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The Antecedent of the Sustainable Purchasing Attitudes among Generation Z: A Terror Management Theory Perspective

Author

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  • Islam Elgammal

    (Business Administration Department, College of Business, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 23218, Saudi Arabia)

  • Obaid Al-Modaf

    (Sociology and Social Work Department, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia
    Social Work Department, College of Social Sciences, University of Jeddah, Jeddah 21589, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

Sustainable purchasing attitudes have been a topic of increasing research interest; however, to date, limited studies have investigated its antecedents, particularly within Generation Z in developing countries. In this paper, we empirically explore the factors that affect young consumers’ attitudes to purchasing sustainably within the holistic approach of terror management theory (TMT) by qualitatively exploring how the TMT constructs of death salience and self-esteem influence sustainability attitudes within Gen Z in Saudi Arabia, while considering the role of religion in the proposed TMT framework. Using purposive sampling, qualitative rich data were collected from 18 interviews with young consumers (Gen Z). Our findings revealed insights that help to understand the attitudes that influence sustainable purchasing judgments among young consumers in Saudi Arabia. This contributes to a better understanding of the holistic literature on sustainable purchasing attitudes and may have several implications for sustainable brand management in addition to opening up new research avenues for further investigation.

Suggested Citation

  • Islam Elgammal & Obaid Al-Modaf, 2023. "The Antecedent of the Sustainable Purchasing Attitudes among Generation Z: A Terror Management Theory Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-19, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:15:y:2023:i:12:p:9323-:d:1167293
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    1. Islam Elgammal & Marwa Ghanem & Obaid Al-Modaf, 2024. "Sustainable Purchasing Behaviors in Generation Z: The Role of Social Identity and Behavioral Intentions in the Saudi Context," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(11), pages 1-18, May.
    2. Nouf Alsulamy & Aqsa Shoukat & Islam Elgammal, 2025. "Business Strategies for Managing Non-Renewable Energy Dynamics in Saudi Arabia’s Manufacturing Sector," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-17, May.
    3. Ron-Jay A. Bulante & Jennalyn M. Catalan & Noveleen Grace L. Miranda & Desiree T. Torres & Jose S. Sabaulan, 2025. "The Consumer Behavior of Generation Z: An Impact in Modern Marketing Innovations," International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science, International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS), vol. 9(14), pages 950-979, April.
    4. Christian Nedu Osakwe & Oluwatobi A. Ogunmokun & Islam Elgammal & Darya Baeva & Victoria Kamneva, 2025. "An integrative model for understanding cryptocurrency investment‐related behaviours: A comparison between millennials and pre‐millennials," International Journal of Finance & Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(3), pages 2603-2621, July.

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