Corporate Social Responsibility Impact on Consumer Decision

Abstract

Background: The current fierce market environment obliges corporations to strive for success with every business strategy or tool to secure sustainability in the market. One approach that companies use is to operate and at the same time contribute to the well-being of the surrounding community, to safeguard the natural environment under which they operate, and to enhance the work force opportunities for growth. Such an approach has developed with time and is known as Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). CSR strategy is one of the roadmaps that corporations may use, including the possible activities corporations' implementation, which may impact consumers' choice and decisions to deal with the said corporations. Nowadays, in Lebanon, the use of CSR strategy is moderately on the rise. Objective: The current research aims to assess the extent that CSR strategy really affects consumers' decision making, and to determine which one of the CSR activities or tools involving social, economic, or environmental dimensions carries the highest impact on changing consumers' decision. Furthermore, this research will shed light on the Lebanese consumers' perception and attitude towards CSR, and to assess which applied activities/tools carries the highest impact on their decision-making process to buy a product or a service. Materials and Methods: This research is exploratory, comparative and quantitative in nature, and uses a survey questionnaire distributed to 200 Lebanese consumers selected conveniently to study their perception of CSR strategy, and to identify which CSR tool they perceive as to be more effective in affecting their decision to buy a specific product/service. Results: Results show that 74.3% of the respondents are aware of CSR activities and agree on the fact that CSR is beneficial to society, corporations, and individuals. Also, 83.5% of the respondents agreed that CSR impacts their decision to buy products, and 60.3% showed that it may even initiate a purchase not planned previously. Furthermore, results show that 46.2% of the respondents will buy more as of quantity and 76% may go into the substitution of products because of CSR. 75.2% of the respondents mentioned that CSR also may impact their feelings towards products and will increase their loyalty to CSR-applying corporations. Conclusions: The outcomes of the research are used to support recommendations for Lebanese corporations to implement CSR strategy and the adequate activities needed to attract the Lebanese consumer.

An Assessment of Lebanese Companies’ Motivators to Adopt CSR Strategies

“…They should integrate CSR more in their daily operations to meet the employees and people's expectations. However, Lebanese corporations that are applying a CSR strategy or revisiting their current CSR strategy must do that following a scientific, structured and realistic approach by carrying out an extensive CSR situation analysis to "clearly assess the current status of their activities dedicated to achieve their financial viability amid the concern for the well-being of their stakeholders (externally and internally) and the justification of their choice of actions" [3] (p. 17). Special emphasis to the aforementioned is that CSR is not a mere manipulation tool [84] (p. 195) or a marketing public relations approach [85] (p. 23), it is a proven concept that has sustainability impact for businesses ([6] (pp.…”

“…[3] [33] [61]). Many companies have noticeably changed in the manner to which they communicate to their market by adopting a new language that speaks to the collective thought of Lebanese society.…”

Corporate Social Responsibility: A Stakeholders Perspective Applied to the Lebanese Heart Hospital

“…Similarly, the -triple bottom line‖ theory postulates that an organization must satisfy the surrounding society and respect its wellbeing by performing social activities (Brin & Nehme, 2019). Similarly, Hejase et al (2017) relationships with consumers and other stakeholders‖ (p. 4). Thus, by having the community at large and the surrounding society as a priority, sustainability can be achieved.…”

Business Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility: Bridging the Concepts

“…Companies with a strategic outlook apply the idea of corporate social responsibility, which is reflected in their positive financial performance compared to those, which do not consider CSR as a tool to increase profits. Rochlin, Witter, Monaghan and Murray [9] contend that by building a business strategy that aligns social, environmental, and economic performance with long term business value, corporate responsibility becomes part of core business and is tied to long-term value creation for both business and society".…”

“…75.2% of the respondents mentioned that CSR also may impact their feelings towards products and will increase their loyalty to CSR-applying corporations" [9]. On the other hand, "The quality of relationships that a company has with its employees and other key stakeholders-such as customers, investors, suppliers, public and governmental officials, activists, and communities-is crucial to its…”