Nurturing Sustainability: Influential Factors in Shaping Gen Z Behavior and Satisfaction in the UAE

Abstract

This study examines the factors shaping sustainable consumer behavior and satisfaction among Generation Z in the UAE, addressing a notable gap in the literature where limited empirical research has explored how sustainability-related stimuli on social media translate into actual behavior and subsequent satisfaction. The study offers an original contribution by combining the Stimulus–Organism–Response (SOR) paradigm with social influence theory and engagement literature to explain how environmental concern, social media engagement, social norms, and willingness to pay shape sustainable consumption behavior and its associated satisfaction. Using PLS-SEM on data from 389 Gen Z respondents, the model demonstrates strong explanatory power for sustainable behavior (R² = 0.48) and satisfaction (R² = 0.42). Key predictors, including environmental concern (β = 0.257), social media engagement (β = 0.246), and willingness to pay (β = 0.212), show significant positive effects. While sustainable behavior strongly enhances satisfaction (β = 0.598), posting sustainability content on social media does not (β = −0.090), suggesting a distinction between online expression and internal fulfillment. The study contributes theoretically by extending SOR to the sustainability–social media context and by positioning satisfaction with sustainable behavior as a distinct outcome rarely examined in prior research. Practically, the results offer insights for policymakers, sustainable brands, and digital platforms seeking to more effectively engage Gen Z in advancing sustainability initiatives.