An investigation of the value-action gap in business students’ sustainability expectations and behavioral intentions: a comparative study

Purpose – This research paper aims to explore the value-action gap (VAG) between business students’ future-oriented normative sustainability transformation expectations from Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) and their behavioral intentions to engage in sustainable actions. The gap is compared between two countries – USA and Germany – that differ in their cultural orientations. Country context, students’ collectivist orientation, involvement and gender are examined to understand the discrepancy. Design/methodology/approach – A quantitative research design, based on a standardized questionnaire, is applied. Data (n = 239) was collected from both countries using an online survey. Odds ratio is calculated to examine the propensity of students’ intentions to take actions if their sustainability expectations are unmet. Findings – The findings indicate that students’ expectations have a significant relationship to behavioral intentions; gender’s role was marginal whereas collectivist values did not play a role, and involvement has the strongest moderating influence on the size of VAG which was found larger in the German context. Research limitations/implications – Future research should incorporate additional variables, such as skepticism, status-quo perceptions and perceived barriers to sustainable transformations. Forming student segments and obtaining similar data from university administrators or employees could be beneficial in understanding VAGs in HEIs. Practical implications – Results can assist HEIs in aligning their actions with sustainability expectations to promote student engagement and avoid perceptions of greenwashing or organizational hypocrisy. Social implications – In considering students as change agents for sustainability, this study provides insights for societal change and accomplishing the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Originality/value – This is the first study to analyze the VAG in HEIs’ sustainability transformation based on future-oriented sustainability expectations.