Consumer Paradox: A Manifestation of Self-Concept in Activism in Response to Supply Chain Practices

The effects of unethical and non-socially responsible organizational practices across supply chains have been hyper-normalized. For instance, the involvement of the private sector in modern day slavery, however alarming and unacceptable, is commonplace. Interestingly, consumers hold significant power to drive change. The question is, does consumer self-concept relate to consumer activism, and why is some consumers’ awareness of unethical practices insufficient to sway their purchase decision-making? A set of propositions were framed, and conceptual model was developed to analyze the relation among self-concept, consumer types as to social responsibility, and organizational practices across supply chains. The study contributes to the understanding of consumer behavior, particularly activism and conformism, regarding firm’s ethical behavior, social responsibility, and sustainability for purchase decision-making. © 2022, The Author(s), under exclusive license to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.