Differences in attitudes towards corporate social responsibility between Lithuanian and Swedish consumers

Abstract

One of the newly emerging aspects that attract scholars’ attention is attitudes towards corporate social responsibility (CSR) in different countries: do they differ worldwide, to what extent, and how do the differences in attitudes result in different buying behaviour? Lithuanian and Swedish consumers were compared using Aupperle et al. (1985) measure of CSR orientation; additional questions measured presumptive price premiums for products of the companies that emphasise different CSR orientations. The findings demonstrate that Lithuanians are more economically and legally (in terms of CSR attitudes) oriented than Swedes, whereas Swedes demonstrate stronger ethical and philanthropic CSR orientation. Consumers allocate marginally diminishing price premiums for products produced by economic and legal CSR orientation companies. Higher potential price premiums would be allocated for ethically and philanthropically oriented companies. In the latter case Swedish consumers are more likely to pay measurable price premium.