دانلود رایگان مقاله انگلیسی بررسی پاسخ مصرف کننده به مسئولیت اجتماعی شرکت ها در مورد چاقی کودکان - الزویر 2018

ABSTRACT

Food marketers have responded with numerous self-regulatory actions intended to address childhood obesity. While research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) generally provides strong evidence with regard to the economic benefits enjoyed by socially responsible corporations, it is unclear how and why consumers respond to different levels of CSR, especially in the food industry. Our research examines the effects of CSR activities, intended to combat childhood obesity, on consumers' company evaluations and subsequent purchase intentions, while assessing the mediating role of attributions, in a product-failure setting. Results indicate that a food company's high commitment toward a major social issue may trigger less blame to the food marketer for a product failure, which in turn positively affects consumers' attitudes toward the company. Our findings offer strong evidence that food corporations can truly do well by doing good.

Discussion and implications

Theoretical implications

This research attests to the positive effects of CSR on company evaluations and subsequent purchase intentions via a key mediator of attributions of responsibility. Our findings reveal that consumers' selfserving bias was moderated in a product-failure setting, when the food marketer was perceived as being highly committed to tackle a major social issue such as childhood obesity. It is further important to mention that these perceived CSR initiatives triggered more favorable company evaluations and subsequent purchase intentions. As shown in our studies, when consumers read about a firm's plans to eliminate toy premiums with less healthy kids' meals, in addition to promoting healthier food products, their attributions of blame to the company in a productfailure setting, were likely reduced. As a result, they evaluated the firm in a more favorable manner and expressed higher levels of purchase intentions, as opposed to those participants who read about a company's plans to simply promote healthier kids' meals. In an online advertising context, our findings suggest a similar path; a corporation that demonstrates responsible behavior by radically changing its promotional strategies, enjoys more favorable consumer cognitive, attitudinal, and behavioral responses.