An empirical model for branding oriented by the environmental sustainability of the Amazon Rainforest - A hybrid structural equation modeling with fsQCA approach

doi:10.21203/rs.3.rs-3095924/v1

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An empirical model for branding oriented by the environmental sustainability of the Amazon Rainforest - A hybrid structural equation modeling with fsQCA approach

https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-3095924/v1

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Using the theory of planned behavior, it is possible to establish a valuable connection between an organization and its consumers, which goes beyond appearance and involves emotions, relationships, and experiences with the brand. Based on these principles, the objective of this work was to present an empirical model guided by empirical evidence from the perception of entrepreneurs and consumers of brands related to environmental sustainability in the Brazilian Amazon. The proposed model uses mixed modeling, based on data analysis based on fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), using two sets of data from independent research obtained from 8 companies operating in the Amazon rainforest and 535 potential consumers. Based on the observed data, the consumers' motivations for consumption, the practices adopted by entrepreneurs, and the role of traditional communities and the forest environment in the brand's conception were identified. The results show that for the interest in purchasing sustainable brands to be positive, from the perception of consumers, the brand must explore information regarding involvement with traditional communities, perception of brand quality, and brand innovation, also making clear the positioning strategy adopted since the constructs are central to the main solution. This article presents relevant information for entrepreneurs of sustainable brands in tropical forests, business policymakers in community-based entrepreneurship, researchers, and those interested in brand management as a strategy to boost small businesses with sustainable practices and involvement with traditional communities. The study's findings and recommendations can promote more sustainable and socially responsible business practices, strengthening the local economy and contributing to environmental preservation.

Fuzzy set

Sustainable development

Forest management

Innovation

Marketing

Brand equity

Brazilian Amazon

Defining sustainable growth requires an observational and practical effort, as this environment is currently undergoing profound transformations arising from demands pertinent to society. The progress that before was presented mainly as subsistence and extractive production today gives way to a complex floristic-structural and social system (Bastos et al. 2018). In this sense, defining the development of the forest environment with just one concept would be a simplistic proposition. Seeking to contemplate this assumption, sustainable development is often viewed as the well-known "sustainability tripod" (triple bottom line), that is, environmentally correct, socially fair, and economically viable (Nations 2015).

The Sustainability Triangle constitutes a mechanism that helps channel the struggles, interactions, and coalitions of the social movements involved in the fight for sustainability. When focused on environmental sustainability, it seeks a joint process between maintaining natural and remaining ecosystems (Nascimento 2012). Consistent with the ideas proposed by the triple bottom line is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) (FAO 2014). Like the sustainability triangle, the functional mechanisms of the SDGs are based on an integrated and multisectoral approach, involving broad participation of different actors (public or private sector), promoting synergies between agricultural production, health, education, social development sectors, and the economy (Kroll et al. 2019).

From the two mechanisms of sustainable governance, it is possible to understand that adopting an integrated and multisectoral approach is crucial to achieving sustainable forestry development (Smith et al. 2012). This includes the protection of existing spaces (Billah et al. 2022), the recovery of degraded areas (Appanah 2016), the adoption of sustainable agricultural practices such as community-based forestry and family farming (Lõhmus et al. 2016; Bressane et al. 2016), which, in addition to maintaining a sustainable environment, are also fundamental for food security and the economy of the country. But for this, it is necessary to understand that sustainable development, as previously discussed in the sustainability triangle, is not limited to environmental protection only but also encompasses social and economic aspects and the entrepreneur's perception of the importance of sustainable practices (Calloway et al. 2019; Wang et al. 2020). However, for economic and competitive reasons, these economic agents are strongly impacted by the open market economy criteria (Adzic 2008). Therefore, the search for innovation in management and marketing processes can be a solution to reach higher levels of competitiveness.

Brazil has several biomes of extreme importance for the global ecosystem that deserve to be guided with a sustainable approach, and among them is the Amazon Forest. The Amazon Forest is currently the largest tropical biome in the world, covering an area of approximately 6.7 million square kilometers in nine countries in South America, of which Brazil is the largest holder, with about 60% of the forest distributed across nine states of the federation (Malhi et al. 2008).

This vast ecosystem is considered a national and global asset, offering many environmental, social, and economic services. In addition to its importance for the world's fauna and flora, the forest acts as a huge carbon sink, storing approximately 86 billion tons of carbon from carbon storage in the soil (Ferreira et al. 2018). In addition to the ecological values, the Amazon Forest has great value for the region's original communities (Walker et al. 2002). In Brazil, the Amazon rainforest comprises about 350 ethnic groups and an indigenous population estimated at 1.6 million people in the Amazon region (IBGE 2010). Demonstrating that the Amazon Forest is an ecosystem of great importance for Brazil, performing crucial ecological, social, and economic functions.

The application of the concept of sustainable development in Brazil's Amazon region is similar when considering the regional size and the enormous challenges for implementation. The Amazon region presents unique challenges regarding sustainable forest management due to its vast size, biodiversity, and socioeconomic complexity (Laurance et al. 2002; Fearnside 2005; Cudney-Valenzuela et al. 2023). For example, the preservation and restoration of degraded forest areas is a challenge that requires the participation of different sectors and actors, including landowners, governments, non-governmental organizations, and the local community (Benayas et al. 2009). Furthermore, sustainable development in the Amazon region requires consideration of the rights and needs of indigenous and traditional communities that depend on the forest for their subsistence (Gouvea 2014; Miranda et al. 2020). The challenge is to find solutions that balance environmental preservation with improving the quality of life in these communities.

In this sense, for small agricultural and forestry companies in the Amazon region to have economic success considering sustainability practices and respect for the communities involved there, it is necessary to present competitive advantages based on innovation, complexity, and sophistication in products, change of mentality in the management of the property and used products (inputs) and a compensation system for the environmental impacts they cause (Yang et al. 2020), that is, they must be innovative or intensive in the knowledge of the circular economy while being economically profitable (Barraket et al. 2016).

Small businesses that use raw forestry materials currently seek to associate their environmental policies with marketing strategies based on environmental sustainability through the value of their brand through the value of their brand (Fardin and Santos 2020). The literature on green marketing has explored the role of marketing in promoting sustainable development. Green marketing, which involves promoting products or services based on their environmental benefits, has attracted considerable attention (Parguel et al. 2011). Additionally, the impact of brand value on consumer behavior towards sustainable products has been emphasized (Wang et al. 2021; Hameed et al. 2021).

For this, innovation in marketing management systems to build brand awareness is important so consumers can consider the brand among their purchase options (Cheng et al. 2022). The marketing literature of the past decade has seen a shift toward a service-dominant logic (Brodie et al. 2011). According to Gupta et al. (2016), this change is reflected in a conceptual framework based on the theory of the tripod of sustainability (triple bottom line), which assumes that the brand can accelerate the conversion of available opportunities to a sustainable business, putting it ahead of its competitors in superior performance. In this way, the brand can be a stimulating factor in achieving sustainable development.

Therefore, associating the triple bottom line with marketing is to place sustainability and people (consumers and entrepreneurs) at the center of the company's strategic management, based on the perception that the value of an offer (product or service) is defined and co-created from the consumer to the products and the understanding of the company's performance (Hunt 2017; Becker and Jaakkola 2020).

An effective presentation of a brand's environmental attitudes and policies can lead consumers to associate the brand's intended results more easily with the products and the fair value added to them (Guzmán and Davis 2017; Wang et al. 2020). Leading consumers to naturally gravitate towards the brand equity of that brand. The consumer's perception is crucial to create and to associate the brand image with a planned behavior through environmental sustainability. Aaker (1992)and Keller (1993) agree that brand value is based on awareness, association, perceived quality, and loyalty and can be understood from the customer's point of view using convincing strategies (Tasci 2018).

An integrated and multisectoral approach to sustainable forestry development, with a focus on the Brazilian Amazon region, proves to be significant as it fills a gap in the literature by exploring the intersection between environmental sustainability, green marketing, and branding in the context of small agricultural and forestry businesses (Chukurna and Nikolaiev 2021). It underscores the importance of innovation in brand management and marketing to achieve sustainability and competitiveness in the open market (Mancuso et al. 2021).

By addressing the above gaps in the literature, this study specifically investigates and proves to be relevant for a variety of stakeholders. Entrepreneurs can benefit by understanding how to integrate sustainability into their marketing and branding strategies (Oliveira et al. 2011). Policymakers can use the findings to develop policies that encourage sustainable practices. Beyond entrepreneurs, consumers benefit by gaining a greater understanding of the sustainable practices of the brands they choose to support (Minton et al. 2012).

Acceptance of sustainable products can be achieved with branding techniques, regardless of the activity. Brand authenticity and sustainable branding strategies are directly related to scalable business development. In this sense, this research aims to present an empirical model guided by evidence from the perception of entrepreneurs and consumers of brands related to environmental sustainability in the Brazilian Amazon.

2.1 Research and sample design

This study was carried out in 6 (six) phases, based on the spectrum of the adopted research methodology (Fig. 1).

2.2 Scope review (Phase I)

During the phase, a scoping review was carried out according to PRISMA standards to identify the most important factors related to the activities developed by sustainable businesses related to forest exploitation and environmental protection, with the potential to shape brand efficiency equity on local brands. From the findings presented in the scope review, it was possible to select four constructs belonging to the perception of potential consumers regarding the analyzed brands that respond to willingness to purchase (Willingness I'm buy — WTB) f the products presented, namely: strategic brand positioning (Strategic Brand Positioning — SBP), perceived brand quality (Perceived brand Quality — PBQ), retail innovation (Retail Innovation — RI) and Brand Authenticity (Brand Authenticity — BA).

2.3 Scale development (Phase II)

Brand equity psychometric scale was developed and validated by Sustainable Amazon (BES-Amazônia), intending to identify the most important factors related to the activities developed by sustainable businesses related to forest exploitation and environmental protection, with the potential to shape brand efficiency equity on local brands. The scale comprises two subscales: the BES-Amazônia consumer scale and the BES-Amazônia entrepreneur scale.

The BES-Amazônia consumer subscale consisted of 22 questions to understand which constructs influence consumers' predilection for sustainable brands and which main attributes and factors influence the brand's potential from consumers' perceptions. It is composed of four constructs: willingness to purchase (Willingness to buy — WTB), strategic brand positioning (Strategic Brand Positioning — SBP), perceived brand quality (Perceived brand Quality — PBQ), retail innovation (Retail Innovation — RI) and Brand Authenticity (Brand Authenticity — BA). In addition, a Likert -type scale ranging from 1 agree to 5 strongly agree was used. The validation of the scale was obtained from the recommendations proposed in the Standards for Educational and psychological testing (Frey and Association, 2018). To test this subscale, 262 consumers were initially interviewed to validate the BES-Amazônia consumer based on the perception of the eight brands used in the BES-Amazônia entrepreneur scale.

The BES-Amazônia subscale aims to understand the entrepreneurs' interpretation of the dimensions of environmental sustainability in the Amazon region, focusing on the guiding questions of the dimensions for sustainable development. This scale is based on the dimensions for sustainable development proposed by Sachs (2002)[1]. The economic (source of raw materials, products, etc.), social (gender parity, awareness of local communities, etc.), and environmental (packaging reduction, CO2 emissions reduction, etc.) dimensions were assessed using an adaptation ^of the triple bottom quiz Line proposed by Postel et al. (2006). The dimensions: cultural, ecological, territorial, political (national), and political (international) were evaluated using adaptations of the questionnaire proposed by Grigorescu et al. (2019).

The BES-Amazônia subscale is composed of five formative constructs: Agents and communities involved (ACI); Marketing of products and consumer market (MPCM); Availability of resources and raw material used (ARM); Additional Brand Equity (BE) and Vision of Sustainable Forestry Activities (Vision of Sustainable Forestry Activities - VSFA). The BES-Entrepreneurial Amazon subscale was tested using 8 (eight) brands of Amazonian products produced considering local forest sustainability.

The content validity coefficient (CVC) was applied to the proposed instrument to measure the effectiveness of the scale based on qualitative assessments by expert judges in the area. To improve the instrument and contemplate its initial objectives, this technique involves seeking the consensus of professionals who will assign values and opinions on the translations and adaptations made to the instrument.

The scale assessment was blindly performed by three expert judges in the interdisciplinary areas to guarantee the confidentiality of the participants and increase the fidelity of the results at the end of the experiment. After validating the items, randomization was performed using Excel software. Finally, data collection was carried out from March to May 2022. The study focused on 6 socio-productive chains in the region: Tourism, Gastronomy, Biotechnology, Agroforestry Systems, Non-timber Forest Products and Sustainable Fashion.

2.4 Comprehension of the scale (phase III)

Phase III consisted of a global understanding of the brand using the BES-Amazônia Scale. The understanding of the exclusive perception of the brand from the product was obtained from the submission of the subscale BES-Amazônia consumers questionnaire to 535 potential consumers from all regions of Brazil. from the interview of 8 businessmen of the tested brands. The results were analyzed by structural equation modeling (West et al. 2012), Rasch item response theory (Linacre 2012), and grounded theory (Glaser and Strauss 2017).

Applying the Rasch model to data from a Likert scale made it possible to convert the participants' responses into a continuous linear measure, representing the latent trait level (θ)underlying the consumer's agreement with the question (Wright and Masters 1982). The Rasch model assumes that the probability of an individual agreeing to a specific item depends only on their latent ability and the item's difficulty (Bond and Fox 2015). Still, this model eliminates the tau-equivalence assumption that considers that all items have the same importance for the factor, eliminating the thresholds of each survey respondent (consumers) (Sijtsma 2008; Yuan et al. 2015).

2.4.1 Analysis of the perception of brand entrepreneurs

Analyzes of the entrepreneurs' unique perception were conducted based on the subscale BES-Amazônia entrepreneurs through grounded theory. This phase establishes an empirically grounded model as an assumption that seeks to understand how entrepreneurs interpret the dimensions of environmental sustainability in the Amazon region. Especially the guiding questions of the dimensions for sustainable development described by Foley and Timonen (2015).

The grounded theory is presented in four stages: open coding, axial coding, and selective coding reaching the delimitation of the theory that, in the end, a guide is obtained containing codes associated with the responses of the observed entrepreneurs (Mills et al. 2006; Glaser and Strauss 2017). The scores obtained in each code by each entrepreneur interviewed served as the basis for phase IV of the research. These phases were implemented in previous works, and this work was developed to contemplate Phase IV and subsequent ones.

2.5 Agreement of the guides (phase IV)

In this phase implemented from this research, the interviews of the eight (8) entrepreneurs interviewed were submitted to the scrutiny of ten (10) specialists, thus seeking to attribute inclusion values in each cluster in the guide.

The agreement score followed the standards proposed by the five-point Likert scale: 1 Not applicable; 2 Usually not applicable; 3 Occasionally applies; 4 Usually applies; 5 Always applies. Simple Kappa tests were used to assess the agreement of the scores assigned by the experts following the guide. Simple Kappa analysis was performed using the SPSS software (version 25.0).

The interpretation of the Kappa test results was based on the criteria established by Landis and Koch (1977), which stipulate that agreement values oscillating between 0 and 0.2 are considered unsatisfactory or weak; between 0.21 and 0.4 are considered discrete; between 0.41 and 0.6, they are characterized as regular or moderate; between 0.61 and 0.8 are considered good or substantial; and, finally, those ranging from 0.81 to 1.0 are classified as excellent or excellent.

2.6 Analysis by fsQCA (phase V)

fsQCA analysis as an aggregator method for the observed data, given that it allows the outcome and predictor variables to exist on a diffuse (continuous) scale and not just on a dichotomous (binary) scale, regardless of their initial condition (qualitative or quantitative). In this sense, the objective of the fsQCA is to transform the raw scores of the varied variables into fuzzy association scores ranging from 0.0 to 1.0 (Wu et al. 2019).

Thus, fsQCA analysis is shown as a new contribution to this line of research, since it follows the paradigm of set configuration theory, which allows analyzing holistic interactions between elements of a confusing and nonlinear nature. In this sense, the eight constructs (constituent variables) of the BES-Amazônia scale were considered condition variables for comparison analysis.

In compliance with procedural standards for the fsQCA method, calibration for fuzzy values was performed. The metric is calibrated on fuzzy sets with values ranging from 0 to 1.0, where 1.0 = belongs to the complete set, 0.5 = cross points, and 0 = no clear relationship. As all variables of the BES-Amazônia scale are distributed according to the 5-point Likert scale, resizing was necessary (Chang and Cheng 2014).

The calibration of the data resulting from the interviews with potential consumers was carried out based on the latent trait values of the respondent's θ for each construct based on the sum of the items belonging to it. The values: For the constructs, the values belonging to the complete sets (1.0) were considered the highest observed latent traits (θ SBP = 5.790; θ PBQ = 3.720; θ RI = 7.17; θ WTB = 3.49). Cross-point values (0.5) were selected using the median (θ SBP = 1.53; θ PBQ = 0.22; θ RI = 3.290; WTB θ = -1.260), and finally, the value for no association (0) was considered the starting from the smallest latent trait value obtained in each construct (θ SBP = -4.61; θ PBQ = -6.140; θ RI = -6.940; WTB θ = -5.77). Calibrations and analyzes were performed using the fsQCA v4.0 software (Ragin 2023). Having processed the condition and outcome measure calibrations into fuzzy scores, the fsQCA results were divided into three parts: need analyses, explanation of settings, and sufficiency analyses.

For the subscale BES-Amazônia entrepreneurs, the values attributed by the expert evaluators to the indices present in the guide were considered: five (5) = total compliance, three (3) = intersection, and one (1) = non-compliance, following suggestions by Kaya et al., (2020), since all measures presented acceptable intervals, suggesting a normal distribution.

In the search for results in fuzzy-set QCA for the construction of the truth table, the approach proposed by adopted Rihoux (2006) consists of identifying central conditions present in parsimonious solutions with consistency above 0.75. peripheral conditions being eliminated. The presence of a condition is indicated by black circles (●), while the absence is represented by crossed circles (⊗)(Ragin and Fiss 2008); the non-completion indicates indifference to the construct in the solution. The distinction between core and peripheral is made using large and small circles, respectively.

For case selection, the coverage value for "Proportional Reduction in Inconsistency" PRI was used. To be accepted in the solution, a minimum limit of 0.7 was stipulated for the PRI consistency score (Greckhamer et al. 2018).

2.7 The proposition of the empirical model (phase VI)

Finally, in phase VI, an empirical model was formulated, allowing researchers and entrepreneurs to build their own brands or help new multidisciplinary research for their brands, thus helping these companies to develop positive brands without neglecting the environmental responsibility necessary for local development. The model presented here aims to advance knowledge of experimental brand practices in academia, respond to emerging research, and link this work to environmental management tools.

In terms of the multidisciplinarity required in the studied area, the model proposes a better interaction between researchers and specialists in the field of marketing, branding, and entrepreneurship and professionals in the field of sustainability studies. In this sense, the objective is to encourage discussion on the subject, identify the strengths and limitations of current approaches and propose new solutions for sustainable forestry development.

As stated by Mandran (2018), whenever an empirical model is developed, it must be placed in an epistemological paradigm. Thus, the model is based on a pragmatic constructivist epistemological paradigm that aims to clarify its epistemological assumptions, seeking to generate scientific knowledge from hypothetical assumptions based on experiences from a lived reality (Dewey 2009).

Figure 2 presents the nomological network of conceptual relationships that underlie the sustainable Branding model. We adopt the established SOR or input–response–output structure as found in many purchase intent models (Shim et al. 2001; Koufaris et al. 2001; Rose et al. 2012). The model is composed of three types of variables: antecedent variables, branding component variables, and outcome variables.

Prior variables were considered for the questions present in the scales, supported by the literature. The constructs were developed from the antecedent variables, considered the formative variables, as well as cognitive and affective components of the exclusive perception of the brand from the product and the exclusive perception of the brand from the entrepreneurs. This, in turn, leads to the outcome behavior (global brand perception): Purchase intention. The hypotheses considered are as follows:

H1 – The strategic positioning of the brand from a set based on the theory of planned behavior positively influences the willingness to purchase;

H2 – The perceived quality of the brand from a set based on the theory of planned behavior positively influences the willingness to purchase;

H3 - The Perception of Innovation in the brand's retail based on a set based on the theory of planned behavior positively influences the willingness to purchase;

H4 - Perception of brand authenticity from a set based on the theory of planned behavior is positively influenced by a willingness to purchase;

H6 – The connection between the brands and the agents and communities involved in the Amazon rainforest from a set based on the theory of planned behavior positively influences the willingness to purchase;

H7 – Consumer knowledge about the means of Commercialization and the active market of sustainable brands in the Amazon rainforest positively influences the willingness to purchase;

H8 – Consumer knowledge about the origin of resources and raw materials used by sustainable brands from the Amazon rainforest positively influences willingness to purchase;

H9 – The additional value attributed to products from sustainable brands from the Amazon rainforest positively influences the willingness to purchase;

H10 – Entrepreneurs' view of the importance of sustainable activities developed by their brand positively influences willingness to purchase;

H11 – The theory of planned behavior based on a diffuse set representative of the consumer's perception of the entrepreneur's environmental responsibility influences the willingness to buy sustainable brands.

As these are studies with human beings, the research was sent to the Research Ethics Committee, which was approved for the application. Participants who agreed to participate in the study were informed about the objectives, data collection, as well as information contained in the Free and Informed Consent Form (TCLE). As for those who did not agree to participate, their data were excluded from the survey.

[1] According to Sachs (2002), sustainable development can only be achieved when all its dimensions are considered simultaneously. These dimensions include the ecological dimension, which is concerned with preserving the environment and natural resources; the economic, which seeks economic growth and equitable distribution of wealth; the social, which aims to promote social justice and equality; cultural, which values cultural diversity and respect for local traditions; the psychological, which is concerned with people's emotional and mental well-being; the territorial, which seeks the balanced development of all regions; and national and international policies, which promote cooperation between countries and democratic governance at all levels.

3.1 Instrument validation

As for the sample used for the BES-Amazônia entrepreneur subscale test, it was observed that the distribution by age was unbalanced, with 42% between 18 and 24 years old, 34% between 25 and 34 years old, 15% between 35 and 44 years old and 9% 45 to 64 years. The majority (54.5%) of the participants were female. Consumers from all regions of Brazil participated, with 6% coming from the North region, 40% from the Northeast region, 32% from the Southeast region and 16% from the South region of Brazil. 104 participants responded in person, and 158 responded online.

Scale adjustment indexes (c ² = 86,460. gl = 132; p < 0.001; RMSEA = 0.027; BCa 95% [0.00–0.037]; CFI = 0.998; BCa 95% [0.998–1.002]; TLI = 0.997; BCa 95% [0.997–1.002]). At root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), a value lower than 0.08 for the proposed instrument indicates a good statistical fit for the model (Tucker and Lewis, 1973; West et al. 2012). Comparative fit indices (CFI) and Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) above 0.95 also indicate a good fit of the instrument, corroborating the good performance of the instrument.

gl = 210; p < 0.001) and KMO (0.89) values suggested the interpretability of the items' correlation matrix. For stability, Cronbach's alpha showed acceptable values (Cronbach's = 0. 925). The parallel analysis suggests five factors reflecting what is expected for the theoretically proposed constructs.

Still, on the validity of the instrument, the model was submitted to convergent validity, which analyzes the degree of correlation between the test and other tests that measure the same construct. The instrument presented acceptable values for all analyzed dimensions SBP (0.845 ), PBQ (0.964 ), WTB (0.889 ), BA (0.675) and IR (0.677 ), since the convergent analysis must present values above 0.50 (Maroco et al. 2014).

The results obtained indicate that the BES-Amazônia subscale presents psychometric solidity, with validation values of the variables within the expected range when associated with the interest of potential consumers in relation to the analyzed brands. Thus, the validated subscale proved to be applicable in this experiment. Appendix 1 describes the measurement items.

Regarding the validation of the entrepreneurial BES-Amazônia subscale, two items that did not reach values greater than or equal to 0.8 were grouped and reallocated for correction in at least two of the established criteria (clarity, relevance and coherence). After the corrections, the instrument presented adequate Content Validity Coefficient (CVC) values for practical use. The average CVC of the full scale, considering the three criteria - clarity, coherence and relevance - was 0.88. In addition, it presented good language clarity (0.78), practical relevance (0.87), and theoretical relevance (0.93), resulting in an overall CVC of 0.91 and a PJ 0.002. These results demonstrate that the BAS-Amazônia psychometric instrument, based on the two subscales, proved to be suitable for the Brazilian public. Appendix 2 describes the measurement items, and Appendix 3 presents the final guide used.

3.2 ESM of consumer perception

Based on the results of the Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) obtained from the application of the BES-Amazônia subscale in 543 potential consumers, the Brand equity definition model was established based on brands related to the environmental sustainability of Amazon that influence consumers' willingness to purchase the product WTB.

The structural model (Fig. 3) demonstrates that consumers' predilection for sustainable brand products is directly and positively influenced by all variables studied. Having the BA constructs: β = 0.886; standard error (SE) = 0.041; (p < 0.00) and RI: β = 0.881; standard error (SE) = 0.074; (p < 0.00) the highest influence values. The results showed significant effects, as well as the standardized paths between the factor and the indicators above 0.40., therefore sustainable (Wang and Wang 2019).

[2]As for the explanatory power of each variable separately, it is possible to observe that the strategic positioning of the brand — SBP has the greatest effect on willingness to purchase (R ² = 0.738). This result demonstrates that hypothesis H1 (Strategic brand positioning from a set based on the theory of planned behavior positively influences the willingness to purchase) can be accepted, thus indicating that the branding strategy based on the search for the strategic positioning of the brand strongly influences consumer perception, not only having a positive effect on consumer 'willingness to buy,' but explaining most of the variation observed for this construct.

In relation to Hypothesis H2 (The perceived quality of the brand from a set based on the theory of planned behavior positively influences the willingness to purchase), it can also be accepted as the PQB construct has an isolated strong explanatory power (R² = 0.719). However, the IR and BA variables corroborate the acceptance of hypotheses H3 and H4, but with low individual explanatory power when analyzed separately, the IR variables (R² = 0.676; SE = 0.086; p < 0.000) and BA (R² = 0.668; SE = 0.194; p = 0.001). In this sense, it is necessary to understand the constructs from a diffuse set.

3.2 Qualitative/fuzzy set comparative analysis (fs/QCA)

As for the agreement analysis of the judges regarding the classification of entrepreneurs and their brands in the indices contained in the proposed guide, the comparison by Kappa de Fleiss for the main diagnosis showed that there is a moderate reliability among the three evaluators (K = 0.645; [CI95% : 0.524–0.710]; z = 9.784; p < 0.001), denoting a statistically significant agreement between raters. The results of the Kappa analysis for individual categories were also acceptable and statistically significant for all classes present in the guide.

The indicators presented in the main solutions showed that the consumer's perception of the product presents sufficiency for the interest in WTB purchase, having as central conditions the strategic positioning of the brand (SBP), the perceived quality of the brand (PBQ), innovation in retail (RI), but not necessary separately for the interest in the purchase.

This behavior can be seen in the XY graph of the constructs associated with interest in buying (Fig. 4). Figure 4 reveals that this relationship is, in fact, asymmetrical; for example, Fig. 4a indicates that high values of consumer perception of the environmental sustainability lead to high values of interest in purchasing (WTP); however, low perception values also lead to high and low company performance values. Therefore, high values of sustainability perception by consumers are sufficient for high brand interest performance, but they are not exactly necessary since low values of consumer perception can also lead to an interest in the acquisition.

When considering the ACI construct for the possible solution (Fig. 4b), the WTB values behave more symmetrically than the previous data. This result demonstrates the strong influence of consumers' perception of entrepreneurs' concerns about their brand's involvement with the communities involved (ACI).

An understanding of each construct can be obtained the analysis of configurations of possible solutions. In the configurations present in Table 1, the different necessary and sufficient paths present in the interaction between the analyzed constructs and the willingness to purchase are presented (Willingness I'm buying — WTB) of products offered by sustainable brands. More than one combination of conditions is sufficient to achieve the result. Different combinations show satisfactory global consistency (around 0.888) and also satisfactory global coverage (0.892).

Each column represents an alternative combination of conditions that are associated with the willingness-to-buy (WTB) outcome. Based on the analysis carried out, it was possible to identify five alternative solutions with an acceptable consistency value, resulting in the acceptance of the products by the evaluated customers. Each of these solutions represents a grouping of constructs that share acceptable configurations and of elements or antecedents, which are associated with high levels of conformity, that is, total agreement.

Table 1

Configurations of the conditions present in the interaction between the analyzed constructs and the WTB willingness to purchase (WTB).
Settings	Solution
Settings	I	II	III	IV	V
SBP	●	●	●	●	●
R.I	●	●	●	●	●
B.A	●	●		●	⊗
PBQ	●	●		●	●
ACI	●	●	●	●	●
MPCM	●	⊗	⊗		⊗
ARM	●		●		⊗
BE	●	●	●		●
VSFA	●	●	●		●
Number of cases (% cumulative)	51 (21%)	48 (42%)	25 (52%)	18 (60%)	14 (66%)
Consistency	0.988	0.973	0.923	0.964	0.896
gross coverage	0.737	0.548	0.595	0.576	0.287
single coverage	0.486	0.123	0.0253	0.011	0.010
overall consistency	0.888
general coverage	0.892
Note: SBP - strategic brand positioning (Strategic Brand Positioning ), PBQ - perceived brand quality (Brand Quality Perception ), IR - retail innovation (Retail Innovation)and BA - Brand Authenticity. The presence of the condition is indicated by black circles (●), the absence of the condition is represented by crossed circles (⊗ ), the non-completion indicates an indifference to the construct in the solution. Large circles indicate the central condition; small circles indicate the peripheral condition for a solution.

The result of the QCA (Table 1) demonstrates that the presence of the SBP, IR, and ACI constructs are central conditions for the purchase intention of sustainable products. These findings highlight that, in most cases, the conjunction of these constructs is necessary for constructing an appreciable image by the consumer. According to the analysis of need (Table 1), two different combinations lead to a high content of information consistent with the analysis of sufficiency, the first and second solution (I and II).

The first solution (I) represents the set with the highest coverage (0.737) and consistency (0.988). It is possible to understand that, for purchase intentions of sustainable brands to occur with greater assertiveness, all constructs must be present since this solution reflects the combination of the presence of all analyzed constructs.

The second and third solution (II and III) mainly reflects the negation of the MPCM construct, associated with the absence of the ARM constructs (II). This solution explains that high purchase intentions can be achieved with high message personalization, regardless of the benefits related to product downtime. Another occurrence of a solution that corroborates this behavior is solution III.

This solution (III) demonstrates that acceptance of sustainable products can be achieved even with the absence of consumer perception of brand authenticity (BA) and perceived product quality (BPQ). In this sense, regardless of the lack of perception of quality, authenticity, and the low relationship with the local market, consumers tend to consume such products well presented with brand equity. Similar results were observed by Pappas et al. (2021).

This solution demonstrates that, even without factors relevant to the perception of entrepreneurs, consumers, based on the information presented about the brands, are willing to purchase such products. In their study, Liu et al. (2020) observed that knowledge about the sustainable attitudes of brands, when perceived by customers (through brand recognition and image), positively affects brand perception at the cognitive and affective levels.

As well as solutions IV and V demonstrate that the perceptions of Innovation in retail (RI), Commercialization of products and consumer market (MPCM), and Availability of resources and raw material used (ARM) play a smaller role in the purchase intention, so BE AND VSFA. In this sense, regardless of the lack of exclusive perception of the brand from the entrepreneurs. From these results, it is possible to reject alternative hypotheses H7 and H8. This same solution also demonstrates that the central conditions are sufficiently strong factors since, even with the absence of IR, MPCM, and ARM, there is still acceptable coverage. This result may also be linked to the capacity of the messages present in the brand's discourse.

Due to the reduced capacity for advertising writing that is present in a package or logo, brands tend not to prioritize the presentation of sustainable practices and procedures adopted around branding management, leaving this informational content available in their body copies. These difficulties can be mitigated by constructing narratives that aim to appeal to sustainability, narratives based on the AINDA methodology (Radu et al. 2021), and from this to boost the discourse of the sustainable brand on the relevance of the practices adopted by companies, in addition to brand engagement on full sustainability (Kasuma et al. 2022).

It is worth noting that, as observed in the structural equation modeling of the three constructs SBP, IR, and PBQ, two (SBP and IR) showed that the existence of WTB was central to those analyzed from the QCA analysis. This result indicates that the set of constructs representative of the perception of entrepreneurs' behavior on environmental sustainability and knowledge of the forest has little influence on potential consumers' willingness to purchase.

The perceived quality of the brand (PBQ), even though it is present in four of the five solutions conceived in the fsQCA analysis, appears as a peripheral condition for the positive result of the interest in purchasing products from sustainable brands. Product quality refers to how well a product meets customer needs, serves its purpose, and meets the standards expected by consumers. It is a determining factor that contributes to building the customer's perception of a brand's products (Dangi et al. 2021).

When evaluating product quality from an imaginary exercise, consumers consider several key factors, including whether a product solves their problem, whether it works efficiently, or meets the purposes of satisfaction with their consumption (Rodrigues et al. 2021). However, as quality is already present in the product based on social agreements (brand trust, reputation, compliance with sanitary requirements), consumers start to consider other relevant factors for the choice, such as: consumer confidence and changes in taste and valuation of the ethical practices of the companies, and product innovation and purchase expectations, these factors emerge strongly influencing the interest in the purchase (Nam et al. 2011; Sasmita and Mohd Suki 2015; Mustafa et al. 2022).

This behavior can be explained from Maslow's theory of necessity. According to the theory, human needs are organized in a hierarchy, starting with basic physiological needs and moving up to self-actualization (Niemela and Kim 2014). The perception of product quality can be an important factor, but not decisive alone for consumers when they are left with the completeness of social and personal self-realization.

[2] Figure 2 is a representational graph. Items that make up each dimension and non-significant relationships have not been displayed in order to keep the graph simple and parsimonious.

Figure 5 presents the proposed model based on the characterization of the main evidence observed in this research. Based on the findings, it was possible to propose a conceptual model based on the perception of sustainable brands in the Amazon. Of the five formative constructs of unique brand perception from the product, three are core conditions (SBP, PBQ, and IR), making the BA construct not necessary for building branding for sustainable brands.

The first six hypotheses indicate that all consequent variables that form the unique perception of the brand based on the information present in the products have appropriate coverage and consistency that provide partial empirical validation of the hypotheses raised. Six of the eleven hypotheses are supported, implying a solid theoretical foundation for the model specification. The covering power of each consequent variable ranges from 0.56 to 0.78 (Fig. 5).

The observed results suggest a direct relationship to the “sustainability tripod” (triple bottom line)based on the importance of brands' involvement with both environmental and social factors based on the perception of consumers. Also, for both models, it is only possible to contemplate sustainability in its entirety from the awareness of the relevance of environmental resources by entrepreneurs.

Thus, the proposal of the model is based on three main points:

In order for a sustainable brand to achieve good results regarding the interest in purchasing its products, its branding must demonstrate its environmentally sustainable innovation applied to the products;

The branding of sustainable brands must always clearly demonstrate the quality attributed to its products in all means of contact with the consumer;

The sustainable brand present in the Amazon Forest must seek to align itself with the native peoples of the forest, seeking with these means and strategies to remain environmentally sustainable without harming the knowledge and traditions of these peoples, as they maintain an essential and healthy relationship.

The evaluation of products based on the brand equity is related to the possibility of better performance in facing the challenges of maintaining sustainability, as the shift toward sustainability will require changes at various levels. Thus, production methods should be more respectful, both ethically and environmentally, and standards of advertisements and promotional strategies should also be modified.

The accepted hypotheses in this study point to the relevance of branding strategies and perceived brand quality as factors that positively influence consumers' willingness to purchase the presented products. These elements are fundamental in building a positive brand equity based on the theory of planned behavior.

fsQCA analysis revealed that elements related to strategic brand positioning (SBP), retail innovation (RI), and engagement with local communities (ACI) are crucial for the purchase intention of sustainable products. These factors are critical for the success of sustainable brands in the market. Although product quality perception (PBQ) is seen as a peripheral condition in this study, it still plays a significant role in consumer purchase willingness. Ensuring and promoting product quality are essential for establishing and maintaining public trust in the offered product portfolio.

The empirical model presented in this study establishes a connection between the analyzed materials and the possibility of acquisition, based on Maslow's hierarchy of needs concept and the sustainability triple bottom line. This model emphasizes aspects related to human needs, the environmental, social, and economic commitment of companies, and how such aspects affect consumer value perception in regard to acquiring the offered products.

The results demonstrate the need for sustainable brands to direct their efforts towards sustainable product innovation, adopt clear communication regarding product quality, and align with the people of the Amazon Forest.

The academic contribution of this research stands out by strengthening environmental sustainability as a formative measure of \brand equity for brands that produce and market forestry products sustainably. The brand, stemming from this productive nature, can enjoy the benefits therein, stimulating engagement and product acceptance based on consumer perception. Consequently, sustainable practices become a foundation for creating new environmentally responsible brands.

Informed consent

Informed research participant consent was meticulously obtained from all individual participants involved in this study. In the case of interviews, verbal informed consent was systematically obtained before the start of the interview. This process was carefully documented and adhered to ethical guidelines to respect the autonomy, privacy and rights of all participants involved in the study.

Data Availability Statement

All data generated or analyzed during this study are included in this published article (and its complementary information files).

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No competing interests reported.

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An empirical model for branding oriented by the environmental sustainability of the Amazon Rainforest - A hybrid structural equation modeling with fsQCA approach

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Abstract

Figures

1. Introduction

2. Material and methods

2.1 Research and sample design

2.2 Scope review (Phase I)

2.3 Scale development (Phase II)

2.4 Comprehension of the scale (phase III)

2.4.1 Analysis of the perception of brand entrepreneurs

2.5 Agreement of the guides (phase IV)

2.6 Analysis by fsQCA (phase V)

2.7 The proposition of the empirical model (phase VI)

3. Results and discussion

3.1 Instrument validation

3.2 ESM of consumer perception

3.2 Qualitative/fuzzy set comparative analysis (fs/QCA)

4 Empirical model

5 Conclusions

Declarations

Informed consent

Data Availability Statement

References

Additional Declarations

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