Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions and the Effects on Students’ Pro-Environmental Behavior

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5020/2318-0722.2024.30.e14477

Keywords:

sustainability, environmental concern, citizenship behavior, activist behavior, green purchase

Abstract

Higher education institutions (HEI) are developing sustainability practices as part of their intervention. However, few studies have investigated how sustainability actions in HEIs affect the pro-environmental and green purchase behavior of university students. To this end, this study employed an empirical approach using a structural equation model to provide new empirical findings of 186 students in an HEI in southern Brazilian through quantitative research. The results showed that the HEI’s sustainability actions positively affected the students’ citizenship behavior, activist behavior, and environmental concern, and these pro-environmental behaviors impact their green purchasing behavior. This study contributes to advancing knowledge, demonstrating that the HEI’s sustainability actions motivate students to develop pro-environmental behavior, generating more sustainable consumption.

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Author Biographies

Clecio Falcão Araujo, Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Pós-doutorado em Administração - KU Leuven - Bélgica (2023), Universidade Estadual de Maringá (2021), Doutor em Administração e Negócios - PUCRS/UCS (2018), bolsista CAPES/PDSE. Visiting PhD Student na Terry College - University of Georgia - USA (2017). Mestre em Administração e Negócios - PUCRS (2014). Tecnólogo em Marketing - UNISENAC RS (2011). Atualmente é professor permanente do Programa de Pós-Graduação em Administração na Escola de Negócios da Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul - PUCRS.

Ricardo Saraiva Frio, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, Carreiros, Rio Grande, Brasil

Doutorado em Administração pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (2019), Mestrado em Administração e Negócios pela Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul (2014) e graduação em Administração pela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande (2010). Atualmente é professor adjunto da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande, atuando em cursos de graduação e pós-graduação. Tem experiência na área de Administração, com ênfase em Marketing, atuando principalmente nos seguintes temas: lógica de serviço dominante, marketing de serviços, marketing estratégico e performance empresarial.

Carelisa Stoffel de Siqueira, Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul, Ijuí, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Mestre em Desenvolvimento Regional e Bacharel em Administração pela Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul (UNIJUI - 2018). Técnica em Administração pelo Instituto Federal Farroupilha - Campus Santo Augusto (2012). 

Felipe Cavalheiro Zaluski, Universidade Federal de Santa Maria, Santa Maria, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil

Doutorando em Administração pela Universidade Federal de Santa Maria - UFSM. Mestre em Desenvolvimento Regional pela Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul - UNIJUÍ. Pós-Graduado em Docência do Ensino Superior em Administração e Pós-graduado em Gestão Empresarial pela Faculdade Venda Nova do Imigrante - FAVENI. Bacharel em Administração pela Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul - UNIJUÍ. 

Patrique Rosa Hedlund, Universidade Regional de Blumenau, Blumenau, Santa Catarina, Brasil

Doutorando em Ciências Contábeis e Administração pela Universidade Regional de Blumenau - FURB. Mestre em Desenvolvimento Regional pela Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul - UNIJUÍ (2020). Pós-Graduação em Controladoria e Gestão Empresarial PG Lato Sensu (2017). Bacharel em Ciências Contábeis pela Universidade Regional do Noroeste do Estado do Rio Grande do Sul - UNIJUÍ (2015). Atualmente é bolsista Integral FURB.

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Published

2024-03-21

How to Cite

ARAUJO, C. F.; FRIO, R. S.; SIQUEIRA, C. S. de; ZALUSKI, F. C.; HEDLUND, P. R. Sustainability in Higher Education Institutions and the Effects on Students’ Pro-Environmental Behavior. Journal of Administrative Sciences, [S. l.], v. 30, p. 1–14, 2024. DOI: 10.5020/2318-0722.2024.30.e14477. Disponível em: https://ojs.unifor.br/rca/article/view/14477. Acesso em: 8 jun. 2025.

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