Social Factors Affecting on Sustainable Gas Consumption (Household Subscribers of Mazandaran Province)

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Sociology of Social Issues of Iran, Mazandaran University

2 Associate Professor of Environmental Sociology, University of Mazandaran

3 Associate Professor of Sociology of Social Issues of Iran, University of Mazandaran

4 Industrial Consultant of Mazandaran Province Gas Production and Distribution Company

Abstract

Purpose of this study was to investigate the sustainability of domestic gas consumption and identify the social factors that affect it. Three questions were asked in this study. 1) How stable is the gas consumption practice at home? 2) What are the elements that affect gas consumption as a sustainable practice?3) What solutions can be offered to increase gas consumption sustainability? After reviewing the research literature and the concepts of sustainable development and sustainable consumption, two categories of factors were identified as predictors of sustainable gas consumption changes. The research strategy is deductive and the explanation was used to investigate the research problem. The approach of this study was quantitative, and the survey method was used for measurement. The data collection tool is a questionnaire. Structural validity, face validity and Cronbach's alpha were used to assess the validity and reliability. The statistical population consisted of household subscribers in Mazandaran province. Using a systematic random cluster sampling method, 430 individuals were selected as the statistical sample. The findings of the study showed that the level of sustainability of gas consumption by household subscribers was at an average level. After exploratory factor analysis, three dimensions were considered for sustainable gas consumption. Findings showed that and after-sales support and pro-norms had the greatest impact on the dimension of consumer safety. Environmental values and knowledge of gas consumption have the most impact on the dimension of  consumer  awareness, pro-norms, Environmental values and pre-norms had greatest effects on responsible consumption.

Keywords


Alavi, M. (2014). “Reporting the Results of structural equation modeling writing”.  Nursing Management, 3(2), 8-19. [in Persian]
Barr, S., Ford, N.J., & Gilg, A.W. (2003). Attitudes Toward Recycling Household Waste in Exeter”. Devon: Quantitative & Qualitative.
Blaikie, N. (2010). Designing social research: the logic of anticipation”. Translated by Hassan Chavoshian, Ne Press. [In Persian]
Divandari, A., & Tourkashvand, G. (2010). “Identifying the factors affecting the quality of after-sales service and investigating the relationship between those factors and customer satisfaction in IT services”. Marketing Management, 2(6), 83-96. [in Persian]
Faize, D., Zarei, A., Zargar, M., (2011). “Investigating the relationship between quality of service and customer satisfaction through the perceived value of services [Case Study of Raja Passenger Trains Company]”. Business Strategies, 47(9), 311-324. [In Persian]
Ghasemi, F. (2016). The motivation for sustainable consumption”. Tehran: Publications of the Secretariat of the Supreme Council of the Cultural Revolution [in Persian]
Gholamrezazade, F. (2017). Sociological explanation of waste distribution behavior among citizens”. Thesis of the undergraduate course, Supervisor: AliAsghar Firouzjaeen, Mazandaran University.
Gross, M., & Mautz, R. (2018). Renewable energies”. translated by Sadegh Salehi, Babolsar, Mazandaran University Publications, and Mazandaran Gas Co.
Guo, Z., Zhou, K., Zhang, C., Lu, X., Chen, W., & Yang, S. (2018). “Residential electricity consumption behavior: Influencing factors, related theories, and intervention strategies”. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, 81(2018), 399-412.
Jansson, J., Nordlund, A., & Westin, K. (2017). “Examining drivers of sustainable consumption: The influence of norms and opinion leadership on electric vehicle adoption in Sweden”. Journal of Cleaner Production, 154(2017),176-187.
JavadiYegane, M.R. (2008). “Sociological approaches of choice theory”. Culture strategy, No.3, 33-64 (in Persian)
Mazandaran Province Gas Company (2017). A survey measuring the satisfaction of stakeholders of Mazandaran Gas Company”. Executor of the plan: Dr. Sadegh Salehi, Published by Mazandaran University. [In Persian]
Moktari MalekAbadi, R., Abdollahi, A., Sadeghi, H. (2014). “Analysis and recognition of urban environmental behaviors (A Case Study of Isfahan City)”. Journal of Urban Research and Planning, 5(18): 1-20. [In Persian]
Nasiri, M., Akhondzade Noghabi, E., Minaie Bidgoli, B. (2015). “A new approach on using data mining techniques in identifying effective factors on customers’ satisfaction”. Journal of Business Management, 7(1), 231-251
Nordlund, A., Jansson., & Westin, K. (2016). New transportation technology: norms activation processes and the intention to switch to an electric /hybrid vehicle". Transportation Research Procedia, 14(2016), 2527-2536.
Pourjamshidi, H., Mahdizade, H., Gholamrezayi, S., Shiri, N. (2016). “Factors affecting sustainable consumption behavior: (City of Korram Abad)”. Environmental Education and Sustainable Development, 4(4), 55-64. [In Persian]
Rezayi, A. & Abbasi, J., (2017). “Investigating factors affecting sustainable green consumer behavior”. Journal of Development Evolution Management, 31(2017): 71-81. [In Persian]
Rezayi, M., Mohammadi, H., & Karami, A. (2011). “Investigating the factors affecting water resources utilization and its sustainability in different geographical conditions in Fars province”, Ecology, 38(4), 67-78. [In Persian]
Salehi, S. & Pazokinejad, Z. (2017). Sociological explanation of sustainable lifestyle among university students”. Journal of Higher Education, 29(2016): 92-106. [In Persian]
Salehi, S. (2015). “Assessing the impact of cultural Factors on gas consumption behavior”. Social Studies and Research in Iran, 4(4), 551-570. [in Persian]
Salehi, S. (2020). Measurement of social responsibility of rural society towards the environment and its promotion”.  Research Report, Iran National Science Foundation, Tehran, Code No: 9601612. [in Persian]
Schmidt, S. & White, H. (2013). A Review on Energy Consumption from a Socio-Economic Perspective: Reduction Through Energy Efficiency and Beyond (December 17, 2013)”. Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2376169 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2376169
Steg, L., Drijerink, L., & Abrahamse, W. (2006). “Factors influencing the acceptability of energy policies: A test of VBN theory”, Journal of Environmental Psychology, 25(2006), 415-425.
 Stephenson, J., Barton, B., Carrington, G., Doering, A., Ford, R., Hopkins, D., Lawson, R., Mccarthy, A., Rees, D., Scott, M., Thorsns, P., Walton, S., Williams, J., & Wooliscroft, B. (2015). The energy cultures framework: Exploring the role of norms, practices and material culture in shaping energy behavior in New Zealand and the pacific”. Accepted for Energy Research and Social science, Author ‘s copy.
Stern, PC., Dietz, T., Abel T., Guagnano, G., & Kalof, L. (2000). A value-belief-norm theory of support for social movements: the case of environmentalism”. Human Ecol Rev 6(2):81–97.
Sutten, F. (2016). Sociology of Environment”. translated by Sadegh Salehi, Tehran: Samt Publications. (In Persian)
Vahida, F., Hertmani, A., Ganbari, R(2010). “Investigation of social, cultural and economic factors affecting the gas consumption pattern of households in Samirom”, Journal of Social Sciences of the Islamic Azad University of Shoushtar Branch, 4(10), 1-30. [In Persian]
White, K., Habib, R., & Hardisty, D.J. (2019). “How to shift consumer behaviors to be more sustainable: a literature review and guiding framework”, Journal of Marketing, 83(3), 22-49.
 Zaharia, A., Claudia Diaconeasa, M., Brad, L., ladaru, G.L., and Ioanas, C. (2019). “Factors influencing energy consumption in the context of sustainable development”, Sustainability, 2019, 11, 41-47, DOI: 10.3390/su11154147.
Zareshabadi, A., Hajizade, M., Lotfiani, A., Solaimani, Z. (2012). “The effect of socio-cultural Factors on energy consumption pattern in Yazd households”, Energy Planning and Policy Research, 25-26(2013), 145-167. [in Persian]