Islamic Perspective on Social Welfare

The study was carried out with the core objective about Islamic principles and teachings regarding welfare and its observance in ‘Pakhtun’ society under interpretative methodology of social sciences in ‘Gadhar-Hamza Khan, Shankar and Jamal Garhi’ of District Mardan. For collection of the relevant primary data 30 participants were purposely selected through convenient sampling method and then thoroughly interviewed while using interview guide as tool of data collection. After collection of the data, different themes were derived which were properly analyzed and presented in sequential orders. The study concluded that the most of the participant were lacking enough knowledge about calculation and distribution Zkwāt and ‘Ashr as they used and considered both term terms interchangeably. The study further concluded that priority was given to ‘Ashr rather Zkwāt. Awareness and observance about teachings of Islam in true spirit, inclusion of reading materials in curriculum of schools, colleges and universities, and deliverance of religious sermons by clerics about promotion of welfare activities were presented some of the recommendations.

Factors Influencing Consumer Buying Intention in Changing Green Marketing Environment in Pakistan

The aim of this research is to assess the impact of the different factors namely environmental concern, social influence, green motivation, green information, environmental health & safety, media exposure/green advertisement, green consumerism, and willingness to pay more on consumer buying intention in changing green marketing environment in Pakistan. Based on convenience sampling technique data was collected from three provincial capitals (Peshawar, Lahore, and Karachi) and the country capital Islamabad. A total of 403 valid responses were received. Data analysis was carried out through descriptive statistics, factor analysis, and Structural Equation Modeling. The results revealed a significant impact of green consumerism, social influence, green intention, green motivation, and willingness to pay more on consumer buying intention. While the impact of media exposure, environmental health & safety, and environment concern was found insignificant. Discussion, limitation, and future research direction are also presented. This study is original in a number of ways. First, previous studies have individually assessed the impact of some of the proposed factors on consumer purchase intentions, there is limited research in context of green purchase intention. Second, there are contradictory results in existing research pertinent to the impact of different factors on the purchase intentions of the consumer, this requires further research to clarify the impact and identify the determinants of green purchase intentions. Third, little is known about factors that could significantly affect the greenness of consumers’ choices. Hence, the present study would help add to existing knowledge by clarifying their impact. Fourth, not only the study will help in identification of critical factors that affect green purchase intention, the study identifies the factors influencing green purchase behavior of consumers, which provides additional motivation for the present research. Fifth, there hasn’t been a study that evaluate which factors are critical in consumer buying intention of the eco-friendly products in context of Pakistan. Scant research sheds light on green marketing strategies and its impact on green consumer purchasing patterns in the context of developing countries. Therefore, there is an increasing need to study factors that can help consumer purchase towards environmentally friendly products. Sixth, the study ascertains new paradigms that could make provision for better understanding of complicated relationship between different factors and consumer purchase intentions and can help identify new facts that can enhance the generalizability of results not only in developed countries but also in less developed countries. Seventh, the present study utilizes broader demographic profile to analyze respondents extending the collection of data from multiple cities in Pakistan investigating with larger sample size and greater geographic spread. The study has some limitations. The study utilized convenience sampling technique, it is noteworthy that the results could possibly have been more generalizable, future study may use probability sampling techniques. Furthermore, only three cities are included in the study. Future study may be conducted in multiple countries in different cities. The findings in the current research have far-reaching implications theoretically and practically. To start with, the findings would help in the understanding of the perceptions and mindsets of consumers as far as green products are concerned, including the factors that affect their decision to purchase or keep away from a green product.Policy makers may find the results relevant as they explore regulations and standards to set and enforce in the interest of promoting green business processes. Business executives and employees may find the results relevant in their efforts to strategize for eco-branding, to stand out from market rivals. The study helps in identification of factors that could shift people’s attitude towards purchasing green products. Thus, Pak-EPA could establish certain guidelines for different business organization keeping in light the perception of people that shape their attitude. The PAK-EPA could use these factors as a starting point to educate the companies with respect to the concerns of the public. Future research directions are also discussed. Keywords: Environmental concern; Social influence; Green motivation; Green information; Environmental health & safety: Media exposure/Green advertisement; Green consumerism; Willingness to pay more; Consumer buying intention; Pakistan.