University of Twente Student Theses

CSR to begin with: Who are we and what can we do? : The effects of issue scope and time frame of cause-related CSR engagement on consumer responses between different types of companies

Makus, Carolin (2022) CSR to begin with: Who are we and what can we do? : The effects of issue scope and time frame of cause-related CSR engagement on consumer responses between different types of companies.

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Abstract:	Today’s consumers increasingly expect brands to involve in sociopolitical issues. Thus, with the growth of CSR, sustainability initiatives are no longer relegated to niche brands and there are several brands that decide to engage in CSR initiatives. Nowadays, companies of different types, sizes and history communicate their CSR activities and projects, which however, not necessarily increase positive consumer attitudes. Providing an overview on how different types of companies have the ability to positively effect consumers’ responses towards the particular brand, it is intended to investigate how a company can increase their success in CSR projects with different issue scopes and time frames.To provide an overview on how brands’ CSR engagement obtains positive consumer responses, according to its company type, a 2 (startup versus established brand) x 2 (local versus global issue scope) x 2 (short versus long term engagement) between-subjects design has been made use of. Additionally, perceived CSR authenticity was tested as a mediator. The study’s sample consisted of 227 German participants who were randomly exposed to a fictious clothing brand’s homepage, either as a startup or an established brand, communicating its CSR engagement on different issue scopes for different time frames. It was thereby examined how these different conditions and interactions influence consumers’ perceived CSR authenticity, brand trust, brand likability and brand interest. This study contributes to the field of research on the mainstream CSR literature by confirming several hypotheses, but also serves to add to the existing knowledge by examining implications for the development and execution of better strategies for different company types when engaging in CSR in practice to effectively obtain positive consumer attitudes.
Item Type:	Essay (Master)
Faculty:	BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences
Subject:	05 communication studies
Programme:	Communication Studies MSc (60713)
Link to this item:	https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/89532
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