Consumer perceptions of corporate social responsibility and its relationship with consumer behaviour: Scale development and validation in an emerging market context

Abstract

This study aims to develop a conceptual framework on consumers' perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CPCSR) and the impacts of this on three types of consumer behaviour: company evaluation, company identification, and purchase intention. A quantitative method was applied in this study. Structural equation modelling was performed on 401 samples attained from a survey conducted in Turkey to verify the proposed analytical model, with seven dimensions of CPCSR and three dimensions of consumer behaviour based on the perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR).<br/> The dimensions of the model are all validated with Turkish consumers' perceptions. The results indicate that CPCSR can be explained and validated by the following seven dimensions: employee, customer, environment, community, societal, supplier, and shareholder factors. It is also validated that consumer behaviour in response to CPCSR can be measured by three dimensions: company evaluation, company identification, and purchase intention. As a holistic model, the proposed framework has been approved with the Turkish consumers' dataset. However, it has been found that CPCSR does not have a big impact on consumers' behaviour; the results of this study show that CPCSR has a weaker impact on consumers' CSR behaviour.<br/> While investigation into issues of CSR in emerging markets is essential for twenty-first-century business ethics, the research theme of this study is how to support and guide consumers to be more proactive and responsive to CSR concepts. The validated and proposed model with practical dimensions can assist businesses to assess CPCSR relative to its impact on consumer behaviour.