An example of asking AI to provide relevant project background info, theories and a proposal related to a concrete MBA research theme: on ESG policy and consumer buying behavior

An example of asking AI to provide relevant project background info and theories related to a concrete MBA research theme: on ESG policy and consumer buying behavior

 

With regard to my MBA research theme of "The influence of companies’ ESG policies on consumers’ purchase intention in Hong Kong e-tailing platforms: a comparison of Gen Z and Baby Boomers", please suggest 5 related research issues and 5 related public-media reported issues; also suggest 4 relevant academic theories to employ (with citation and references in Harvard reference format.

Direct answer: Below are 5 research issues, 5 public/media-reported issues, and 4 academic theories (with citations and Harvard-format references) relevant to your MBA theme: "The influence of companies’ ESG policies on consumers’ purchase intention in Hong Kong e-tailing platforms: a comparison of Gen Z and Baby Boomers." Each item includes a short explanation and a supporting citation.

Research issues

1.    Differential importance of E, S and G components across cohorts — investigate whether Gen Z gives more weight to Environmental claims while Baby Boomers respond more to Governance or product-quality assurances.

2.    Role of perceived authenticity and greenwashing concerns — test how consumers’ trust in ESG claims (transparency, third‑party verification) moderates purchase intention on e‑tail platforms.

3.    Platform cues and communication channels — compare effectiveness of ESG messaging on social media, product pages, and platform sustainability badges in shaping intentions for each cohort.

4.    Willingness-to-pay and price sensitivity across generations — measure whether Gen Z’s stated preference for sustainable options translates into higher willingness-to-pay compared with Baby Boomers on Hong Kong e‑tail sites.

5.    Mediators and moderators of ESG influence (identity, CSR image, psychological distance) — examine mediating roles of company image, consumer–company identification, and moderating effects like psychological distance or product involvement.

Public / media–reported issues (Hong Kong / regional relevance)

1.    Rising consumer expectation for e-tailer sustainability — regional reports indicate large shares of consumers expect e-commerce brands to adopt sustainable models, creating pressure on e-tailers.

2.    Younger generations actively switching brands over sustainability — media surveys report Gen Z and millennials cutting ties with brands perceived as unsustainable, affecting online purchase flows.

3.    Local debate on ESG reporting standards and market regulation — Hong Kong regulators and exchanges have been expanding ESG reporting guidance, which affects corporate disclosures visible to online shoppers.

4.    Gap between consumer interest and corporate action — surveys in Hong Kong show many consumers want sustainability but relatively few SMEs/public-facing sellers have formal ESG policies, causing credibility gaps.

5.    Recruitment/brand reputation effects spilling into consumer markets — coverage about “climate-sensitive” employment and reputational issues highlights broader social signals that influence online purchase choices.

Relevant academic theories to employ (short rationale + citation)

1.    Social Identity Theory — explains how consumers’ identification with groups (e.g., environmentally conscious Gen Z) shapes attitudes and purchase intentions toward companies perceived as aligned with group values. Use to model consumer–company identification as a mediator.

Harvard reference: Tajfel, H. and Turner, J.C., 1979. An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In: W.G. Austin and S. Worchel (eds.) The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole, pp.33–47.

2.    Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) — models purchase intention as a function of attitudes, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control; useful to incorporate attitudes toward ESG, normative pressure (peer/social media), and perceived ease/cost of buying sustainable options.

Harvard reference: Ajzen, I., 1991. The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), pp.179–211.

3.    Signaling Theory — frames ESG disclosures as signals to reduce information asymmetry between firms and consumers; relevant for examining verification, third‑party labels, and how different cohorts interpret signals.

Harvard reference: Spence, M., 1973. Job market signaling. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 87(3), pp.355–374.

4.    Consumer Perceived Value / Means-End Chain Theory — links product attributes (ESG features) to functional and psychosocial consequences and to personal values; helpful to map why environmental attributes lead to differing purchase intentions for Gen Z vs Baby Boomers.

Harvard reference: Gutman, J., 1982. A means-end chain model based on consumer categorization processes. Journal of Marketing, 46(2), pp.60–72.

Example operationalization (brief)

·        Independent variables: visibility/strength of ESG policy cues (environmental claims, social programs, governance transparency).

·        Dependent variable: purchase intention on HK e‑tail platforms (likelihood to buy, likelihood to pay premium).

·        Mediators/moderators: CSR image, consumer–company identification, psychological distance, price sensitivity, verification status.

·        Sample: quota sample of Hong Kong Gen Z (aged ~18–27 / adjust to your cohort definition) and Baby Boomers (born ~1946–1964), recruited from major e‑tail user panels.

Selected sources cited above (Harvard-style where available)

·        Tajfel, H. and Turner, J.C., 1979. An integrative theory of intergroup conflict. In: W.G. Austin and S. Worchel (eds.) The Social Psychology of Intergroup Relations. Monterey, CA: Brooks/Cole.

·        Ajzen, I., 1991. The theory of planned behavior. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 50(2), pp.179–211.

·        Spence, M., 1973. Job market signaling. The Quarterly Journal of Economics, 87(3), pp.355–374.

·        Gutman, J., 1982. A means-end chain model based on consumer categorization processes. Journal of Marketing, 46(2), pp.60–72.

·        FedEx (2023). E-Tailers: Your Customers Are Shopping More Sustainably — FedEx Business Insights.

·        South China Morning Post (2024). Environmental sustainability a top concern for Gen Z, millennials.

·        Journal of Emerging Marketing & Technology (2025). A Study of the Impact of ESG Practices on Consumer Attitudes and ...

·        PIE Strategy (2024). Do Hong Kong Consumers Care About Sustainability?

·        Studies and reviews on ESG messaging and consumer responses (multiple sources summarized).

Based on the MBA research theme provided, and using research philosophy of pragmatism and the research method of semi-structured research interview with 10 friends of mine, half being Gen Z and half being Baby Boomers, among other research methods to use, please come up with a dissertation proposal to me with 4 research objectives, 4 research questions, 2 primary research method and 1 secondary research method.

Direct answer: Below is a concise dissertation proposal using a pragmatist philosophy and semi‑structured interviews with your 10 friends (5 Gen Z, 5 Baby Boomers), including four research objectives, four research questions, two primary methods, and one secondary method, plus brief rationale and a proposed timeline and ethics notes.

Title (working)

The influence of companies’ ESG policies on consumers’ purchase intention in Hong Kong e‑tailing platforms: A comparative study of Gen Z and Baby Boomers

Research philosophy and overall approach

Adopt a pragmatist philosophy: focus on practical consequences and mixed‑methods pluralism to understand how ESG policies shape real purchase decisions across cohorts; select methods that best answer pragmatic questions about what works, for whom, and under what conditions. This supports combining qualitative depth (interviews) with additional quantitative or document evidence to produce actionable conclusions.

Research objectives (4)

1.    To explore how Gen Z and Baby Boomer consumers in Hong Kong perceive and interpret companies’ ESG policies presented on e‑tail platforms.

2.    To identify which ESG components (environmental, social, governance) most strongly influence purchase intention for each cohort.

3.    To examine the role of signal credibility (e.g., third‑party labels, transparency) and price sensitivity in moderating the ESG–purchase intention relationship.

4.    To develop practical recommendations for e‑tailers and brands to tailor ESG communication strategies to Gen Z and Baby Boomers in Hong Kong.

Research questions (4)

1.    How do Gen Z and Baby Boomer shoppers in Hong Kong interpret ESG information on e‑tail platforms, and what meanings do they assign to different ESG cues?

2.    Which ESG dimensions (E, S, G) have the greatest influence on purchase intention for Gen Z and for Baby Boomers, respectively?

3.    How do perceived credibility of ESG claims and consumer price sensitivity modify the influence of ESG policies on purchase intentions across the two cohorts?

4.    What specific platform communication strategies and evidentiary cues increase purchase likelihood among Gen Z versus Baby Boomers?

Primary research methods (2)

1.    Semi‑structured interviews (primary qualitative method — with your 10 friends):

·        Sample: 10 participants (5 Gen Z, 5 Baby Boomers) recruited from your network.

·        Purpose: Explore meanings, narratives, and decision processes regarding ESG information on e‑tail platforms; probe specific examples, reactions to badges/labels, and trade‑offs (price vs values).

·        Output: Thematic insights, verbatim quotes, and cohort comparison.

·        Practical note: Use an interview guide with open prompts (perceptions of ESG, recall of ESG info on platforms, trust factors, willingness‑to‑pay scenarios) and follow‑ups to probe why and how decisions are formed.

2.    Structured vignette-based choice tasks within interviews (qualitative-quantified hybrid):

·        Create 4–6 short, realistic product/platform vignettes varying ESG cues (e.g., clear third‑party certification vs vague claim; explicit carbon reduction vs no mention) and price differentials.

·        Ask participants to state purchase intention for each vignette and explain reasoning.

·        Purpose: Elicit comparative, contextualized judgments and allow simple within-subject contrasts between cue conditions; produce semi-quantitative indicators (e.g., relative preference counts) to compare cohorts.

Secondary research method (1)

1.    Document/content analysis of e‑tail platform ESG communications and Hong Kong media reports:

·        Collect a purposive sample of product pages, platform sustainability badges, and recent local media stories about ESG and e‑tailing (Hong Kong platforms like HKTVmall, Marketplace listings on major platforms) to map the real-world message environment.

·        Purpose: Triangulate interview findings with what consumers actually see online and with public discourse; identify common cues and common gaps (e.g., prevalence of third‑party labels, clarity of claims).

Data analysis plan

·        Qualitative coding (interviews): Thematic analysis using an inductive-deductive approach (initial codes from research questions and literature; iterative open coding to capture emergent themes).

·        Cross‑case comparison: Compare themes and vignette responses between Gen Z and Baby Boomers to identify cohort-specific patterns.

·        Simple descriptive counts from vignette choices (e.g., number preferring certified product) to support claims about relative influence.

·        Content analysis: Code platform documents for presence/absence of ESG cues (type of claim, verification, visibility) and integrate with interview insights.

Validity, reliability, and trustworthiness (pragmatist fit)

·        Triangulation: Combine interview narratives, vignette choices, and content analysis to strengthen credibility.

·        Reflexivity: Keep researcher memos and an audit trail; explicitly record interviewer influence given small, convenience sample.

·        Member checking: Offer brief summaries to participants for confirmation of key interpretations (where feasible and ethical).

Sampling and recruitment (practical)

·        Recruitment via your personal network (friends) with balanced quotas: 5 Gen Z and 5 Baby Boomers. Define age ranges explicitly in your methods chapter.

·        If possible, supplement with snowballing to diversify socio‑economic and platform‑usage backgrounds.

Ethics and practical considerations

·        Obtain informed consent, explain voluntary nature, anonymity, and data handling.

·        Be sensitive to power dynamics since participants are friends—ensure participants can decline any question and can withdraw.

·        Store recordings and transcripts securely and remove identifiers.

Limitations

·        Small, convenience sample limits generalizability; frame study as exploratory, producing rich, contextualized insights and hypotheses for broader follow‑up studies.

·        Social desirability bias possible when interviewing friends; reduce by emphasizing confidentiality and using vignettes to prompt concrete choices.

Proposed interview guide (brief outline)

·        Warm-up: shopping habits on e‑tail platforms, frequency, favorite platforms.

·        ESG awareness: What does “ESG” or “sustainability” mean to you? Examples?

·        Platform experience: Recall any product pages or badges that influenced you.

·        Vignette tasks: Present 4 vignettes; for each, ask purchase likelihood and reasons.

·        Trade-offs: Would you pay more for certified sustainable products? How much?

·        Wrap-up: Suggestions to platforms/brands that would increase your trust or likelihood to buy.

Timeline (suggested, 6 months)

·        Month 1: Ethics approval and finalizing instruments.

·        Month 2: Document sampling and pilot interviews (2 pilots).

·        Month 3: Conduct remaining interviews (8), transcribe.

·        Month 4: Coding and initial analysis (themes, vignette counts).

·        Month 5: Integrate content analysis results and write findings.

·        Month 6: Discussion, recommendations, and thesis revisions.

Deliverables I can produce next

·        Draft semi‑structured interview guide with vignette scripts.

·        Coding schema template and sample codebook.

·        Short questionnaire to collect participant demographics and platform usage for contextualization.

 

 

** the discussion is supported by perplexity.ai

 

A collection of blog notes on using chatgpt for research purpose.