchase Intention 0.928 and
Green Behavior 0.839). Both simple linear regression and multiple linear
regression were also done in this study. The mediation analysis done in this study
referred to the conditions proposed by Zhao et al. (2010).

Figure 1. Research Framework

Results
The analysis showed that Behavioral Belief has significant effect on Attitude (β =
0.855, p = .000), so Hypothesis 1 is accepted. Normative Belief showed
a significant effect on Subjective Norm (β = 0.749, p = .000), so the Hypothesis
2 is accepted. Another significant effect was also demonstrated by Control Belief
on Perceived Behavioral Control of environmentally friendly cosmetics (β = 0.391,
p = .000), so Hypothesis 3 is accepted. The analysis result showed that,
simultaneously, Attitude (β = 0.390, p = .000), Subjective Norm (β = 0.193,

10
 POLISH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES 2017
Askadilla W.L., Krisjanti M.N., Vol.15 No.2

p = .000) and Perceived Behavioral Control (β = 0.389, p = .000) have significant

effect on Green Purchase Intention of environmentally friendly cosmetic products,
but separately it can be seen that the biggest influence was shown by Attitude
towards Green Purchase Intention. Therefore, Hypothesis 4, Hypothesis 5,
and Hypothesis 6 are accepted. The result also showed that Hypothesis 7
is accepted; Perceived Behavioral Control has a positive significant effect on Green
Behavior (β = 0.774, p = .000); so does Green Purchase Intention which has
a positive impact on Green Behavior (β = 0.819, p =. 000), so Hypothesis 8
is accepted.
The results of mediation analysis showed that positive significant effect was shown
by 1). Perceived Behavioral Control as an independent variable to the mediating
variable of Green Purchase Intention (Path a: β = 0.877, p = .000), 2). 2).Green
Purchase Intention (mediator) on the dependent variable of Green Behavior (Path
b: β = 0.819, p = .000), and 3). Perceived Behavioral Control on Green Behavior
(Path c: β = 0.774, p = .000). According to the conditions of mediation suggested
by Zhao et al. (2010), there was a significant and positive mediation effect
(multiplication result of Path a and Path b) and in line with the direct effect of Path
c (significant positive), then there is a complementary mediation effect with Green
Purchase Intention as a mediator, thus Hypothesis H7a is accepted.

Discussion and Findings

According to the results, it is found that beliefs are the factor that positively
becomes a determinant in TPB (behavioral belief, normative belief, and control
belief). Moreover, Behavioral belief, normative believe, as well as control believe
were acted as subjective attributions that influence consumer’s perception toward
an object, which in this study is environmentally-friendly cosmetic products. The
results of this study are in line with the results of other studies, such as that of Han
and Kim (2010) stating that beliefs affect the attributes of TPB on consumers
to purchase environmentally-friendly hotel.
The findings of this study showed a significant and positive relationship between
Attitude and purchase intention of cosmetic products that are environmentally
friendly. This is in line with a research by Chen and Chai (2010), concluding that
there are positive relationship and effect between consumer’ attitude towards the
purchase intention of environmentally-friendly products with multiple linear
regression. Another finding was also made by Chen and Chai (2010), that there is
positive effect of attitude towards the intention of purchasing environmentally-
friendly cosmetic products. On top of that, Attitude was found as the strongest
variable that affect Green Purchase Intention. A positive attitude in seeing the
living environment will make a person have feeling and assessment for
environmentally-friendly cosmetics, resulting in the intention to purchase such
cosmetics.
Another significant and positive relationship was also demonstrated by perceived
behavioral control and subjective norm towards green purchase intention; this is in

11
 2017 POLIASH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES
Vol.15 No.2 Askadilla W.L., Krisjanti M.N.,

line with a research conducted by Rehman and Dost (2013) that subjective norm
positively supports teenage consumers’ green purchase intention towards
environmentally-friendly products, and then a research by Maichum et al. (2016) in
Thailand as well as Tseng and Chang (2015) in Taiwan conclude that perceived
behavioral control has a positive influence on green purchase intention
of environmentally-friendly products, including environmentally-friendly
cosmetics. Consumers’ self-belief in their ability to purchase and get
environmentally-friendly cosmetics, as well as social support that eventually
shapes consumers’ perceptions towards environmentally-friendly cosmetics also
help increase consumers’ purchase intention of environmentally-friendly
cosmetics.
The results also showed that there is a direct, positive and significant effect of
perceived behavioral control and green purchase intention towards green behavior
of environmentally-friendly cosmetic products in Indonesian consumers. This
result supports the conclusion of a research by Wu and Chen (2014) in Taiwan, as
well as Promotosh and Sajedul (2011), conclude that perceived behavioral control
has an effect on green behavior. The result is also consistent with a research by
Shabani et al. (2013), concluding that green purchase intention has a positive effect
on consumers’ green behavior. A complementary mediation effect in this study was
shown by green purchase intention as a mediator for the effect of perceived
behavioral control on green behavior; this is in line with a research by Leong and
Palm (2015). The finding showing green purchase intention as a mediator in this
study helps clarify that purchase intention is able to act as a mediator for the three
key elements (attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control) in TPB
towards behavior, which in this study was shown in the element of perceived
behavioral control.

Managerial Implication
Marketers of environmentally-friendly cosmetics should start paying attention
to the environmentally-friendly attitude which has existed on consumers, which
this study shows to give the biggest influence on purchase intention; in business,
companies can use endorser (for example: experts) to market their
environmentally-friendly cosmetics. The pricing strategy in marketing also requires
attention in order to stimulate consumers’ behavioral control. Marketers should
concept strategies based on the analysis of TPB as a defining element of purchase
intention because such purchase intention in this study has a mediator role and
significantly influences the purchase behavior of environmentally-friendly
cosmetics. Otherwise, if marketers ignore these green practices, they might not be
able to develop competitive advantages of its green cosmetic products.

12
 POLISH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES 2017
Askadilla W.L., Krisjanti M.N., Vol.15 No.2

Conclusion
The present study tested the expedience of TPB in understanding consumers’
behavior to choose a green cosmetic products. The findings of the study indicate
that the manufacturers should not only focus on product development or internal
benefits for cosmetic, but also on environmental issues to market green cosmetic
products in Indonesia. This study reveals and provides new support for the role
of Beliefs towards the elements of Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB).
The current study includes several limitations that offer opportunities for future
research. First, a majority of the respondents were young people hence, the study
might only be applied to respective group. Future studies should test the proposed
model to other age groups.
Second, this study was designed to generally examine green cosmetic product.
In fact, each green cosmetic brands might have its own uniqueness which also
might lead to differences in consumer’s perception toward green products. Thus,
future research should spesifically focus on the comparison between two or more
green cosmetic products.
Third, the motivation for buying green cosmetics products were not investigated
thoroughly in the current study. Therefore, Buying products without any green
behavior motivatioun could be exist. Due to that problem, longitudinal approach
should be incorporated for the future research.
Lastly, this research did not include past experience as predictor variable in TPB.
TPB could be enhanced by incorporating past behavior into model. For future
research, further assessment of the TPB model by adding past behavior ontention
is needed to test and predict behavioral intention. It might be valuable to test the
current model by considering the effects of personal characteristics (e.g., gender,
age, and income) for future research.

References
Ajzen I., 1991, The Theory of Planned Behavior, “Organizational Behaviour and Human
Decision Processes”, 50(8).
Ajzen I., Fishbein M., 1980, Understanding Attitudes and Predicting Social Behaviour,
New Jersey: Prentice-Hall.
Anute N., Deshmukh A., Khandagale A., 2015, Consumer Buying Behavior Towards
Cosmetic Products, “International Journal in Management and Social Science”, 3(7).
Chan R.Y.K., 2001, Determinants of Chinese Consumers’ Green Purchase Behavior,
“Psychology and Marketing”, 18(4).
Chen B.T., Chai L.T., 2010, Attitude Towards the Environment and Green Products:
Consumers Perspective, “Management Science and Engineering”, 4(2).
Han H., Hsu L. T., Sheu C., 2010, Application of the Theory of Planned Behavior to Green
Hotel Choice: Testing The Effect of Environmental Friendly Activities, “Tourism
Management”, 31.
Han H., Kim Y., 2010, An Investigation on Green Hotel Customers Decision Formation:
Developing an Extended Model of The Theory of Planned Behavior,“International
Journal of Hospitality Management”, 29.

13
 2017 POLIASH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES
Vol.15 No.2 Askadilla W.L., Krisjanti M.N.,

Krueger N.F., Carsrud A.L., 1993, Entrepreneurial Intentions: Applying the Theory
of Planned Behavior, “Entrepreneurship & Regional Development”, 5( 4).
Lee K.H., 2009, Gender Differences in Hong Kong Adolescent Consumers Green
Purchasing Behaviour, “The Journal of Consumer Marketing”, 26(2).
Leong T.P., Palm L., 2015, Mediating Effects of Intention on The Factors Affecting
Organic Food Products Consumption Among Chinese generation Y in Malaysia,
“International Journal of Business research and Management”, 6(1).
Maichum K., Parichatnon S., Peng K.C., 2016, Application of the Extended Theory
of Planned Behavior Model to Investigate Purchase Intention of Green Products among
Thai Consumers, “Sustainability”, 8.
Promotosh B., Sajedul I. M., 2011, Young Consumers Purchase Intention of Buying Green
Products: A Study Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (Master’s thesis, Spring
Semester 2011, UMEA School of Business, Swedia).
Rehman Z., Dost K.B., 2013, Conceptualizing Green Purchase Intention in Emerging
Markets: An Empircal Analysis on Pakistan, The 2013 WEI International Academic
Conference Proceedings.
Shabani N., Ashoori M., Taghinejad M., Beyrami H., Fekri N. M., 2013, The Study
of Green Consumers Characteristics and Available Green Sectors in the
Market, “International Research Journal of Applied and Basic Sciences”, 4(7).
Tseng W.C., Chang C.H., 2015, A Study of Consumers’ Organic Products Buying Behavior
in Taiwan-Ecologically Conscious Consumer Behaviour as A Segmentation Variable,
“International Proceedings of Management and Economy” IPEDR, 84.
Wu S.I., Chen J.Y., 2014, A Model of Green Consumption Behavior Constructed by the
Theory of Planned Behavior, “International Journal of Marketing Studies”, 6(5).
Zhao X., Lynch J.G., Chen Q., 2010, Reconsidering Baron and Kenny: Myths and Truths
about Mediation Analysis, “The Journal of Consumer Research”, 37(2).
Internet Sources:
Ajzen I., 2002, Construction of a standard questionnaire for the theory of planned
behavior, http://www-unix.oit.umass.edu/~aizen/pdf/tpb.measurement, Access on:
23.01.2017

ZROZUMIENIE ZACHOWANIA INDONEZYJSKICH KLIENTÓW

DOTYCZĄCEGO EKOLOGICZNYCH PRODUKTÓW KOSMETYCZNYCH:
TEORIA PLANOWANEGO MODELU ZACHOWANIA
Streszczenie: Niniejsze opracowanie ma na celu wyjaśnienie zachowań zakupów
produktów ekologicznych w kierunku ekologicznych produktów kosmetycznych przy
użyciu teoretycznego modelu opracowanego na podstawie teorii planowanego zachowania.
Badanie internetowe przeprowadzono w okresie styczeń - marzec 2017 r. Łącznie analizie
z wykorzystaniem oprogramowania SPSS zostało poddanych 275 respondentów. Wyniki
badania pokazują, że przekonania mogły pozytywnie wpłynąć na trzy predykatory teorii
planowanego zachowania (ang. Theory of Planned Behavior, TPB): postawa, normy
subiektywne i postrzegana kontrola behawioralna. Zamiar zakupów produktów
ekologicznych był ukierunkowany jednocześnie postawą norm subiektywnych
i postrzeganą kontrolą behawioralną. Wyniki badania wskazują również, że zarówno
intencja ekologicznych zakupów jak i postrzegana kontrola behawioralna wykazały
znaczne powiązanie z postępowaniem o charakterze ekologicznym. Dodatkowo

14
 POLISH JOURNAL OF MANAGEMENT STUDIES 2017
Askadilla W.L., Krisjanti M.N., Vol.15 No.2

zaobserwowano pośrednie oddziaływanie zamiaru ekologicznych zakupów pomiędzy

postrzeganą kontrolą behawioralną a postępowaniem o charakterze ekologicznym.
Słowa kluczowe: postępowanie o charakterze ekologicznym, ekologiczne kosmetyki,
zamiar zakupów ekologicznych, analiza mediacji, teoria planowanego zachowania.
了解印度尼西亞綠色消費者對化妝品的行為：計劃行為模式理論
摘要：本研究旨在從理論計劃行為理論模型中解釋綠色購物行為。在2017年1月至3
月期間進行了網絡調查。共有275名受訪者用SPSS進行了分析。結果表明，信仰將對
TPB（態度，主觀規範和感知行為控制）三個預測因素產生積極影響。綠色購買意向
同時受到態度，主觀規範以及感知行為控制的影響。結果還表明，綠色購買意向和
感知行為控制都表現出與綠色行為的顯著關係。綠色購買意向的調解效應也被認為
是認知行為控制對綠色行為的影響。
關鍵詞：綠色行為，綠色化妝品，綠色購買意向，調解分析，計劃行為理論。

15