Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-dh8gc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-10T19:57:37.687Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Evaluating the impact of corporate social responsibility programs on consumers

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

Victoria Smith  and
Peter Langford
Victoria Smith
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW, Australia
Peter Langford
Affiliation:
Voice Project, Department of Business, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW, Australia
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

This paper critically reviews and analyses the empirical and theoretical literature relating to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) programs and their impact on the attitudes and behaviours of consumers. Given the increasingly important and influential role that corporations are playing in society, this review considers the contrasting arguments surrounding the extent to which a well-designed and implemented CSR program will impact consumers. In doing so, this review improves our understanding of the importance of corporate socially responsible action and identifies gaps in the field of CSR research that need to be addressed in order to help organizations more effectively adopt CSR programs.

Keywords

corporate social responsibilityenvironmental responsibilityconsumer engagementbusiness ethicscorporate performanceliterature review
Type
Research Article
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 15 , Issue 1 , March 2009 , pp. 97 - 109
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2009

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Andreassen, TW and Linstead, B (1998) Customer loyalty and complex services: The impact of corporate image on quality, customer satisfaction and loyalty for customers with varying degrees of service expertise, International Journal of Service Industry Management 9(1): 7–23.Google Scholar
Arkani, S and Theobald, R (2005) Corporate involvement in human rights: is it any of their business? Business Ethics: A European Review 14(3): 190–205.Google Scholar
Auger, P, Burke, P, Devinney, TM and Louviere, JJ (2003) What Will Consumers Pay for Social Product Features? Journal of Business Ethics 42: 281–304.Google Scholar
Basil, BZ and Weber, D (2006) Values motivation and concern for appearances: the effect of personality traits on responses to corporate social responsibility, International Journal Nonprofit Voluntary Sector Market 11: 61–72.Google Scholar
Bhattacharya, CB and Sen, S (2004) Doing Better at Doing Good: When, Why, and How Consumers Respond to Corporate Social Initiatives, California Management Review 47(1): 9–24.Google Scholar
Bowen, HR (1953) Social responsibilities of the businessman. Harper & Row, New York.Google Scholar
Boyd-Flynn, B, Junker, L and Lee, S & Wilson, N (2006) Is Social Responsibility Our Responsibility? Journal of Association Leadership Fall.Google Scholar
Burchell, J and Cook, J (2006) It's good to talk? Examining attitudes towards corporate social responsibility dialogue and engagement processes, Business Ethics: A European Review, 15(2): 154–170.Google Scholar
Carroll, AB (1979) A Three Dimensional Conceptual Model of Corporate Performance, Academy of Management Review 4(4): 497–505.Google Scholar
Carroll, AB (1991) The Pyramid of Corporate Social Responsibility: Towards The Moral Management of Organizational Stakeholders, Business Horizons 07-August: 39–48.Google Scholar
Cogan, DG (2006) Corporate governance and climate change: Making the connection. Ceres, Boston MA.Google Scholar
Creyer, EH and Ross, WT (1997) The influence of firm behaviour on purchase intention: do consumers really care about business ethics? Journal of Consumer Marketing 14(6): 421–432.Google Scholar
Friedman, M (1970) The social responsibility of business is to increase its profits, New York Times Magazine 33: 122–126Google Scholar
Folkes, VS and Kamins, MA (1999) Effects of Information About Firms' Ethical and Unethical Actions on Consumers' Attitudes, Journal of Consumer Psychology 8(3): 243–259.Google Scholar
Handelman, JM and Arnold, SJ (1999) The Role of Marketing Actions with a Social Dimension: Appeals to the Institutional Environment, Journal of Marketing 63: 33–48.Google Scholar
Klein, J and Dawar, N (2004) Corporate Social Responsibility and Consumers' Attributions and Brand Evaluations in a Product-Harm Crisis, International Journal of Research in Marketing 21: 203–217.Google Scholar
Knox, S, Maklan, S and French, P (2005) Corporate Social Responsibility: Exploring Stakeholder Relationships and Programme Reporting across Leading FTSE Companies, Journal of Business Ethics 61: 7–28.Google Scholar
Lafferty, BA and Goldsmith, RE (1999) Corporate Credibility's Role in Consumers' Attitudes and Purchase Intentions When a High versus Low credibility Endorser is Used in the Ad, Journal of Business Research 44: 109–116.Google Scholar
Luo, X and Bhattacharya, CB (2006) Corporate Social Responsibility, Customer Satisfaction, and Market Value, Journal of Marketing 70: 1–18.Google Scholar
Maignan, I (2001) Consumers' Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibilities: A Cross-Cultural Comparison, Journal of Business Ethics 30: 57–72.Google Scholar
Maignan, I and Ralston, DA (2002) Corporate Social Responsibility in Europe and the U.S.: Insights from Businesses' Self Presentations, Journal of International Business Studies 33(3): 497–514.Google Scholar
Menon, S and Kahn, BE (2003) Corporate Sponsorships of Philanthropic Activities: When Do they Impact Perception of Sponsor Brand? Journal of Consumer Psychology 13(3): 316–327.Google Scholar
Miller, KE and Sturdivant, FD (1977) Consumer Responses to Socially Questionable Corporate Behaviour: An Empirical Test, Journal of Consumer Research 4: 1–7Google Scholar
Mohr, LA and Webb, DJ (2005) The Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility and Price on Consumer Responses, The Journal of Consumer Affairs 39(1): 121–147Google Scholar
Mohr, LA, Webb, DJ and Harris, KE (2001) Do Consumers Expect Companies to be Socially Responsible? The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Buying Behaviour, The Journal of Consumer Affairs 35(1): 45–72Google Scholar
OECD (2004) The OECD principles of corporate governance, OECD Policy Brief, FranceGoogle Scholar
Oketch, MO (2005) The Corporate Stake in Social Cohesion, Peabody Journal of Education 80(4): 30–52.Google Scholar
Osterhus, TL (1997) Pro-Social Consumer Influence Strategies: When and How Do They Work? Journal of Marketing 61:16–29.Google Scholar
Page, G and Fearn, H (2005) Corporate Reputation: What Do Consumers Really Care About? Journal of Advertising Research 45(3): 305–313Google Scholar
Rushton, K (2002) Business Ethics: a sustainable approach, Business Ethics: A European Review 11(2): 137–139Google Scholar
Salmones, M, Crespo, A and Bosque, I (2005) Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on Loyalty and Valuation of Services, Journal of Business Ethics 61: 369–385.Google Scholar
Sen, S and Bhattacharya, CB (2001) Does Doing Good Always Lead to Doing Better? Consumer Reactions to Corporate Social Responsibility, Journal of Marketing Research 38: 225–243.Google Scholar
Shrivastava, P (1995) Industrial/environmental crises and corporate social responsibility, Journal of Socio-Economics 24(1): 211–227Google Scholar
Sigall, H, Aronson, E and Hoose, TV (1970) The cooperative subject: Myth or reality? Journal of Experimental Social Psychology 6: 1–10.Google Scholar
Simmons, CJ and Becker-Olsen, KL (2006) Achieving Marketing Objectives Through Social Sponsorships, Journal of Marketing 70: 154–169.Google Scholar
Smith, NC (2003) Corporate Social Responsibility: Whether or How? California Management Review 45(4): 52–76Google Scholar
Smith, S and Alcorn, DS (1991) Cause Marketing: A New Direction in the Marketing of Corporate Responsibility, Journal of Consumer Marketing 8(3): 19–35Google Scholar
Thompson, G and Driver, C (2005) Stakeholder champions: how to internationalize the corporate social responsibility agenda, Business Ethics: A European Review 14(1): 56–66Google Scholar
Tourangeau, R, Rips, LJ and Rasinski, K (2000) The Psychology of Survey Response. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge.Google Scholar
Tracey, P, Phillips, N and Haugh, H (2005) Beyond Philanthropy: Community Enterprise as a Basis for Corporate Citizenship, Journal of Business Ethics 58: 327–344.Google Scholar
Zorn, TE and Collins, E (2006) Green is The New Black: Are CSR and Sustainable Business Just Fads? Paper presented at the 20th ANZAM Conference, Queensland.Google Scholar