E-commerce in Greece and Sweden: A cross-country investigation of consumer privacy attitudes and behaviours

Abstract: Purpose: The purpose of this study is to contribute with a cross-country approach to the research about consumers’ online privacy concerns by investigating Greek and Swedish consumers’ privacy attitudes and behaviours in the digital marketplace. Theoretical framework: The study’s theoretical framework is based on the Power-Responsibility Equilibrium Theory (PRE) perspective and three of Hoftsede’s cultural dimensions; uncertainty avoidance, power distance, and individualism. Methodology: The study has a deductive approach with a quantitative research method. The data was collected by a questionnaire in each country which resulted in 232 answers in total. The answers were then analyzed in Microsoft Excel 16.41, SPSS 26.0, and SmartPLS 3.3.3. Findings: Findings indicate that the impact of power-holders on consumer privacy concerns, privacy empowerment and trust is more prominent for Swedish than for Greek consumers. Moreover, the impacts of privacy concerns, privacy empowerment and trust on consumers’ power-balancing strategies are more substantial for Greek than for Swedish consumers. Implications: The study contributes to the marketing field and academics studying consumers’ behaviour as it adds a cross-cultural approach to the investigation of consumers’attitudes on e-commerce from a PRE theory perspective. Additionally, they can have practical implications for marketers and policymakers in the e-commerce sector as they can gain some insight into how essential corporate privacy responsibility and regulations are to gain the trust of consumers and decrease their privacy concerns. Limitations: Since the study covers Greek and Swedish consumers, it is limited to countries with similar characteristics. Moreover, the majority of the respondents were under 35 years old and their opinions contradicted, not allowing most of the effects to be statistically significant enough to be considered. Originality/Value: Consumer privacy attitudes and behaviours on e-commerce have not been studied from both a power-responsibility equilibrium and a cultural dimensions perspective. This study adds a cross-country approach by studying Greek and Swedish consumers, while at the same time combining two theoretical perspectives.