Skip to main content
Log in

Consumers’ Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility: Scale Development and Validation

  • Published:
Journal of Business Ethics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Researchers and companies are paying increasing attention to corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs and the reaction to them by consumers. Despite such corporate efforts and an expanding literature exploring consumers’ response to CSR, it remains unclear how consumers perceive CSR and which “Gestalt” consumers have in mind when considering CSR. Academics and managers lack a tool for measuring consumers’ perceptions of CSR (CPCSR). This research explores CPCSR and develops a measurement model. Based on qualitative data from interviews with managers and consumers, the authors develop a conceptualization of CPCSR. Subsequently, model testing and validating occurs on three large quantitative data sets. The conceptualization and the measurement scale can assist companies to assess CPCSR relative to their performance. They also enable managers in identifying shortcomings in CSR engagement and/or communication. Finally, the paper discusses implications for marketing practice and future research.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

References

  • Anderson, J. C., & Gerbing, D. W. (1988). Structural equations modeling in practice: A review and recommended two-step approach. Psychological Bulletin, 103(3), 411–423.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ashforth, B. E., & Mael, F. (1989). Social identity theory and the organization. Academy of Management Review, 14(1), 20–39.

    Google Scholar 

  • Aupperle, K. E. (1984). An empirical measure of corporate social orientation. In L. E. Preston (Ed.), Research in corporate social performance and policy (pp. 27–54). Greenwich: JAI.

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker-Olsen, K. L., Cudmore, B. A., & Hill, R. P. (2006). The impact of perceived corporate social responsibility on consumer behavior. Journal of Business Research, 59(1), 46–53.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Berens, G., van Riel, C. B. M., & van Bruggen, G. H. (2005). Corporate associations and consumer product responses: The moderating role of corporate brand dominance. Journal of Marketing, 69(3), 18–35.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bergami, M., & Bagozzi, R. P. (2000). Self categorization, affective commitment, and group self-esteem as distinct aspects of social identity in the organization. British Journal of Social Psychology, 39(4), 555–577.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bhattacharya, C. B., Sen, S., & Korschun, D. (2008). Using corporate social responsibility to win the war for talent. MIT Sloan Management Review, 49(2), 37–44.

    Google Scholar 

  • Biehal, G. J., & Sheinin, D. A. (2007). The influence of corporate messages on the product portfolio. Journal of Marketing, 71(2), 12–25.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, T. J., & Dacin, P. A. (1997). The company and the product: Corporate associations and consumer product responses. Journal of Marketing, 61(1), 68–84.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunk, K. H. (2010a). Exploring origins of ethical company/brand perceptions—a consumer perspective of corporate ethics. Journal of Business Research, 63(3), 255–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brunk, K. H. (2010b). Reputation building: beyond our control? Inferences in consumers’ ethical perception formation. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 9(4), 275–292.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Campbell, J. L. (2007), Why would corporations behave in socially responsible ways? An institutional theory of corporate social responsibility. Academy of Management Review, 32(3), 946–967.

    Google Scholar 

  • Churchill, G. A., Jr. (1979). A paradigm for developing better measures of marketing constructs. Journal of Marketing Research, 16(1), 64–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Coyle, J. R., & Thorson, E. (2001). The effects of progressive levels of interactivity and vividness in web marketing sites. Journal of Advertising, 30(3), 65–77.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dahlsrud, A. (2008). How corporate social responsibility is defined: An analysis of 37 definitions. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 15(1), 1–13.

    Google Scholar 

  • d’Astous, A., & Legendre, A. (2009). Understanding consumers’ ethical justifications: A scale for appraising consumers’ reasons for not behaving ethically. Journal of Business Ethics, 87, 255–268.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • De Garcia Los Salones, M. M., Herrero, A., & del Rodriguez Bosque, I. (2008). Influence of corporate social responsibility on loyalty and valuation of services. Journal of Business Ethics, 61(4), 369–385.

  • DeVellis, R. F. (1991). Scale development—theory and applications. Newbury Park: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Eckhardt, G. M., Belk, R., & Devinney, T. M. (2010). Why don’t consumers consume ethically? Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 9, 426–436.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ellen, P. S., Webb, D. J., & Mohr, L. A. (2006). Building corporate associations: Consumer attributions for corporate socially responsible programs. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 34(2), 147–157.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • European Commission. (2001). Promoting a European framework for corporate social responsibility.

  • Fan, X., Thompson, B., & Wang, L. (1999). Effects of sample size, estimation methods, and model specification on structural equations modeling fit indexes. Structural Equation Modeling, 16(1), 56–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fornell, C., & Larcker, D. F. (1981). Structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error: Algebra and statistics. Journal of Marketing Research, 18(3), 382–388.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Freeman, R. E., Harrison, J. S., Wicks, A. C., Parmar, B. L., & De Colle, S. (2010). Stakeholder theory—the state of the art. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Goldsmith, R. E., Lafferty, B. A., & Newell, S. J. (2000). The impact of corporate credibility and celebrity credibility on consumer reaction to advertisements and brands. Journal of Advertising, 29(3), 43–54.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greening, D. W., & Turban, D. (2000). Corporate social performance as a competitive advantage in attracting a quality workforce. Business & Society, 39(3), 254–280.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hair, J. F., Jr., Black, W. C., Babin, B. J., & Anderson, R. E. (2010). Multivariate data analysis. Upper Saddle River, NJ: Prentice Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Holsti, O. R. (1969). Content analysis for the social sciences and humanities. Reading, MA: Addison-Wesley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jarvis, C. B., Mackenzie, S. B., Podsakoff, P. M., Mick, D. G., & Bearden, W. O. (2003). A critical review of construct indicators and measurement model misspecification in marketing and consumer research. Journal of Consumer Research, 30(2), 199–218.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lichtenstein, D. R., Drumwright, M. E., & Braig, B. M. (2004). The effect of corporate social responsibility on customer donations to corporate-supported nonprofits. Journal of Marketing, 68(4), 16–32.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • MacKenzie, S. B., Podsakoff, P. M., & Jarvis, C. B. (2005). The problem of measurement model misspecification in behavioral and organizational research and some recommended solutions. Journal of Applied Psychology, 90(4), 710–730.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magnusson, P., Westjohn, S. A., & Zdravkovic, S. (2011). “What? I thought Samsung was Japanese”: Accurate or not, perceived country of origin matters. International Marketing Review, 28(5), 454–472.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Maignan, I. (2001). Consumers' perceptions of corporate social responsibilities: A cross cultural comparison. Journal of Business Ethics, 30(1), 57–72.

    Google Scholar 

  • Maignan, I., & Ferrell, O. C. (2000). Measuring corporate citizenship in two countries: The case of the United States and France. Journal of Business Ethics, 23(3), 283–297.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marin, L., & Ruiz, S. (2007). “I need you too!” Corporate identity attractiveness for consumers and the role of social responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics, 71(3), 245–260.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marin, 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.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Marley, A. A. J., & Louviere, J. J. (2005). Some probabilistic models of best, worst, and best–worst choices. Journal of Mathematical Psychology, 49(6), 464–480.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Matten, D., & Moon, J. (2008). 'Implicit' and 'Explicit' CSR: A conceptual framework for a comparative understanding of corporate social responsibility. Academy of Management Review, 33(2), 404–424.

    Google Scholar 

  • McCracken, G. (1988). The long interview. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Megicks, P., Memery, J., & Williams, J. (2008). Influences on ethical and socially responsible shopping: Evidence from the UK grocery sector. Journal of Marketing Management, 24(5/6), 637–659.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohr, L. A., & Webb, D. J. (2005). The effects of corporate social responsibility and price on consumer responses. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 39(1), 121–147.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mohr, L. A., Webb, D. J., & Harris, K. E. (2001). Do consumers expect companies to be socially responsible? The impact of corporate social responsibility on buying behavior. Journal of Consumer Affairs, 35(1), 45.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muncy, J. A., & Vitell, S. J. (1992). Consumer ethics: An investigation of the ethical beliefs of the final consumer. Journal of Business Research, 24(4), 297–311.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Netemeyer, R. G., Bearden, W. O., & Sharma, S. (2003). Scaling procedures—issues and applications. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nielsen Company. (2008). Corporate ethics and fair trading: A Nielsen Global consumer report. New York: The Nielsen Company.

    Google Scholar 

  • Öberseder, M., Schlegelmilch, B. B., & Gruber, V. (2011). ’Why don’t consumers care about CSR?’: A qualitative study exploring the role of CSR in consumption decisions. Journal of Business Ethics, 104(4), 449–460.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Öberseder, M., Schlegelmilch, B. B., & Murphy, P. E. (2013). CSR practices and consumer perceptions. Journal of Business Research.

  • Peloza, J., Loock, M., Cerruti, J., & Muyot, M. (2012). Sustainability: How Stakeholer perceptions differ from corporate reality. California Management Review, 55(1), 74–97.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Peloza, J., & Papania, L. (2008). The missing link between corporate social responsibility and financial performance: Stakeholder salience and identification. Corporate Reputation Review, 11(2), 169–181.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Phole, G., & Hittner, J. (2008). Attaining sustainability growth through corporate social responsibility. In: IBM Global Services.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ping, R. A., Jr. (2004). On assuring valid measures for theoretical models using survey data. Journal of Business Research, 57(2), 125.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pomering, A., & Dolnicar, S. (2009). Assessing the prerequisite of successful CSR implementation: Are consumers aware of CSR initiatives? Journal of Business Ethics, 85(2), 285–301.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Putrevu, S., & Lord, K. R. (1994). Comparative and noncomparative advertising: Attitudinal effects under cognitive and affective involvement conditions. Journal of Advertising, 23(2), 77–91.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Quazi, A. M., & O’Brien, D. (2000). An empirical test of a cross-national model of corporate social responsibility. Journal of Business Ethics, 25(1), 33–51.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sen, S., & Bhattacharya, C. B. (2001). Does doing good always lead to doing better? Consumer reactions to corporate social responsibility. Journal of Marketing Research, 38(2), 225–243.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh, J., del Mar Garcia de los Salmones Sanchez, M., & Rodriguez del Bosque, I. (2008). Understanding corporate social responsibility and product perceptions in consumer markets: A cross-cultural evaluation. Journal of Business Ethics, 80(3), 597–611.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Soriano, M. Y., & Foxall, G. R. (2002). A Spanish translation of Mehrabian and Russell’s emotionality scales for environmental consumer psychology. Journal of Consumer Behaviour, 2(1), 23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Spiggle, S. (1994). Analysis and interpretation of qualitative data in consumer research. Journal of Consumer Research, 21(3), 491–503.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Stone, G., Barnes, J. H., & Montgomery, C. (1995). ECOSCALE: A scale for the measurement of environmentally responsible consumers. Psychology & Marketing, 12(7), 595–612.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, A. L., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tajfel, H., & Turner, J. C. (1985). The social identity theory of intergroup behaviour. In S. Worchel & W. G. Austin (Eds.), Psychology of intergroup relations (pp. 6–24). Chicago: Nelson-Hall.

    Google Scholar 

  • Turker, D. (2009). Measuring corporate social responsibility: A scale development study. Journal of Business Ethics, 85(4), 411–427.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vitell, S. J., & Muncy, J. (2005). The Muncy-Vitell consumer ethics scale: A modification and application. Journal of Business Ethics, 62(3), 267–275.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Vlachos, P. A., Tsamakos, A., Vrechopoulos, A. P., & Avramidis, P. K. (2009). Corporate social responsibility: Attributions, loyalty, and the mediating role of trust. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 37(2), 170–180.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wagner, T., Bicen, P., & Hall, Z. R. (2008). The dark side of retailing: Towards a scale of corporate social irresponsibility. International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management, 36(2), 124–142.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Webb, D. J., Mohr, L. A., & Harris, K. E. (2008). A re-examination of socially responsible consumption and its measurement. Journal of Business Research, 61(2), 91–98.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

Thanks to Victoria Crittenden, Tim Gilbride, Thomas Salzberger and an anonymous JBE reviewer for their very valuable feedback on an earlier version of this manuscript.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Patrick E. Murphy.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Öberseder, M., Schlegelmilch, B.B., Murphy, P.E. et al. Consumers’ Perceptions of Corporate Social Responsibility: Scale Development and Validation. J Bus Ethics 124, 101–115 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1787-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-013-1787-y

Keywords

Navigation