Share:


Corporate social responsibility and brand management: evidence from Carroll’s pyramid and triple bottom line approaches

    Dalia Štreimikienė Affiliation
    ; Rizwan Raheem Ahmed Affiliation

Abstract

The objective of this research is to evacuate the relationship between CSR initiatives and organizational performance. Additionally, the undertaken research examines the impact of brand image and brand awareness as mediators and corporate image as the moderator between CSR initiatives and organizational performance. We employed a modified conceptual framework derived from the Triple bottom line and Carroll’s pyramid models. The data was analyzed through the structural equation model by using confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses and conditional process approach for examining the direct, mediating, and moderating hypothesized relationships. The undertaken study’s outcomes demonstrated that the ethical, philanthropic, and sustainable dimensions positively and significantly influence organizational performance. Similarly, the mediation analysis suggested that the brand image and brand awareness are the potent mediators in an association between ethical, philanthropic, and sustainable dimensions and organizational performance. Findings further demonstrated that corporate image as a moderator has strong impact between exogenous factors and organizational performance. The undertaken study has important theatrical and managerial implications that provide value additions for both researchers and industry practitioners.

Keyword : corporate social responsibility, environment, brand management, brand image, brand awareness, corporate image, Carroll’s pyramid, triple bottom line approach

How to Cite
Štreimikienė, D., & Ahmed, R. R. (2021). Corporate social responsibility and brand management: evidence from Carroll’s pyramid and triple bottom line approaches. Technological and Economic Development of Economy, 27(4), 852-875. https://doi.org/10.3846/tede.2021.14520
Published in Issue
Jun 14, 2021
Abstract Views
5481
PDF Downloads
4916
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

References

Abid, T., Abid-Dupont, M. A., & Moulins, J. L. (2020). What corporate social responsibility brings to brand management? The two pathways from social responsibility to brand commitment. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(2), 925–936. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1856

Aguinis, H., & Glavas, A. (2013). Embedded versus peripheral corporate social responsibility: Psychological foundations. Industrial and Organizational Psychology, 6(4), 314–332. https://doi.org/10.1111/iops.12059

Ahmed, R. R., Hussain, S., Pahi, M. H., Usas, A., & Jasinskas, E. (2019). Social media handling and Extended Technology Acceptance Model (ETAM): Evidence from SEM-based multivariate approach. Transformations in Business & Economics, 18(3), 246–271.

Ahmed, R. R., Štreimikienė, D., Abrhám, J., Streimikis, J., & Vveinhardt, J. (2020). Social & behavioural theories and physicians’ prescription behaviour. Sustainability, 12(8), 3379. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12083379

Ahmed, R. R., Vveinhardt, J., & Štreimikienė, D. (2017). Interactive digital media and impact of customer attitude and technology on brand awareness: Evidence from the South Asian countries.
Journal of Business Economics and Management, 18(6), 1115–1134. https://doi.org/10.3846/16111699.2017.1400460

Ahn, J., Wong, M. L., & Kwon, J. (2020). Different role of hotel CSR activities in the formation of customers’ brand loyalty. International Journal of Quality and Service Sciences, 12(3), 337–353. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJQSS-02-2020-0028

Almeida, M. G. M. C., & Coelho, A. F. M. (2019). The antecedents of corporate reputation and image and their impacts on employee commitment and performance: The moderating role of CSR. Corporate Reputation Review, 22(1), 10–25. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41299-018-0053-8

Alrubaiee, L., Aladwan, S., Hussein, M., Idris, W. M., & Khater, S. (2017). Relationship between corporate social responsibility and marketing performance: The mediating effect of customer value and corporate image. International Business Research, 10(2), 104–123. https://doi.org/10.5539/ibr.v10n2p104

Balmer, J. M. T., & Greyser, S. A. (2006). Corporate marketing: Integrating corporate identity, corporate branding, corporate communications, corporate image and corporate reputation. European Journal of Marketing, 40(7/8), 730–741. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560610669964

Baumgartner, R. J. (2014). Managing corporate sustainability and CSR: A conceptual framework combining values, strategies and instruments contributing to sustainable development. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 21(5), 258–271. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1336

Bhattacharya, C. B., & Sen, S. (2004). Doing better at doing good: When, why, and how consumers respond to corporate social initiatives. California Management Review, 47(1), 9–24. https://doi.org/10.2307/41166284

Boonpattarakan, A. (2012). An experimental design to test the main and interaction effects of CSR involvement, brand naming and pricing on purchase intentions in Thailand. International Journal of Business and Management, 7(16), 62–79. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v7n16p62

Bowen, H. R. (1953). Social responsibilities of the businessman. Harper.

Bronn, P. S., & Vrioni, A. B. (2011). Corporate social responsibility and cause-related marketing: An overview. International Journal of Advertising, 20, 207–222.

Byrne, B. M. (2009). Structural equation modeling with AMOS, basic concepts, application and programming (2nd ed.). Hillsdale.

Calabrese, A., & Lancioni, F. (2008). Analysis of corporate social responsibility in the service sector: Does exist a strategic path? Knowledge and Process Management, 15(2), 107–125. https://doi.org/10.1002/kpm.303

Carroll, A. B. (1979). A three-dimensional conceptual model of corporate performance. Academy of Management Review, 4(4), 497–505. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1979.4498296

Carroll, A. B. (1991). The pyramid of corporate social responsibility: Toward the moral management of organizational stakeholders. Business Horizons, 34(4), 39–48. https://doi.org/10.1016/0007-6813(91)90005-G

Carroll, A. B. (2004). Managing ethically with global stakeholders: A present and future challenge. Academy of Management Perspective, 18(2), 114–120. https://doi.org/10.5465/ame.2004.13836269

Carroll, A. B. (2008). A history of corporate social responsibility: Concepts and practices. In The Oxford handbook of corporate social responsibility (pp. 19–46). Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199211593.003.0002

Carroll, A. B. (2016). Carroll’s Pyramid of CSR: Taking another look. International Journal of Corporate Social Responsibility, 1(3), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40991-016-0004-6

Casado-Díaz, A. B., Nicolau-Gonzálbez, J. L., Ruiz-Moreno, F., & Sellers-Rubio, R. (2014). The differentiated effects of CSR actions in the service industry. Journal of Services Marketing, 28(7), 558–565. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-07-2013-0205

Chang, D. S., Chen, S. H., Hsu, C. W., & Hu, A. H. (2015). Identifying strategic factors of the implantation CSR in the airline industry: The case of Asia-Pacific airlines. Sustainability, 7(6), 7762–7783. https://doi.org/10.3390/su7067762

Chen, C. J., Guo, R. S., Hsiao, Y. C., & Chen, K. L. (2018). How business strategy in non-financial firms moderates the curvilinear effects of corporate social responsibility and irresponsibility on corporate financial performance. Journal of Business Research, 92, 154–167. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2018.07.030

Chen, J., Liu, J., & Qin, J. (2019). Corporate social responsibility and capacity selection. Transformations in Business & Economics, 18(3C(48C)), 530–545.

Cho, S. J., Song, H. J., Lee, C. K., & Lee, S. K. (2017). The impact of CSR on airline passengers’ corporate image, customer trust, and behavioral intentions: An empirical analysis of safety activity. Hotel Management Studies, 26(4), 87–106. https://doi.org/10.24992/KJHT.2017.06.26.04.87.

Coles, T., Fenclova, E., & Dinan, C. (2013). Tourism and corporate social responsibility: A critical review and research agenda. Tourism Management Perspectives, 6, 122–141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2013.02.001

Comrey, A. L., & Lee, H. B. (1992). A first course in factor analysis. London: Routledge.

Cretu, A. E., & Brodie, R. J. (2007). The influence of brand image and company reputation where manufacturers market to small firms: A customer value perspective. Industrial Marketing Management, 36(2), 230–240. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2005.08.013

Dawood, H. (2019). Influence of perceived corporate social responsibility on brand image, satisfaction and trust. Lahore Journal of Business, 7(2), 33–58. https://doi.org/10.35536/ljb.2019.v7.i2.a2

Demirel, A. (2020). CSR in sport sponsorship consumers’ perceptions of a sponsoring brand’s CSR. International Journal of Sports Marketing and Sponsorship, 21(2), 371–388. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSMS-09-2019-0108

Domi, S., Keco, R., Capelleras, J. L., & Mehmeti, G. (2019). Effects of innovativeness and innovation behavior on tourism SMEs performance: The case of Albania. Economics and Sociology, 12(3), 67–85. https://doi.org/10.14254/2071-789X.2019/12-3/5

Du, S., Bhattacharya, C. B., & Sen, S. (2010). Maximizing business returns to Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): The role of CSR communication. International Journal of Management Reviews, 12(1), 8–19. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1468-2370.2009.00276.x

Dyck, A., Lins, K. V., Roth, L., & Wagner, H. F. (2019). Do institutional investors drive Corporate Social Responsibility? International evidence. Journal of Financial Economics, 131(3), 693–714. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfineco.2018.08.013

Elkington, J. (1999). Cannibals with forks: The triple bottom line of 21st century business. John Wiley & Son Ltd.

Emory, C. W., & Cooper, D. R. (1991). Business research methods (4th ed.). Richard D Irwin.

Farid, T., Iqbal, S., Ma, J., Castro, G. S., Khattak, A., & Khan, M. K. (2019). Employees’ perceptions of CSR, work engagement, and organizational citizenship behavior: The mediating effects of organizational justice. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 16(10), 1731. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph16101731

Flammer, C., & Luo, J. (2017). Corporate social responsibility as an employee governance tool: Evidence from a quasi-experiment. Strategic Management Journal, 38(2), 163–183. https://doi.org/10.1002/smj.2492

Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Evaluating structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(1), 39–50. https://doi.org/10.2307/3151312

Galant, A., & Cadez, S. (2017). Corporate Social Responsibility and financial performance relationship: A review of measurement approaches. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja, 30(1), 676–693. https://doi.org/10.1080/1331677X.2017.1313122

Galbreath, J. (2010). How does corporate social responsibility benefit firms? Evidence from Australia. European Business Review, 22(4), 411–431. https://doi.org/10.1108/09555341011056186

Gardberg, N. A., Zyglidopoulos, S. C., Symeou, P. C., & Schepers, D. H. (2019). The impact of corporate philanthropy on reputation for corporate social performance. Business and Society, 58(6), 1177–1208. https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650317694856

Grönroos, C. (2007). Service management and marketing: Customer management in service competition (3rd ed.). John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Hair, Jr. J. F., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis (7th ed.). Prentice Hall.

Han, H., Yu, J., & Kim, W. (2019). Environmental corporate social responsibility and the strategy to boost the airline’s image and customer loyalty intentions. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing, 36(3), 371–383. https://doi.org/10.1080/10548408.2018.1557580

Hayes, A. F., & Rockwood, N. J. (2020). Conditional process analysis: Concepts, computation, and advances in modeling of the contingencies of mechanisms. American Behavioral Scientist, 64(1), 19–54. https://doi.org/10.1177/0002764219859633

Hoque, N., Rahman, A. R. A., Molla, R. I., Noman, A. H. M., & Bhuiyan, M. Z. H. (2018). Is corporate social responsibility pursuing pristine business goals for sustainable development? Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 25(6), 1130–1142. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1527

Huang, J. H., Lee, B. C. Y., & Ho, S. H. (2004). Consumer attitude toward grey market goods. International Marketing Review, 21(6), 598–614. https://doi.org/10.1108/02651330410568033

Hussain, S., & Ahmed, R. R. (2020). Smartphone buying behaviors in a framework of brand experience and brand equity. Transformations in Business & Economics, 19(2), 220–242.

Hwang, J., & Lyu, S. O. (2018). Understanding first-class passengers’ luxury value perceptions in the US airline industry. Tourism Management Perspectives, 28, 29–40. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tmp.2018.07.001

Jeon, M. A., & An, D. (2019). A study on the relationship between perceived CSR motives, authenticity and company attitudes: A comparative analysis of cause promotion and cause-related marketing. Asian Journal of Sustainability and Social Responsibility, 4(1), 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41180-019-0028-4

Kaiser, H. F. (1974). An index of factorial simplicity. Psychometrika, 39(1), 31–36. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02291575

Kang, E. Y., & Atkinson, L. (2019). Effects of message objectivity and focus on green CSR communication: The strategy development for a hotel’s green CSR message. Journal of Marketing Communications, 27(3), 229–249. https://doi.org/10.1080/13527266.2019.1640270

Kayaman, R., & Arasli, H. (2007). Customer based equity: Evidence from the hotel industry. Managing Service Quality, 17(1), 92–109. https://doi.org/10.1108/09604520710720692

Keller, K. L. (1993), Conceptualizing, measuring and managing customer-based brand equity. Journal of Marketing, 57(1), 1–22. https://doi.org/10.1177/002224299305700101

Kitchin, T. (2003). Corporate responsibility: A brand extension. Journal of Brand Management, 10(4–5), 312–326. https://doi.org/10.1057/palgrave.bm.2540127

Kuo, T. C., Kremer, G. E. O., Phuong, N. T., & Hsu, C. W. (2016). Motivations and barriers for corporate social responsibility reporting: Evidence from the Airline Industry. Journal of Air Transport Management, 57, 184–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jairtraman.2016.08.003

Lai, C. S., Chiu, C. J., Yang, C. F., & Pai, D. C. (2010). The effects of corporate social responsibility on brand performance: The mediating effect of industrial brand equity and corporate reputation. Journal of Business Ethics, 95(3), 457–469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-010-0433-1

Lee, Y. C. (2020). Communicating sustainable development: Effects of stakeholder-centric perceived sustainability. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(4), 1540–1551. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1900

Lewis, S. (2003). Reputation and corporate responsibility. Journal of Communication Management, 7(4), 356–364. https://doi.org/10.1108/13632540310807494

Lho, H., Park, J., & Yu, J. (2019). The effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on brand image, brand prestige, and behavioral intention. International Journal of Tourism and Hospitality Research, 33(4), 63–74. https://doi.org/10.21298/ijthr.2019.4.33.4.63

Li, Z., Liao, G., & Albitar, K. (2020). Does corporate environmental responsibility engagement affect firm value? The mediating role of corporate innovation. Business Strategy and the Environment, 29(3), 1045–1055. https://doi.org/10.1002/bse.2416

Longo, M., Mura, M., & Bonoli, A. (2005). Corporate social responsibility and corporate performance: The case of Italian SMEs. Corporate Governance International Journal of Business in Society, 5(4), 28–42. https://doi.org/10.1108/14720700510616578

Lu, J., Ren, L., Qiao, J., Lin, W., & He, Y. (2019). Female executives and corporate social responsibility performance: A dual perspective of differences in institutional environment and heterogeneity of foreign experience. Transformations in Business & Economics, 18(2) (47), 174–196.

Lu, J., Ren, L., Zhang, C., Rong, D., Ahmed, R. R., & Streimikis, J. (2020a). Modified Carroll’s Pyramid of corporate social responsibility to enhance organizational performance of SMEs industry. Journal of Cleaner Production, 271, 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122456

Lu, J., Ren, L., Zhang, C., Wang, C., Ahmed, R. R., & Streimikis, J. (2020b). Corporate social responsibility and employees’ behavior: Evidence from mediation and moderation analysis. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 27(4), 1719–1728. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1919

MacCallum, R. C., Widaman, K., Zhang, S., & Hong, S. (1999). Sample size in factor analysis. Psychological Methods, 4(1), 84–99. https://doi.org/10.1037/1082-989X.4.1.84

Maignan, I., Ferrell, O. C., & Ferrell, L. (2005). A stakeholder model for implementing social responsibility in marketing. European Journal of Marketing, 39(9), 956–977. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560510610662

Malik, E. M., Naeem, B., & Nasir, A. M. (2011). Impact of service quality on brand image: Empirical evidence from hotel industry. Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, 2(8), 600–636.

Marín, L., Ruiz, S., & Rubio, A. (2009). The role of identity salience in the effects of corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior. Journal of Business Ethics, 84(1), 65–78. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-008-9673-8

Martínez, P., Pérez, A., & del Bosque, I. R. (2014). CSR influence on hotel brand image and loyalty.
Academia Revista Latinoamericana de Administración, 27(2), 267–283. https://doi.org/10.1108/ARLA-12-2013-0190

Melewar, T. C., & Karaosmanoglu, E. (2006). Seven dimensions of corporate identity: A categorisation from the practitioners’ perspectives. European Journal of Marketing, 40(7/8), 846–869. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090560610670025

Moliner, M. A., Tirado, D. M., & Estrada-Guillén, M. (2019). CSR marketing outcomes and branch managers’ perceptions of CSR. International Journal of Bank Marketing, 38(1), 63–85. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJBM-11-2018-0307

Nan, X., & Kwangjun, H. (2007). Consumer responses to corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives: Examining the role of brand-cause fit in cause related marketing. Journal of Advertising, 36(2), 63–74. https://doi.org/10.2753/JOA0091-3367360204

Ottman, A. J. (2011). The new rules of green marketing: Strategies, tools and inspiration for sustainable branding. Berrett-Koehler Publisher, Inc.

Park, E. (2019). Corporate social responsibility as a determinant of corporate reputation in the airline industry. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 47, 215–221. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jretconser.2018.11.013

Rahman, M., Rodríguez-Serrano, M. A., & Lambkin, M. (2019). Brand equity and firm performance: The complementary role of corporate social responsibility. Journal of Brand Management, 26(6), 691–704. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41262-019-00155-9

Richard, J. E., & Zhang, A. (2012). Corporate image, loyalty, and commitment in the consumer travel industry. Journal of Marketing Management, 28(5–6), 568–593. https://doi.org/10.1080/0267257X.2010.549195

Saunders, M. N. K., Lewis, P., & Thornhill, A. (2009). Research methods for business students (5th ed.). FT Prentice Hall.

Singh, J., & Saini, S. (2016). Managing consumer loyalty through acquisition, retention and experience efforts: An empirical study on service consumers in India. Vision: The Journal of Business Perspective, 20(2), 121–134. https://doi.org/10.1177/0972262916637264

Slapper, F. T., & Hall, J. T. (2011). The triple bottom line: What is it and how does it work? Indiana Business Review, 86(1), 4–8.

Sobel, M. E. (1986). Some new results on indirect effects and their standard errors in covariance structure models. Sociological Methodology, 16, 159–186. https://doi.org/10.2307/270922

Suki, N. M., & Suki, N. M. (2019). Correlations between awareness of green marketing, corporate social responsibility, product image, corporate reputation, and consumer purchase intention. In Management Association, I. (Ed.), Corporate social responsibility: Concepts, methodologies, tools, and applications (pp. 143–154). IGI Global. https://doi.org/10.4018/978-1-5225-6192-7.ch008

Tang, W. W. (2007). Impact of corporate image and corporate reputation on customer loyalty: A review. Management Science and Engineering, 1(2), 57–62.

Werther, W. B. Jr., & Chandler, D. (2005). Strategic corporate social responsibility as global brand insurance. Business Horizons, 48(4), 317–324. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bushor.2004.11.009

Windsor, D. (2001). The future of corporate social responsibility. The International Journal of Organizational Analysis, 9(3), 225–256. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb028934

Wu, S. I., & Wang, W. H. (2014). Impact of CSR perception on brand image, brand attitude and buying willingness: A study of a global café. International Journal of Marketing Studies, 6(6), 43–56. https://doi.org/10.5539/ijms.v6n6p43

Xuan, L. T. T., & Teal, G. (2011). A development in defining Corporate Social Responsibility. Journal of Science and Technology Development, 14(2), 106–115. https://doi.org/10.32508/stdj.v14i2.1935

Yang, J., & Basile, K. (2019). The impact of corporate social responsibility on brand equity. Marketing Intelligence & Planning, 37(1), 2–17. https://doi.org/10.1108/MIP-02-2018-0051

Zulfiqar, S., Sadaf, R., Popp, J., Vveinhardt, J., & Máté, D. (2019). An examination of corporate social responsibility and employee behavior: The case of Pakistan. Sustainability, 11(13), 3515. https://doi.org/10.3390/su11133515