Research topic

Quantifiable evidence of the integrative model of behavioural prediction and change

Biographical note

Having returned to post-graduate studies in 2016 following a 13 year professional career, Chris has a passion for understanding the reasons people like you and me make the, often irrational, everyday decisions we do. Chris became aware that traditional economic theory often fails to predict people’s actual observed behaviour. Chris’ first fieldwork was for his post-graduate honours thesis with James Cook University in 2016, conducting double blind observational studies on hotel guests, learning how to increase participation in corporate social responsibility programs.

Research outline

My honours thesis research led into my PhD project, which uses field experiments to observe manipulate and quantify the factors proposed by the Integrative Model of Behavioural Prediction and Change that influence consumer's decisions around participating in corporate social responsibility programs.

To date, much research has been done on theories modelling the way we arrive at and justify our decisions. Often, our decisions are in spite of traditional economic theory predictions.

My research will utilise behavioural economic theories to manipulate, test and observe the ways consumers arrive at decisions. We will test the relevance of the factors proposed by the Integrative Model of Behavioural Predication and Change.

By testing the effect and significance of background factors of individuals, my research aims to provide quantifiable evidence of how firms can maximise individual’s participation in corporate social responsibility schemes.

Further, we will research the significance of provincial and external factors (such as the location of the hotel and whether the hotel implements an all-encompassing corporate social responsibility program) on the individual’s decision making outcome.

Results will be compiled into econometric models to predict the likelihood of and individual’s decision making outcome given a set of variables. Applications of the findings can be wide ranging, from commercialisation in marketing, to policy advisory.

Research questions

• What are the sign and significance of ‘background factors’ proposed by the Integrative Model of Predicted Behaviour and Change on the observed decisions made by individuals
• How can firms utilise these background factors to maximise participation in corporate social responsibility programs
• What are the sign and significance of external and provincial factors that affect the observed decisions made by individuals
• How does participation in corporate social responsibility programs affect individual’s derived utility.

Supervisory team

Associate Professor Riccardo Welters

Dr Hong-Bo Liu