Theses and Dissertations

ORCID

https://orcid.org/0009-0000-4002-7812

Advisor

Lee, Younghan

Committee Member

Zimmerman, Matthew H.

Committee Member

Lim, Soyoun

Committee Member

Shi, Jingyi (Catherine)

Date of Degree

8-13-2024

Original embargo terms

Embargo 2 years

Document Type

Dissertation - Open Access

Major

Kinesiology (Sport Studies)

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.)

College

College of Education

Department

Department of Kinesiology

Abstract

The close relationship between sports and the natural environment has been endangered by climate crisis and global warming (Breitbarth et al., 2023; Cunningham et al., 2020; McCullough, 2023; Orr & Inoue, 2019). For this reason, the development of golf courses has been accused of serious impacts on environmental destruction which causes climate change, despite the popularity of golf (Fouillouze et al, 2023). Golf courses have become quite far from the green image. Hence, golf courses began to voluntarily obtain environmental certification (e.g., Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program, GEO certified) to protect nature and keep ecosystems sustainable (Gomis et al., 2018; Lee et al., 2022; Minoli et al., 2015; Scott et al., 2018). However, the existing literature cannot determine whether the golf courses' environmental efforts play an important role in laying the groundwork for the development of relationships with customers, and even it is unclear whether they can benefit from the relationship marketing. Thus, the purpose of this study was to create and assess a holistic model that explains the formation of customers' brand advocacy on environmentally friendly golf courses. Building on various bodies of literature, such as green brand image, feelings of gratitude, relationship quality, and brand advocacy, proposed a theoretical model that explains the formation of customers' brand advocacy intentions. Empirical data were collected from 575 golfers who had visited environmentally friendly golf courses and analyzed using a structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that perceived brand image influences feelings of gratitude, which in turn positively influences brand advocacy intentions through relationship quality. The feelings of gratitude did not directly affect brand advocacy intentions, while they indirectly influenced brand advocacy intentions through the quality of relationships including trust and commitment. The findings of the study suggested that under the influence of green marketing, relationship quality plays a pivotal role in influencing brand advocacy intentions, providing a holistic model of relationship development. Therefore, sustainable branding is a relationship strategy that can inspire customers.

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