Corporate Social Responsibility and the Consumer

1434 Words3 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Importance of ethical decision making in a business

3.6 Corporate Social Responsibility and the consumer Due to the intensification of Social demands from consumers to companies, many research studies have being developed in order to clarify the effects that CSR has had on members of the organizations as well as on its external participants. In terms of the workforce, the application of a CSR scheme according to Herbst and Lloyd (2009) improves their morale and a sense of satisfaction of working in a responsible company makes them more loyal to the organization, creating a better atmosphere as well as increasing the effectiveness of the employee. On a consumer level, The GFK group (2008) a German research company conducted 20,000 surveys in Germany in order to determine if the population was aware of the CSR practiced by companies in the country. The results concluded that Germans are not only conscious of these programs but that they also demand such schemes. Another research company, The Nielsen group, developed a worldwide investigation about Corporate Social Responsibility in 2008. It was discovered that 51% of consumers manifested that it was very important for organizations to commit on social and environmental causes. Furthermore, two in three respondents stated that they would be willing to purchase ethical products if the environment and social issues would benefit from it. A research carried out in Canada in 2008 explored the commitment of the top brands in the country to environmental causes and the perceptions developed by its consumers. Contrary to the results obtained in Germany, the investigation discovered that companies with good behaviour do not always secure good consumers perceptions. Furthermore, customers wrongly evaluated the C... ... middle of paper ... ...n and Self-Identity. 3.8.1 Modified Theory of Planned behaviour: Ethical Obligation and self-Identity According to Shaw et al. (2000) the ethical obligation in this framework represents the way consumers internalize their ethical rules to then become a sort of moral obligation that they might feel the need to fulfil in order to meet the expectations of their subjective norms. This aspect is also supported by the internal belief that an individual holds about a specific situation. Another measurement tool included in the theory of planned behaviour was self-identity. This implies that consumers that get involved and concerned about ethical issues tend to adapt their self-identity to meet this new behavioural standard. These issues become relevant and shape part of the consumer’s identity, fact that creates higher interest for ethically produced products.

Show More
Related

  • Qantas Market Segmentation

    1010 Words  | 3 Pages

    Maignan, I. (2001). "Consumers' perceptions of corporate social responsibilities: a cross-cultural comparison." Journal of Business Ethics 30(1): 57-72.

    Read More

  • Procter & Gamble Rely Tampons Case Study

    2253 Words  | 5 Pages

    Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is about how companies manage their business processes to produce a positive impact on society. Companies introduce new products in markets, usually after testing concludes that the product is safe for use or consumption. It is nearly impossible for a company to truly know all of the potential risks a brand new product may have, even after thorough testing. However, once a company receives reports that its product may be causing harm to consumers, it is their responsibility to conduct more research and tests to rule-out any possible truth in the reports. This is what a socially responsible company would do, one who is preoccupied not only with their bottom-line, but one that is also worried about its customers.

    Read More

  • Citibank Ethics Case Study

    803 Words  | 2 Pages

    a) CSR is about how the companies run the business getting the positive impact on society and evaluating their responsibilities. Participating in initiatives that is benefit for society in involved in corporate social responsibility.Through the CSR organisations maintain a good relationship with customers, suppliers and employees. CSR is a process that aims to hold responsibility for the company’s

    Read More

  • Corporate Social Responsibility

    1700 Words  | 4 Pages

    In recent years, companies are becoming socially responsible and now stakeholders almost expect a company to have CSR policies. Therefore, in twentieth century, corporate social responsibility (CSR) became an important development in public life (Barnett, ND).Corporate social responsibility is defined as “the ways in which an organisation exceeds the minimum obligations to stakeholders specified through regulation and corporate governance” (Johnson, Schools and Whittington, N.D cited in March, 2012). Stakeholders can be defined as “those individuals or groups who depend on the organisation to fulfil their own goals and on whom, in turn, the organisation depends” (Johnson, Schools and Whittington, N.D cited in March, 2012). There are many purposes for this essay, the first purpose is to descried the key principles of corporate social responsibility and explain their importance for stakeholders. Secondly, is to show how far this company follows those principles in order to be accountable to at least three of its stakeholders. In this essay, three stakeholders, environment, customers and employees will be evaluated respectively and the key principles of the stakeholders will be examined.

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Greenwashing

    540 Words  | 2 Pages

    Companies that engage in greenwashing mislead consumers about firm environmental performance or the environmental benefits of a product. Organizations engage in Greenwashing with the objective to give consumers and policy makers the impression that the company is taking steps to manage its ecological footprint. This is increasingly becoming a problem because it negatively affects consumer’s

    Read More

  • Corporate Social Responsibility Analysis: Wells Fargo

    958 Words  | 2 Pages

    An organization’s Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) drives them to look out for the different interests of society. Most business corporations undertake responsibility for the impact of their organizational pursuits and various activities on their customers, employees, shareholders, communities and the environment. With the high volume of general competition between different companies and organizations in varied fields, CSR has become a morally imperative commitment, more than one enforced by the law. Most organizations in the modern world willingly try to improve the general well-being of not only their employees, but also their families and the society as a whole.

    Read More

  • Under Armour Social Responsibility

    905 Words  | 2 Pages

    Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is immensely crucial for big international companies. Corporations such as Under Armour will benefit from CSR campaigns. According to statistics, 55% of consumers are willing to pay more for products from companies that are socially responsible (Double the Donation Research, 2017). Companies that show their commitment to society’s issues and problems are seen as more altruistic than companies whose corporate social responsibility initiatives do not exist. In pursuance to maintain good public image, a corporation’s social responsibility programs and campaigns and how aware consumers are about these programs is important.

    Read More

  • Corporate Social Responsibility Activities of Unilever

    3393 Words  | 7 Pages

    Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is a very familiar term in today’s world. Most of the successful companies try to be ethical and socially responsible toward their stakeholders. Because becoming ethical and socially responsible gains a lot in terms of profit or capturing more market share (Aras and Crowther,2009). This socially responsible approach is paved by the CSR activities of the companies which has a great contribution to their corporate strategy of winning the customers’ mind. In this assignment, the pros and corn of CSR activities of a particular organization a...

    Read More

  • Green Marketing Case Study

    1863 Words  | 4 Pages

    From research I have learned that consumers attitudes towards environmental protection is increasing. I have discovered that having a green image does matter to consumers. They are aggressively trying to change the way they have impacted our world (Green Marketing, 1 of 7). Some of the reasons that consumers are changing their attitudes are because of their gain in knowledge.

    Read More

  • Social Responsibility Of Unilever: Safety, Environmental, And Social Sustainability

    1215 Words  | 3 Pages

    “Corporate Social Responsibility is a hard-edged business decision. Not because it is a nice thing to do or because people are forcing us to do it because it is good for our business” – Niall Fitzerald, Former CEO, Unilever

    Read More

  • Green Marketing and CSR

    1037 Words  | 3 Pages

    Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is one of the most recognized aspects in the world today since companies’ reputation is judged by its CSR policies, quality of its services and products and competitiveness. Many authors relate CSR to ethical conduct in businesses. Many authors therefore give related definitions for both CSR and ethics. Corporate Social Responsibility can be defined as continued commitment to ethical conduct, to provide and contribute to high living standards of the society by facilitating economic developments and improving the standards of living of the employees together with their families, their society and community at large (MallenBaker.net 2011). Green Marketing on the other hand relates to production and manufacturing of products that are environmentally friendly, and their packaging should also be environmentally friendly or rather the products should have environmental benefits (About.com 2011).

    Read More

  • Article Review: The Importance Of Corporate Social Responsibility

    1093 Words  | 3 Pages

    A corporations CSR should be shaped in order to fit the goals of the corporation, although every corporation’s CSR should differ, since most have different goals and different communities behind them. The CSR should be molded into fitting the corporation’s goals in order to make it easier on the corporation in giving back to the community while achieving its goals. For example, a corporation located in a desert wishes to be more efficient, by reducing water usage it is not only creating lower costs, which result in higher revenue, but also helps the community by not taking up so much water. Taking this into consideration, it is critical that the corporation goals and values are established and clear throughout the corporation, they should be developed by the board or directors and CEO, and the highest managerial level should stress their importance to the rest of the corporation. By making the goals and values at the top branch of the corporate hierarchy, it will be simpler for the corporates community to develop in order to nurture those goals and values. Therefore, a corporation can reach the “shared-value,” a value for both its shareholders and community in a simpler manner that can result benefiting the corporation in the end as well. Throughout the article many examples are given of actual corporations that have benefited and changed their CSR in order to fit their goals, therefore, providing solid proof that these methods work. Nevertheless, as acknowledged by the author’s themselves, most of the corporations taken into consideration where one’s that Harvard CSR students were employed

    Read More

  • Corporate Social Responsibility

    1916 Words  | 4 Pages

    Business organizations regularly run into demands from various stakeholders groups when conducting day-to-day business. These demands are generated from employees, customers, suppliers, community groups, governments, and shareholders. Thus, according to Goodpaster, any person or group of people that can shape or can be shaped by attainment of the objectives by an organization is considered a stakeholder. Most business organizations recognize and understand their responsibilities to these groups and endeavor to honor and fulfill them. These responsibilities are often communicated to the public by a statement of principles or beliefs. For many business organizations, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an essential and integral part of their business. Thus, this paper discusses the two CSR views: the classical view and the stakeholder view. Furthermore, I believe that the stakeholder view has brought ethical concerns to the forefront of businesses, and an argument shall be made that businesses would improve both socially and economically if CSR, guided by God’s love, was integrated into their strategic planning.

    Read More

  • Views on Corporate Social Responsibility

    1003 Words  | 3 Pages

    While the concept of an individual having responsibility is commonly recognized, modern views have lead to the emerging issue of corporate responsibility. Business Directory.com defines corporate social responsibility as, “A company’s sense of responsibility towards the community and environment (both ecological and social) in which it operates. Companies express this citizenship (1) through their waste and pollution reduction processes, (2) by contributing educational and social programs, and (3) by earning adequate returns on the employed resources.” But such a concept has been much disputed since at least the 1970’s.

    Read More

  • Importance Of Corporate Social Responsibility

    1000 Words  | 2 Pages

    It is important to understand the importance of corporate social responsibilities. If Corporate Social Responsibility is properly maintained and emphasized by companies, it can benefit the society, economy and corporate sustainability. It can also be cost efficient to companies. also the environment . But above all effect (CSR) varies companies to companies. Where some corporates seem to make all sorts of benefits from their coporate social responsibilities but few of them are also having loss by trying to maintain CSR without properly evaluating their resources. (Porter and Kramer 2006) has said The inferences where corporates need to evaluate their CSR actions to figure out if they add

    Read More

More about Corporate Social Responsibility and the Consumer

Open Document