Please cite this article in press as: Wang, Y., et al., Green information, green certification and consumer perceptions of remanufctured automobile parts. Resour Conserv Recy (2016), http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2016.07.015 ARTICLE IN PRESS G Model RECYCL-3318; No. of Pages 10 Resources, Conservation and Recycling xxx (2016) xxx–xxx Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Resources, Conservation and Recycling journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/resconrec Full length article Green information, green certification and consumer perceptions of remanufctured automobile parts Yacan Wang a,b,* , Joseph R. Huscroft c , Benjamin T. Hazen d , Mingyu Zhang a a School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China b Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Centre for WEEE Recycling, Shanghai, China c Department of Marketing, Transportation and Supply Chain Management, North Carolina A&T State University, USA d Department of Operational Sciences, Air Force Institute of Technology, OH, USA a r t i c l e i n f o Article history: Received 11 March 2016 Received in revised form 29 June 2016 Accepted 26 July 2016 Available online xxx Keywords: Regulatory focus theory Survey Structural equation modeling Remanufacturing Green information Green certification Consumer perception a b s t r a c t Manufacturers face several obstacles when marketing remanufactured products, and therefore need to be able to appeal to consumers’ motivational desires in order to influence their purchase decisions. Informed by regulatory focus theory, this research contributes to this area of research by examining the role that information regarding green attributes (energy saving, material saving and emission reducing) of remanufactured products and green certification play in influencing consumer perceptions. Potential consumers of remanufactured automobile parts in China were surveyed and the data were analyzed via structural equation modeling. The results suggest that energy saving, material saving and emission- reduction information regarding remanufactured products positively affect consumers’ perceived value and trust of remanufactured products. Green certification moderates the relationships between both the energy saving and material saving information and trust. This research improves understanding of how firms can influence consumer perception of remanufactured products, thus contributing to the discourse in the literature on remarketing of remanufactured products. The findings can be used to inform practitioners who seek to optimize the value proposition of achieving green certification and informing consumers about the environmentally friendly attributes of remanufactured products. © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction The auto parts industry plays a crucial role in driving innovation in remanufacturing while reducing negative environmental and social impacts of manufacturing. This industry alone is valued at approximately $1.1 trillion worldwide, and is comprised of reman- ufacturers that service many types of automotive components that are located in several countries. Due to the size of this indus- try, auto part remanufacturing firms are under increased scrutiny from governmental agencies and their consumers to improve environmental management of their remanufacturing operations. Therefore, proper management of remanufacturing sustainability issues has the potential to impact company valuation and consumer perception. Demonstrating increased, quantifiable performance in specific sustainability areas will drive competitiveness and better value to the consumer. Such areas include (but are not limited * Corresponding author at: School of Economics and Management, Beijing Jiaotong University, Beijing, China. E-mail address: ycwang@bjtu.edu.cn (Y. Wang). to): (1) reducing energy use in the remanufacturing process, (2) improving resource efficiency through effective waste manage- ment practices, (3) ensuring highest qualities of standards via proper certification, and (4) adequately managing environmental and social externalities (SASB, 2014). Importantly, firms need to signal their advancements in these areas via disseminating infor- mation about their products and processes to consumers in some regard. Today’s auto part consumers are essential for the success of remanufacturers, who need to convince consumers to choose a remanufactured component versus purchasing a new, original equipment manufacturer (OEM) item. Consumers are always on the search for qualities of products that fall in line with their per- sonal views on social issues, environmental issues, and personal brand preference. The motivation of the consumer as well as the desire to ensure sustainability of supply operations drives com- panies to reduce environmental risks, reduce waste, and enhance operational efficiencies (Singh et al., 2011; Lin et al., 2015). To this end, consumers need to be informed of the inherent envi- ronmental friendliness of remanufactured products. This means the consumers need to better understand how and why reman- http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2016.07.015 0921-3449/© 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.