Journal of Marketing Management

Water Consumer Behaviors and Contextual Factors: Brazil and Canada Comparative Analysis
Andréia de Fátima Hoelzle Martins, Daiane Medeiros Roque Ferreira, Afonso Augusto Teixeira de Freitas de Carvalho Lima, Marco Aurélio Marques Ferreira, Danilo de Oliveira Sampaio

Abstract
This study aims to more fully understand Sustainable Water Behaviour (SWB) and its contextual relationships in Brazil and Canada, taking into consideration the behaviour of water consumers in both populations, including their political, social, legal and economic differences, and their different water scarcity experiences. Data from a total of 1,027 usable surveys (746 from Brazil and 281 from Canada) were collected from university students at the Federal University of Viçosa (UFV), Brazil and the University of Regina (UofR), Canada, and from 16 interviews (7 from Brazil and 9 from Canada) undertaken with professors, students and employees of UFV and UofR. A linear regression was performed to test the relationship between contextual variables and the SWB. The qualitative data were analysed by content analysis to support the analysis. The research revealed a significant relationship between contextual and SWB present in different ways in Brazilian and Canadian samples. While Brazilian samples presented more influence by context, specifically because of Brazil‟s major experience with water scarcity, Canadian samples were influenced by variables such as ecological awareness and natural conditions. Therefore, this study pointed contexts that facilitate adoption of SWB; point out the relevance of contextual aspects to behavioural choices, specifically involving sustainable consumption.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jmm.v6n1a5