Consumers’ Willingness to Patronize Locally Sourced Restaurants: The Impact of Environmental Concern, Environmental Knowledge, and Ecological Behavior

ABSTRACT

The purpose of the study was to examine the effects of three environmental triggers, environmental knowledge, environmental concern, and ecological behavior, on consumer’s willingness to visit a locally sourced restaurant. Such triggers were expected to influence the target population’s intention to visit locally sourced restaurants. The target population was actual and potential restaurant customers in the United States who are 18 years of age or older. Data were collected using an online survey with a self-administered questionnaire. A total of 423 responses were retained and analyzed by using a two-step approach of structural equation modeling. The study results indicated that while environmental knowledge and environmental concern positively influence attitude toward visiting a locally sourced restaurant, ecological behavior does not. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

本研究旨在考察三个环境触发因素（对环境的了解、对环境的关注、生态行为）对消费者到本地餐馆就餐意愿的影响。研究预计这些触发因素会影响目标人群到本地餐馆就餐的意愿，其中的目标人群是美国18岁以上的现有和潜在餐馆客户。在研究中，使用具有自我管理问卷的在线调查收集数据；总共收回423份答卷，并使用两步式结构方程建模对其进行分析。研究结果表明，对环境的了解和对环境的关注能够改善消费者到本地餐馆就餐的态度，但生态行为不会对后者产生影响。本文还讨论了研究在理论和管理学上的意义。

KEYWORDS:

• Attitude
• Ecological behavior
• Environmental concern
• Environmental knowledge
• Local food
• Locally sourced restaurants