Open Access

Verena Weigert

• The thesis aims to contribute to the research on business students’ attitudes toward sustain-ability issues, with further emphasis on the students’ view on the social obligation of mar-keters. TheThe thesis aims to contribute to the research on business students’ attitudes toward sustain-ability issues, with further emphasis on the students’ view on the social obligation of mar-keters. The findings from the analysis of the research instrument’s scale items provide the-oretical substantiation which may help to support future inquiries about the research pro-ject. In addition, the results gained from the comparative, cross-cultural study between German and US American business students can be added to the respective research find-ings from other countries. For the first objective to be accomplished, namely finding theoretical substantiation of the applied research instrument, the questionnaire’s items were put under critical review by identifying and presenting their original source. Specifically, items were compared to the ones they originally were adapted from, and research and theories behind those were elabo-rated on. However, before analyzing the theoretical substantiation of the questionnaire, a brief introduction into general attitude research methodology was given by summarizing relevant literature findings. Once the first objective was accomplished, a second literature review in form of an introduction into cross-cultural research provided a general under-standing of the field of comparative studies and its challenges. The knowledge gained from this literature review served as basic background information needed for the following cross-cultural comparison. The data needed for the comparison was derived prior to this thesis from 100 undergraduate and graduate business and marketing students at business schools in Germany (Nürtingen-Geislingen University of Applied Science) and the USA (Portland State University). Business students were chosen as they represent future decision makers in marketing and management, and therefore their opinions and attitudes seem to matter in regards to sustainability efforts. Descriptive analysis revealed no major differ-ences in the attitudes of German and US American business students. Both groups similarly recognize the importance of sustainability for business’ practices, and both samples believe in the transformational value marketing offers in terms of shifting business practices and consumption patterns.…