Seminar: Social marketing to design behaviour change interventions with regard to single-use plastic packaging
National Economics University
E-PhD Program Seminar Series
Social marketing to design behaviour change interventions with regard to single-use plastic packaging
by
Pham Van Hau
Ph.D. Candidate in Marketing
Department of Marketing, University of Otago
Dunedin 9054, New Zealand
Time and Venue
Time: 2.00PM – 3.00PM
Date: Thursday, 25 January, 2024
Venue: Room 15.01, Level 15, Building A
National Economics University
207 Giai Phong Road, Hanoi, Vietnam
Abstract
Single-use packaging has sparked a global issue of environmental protection. Public policy predominantly addresses society’s most severe issues by targeting behavior at individual ‘I-level’ behaviors because they can be solved inexpensively and efficiently without changing the system within which the individual operates. ‘I-level’ interventions make minor changes in the system’s rules and help fallible individuals play the system better. However, single-use plastic packaging, is a systemic issue both upstream (production, manufacturing, distribution) and downstream (recycling, disposal). Social Marketing seeks to develop and integrate marketing concepts with other approaches to influence behaviours that benefit individuals and communities for the greater social good. In short, social marketing is a holistic approach to behavioural change. This research proposes a system ‘S-level’ approach to reducing single-use packaging using social marketing. The research will apply a mixed-method approach: phase 1, ‘Qualitative Method’, uses thematic analysis by conducting in-depth interviews with experts to identify the leverage of the main drivers of single-use plastic packaging, and phase 2, ‘Quantitative Method’, uses randomised controlled trials (RCT) to design intervention targeting consumers and deliver an online survey to consumers to test the effectiveness of the intervention. The research findings will inform public policy through publication in high-quality peer-reviewed journals and promote change in consumer behaviour regarding single-use packaging.
Keywords: social marketing, consumer behaviour, system methodology, thematic analysis, randomised controlled trials (RCT).
About presenter
Pham Van Hau is currently a second-year PhD Candidate at the University of Otago, New Zealand. He is also an assistant lecturer (tutor) and research associate on a variety of research projects at the University. Pham Hau’s research interests are social marketing, consumer behaviour, single-use plastic packaging, and system thinking.
About series
This seminar series is part of the E-PhD Program at National Economics University. It targets PhD students, early-career researchers, and senior faculty who are interested in doing research in the areas of economics, business, management, and other interdisciplinary fields of social science. The series is a platform for the wider research community to exchange ideas, networks, and collaborations.
Contact
Bach Ngoc Thang
Seminar series coordinator
Room 15.04, Building A1
Institute for Sustainable Development
National Economics University
207 Giai Phong Road, Hanoi, Vietnam
M: +84 35 443 1750
E: bnthang@gmail.com, or thangbn@neu.edu.vn
