Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Social marketing. Social responsibility of business'

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs are becoming increasingly diversified and sophisticated. Despite the wide use and rapid evolution of CSR practices, existing marketing research, which examines across CSR strategies, and the many shades of CSR, is scant (Peloza and Shang 2011). The goal of this dissertation is, therefore, to understand whether various strategic orientations of CSR can potentially translate into differential consumer responses. Two inter-related studies were conducted to fulfill this research goal. Study 1 aims to provide preliminary evidence in bridging the different CSR forms (Philanthropic, Promotional, and Shared-value) with individuals' corporate brand evaluations, as well as their construed CSR motives. Study 2 seeks to uncover the consumer pathways for realizing the differential effects of the diverse CSR forms from the consumer persuasion perspective. Taken together, the findings of these two studies demonstrate that consumers reward companies embracing Shared-value CSR, as opposed to Philanthropic and Promotional CSR, in two ways: 1) enhanced image-related responses (i.e., CSR image and trustworthiness); 2) enhanced competence-related judgment (i.e., perceived corporate ability), as well as product-related expertise and innovation capacity. This research identifies the boundary conditions of the above effects by introducing the moderating role of "corporate competence", and further sheds light on consumers' psychological processes that underlie their judgment.
Les programmes de responsabilité sociétale institutionnelle (RSE) se retrouvent de plus en plus diversifiés et sophistiques. Malgré l'usage rependu et l'évolution rapide de ces pratiques, peu de recherches marketing visent à examiner les nombreuses nuances de diverses stratégies de responsabilité sociale institutionnelle (Peloza and Shang 2010). Par conséquent, le but de cette thèse est de comprendre comment les diverses orientations stratégiques de responsabilité sociale institutionnelle peuvent donner naissance à des réponses différentes de la part du consommateur. Deux études inter-reliées ont été menées pour parvenir à ce but. L'étude 1 vise à démontrer de façon préliminaire comment les différentes formes de responsabilité sociale institutionnelle (Philanthropique, Promotionnelle et Création de Valeur) sont corrélées avec des évaluations individuelles distinctes de marques institutionnelles qui ont à la base des motivations de responsabilité sociale institutionnelle différentes.L'étude 2 démontre le processus utilisé par les consommateurs pour classifier les divers effets des différentes formes de responsabilité sociale institutionnelle rencontrées. Ensembles, nos études démontrent que lorsque la forme de responsabilité sociale institutionnelle Création de Valeur est perçue comme étant supérieure à celle Philanthropique ou Promotionnelle, les consommateurs attribuent aux institutions misant sur la première forme de responsabilité sociale: 1) une meilleure image (ex : meilleure image et crédibilité de responsabilité sociale institutionnelle); 2) de meilleurs jugements de compétences (ex : meilleure habilité institutionnelle perçue) ainsi qu'une meilleure expertise des produits et une capacité supérieure d'innover. Cette recherche illustre les conditions-limites des effets démontrés ci-dessus en identifiant le rôle modérateur des « compétences institutionnelles » et, par conséquent, contribue à clarifier davantage les processus psychologiques des consommateurs en ce qui a trait aux diverses formes de responsabilité sociale institutionnelles.

Thesis (Ph.D.)--Michigan State University. Communication Arts and Sciences - Mass Media, 2008.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Mar. 30, 2009]) Includes bibliographical references (p. 130-141). Also issued in print.

Due to the growing importance of social responsibility in business processes, various topics of corporate social responsibility are being versatile and exhaustively examined and discussed in the scientific literature, but still there is a lack of research and discussions on implementation, consolidation and development measures of corporate social responsibility, in particular the employees of organization as a key one. Considering the relevance of the consolidation and development of corporate social responsibility and basing on the analysis of concepts of social responsibility and theories of its consolidation measures as well as analysis of employees’ evaluations, in the dissertation the implementation state of corporate social responsibility in Lithuania is revealed and, by comparing it with the state of play in Belarus, new opportunities for the consolidation of corporate social responsibility are disclosed. Additionally, during the search of new consolidation measures of corporate social responsibility, differences of business and public sector social responsibility are presented, at the same time appraising the role of the public sector in consolidation and development processes of corporate social responsibility, and the issues of evaluation of organization’s assumed level of social responsibility and of impact of socially responsible behaviour on organization itself and its interests groups are analyzed. As well the dissertation delivers the disclosure of potential... [to full text]
Nors didėjant socialinės atsakomybės svarbai verslo procesuose verslo socialinės atsakomybės tematika mokslinėje literatūroje įvairiapusiai ir išsamiai tiriama ir aptariama, tačiau pasigendama tyrimų ir diskusijų apie verslo socialinės atsakomybės įgyvendinimo, įtvirtinimo ir plėtros priemones, o ypač apie organizacijų darbuotojus, kaip pagrindinį verslo socialinės atsakomybės įgyvendinimo ir įtvirtinimo įrankį. Atsižvelgiant į verslo socialinės atsakomybės įtvirtinimo ir plėtros klausimų aktualumą, disertacijoje, remiantis socialinės atsakomybės koncepcijų ir įtvirtinimo priemonių teorijų bei darbuotojų vertinimų analizėmis, atskleidžiama verslo socialinės atsakomybės įgyvendinimo būklė Lietuvoje ir, lyginant su jos būkle Baltarusijoje, nustatomos socialinės atsakomybės įtvirtinimo verslo organizacijose galimybės. Be to, naujų verslo socialinės atsakomybės įtvirtinimo priemonių paieškos metu, išsamiai aptariami verslo ir viešojo sektoriaus socialinės atsakomybės skirtumai, įvertinant viešojo sektoriaus vaidmenį verslo socialinės atsakomybės įtvirtinime ir plėtroje, ir analizuojama organizacijos prisiimto socialinės atsakomybės lygio ir socialiai atsakingos elgsenos poveikio pačiai organizacijai ir jos interesų grupėms vertinimo problematika. Taip pat disertacijoje atskleidžiamas darbuotojų savybių įtakos verslo socialinės atsakomybės įtvirtinimui potencialas, pasiūlant pilotinį darbuotojų savybių įtakos socialinės atsakomybės įtvirtinimui verslo organizacijoje modelį. Due... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]

This study offers insight into international audience reception of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communication. Swedish companies are currently reaching international audiences through a variety of social media channels and this study analyzes how audiences in Sweden and the U.S. respond to specific messages.   Qualitative interviews with professionals offer background information on how CSR is currently communicated while audience responses to CSR communication are gathered through a web-based survey and focus groups consisting of American and Swedish citizens.   Results indicate that the two countries have more similarities than differences. Americans have a slightly more positive outlook on the communication and they are more likely to look up information about CSR initiatives after hearing a corporate message. This might indicate a more profound interest. Cultural and social differences are given as a possible explanation for the key differences.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--Michigan State University. Dept. of Marketing and Supply Chain Management, 2007.
Title from PDF t.p. (viewed on Apr. 21, 2009) Includes bibliographical references (p. 163-184). Also issued in print.

Sammanfattning  ”Corporate Social Responsibility – En kvalitativ studie kring hur lönsamhet påverkas av ett företags samhällsansvar.” Datum: 31 maj, 2013 Nivå: Kandidatuppsats i företagsekonomi, 15hp Institution: Akademin för ekonomi, samhälle och teknik, EST, Mälardalens Högskola Författare: Philip dos Santos Jadidi, Winny Giang & Bljerim Sokoli. Titel: Corporate Social Responsibility – En kvalitativ studie kring hur lönsamhet påverkas av ett företags samhällsansvar. Handledare: Jimmie Röndell Nyckelord: CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility), Bostad AB Mimer, Relationer, Marknadsföring. Frågeställning: På vilket sätt är CSR lönsamt för Bostad AB Mimer? Syfte: Syftet är utvärdera hur Bostad AB Mimer arbetar med CSR inom olika verksamhetsområden för att uppnå sina kärnvärden (omtanke, nytänkande och engagemang). Metod: En kvalitativ studie baserad sju genomförda intervjuer med Bostad AB Mimers anställda och andra intressenter. Intervjuerna operationaliserades med de teorier som inhämtats från bland annat Google Scholar och LUB search, för att införskaffa god empirisk data för vidare analys och slutsats. Slutsats: De slutsatser som framkommit är att Bostad AB Mimer aktivt arbetar med CSR som genomsyrar hela deras verksamhet med medarbetare som brinner för deras arbete. Företaget tar samhällsansvar genom sina verksamhetsområden som bland annat Jobbpunkt Väst, Gröna Mimer och GrannNet. Bostad AB Mimer arbetar mycket med sociala, miljö och hållbarhetsfrågor samt olika ansvarstagande för att framstå som goda samhällsmedborgare. Deras kärnvärden (ONE) ska finnas i medarbetarnas medvetande när de utför sitt arbete. De olika kärnvärden som är implementerade i Bostad AB Mimers CSR-arbeten bidrar till ökad lönsamhet på längre sikt för företaget.

Master Thesis in Marketing,SchoolofBusinessandEconomicsat Linnaeus University, spring 2012 Authors: Sophie Lindgren and Amanda Tuvhag Title: Corporate Social Responsibility – A successful business strategy or just a trend? Purpose: First of all, this thesis wants to describe managers’ expectations regarding customers’ perception about their retail stores CSR initiatives and furthermore their implemented CSR initiatives. Secondly, to describe customer awareness and engagement towards retail stores CSR initiatives. Finally, to compare the results from retail store and customers, in purpose to identify possible gaps between these two. Research questions:RQ1: What expectations regarding customers’ perception of retail stores CSR initiatives do manager of such stores have and how do they perform CSR activities? RQ2:    How aware are customer regarding retail stores CSR initiative and what level of engagement do customer have concerning retail stores CSR activities? Method:    The empirical material is based on both a quantitative and a qualitative investigation. The quantitative investigation is the main study and contains of a customer survey whereby the collected sample consist of 150 respondents. A pilot study have been conducted in order to improve the intension of the survey. Further, the qualitative investigation contains five in-depth semi-strucutred interviews with local store managers of the selected retail stores. Conclusion: Customer thinks retail stores CSR initiatives are important, but they seldom support them. Retail store expect customers to value CSR products/action low in relation to other factors, but retail store are engaging themselves in several CSR actions. Keywords:    Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), marketing strategy, business ethics, sustainability, reputation, food industry, retailers, gap-model, perception, customer, retail store industry, expectation, environmentally certified, ecological products, fair trade.

Thesis submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Public Relations Management in the Faculty of Informatics and design at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology 2014
This study examined KAPPAHL and IKEA’s Corporate Social Responsibility activities and the effect it has on building consumer brand loyalty. The conceptual framework of the study is built on two theories, stakeholder theory and triple bottom line theory, which are relevant to the objectives of this study. The methodology of the present study is qualitative approach, undertaken for the study through analysis of the CSR activities practiced in the two selected organisations. The CSR objectives, plan, implementation strategies and role of various stakeholders have been analysed. The research concludes that there are several factors that help create brand value and consumer brand loyalty and CSR can be one of those factors. The main role of CSR in the process of branding is to assist the brand to “keep its promise” to the consumers. One way to achieve this is through clear and consistent CSR communication. The research suggests that a key point in an organisation’s CSR communication strategy is to always take action before communicating. By offering total transparency with the organisation’s CSR work and efficiently conveying its possible impact, CSR can serve as an effective tool in educating and engaging the consumer about the brand. In a more emotional and personal economy, CSR helps to create a more genuine and deeper relationship with consumers wherein bold and unrealistic advertising campaigns without any social commitment may fail to attract consumers. While advertising mostly seeks to assert what a brand wishes to be, this study implies that CSR takes the proposition of what the brand actually has done and what it has achieved. In a period when organisations seek to build relationships between the consumer and the brand, a value based and honest approach towards CSR helps in creating a more genuine and loyal relationship which certainly enhances the value of the brand

The majority of the companies are working with CSR. Only  50% of the companies are marketing their CSR-activities. They rarely plan it strategically. Still the majority of the companies find CSR profitable.
Majoriteten av de små företagen arbetar med CSR. Bara hälften av företagen marknadsför arbetet. Att planera CSR-arbetet strategiskt är ovanligt men majoriteten av småföretagen anser CSR-arbetet som ekonomiskt lönsamt.

Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2003.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The main problem area this dissertation studied is whether there is a place for the social audit in corporate governance, or if it is only used as a marketing tool by organisations to positively influence public opinion in this era where public opinion heavily influences an organisation's bottom line profits. The King II report proposes that all JSE listed companies include nonfinancial issues in their statutory reports. Many companies do not use the process of social responsibility reporting merely to give back what they had previously taken from society, or to ensure their continued existence in the years to come (sustainability) as part of good corporate governance, they use this as a tool to manage their reputation - a marketing ploy. The real issue where the big question lies is: does CSR contribute to good corporate governance and therefore add value, or is it used as a risk management (reputation) tool by most companies? The social report of British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) was chosen as a case study to investigate this hypothesis. The King II report brings corporate governance into the sphere of the social audit report - in that companies must render an account! report if they are accountable to their stakeholders. In terms of good corporate governance, stakeholders need to be taken into account and a social audit needs to be done to report to them on it. A new governance theory has therefore developed with the central concept being that of sustainability (the triple bottom line): financial, envirorunental and social survival of a company and the reporting thereon. The umbrella term is corporate governance and everything that goes with it: CSR, stakeholder inclusivity and the social audit. In all of these, stakeholding (or stakeholder theory) is the central concept - to create value. The social audit is a tool or process of good corporate governance that uses a stakeholder approach to gain information that is later used and embedded in company principles and processes. An internal audit will provide assurance to the organisation as to the quality of its social and ethical accounting/auditing and reporting process, as well as to the organisation's social and ethical performance. It also provides the necessary support to the process of external audit. The external audit process and report provide assurance to the organisation and its stakeholders of the quality of the social and ethical accounting/auditing and reporting process and build credibility in the reporting of the organisation's social and ethical performance. This credibility is needed as a basis of effective engagement with the organisation's stakeholders, and of a common understanding of the organisation's performance. It must establish methods for producing knowledge with application to corporate governance and strategizing. This dissertation comes to the conclusion that the social audit is not a new fonn of marketing; there is a direct link between good corporate governance and the reporting thereon. Although there is always the possibility that there might be a little bit of PR involved in the publishing of a social audit, the process is not only very expensive, but the buy-in from the company as a whole is needed. It does impact on the reputation of a company and on the corporate affairs and governance thereof. So, if a company continues with this exercise, with the sole intention to use it as reputation marketing, should this becomes known the effect might be disastrous. The other side of the argument is that for a company to manage its reputation is definitely part of risk management. Risk management can be seen as the flipside of the coin to perfonnance management - the effect should be the same. How performance is managed is often similar to the way in which risk is managed. It is therefore not true that the social audit is "wellpublicised window-dressing" (Henderson, 2001: 5). On the contrary the social audit is essential to good corporate governance; it is up to the leadership of a company to use it as such.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die kern probleemgebied wat in die verhandeling bestudeer is, is of daar plek is vir die maatskaplike audit in korporatiewe bestuur, en of organisasies dit net gebruik as 'n bemarkingstrategie om die openbare mening positief te beinvloed in die era waar die openbare mening 'n groot invloed het op 'n organisasie se wins. Die King II-verslag stel voor dat alIe JSE-gelyste maatskappye nie-finansiele kwessies by huI statutere verslae insluit. Talle maatskappye gebruik nie die proses van maatskaplike verantwoordelikheid net om terug te gee wat hulle voorheen uit die samelewing geneem het nie, of om as deel van goeie korporatiewe bestuur hul voortgesette bestaan in die komende jare (volhoubaarheid) te verseker nie. Hulle gebruik dit as 'n manier om hul reputasie te bestuur - 'n bemarkingstrategie. Die kwessie waar die groot vraag Iê, is: dra korporatiewe maatskaplike verantwoordelikheid by tot goeie korporatiewe bestuur en voeg dit derhalwe waarde by, of gebruik die meeste rnaatskappye dit as 'n middel tot risikobestuur ter wille van hul reputasie? Die maatskaplike verslag van British American Tobacco South Africa (BATSA) is gekies as 'n gevallestudie om die hipotese te ondersoek. Die King II-verslag bring korporatiewe bestuur binne die sfeer van die maatskaplike ouditverslag met die dat maatskappye 'n verslag moet lewer as hulle verantwoordbaar teenoor hul belanghebbendes is. lngevolge goeie korporatiewe bestuur moet belanghebbendes in ag geneem word en moet 'n maatskaplike oudit gedoen word om aan hulle daaroor verslag te doen. 'n Nuwe bestuursteorie het derhalwe ontwikkel waarvan die kernkonsep volhoubaarheid (die driedubbele winsbasis) is: die finansiele, maatskaplike en omgewingsoorlewing van 'n maatskappy en verslagdoening daaroor. Die sambreelterm is korporatiewe bestuur en alles wat daarmee saamgaan: korporatiewe maatskaplike verantwoordelikheid, die insluiting van belanghebbendes en die maatskaplike oudit. Met al die aspekte is die belanghebberteorie die kernkonsep - om waarde te skep. Die maatskaplike audit is 'n werktuig of proses van goeie korporatiewe bestuur wat 'n belanghebberbenadering gebruik om inligting in te win wat later gebruik en in die maatskappy se beleid en prosesse vasgele word. 'n Interne oudit gee die maatskappy sekerheid oor die gehalte van sy maatskaplike en etiese oudit- en verslagdoeningproses, asook die organisasie se maatskaplike en etiese funksionering. Dit verskaf ook die nodige steun aan die proses van eksterne ouditering. Die eksterne ouditproses en -verslag verskaf sekerheid aan die organisasie en sy belanghebbendes oor die gehalte van die maatskaplike en etiese oudit- en verslagdoeningproses en bou geloofwaardigheid in die verslagdoening van die organisasie se maatskaplike en etiese funksionering. Die geloofwaardigheid word benodig vir die organisasie se belanghebbendes, en 'n gemeenskaplike begrip van die organisasie se prestasie. Dit moet metodes om kennis te produseer vestig wat van toepassing sal wees op korporatiewe bestuur en strategie-bepaling. Die verhandeling kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat die maatskaplike oudit nie 'n nuwe vorm van bemarking is nie - daar is 'n regstreekse verband tussen goeie korporatiewe bestuur en verslagdoening daaroor. Hoewel daar altyd die moontlikheid is dat 'n bietjie skakelwerk betrokke kan wees by die publisering van 'n maatskaplike oudit, is die proses nie net baie duur nie, maar word die betrokkenheid en steun van die maatskappy as geheel benodig. Dit het 'n invloed op die reputasie van 'n maatskappy, asook die korporatiewe sake en die bestuur daarvan. Dus, as 'n maatskappy met die oefening voortgaan met die enigste doelwit om dit as reputasiebemarking te gebruik en dit word bekend, kan die resultaat rampspoedig wees. Die ander kant van die argument is dat die bestuur van sy reputasie vir 'n maatskappy beslis deel van risikobestuur is. Risikobestuur kan beskou word as die een kant van die muntstuk met prestasiebestuur aan die ander kant - die uitwerking behoort dieselfde te wees. Hoe prestasie bestuur word, is dikwels dieselfde as die manier waarop risiko bestuur word. Dit is dus nie waar dat die maatskaplike oudit "goed gepubliseerde vensterversiering" (Henderson, 200 I: 5) is nie. Inteendeel, die maatskaplike oudit is noodsaaklik vir goeie korporatiewe bestuur, en dit hang van die leierskap van 'n maatskappy af om dit as sulks te gebruik.

Given the growing number of socially conscious and ethical consumers, brands have been taking a strategic approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) by integrating socially responsible activities into the brand's core value proposition in order to remain relevant in the marketplace and drive brand equity. Extant research on CSR has investigated its effect on various consumer behavior outcomes. However, from a brand-building perspective, there is still a lack of understanding on how to effectively leverage CSR, and not enough directions on how to overcome its challenges in order to build brand equity. Therefore, through three essays, the objective of this dissertation is to provide a deep understanding of the effect that CSR has on brand equity while revealing brand-building strategies that can be implemented to effectively leverage CSR, specifically within the (1) global, (2) luxury, and (3) co-creation contexts.

Problem: CSR is today a frequently used concept, as companies to a larger extent are held accountable for what is happening in the society. The company should also inform the stakeholders about their CSR activities in an appropriate way, in order to capitalise from all possible benefits. According to Schrader et al. (2006), one group that is extremely important to inform is the con-sumers. In order to make a trustworthy impression and gain the most bene-fits, the choice of CSR activity and way of communication is crucial for the company, and therefore the perceptions of the consumers are very impor-tant to know more about and understand. Little research has been done about the consumers’ perception of CSR, especially for Swedish consumers.

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to find out how Swedish consumers’ percep-tions and behaviour towards a company are influenced by communication of specific CSR activities.

Method: The data collection was done through a questionnaire that was completed online by 102 respondents. The respondents were asked to answer how their view of the company and willingness to buy from a company was changed by each the six specified CSR initiatives, as well as how they would prefer to get information about a company’s CSR activities. Their responses were analysed with help from consumer behaviour and promotion theories.

Conclusions: All the initiatives gave a positive influence on the respondents’ perceptions, but the ones resulting in the most positive changes of the perceptions and willingness to buy were social responsible business practises, cause-related marketing and corporate philanthropy, which are initiatives where the com-pany are doing the largest effort instead of just encouraging others to make an effort. The respondents answered that they trust the companies’ infor-mation about CSR to some extent, but also think a third party should scru-tinise the companies’ activities and inform. The most favourable channel for CSR information was in the store and on packages, from environmental or-ganisations and the company’s webpage. Therefore it seems like the re-spondents value that the companies provide information, but are not too forward and pushing the information on them by for example advertise-ments.

Corporate citizenship is a debatable topic, according to many authors corporate citizenship is equivalent to corporate governance, corporate social responsibility and business ethics. Therefore, we have explained all the four theories in order to equip our reader with the subject in concern. This topic is of growing concern taking the evolutions of the subject, the previous and ongoing scandals into consideration.   The paper will present an overview of the concept of Corporate Citizenship and its alliances and provides the readers with different definitions of the above mentioned concept. We explained the relation between Corporate Citizenship (CC) and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). We shall use both the terms CC and CRS interchangeably. After going through the literature we felt that there was not enough written about the leader’s role with regards to the ideology of Corporate Citizenship. Therefore, we took the opportunity and used these concepts to screen Steve Job the CEO of apple against the norms of corporate citizenship. Our choice of topic was also motivated by Fortune Magazine 2008-2009 edition.   We used Explorative study to fill our research gap by framing very general and broad research questions. A qualitative study was conducted with fifty (50) people from Umeå – Sweden.  Our interviewees were mostly students from university and one interview was conducted from the IT head of a public organization from Umeå Sweden.   Defying the theoretical concepts we used, we concluded that the consumers we interviewed embrace highly about the concepts of Corporate Citizenship but in practice, they did not bother to take these concepts into consideration before buying the product

Aim: Problem background - CSR has today increased its strategic status and consumer demand of sustainable development has also increased lately. However, there are still companies that have not adjusted their strategies to fit this swift in demand. This study offers a strategic tool, based on sustainable core competencies, for companies to implement in order to use CSR to boost their business.

Research issue - How can Swedbank increase stakeholder confidence and value?

Delimitations - This study focuses on the concept of integrating CSR work into the strategy and how this could result in added value for the B2B customer of Swedbank Corporate Market.

Method: This study has an abductive approach and the author has collected qualitative primary data in the form of interviews with employees at Swedbank, Sparbanken Nord and with five of Swedbank’s customers from the public sector.

Result & Conclusion: Swedbank needs to re-position their brand with a differentiated strategy, including a supportive vision and Market Communication, in order to gain a competitive advantage, strengthen their image, stakeholder confidence and financial performance. The author recommends the sustainable core competence, “Sparbankssjälen”, in order to deploy an ethical, economical and environmental responsible strategy to implement into all their activities.

This study researched team building as a tourism offering. Team building has particular potential to benefit tourism in the Western Region of the Eastern Cape. Team building has grown in popularity and is offered by several tourism operators in the Western Region of the Eastern Cape. Team building can be practiced throughout the year by the use of numerous indoor and outdoor activities thereby attracting participants and tourists. The activity involves a wide range of tourism-related services and facilities which shows its potential value as tourism resource. The research methodology for this study aimed to identify the link between team building and tourism. Additionally, the study draws attention to team buildings possible socio-economic value which is added to a tourism business’s offering range and its effect on the host destination. A survey was conducted among a randomly selected target population representing role-players involved in team building and tourism activities, for which a questionnaire was developed by adapting the SERVPERF model. This enabled the researcher to identify the team building participants’ level of satisfaction with the team building operator, activity and host destination. Emerging from the gained insight into the dynamics between team building offerings and tourism businesses, recommendations have been formulated as to the relevance of team building for a tourism businesses’ offering range and the impact on the host destination. The research study identified numerous beneficial spin-off effects for the Western Region of the Eastern Cape driven from team building activities. These benefits were an increase in awareness of the destination, improved image of the Western Region of the Eastern Cape, and tourist engagement in other tourism offerings during their stay at the destination, among others.

Kalmarhem AB har uppmärksammat att det existerar ett ohållbart beteendemönster bland hyresgästerna inom studentgruppen. För att kunna bryta detta mönster avser vi att genom denna uppsats  utreda vilka attityder och beteenden som existerar bland hyresgästerna samt ge förslag på förändringar som företaget kan genomföra för att skapa en positiv beteendeförändring.

Vi avser att lyfta fram vilka åtgärder som är mest lämpliga att använda av bostadsföretag för att motivera studenter till att agera mer miljömedvetet i hemmet. För att utveckla effektiva marknadsföringsåtgärder valde vi att utreda vilka attityder som råder och hur de förhåller sig till det aktuella beteendet.

Vi har använt oss av en abduktiv ansats där vi utgått  från vår fallstudie av Kalmarhem AB. Vi har använt oss av både kvalitativa och kvantitativa undersökningsmetoder i form av en enkätundersökning, fokusgrupper, panelintervjuer, en telefonintervju och en gruppintervju samt observation för att insamla nödvändig data.

För att erhålla större förståelse för ämnet presenterar vi i referensramen de olika teorier och begrepp som ligger till grund för vår uppsats. Vi presenterar även den forskningsmodell vi utgått från i våra empiriska undersökningar.

Vi kunde konstatera att problemet med bristfällig källsortering inte härstammar från negativa attityder gentemot miljöansvar, med andra ord såg vi ett svagt samband mellan beteende och attityd. Genom analys av empiriskt material kunde vi också dra slutsatsen att det finns ett missnöje och brist på förtroende för Kalmarhem, vilket leder till att studenterna har svårare att ta till sig av företagets budskap och information.

Kalmarhem AB has given attention to an unsustainable behaviour pattern among student tenants. In order to change this pattern we aim to throughout this essay investigate what attitudes and behaviours that exists among the tenants and in addition give suggestions for the company to perform in order to create a positive behavioural change.

We aim to emphasise the measures that are most suitable to use by housing corporations in order to motivate students to act more environmentally friendly in their house. To develop efficient marketing strategies we chose to investigate which attitudes that prevails and how they correlate to the actual behaviour.

We have used an abductive approach with a case study regarding Kalmarhem AB, as a starting point. We have used both qualitative and quantitative methods of investigation by means of an survey, focus groups, panel interviews, a phone interview a group interview and an observation to collect relevant data.

In order to gain a greater understandning of the subject there is an introduction of different basic theories and concepts in the frame of references. We also introduce a research model which we has used as a basis for the empirical research.

We can conclude that the problem with insufficient recycling does not originate from negative atitudes towards environmental responsibility, in other words we did not see a strong correlation between behaviour and attitude. By means of analysis of empirical data collection we could also conclude that the students experience discontent and a lack of trust for Kalmarhem, which implies that the students are less likely to accept the company's message and information.

Background: In consumer culture, marketing communications is recognised as a communication system that shapes and provides resources for our understandings of the world. Arguably, those accounts channel and reproduce only dominant ideologies, which contributes to that understanding being narrow, by stigmatising those idiosyncrasies that exist beyond generally accepted norms of consumption. In relation to clothing and children’s socialisation, that stigma becomes treated differently, in a violent manner, compared to those who dress accordingly to the norms. Nevertheless, a solution for the issue is commonly sought in consumers, and not in marketers. Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine Finnish marketing communication practitioners’ perceptions of the phenomenon and responsibility of brand and clothing-related bullying, and to explore activities that are associated with inhibiting the bullying behaviour. Additionally, pedagogical marketing communications is discussed in relation to the other prevention activities to explore how the concept is interpret by marketing practitioners. Method: The research was interpretivist and qualitative by nature. A method of semi-structured interviews was chosen to explore marketing communication practitioners’ perceptions of the subject matter. Findings: The findings of this study indicate that marketing communication practitioners do not consider children as competent, but rather as vulnerable social beings when it comes to consumer life. Being perceived as such, the practitioners view parents, society and marketers responsible for providing solutions to the complex phenomenon, which according to the practitioners has ultimately stemmed from the structural development of societies in which digitalisation and social medias play an integral part. Contribution: The research has three identifiable implications on both theoretical and practical fields of fashion and marketing. First, it gives valuable information on how marketers view children as a market. Second, it provides a new, marketer’s viewpoint of to look at the phenomenon. Third, it recognises the marketers to have their roles as consumers beyond their roles as marketplace authoritatives.

Cause-Related Marketing (CRM) is not a completely new phenomenon, yet an idea whose time has truly come. To have commercial organizations cooperate with charity organizations for mutual profit is a "win-win-win" situation. The company gets added value to its brand, the charity organization gets to collect more money that it otherwise wouldn't and the customer gains a feeling that he or she has contributed to the society.

The purpose of this thesis is to study how a company, in practice, works with CRM marketing. How do they choose which charity organization to work with,what type of product is most appropriate to market with CRM and how is the CRM campaign designed? A theoretical model is then formed to answer these questions, after a thorough research of relevant theory on the subject. Through a qualitative multiple case study we thereafter studied this at three large companies on the Swedish market, ICA, Kellogg's and Lindex.

Our findings showed that all three companies work very similar with these issues. They cooperate with large well known charity organizations and they think that it's very important that the product and the cause match each other. The products are consistently low involvement products, which is also shown in the theoretical model. The CRM campaign lasts for a shorter period of time and the message is clear so it fast and easy will reach the customers.

Sustainable development is an emerging concept based on three pillars: economic, ecological and sustainable. Indeed, more and more consumers around the world are concerned about including this concept in their way of consumption. Then, on the one hand, sustainable development is an integral part of companies from a legal point of view. On the other hand, there is a strong consumer demand for eco-friendly consumption. So, we find it interesting to discuss how companies use sustainability in their marketing strategy to attract the consumer?

The aim of this study is to investigate what factors are important when implementing cause-related marketing within the Swedish fashion retail market, in order to change the purchase intention of customers. Cause-related marketing (CRM) is a widely used marketing tool within the Swedish fashion industry. There has been an increasing trend of using cause-related marketing as part of corporate social responsibility strategy. Companies increasingly believe that associating their corporate identity with good causes can be an effective marketing tool. There is limited research about CRM with a bearing on the Swedish market and the fashion industry. This has given the authors an interesting field for research and analysis.

A quantitative method was used to collect primary data. A survey was conducted among customers of H&M, Lindex, Mango and Indiska. These companies were chosen after the observation of a large amount of Swedish based fashion retailers and their involvement within CRM. The results indicate that there is a link between cause-related marketing and customer purchase intentions. CRM campaigns have positive effects on customers by increasing their purchase intentions. Marketing communication, price, customer attitude and fit are important factors that affect the purchase of CRM products. A further investigation can be useful for companies and researchers in the field of marketing strategies.

This master's thesis aims to prove the possible relationship between corporate social responsibility and decision making of buyers as well as the potential of CSR and business philanthropy in marketing. The thesis contains the most relevant findings from the areas of marketing, social responsibility, psychology of marketing and emotions in advertising as well as brand creation. The practical part deals with RWE Czech Republic and its social sphere projects. It also contains a questionnaire which aims to identify the level of common knowledge and attitude of customers to corporate social responsibility as well as their knowledge of particular projects carried out in the Czech Republic. Deep structured interview with experts from business and marketing then completes the overview.

Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate how an organization which is based on ethic and social responsibility works with segmentation, positioning and brand. Do their specific need of credibility have any impact on how they work with segmentation, positioning and brand? How do they work with credibility? KRAV is an ingredient brand based on ethic and social responsibility, they operate in the Swedish organic foodstuff market offering organic standards, certification and inspections according to these standards and a KRAV-label. In other words, credibility is the base for KRAV’s operations. KRAV is also receiving national grants to finance information material/marketing material.

Research questions: How does KRAV work with segmentation, positioning and brand? How does KRAV work with credibility?

Method: I have chosen to do this study by studying documents published by KRAV; the main source has been KRAV’s annual reports from 1999-2006, the second source has been KRAV’s homepage and the third source has been folders published by KRAV. The analysis was done by combining findings about KRAV with theories about segmentation, positioning, brand and credibility to see how KRAV works with these areas.

Result & Conclusions: By summarization, my study shows that KRAV both is adopting and actively working with segmentation, positioning and brand which may be business driven and at the same time trying to tone done the business incentive on how they formulate goals and missions. Marketing theories are getting more and visible over the years. KRAV has formulated its’ vision and mission based on four principals; Good environment, Animal welfare, Good health and Social responsibility but they also include inspected organic products with high credibility and they try to position itself not only as an eco-label but also with added value in the areas of the four principals.

Suggestions for future research: One limitation in this study is that I have not studied competitors on the Swedish foodstuff market. Or the actual impact of the fact that KRAV receives national grants, does this disturb the competition? One interesting aspect is if an ingredient brand based on ethic and social responsibility can work with segmentation, positioning and brand without loosing any credibility? May this cause a conflict in the long run? One may also look at the fact that KRAV, by far the dominating label on the Swedish organic foodstuff market, is financing most of its information material/marketing material by national grants. Is it better for the increase of organic foodstuff market to support one large player (KRAV) or should national grants be used to increase knowledge of organic foodstuff and sustainability in general not supporting one specific actor? Which way would maximum the use of the tax money? Or is both needed?

Contribution of the thesis: This study has shown that KRAV, which is based on ethics and social responsibility, has adopted theories such as segmentation, positioning and brand.

Bakgrund: Förutsättningar för företag förändras ständigt. Samtidigt har kunder och anställda fått nya betydelsefulla roller för hur verksamheten utformas och vilka värderingar som företaget arbetar efter. Företagen förväntas i allt högre grad ta ett aktivt samhällsansvar, men satsningarna har hittills varit för kortsiktiga och inte visat på några ekonomiska resultat. Samhällsansvaret bör därför ses ur ett långsiktigt perspektiv och förankras strategiskt i företagets affärsidé. Problemformulering: Vilka faktorer är viktiga för att företag ska kunna överföra långsiktigt samhällsansvar till sin affärsidé? Syfte: Att analysera och utvärdera sambandet mellan interna strategier och överensstämmelsen mellan ledning och anställda med avseende på samhällsansvar. Metod: Uppsatsen bygger på en kvalitativ undersökning utifrån en deduktiv ansats. Ett strategiskt urval gjordes vid val av företag samt informanter. Teorier: Relevanta teoriområden i uppsatsen är Corporate Social Responsilibity, Affärsidé, Kunskapsutveckling, Kommunikation, Värdeskapande och Involvering. Empiri: Empirin består av primärdata som samlats in genom djupintervjuer med fallföretagen. Resultat och Slutsats: Vi har kommit fram till att det finns brister i IKEA:s interna strategier och som följd även en icke överensstämmande bild av samhällsansvaret hos ledning och anställda. I fallet med Nudie fanns det välutformade interna strategier och även en stark överensstämmelse. Strategierna som låg till grund för en stark överensstämmelse är kunskapsutveckling, dubbelriktad kommunikation, höginvolverade medarbetare och att företaget arbetar processtyrt för att fånga upp förändringar i omvärlden.
Background: Conditions for companies are constantly changing. At the same time customers and employees have taken on new significant roles in how companies are designed and what values they strive towards. Companies are expected to assume an active social responsibility, but thus far investments have been too short-term and have not delivered results in economic terms. For this reason social responsibility should be seen through a long-term perspective and be firmly established in the business idea. Problem: Which factors are important for companies to be able to incorporate a long-term social responsibility into their business idea? Purpose: To analyze and evaluate the connection between internal strategies and the consensus between management and employees regarding social responsibility. Method: The thesis is based on a qualitative survey and a deductive approach. A strategic selection was made in the choice of companies and informants. Theories: Relevant theories in this paper are Corporate Social Responsibility, Business Idea, Development of Knowledge, Communication, Value Adding and Involvement. Empiric: The empirics consist of primary data collected through depth interviews with the selected companies. Result and Conclusion: Our conclusion is that IKEA's internal strategies are flawed, and consequentially there is a lack of consensus between management and employees. With Nudie there were well-formulated internal strategies and also a high degree of consensus. The strategies that lay the foundation for consensus are development of knowledge, two-way communication, highly involved employees and the company's use of process control to monitor changes in the surrounding world.

Sustainable development is an emerging concept based on three pillars: economic, ecological and sustainable. Indeed, more and more consumers around the world are concerned about including this concept in their way of consumption. Then, on the one hand, sustainable development is an integral part of companies from a legal point of view. On the other hand, there is a strong consumer demand for eco-friendly consumption. So, we find it interesting to discuss how companies use sustainability in their marketing strategy to attract the consumer?

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to study the factors affecting consumers while taking decision towards electricity providing company. Theoretical Frame work This academic work starts by presenting the background information of energy market, and then presents concept of green marketing, social responsibility, green energy, and consumer behavior in literature review. In conceptual frame work authors adopt consumer decision model, and strategic model which will answer research question and strategic question respectively.. Methodology /Research Limitations Primary data collected through questionnaire. Quantitative method will be used for analysis of the data. Sample size is limited and research findings are presented in the papers. This study examines few factors influence on consumer in decision making, further researcher needed to study and examine the consumer behavior including more factors. Findings/ Analysis/Recommendation Lower Price, Quality of Service and, Green Marketing efforts influence and develop the consumer behavior towards choosing the green energy. Survey result shows that consumers are willing to pay more for sustainability of environment, but they perceive that the price of green energy is high as compared to the conventional energy. For developing awareness in consumers mind companies should use advertisement and positioned themselves as a socially responsible. Key word: Green Energy, Green Marketing, Green. Consumer Behavior, Consumer Decision. Social Responsibility Paper Types:   Master These Academic work
Thesis Project for ” Tobias Project ”

This bachelor thesis aims to increase the knowledge of why companies use provocative marketing. To do so, theories that are relevant to the study have been useful, which later arose in relation to opinions of specialists in the subject of marketing. The method of the study is structured through a qualitative study using interviews and already established theories to fulfil the purpose of this study, therefore the study is inspired by an abductive research approach. The conclusion of the study is that the results suggest that companies using provocative marketing in their way of communication on the marketplace are aware of the risk and rewards that comes with such a method of use. Based on the specialists who answered the interview questions, and established theories, for companies to possess knowledge of the risks and rewards that comes with using provocative marketing, makes it relevant to conclude and therefore assume, that the rewards clearly outweigh the risks that comes with such a method of choice when it comes to marketing.
Problemfrågeställning: Vilka konsekvenser kan provokativ marknadsföring resultera i för företag? Syfte: Syftet med studien är att bidra med ökad förståelse om varför företag använder sig av provokativ marknadsföring. Metod: Studien är uppbyggd genom en kvalitativ undersökning med intervjuer som grund för empirin samt är inspirerad av en abduktiv metodansats. Slutsats: Resultatet av studien indikerade på att olika företag använder sig av provokativ marknadsföring då det är ett användbart verktyg för att differentiera sig på ett trafikerat reklamlandskap och därmed sticka ut. Riskerna som användning av provokation inom marknadsföringen medför för olika företag hamnar således i skymundan av de gynnsamma resultat detta istället kan leda till. Utifrån den insamlade empirin i form av intervjuer som sedan sattes i relation med olika teorier. Så går det att dra slutsatsen att olika företag använder sig av provokativ marknadsföring då det vid rätt tillämpning oftast ger bra resultat. Framförallt i en sådan kontext där olika företag vill sticka ut och därmed blir provokation i deras marknadsföring en användbar metod.

Problem: The increased environmental awareness among people as well as businesses has led to the development of new concepts such as sustainable development and environ-mental marketing. One way of practising environmental marketing, which is based on the three principles social responsibility, holism and sustainability, is to use eco-labels on prod-ucts and services. Many companies see the usage of eco-labels as a means to gain competi-tive advantage. The number of eco-labelled products and services constantly increases, but does it mean that the number of companies practising corporate social responsibility also increases? The thesis strives to find out how a company through the usage of eco-labels contributes to a sustainable society by practising environmental marketing and thus social responsibility. The more specific purpose of this thesis is to:

Explore the relationship between the usage of eco-labels on products and services and the implementation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) within three different companies.

Method: A qualitative research approach was applied. Data was collected through six semi-structured interviews with the responsible of environmental/sustainability questions of three different companies (Scandic, Arla Foods and JC) and with the representatives within information/PR from two third party organisations (the Nordic Swan and KRAV).

Results: We have drawn the conclusion that in order to have CSR incorporated within the organisation of the company, there is a need to have a balance between the different di-mensions (economic, environmental and social) of the company. The company also needs to take responsibilities that go beyond economic, legal, and ethical responsibilities. Scandic and Arla Foods have CSR fully incorporated within their organisations. JC have an imbal-ance between the different dimensions and have therefore not fully incorporated CSR. When it comes to the relationship between the eco-label and CSR, we can conclude that for the explored companies the relationship is dependent on the environmental philosophy and the environmental culture of the company having the eco-label. Scandic and Arla Foods have strong environmental cultures and their eco-labellings are seen as being the output of their CSR. JC do not have such a strong environmental culture and their eco-labelling is seen as the input of CSR. Third party organisations play an important role for CSR within the explored companies, both for the development and for the continuous im-provements of CSR. Third party organisations emphasise the development of CSR when the eco-label is seen as being the input of CSR, as in the case of JC. When the eco-label is seen as the outcome, as for Scandic and Arla Foods, the third party organisations help the companies to make continuous improvements.

Problem: Den ökade medvetenheten hos människor såväl som hos företag när det kom-mer till miljöfrågor har bidragit till att nya koncept som till exempel hållbar utveckling och grön marknadsföring har uppkommit. Grön marknadsföring bygger på de tre principerna: socialt ansvarstagande, holism och hållbarhet. Ett sätt att tillämpa grön marknadsföring är att använda miljömärkningar på varor och tjänster. Användandet av miljömärkningar ses som en konkurrensfördel av många företag och antalet miljömärkta varor och tjänster ökar konstant. Betyder detta att även antalet företag som tar ett samhällsansvar ökar? Denna uppsats söker ta reda på hur ett företag med hjälp av miljömärkningar bidrar till ett hållbart samhälle genom tillämpning av grön marknadsföring och därmed också socialt ansvarsta-gande. Det mer specifika syftet med den här uppsatsen är att:

Undersöka förhållandet mellan användandet av miljömärkningar på varor och tjänster och tillämpningen av företagens samhällsansvar (CSR) i tre olika företag.

Metod: En kvalitativ undersökningsmetod tillämpades. Data samlades in genom sex styck-en semistrukturerade intervjuer med de ansvariga inom miljö- och hållbarhetsfrågor på tre olika företag (Scandic, Arla Foods och JC) och med informatörerna från två tredjeparts or-ganisationer (Svanen och KRAV).

Resultat: Vi har kommit till slutsatsen att det måste finnas en balans mellan de olika di-mensionerna (ekonomiska, sociala och miljö) inom företaget för att CSR ska vara inkorpo-rerat i dess organisation. Företaget måste också ta ett ansvar utöver de ekonomiska, lagliga och etiska ansvar som företag har. Scandic och Arla Foods har fullt ut inkorporerat CSR i sina organisationer. JC har en obalans mellan de olika dimensionerna och har därför inte fullt ut inkorporerat CSR. När det kommer till förhållandet mellan miljömärkningen och CSR hos de undersökta företagen, har vi dragit slutsatsen att detta förhållande är beroende på miljöfilosofin och miljökulturen hos företaget som har miljömärkningen. Scandic och Arla Foods har starka miljökulturer och deras miljömärkningar ses som ett resultat av deras CSR. JC har inte någon stark miljökultur och deras miljömärkning ses som ett bidrag till CSR. Tredje parts organisationer spelar en viktig roll både för utvecklandet och för det kontinuerliga förbättrandet av CSR inom de undersökta företagen. När miljömärkningen ses som ett bidrag till CSR, som i fallet med JC, fokuseras tredje parts organisationers infly-tande på utvecklandet av CSR. När miljömärkningen ses som ett resultat av CSR, som hos Scandic och Arla Foods, hjälper tredje parts organisationer företagen att göra kontinuerliga förbättringar.

Environmental issues have within the recent years become a frequently debated matter and corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become a new determinant for consumers purchase decisions. As a consequence of this, ever more companies have begun to implement different CSR initiatives in order to take responsibility for the environment. The arguments differ among researchers whether it is actually profitable for companies to invest in CSR initiatives.

In this study we have based upon the functional theory of attitudes and identified different factors that are likely to affect consumer attitudes towards an environmental CSR initiative and formed a model for this. The model postulates four main factors that are likely to affect consumers attitudes towards an environmental initiative; which attitude a consumer holds towards the actual product (in this case the paper bags) in question, the extent to which a consumer considers environmental responsibility to be important, the extent to which a consumer considers environmental issues to be a threat to her-/himself and the amount of information a consumer receives about the initiative. To test our model we used a quantitative approach and investigated the consumer attitudes towards the initiative no plastic bags at the shopping centre Strömpilen, Umeå.

We found that consumers in general are very positive towards the initiative. We then looked closer into what parts of our model that had significant impact on consumer attitudes towards the concept. The Chi-Square tests showed that three of four parts in the model could be verified. These parts were; the consumer’s attitude towards the actual product (in this case the paper bag), how important environmental responsibility is to a consumer and to what extent a consumer sees environmental issues as a threat to her-/himself. The fourth part of the model; the amount of information a consumer has received could not be verified. Thus the model was modified and was in the end constituted by the three parts that had been statistically verified.

Integration av hållbar utveckling i företags strategier har lett till att bolagens styrning idag ställs inför nya typer av problem och möjligheter. Den ökade miljömedvetenheten bland kund och konsument skapar nya möjligheter för företag att omprofilera sig eller att förstärka ett redan existerande hållbara arbetssätt. Viktiga begrepp inom ett företags hållbara utveckling är Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), uppförandekoder och grön marknadsföring.

Studien behandlar hur ett marknadsledande företag, inom sitt segment, agerar i den hållbara utvecklingen mot sina huvudintressenter. I kartläggningen av hur ett marknadsledande företag miljöprofilerar sig har en analysmodell tagits fram med hjälp av befintlig accepterad teori. Modellens syfte är att skapa konsekvens och struktur då ett det marknadsledande företaget huvudsakliga miljöprojekt undersöks.

För att lösa det givna problemet har en kvalitativ forskningsmetod används. Tre stycken respondenter, anställda på SCA med anknytning till miljöarbete, har intervjuats i frågor berörande deras hållbara arbete.

Vad som tydligt framgår av studien är att det är viktigt att inte bara ha en nischad produkt, utan en nischad proaktiv miljöstrategi. Det viktiga är inte att ha ett grönt varumärke utan att varumärket laddas med en legitimitet i den direkta kommunikation som existerar mellan leverantör, kund och slutkonsument, som i denna studie är huvudintressenter för marknadsledaren. Kommunikationer mellan intressenterna sker med grön marknadsföring och en över tiden miljöanpassad uppförandekod.

The integration of sustainable development in corporate strategy has led to a radical change within the corporate governance system of today. Companies are facing a wide spectrum of new problems, but also opportunities.

Increasing environmental consciousness amongst customers and consumers has created possibilities for companies to reposition or reinforce an already sustainable way of work. Essential concepts for a thriving sustainable development are Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), codes of conduct and Green Marketing.

This study brings forth the actions and reactions of a leading enterprise towards developing a sustainable future, for its primary stakeholders.

During the course of mapping how a market leader develops an environmental profile, an analytical model has been created with the help of already existing and accepted theoretical frameworks. The purpose of this model is to create structure and consistency throughout the mapping of the market leading company’s primary environmental endeavours.

To solve the problem at hand, a qualitative method of research has been applied. Three respondents active in various fields, all with environmental connections, at Svenska Cellulosa AB (SCA) have been interviewed in questions concerning their work towards sustainability within the company.

What stands out in the conclusions is the importance of creating a certain niche in which to launch a proactive environmental strategy. A truly green brand is not what matters the most. What does matter is the fact that it is loaded with certain legitimacy in the direct communication arising between supplier, client and customer, these three being the main stakeholders within the study of this market leader.

Communication towards stakeholders goes through a filter of green marketing but also an, over time, environmentally adapted code of conduct.

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Objetivo: Este estudo pretende aprofundar o conhecimento sobre o comportamento do consumidor em torno de práticas éticas. Um crescente grupo de pesquisadores vem analisando como as preocupações éticas dos consumidores em relação às práticas comerciais vem se traduzindo em comportamento real no momento da decisão de compra. Apesar desse crescente interesse, o consenso está longe de ser definido. Enquanto uma linha de pesquisa afirma que os consumidores estão mais dispostos a comprar produtos inseridos em um ambiente ético, outra vertente afirma que o discurso e ações dos consumidores não necessariamente se mostram coerentes. Embora os consumidores relatem ter preocupações éticas e valorizem marcas cujas práticas seguem padrões éticos, eles não estão dispostos a comprar mais produtos ou serviços dessas mesmas marcas. Metodologia: Realizamos um estudo experimental manipulando três diferentes apelos de marketing relacionados à ética (doação, comércio justo, controle) para testar esses achados conflitantes. Resultado: Neste estudo, os consumidores estavam mais dispostos a comprar produtos associados a doações, mas essa diferença desapareceu quando introduzimos uma variável dependente mais realista (ou seja, a vontade de receber informações adicionais via e-mail). Além disso, os recursos de comércio justo não influenciaram nem as intenções de compra dos consumidores nem sua disposição em receber informações adicionais. Implicações práticas também são discutidas.Limitações: Uma das principais limitações desse estudo se deve ao fato de não envolver um cenário totalmente realista e assim não captar as reais intenções de compra. Uma avaliação mais realista das intenções de compra evitaria armadilhas potenciais de desejabilidade social, criando uma avaliação mais precisa da variável dependente principal. Contribuições Sociais e Práticas: Ao se aprofundar no entendimento do comportamento ético do consumidor, as empresas podem evoluir em suas ofertas que entreguem benefícios para o consumidor, para o negócio e o bem estar coletivo. Originalidade: Poucos estudos relacionados ao Comportamento Ético do consumidor foram feitos usando o método do experimento e também com algumas especificidades do mercado da moda.
Purpose: This study intends to deepen the knowledge about consumer behavior around ethical practices. An increasing body of research has analyzed whether and how consumers’ ethical concerns regarding business practices translates into actual behavior. Despite this burgeoning interest, consensus is far from granted. Whereas one strand of research claims that consumers are more willing to buy products embedded in an ethical environment, another strand asserts that consumers’ words and deeds do not match. Precisely, although consumers report having high ethical concerns and valuing brands whose practices follow ethical standards; they are not willing to purchase more products or services from these same brands. Design/Methodology: We conducted one experimental study manipulating three different ethics-related marketing appeals (donation, fair trade, control) to test these conflicting findings. Findings: In this study, consumers were more willing to purchase products associated with donations, but this difference vanished when we introduced a more realistic dependent variable (i.e., willingness to receive additional information via e-mail). Furthermore, fair trade appeals did not influence neither consumers’ purchase intentions nor their willingness to receive additional information. Practical implications are also discussed. Research limitations: The main limitation of this study is related to does not involve a totally realistic scenario and thus does not capture the real intentions of buying. A more realistic assessment of purchase intentions would avoid potential pitfalls of social desirability, creating a more accurate evaluation of the principal dependent variable. Practical and Social implications: By deepening the understanding of consumer ethical behavior, companies can evolve their offers delivering benefits to the consumer, to the business and to the collective well-being. Originality: Few studies related to Consumer Ethical Behavior were done using the experiment method and using also some specificities of the fashion Market.

The media has responded toward unethical behavior in rainforests during the ‘80’s, triggering

the still upcoming trend of investigation of ethical considerations, as described by Macfarlane

(1995). Many researchers are constantly improving the ethical theories and showing

continued change in the perception of ethics (Svensson & Wood, 2007)

The purpose of this research is to identify the effect of ethics on the proactive or reactive

behavior of companies, with a downward tendency provided in the value chain.

The theoretical framework consists out of a set of theories supporting the goal of identifying

ethics within a company, applying a new business ethics model and measuring the pro-active

and re-active behavior of the stakeholder in the value chain. Finally, all the theories used, are

combined in an integrated theoretical model used to justify the collection of empirical data

and to give structure to the analysis.

The empirical data has been gathered through non structured and semi-structured interviews

with customers, employees within the case company, and a supplier to the case company.

These findings are complemented with secondary data gathered through websites, annual

reports, codes of conduct, media articles and others sources.

The findings of the study showed that the (in the theoretical framework) assumption of a

downward effect in perception and change in ethical considerations is not as obvious as

previously thought. Within this case study, the ethical influences come from the case

company, situated in the middle of the value chain, influencing both the consumer and the

supplier, in ethical considerations.

Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2004.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The corporation is fast becoming, or may already have become, the prevalent structure in human society. As such, its successes and failures impact heavily on society as a whole. This study will endeavour to examine past shortfalls in corporate thinking and practice, explaining much of this by referring to lag between societal and corporate change in their respective responses to globalisation. It is furthermore argued that this change is still far from complete( d), if indeed it ever will be complete( d) with a fixed end. This global change, has to a large extent, caught corporations off guard, with their old management styles no longer providing results - with civil resistance to corporate activity resulting in some instances. The central aim of this study is to not only understand this situation, but also to explore potential remedies. In so doing two unique ideal states, namely the old and the new company, will be developed. With the old company representing corporate structure and thinking that no longer functions effectively. The new company, on the other hand, is not a present state but a future one. Thus it is the destination of the societal and corporate changes examined within this thesis. Consequently, the main subject examined will be a move away from the old company. Finally, it will be shown that dealing with problems within the corporate context no longer requires the heavy hand of yesteryear. Instead, a proactive approach should be adopted, both for financial and ethical reasons.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Dit kan geargumenteer word dat korporasies binnekort die dominante struktuur in menslike organisasie kan wees, indien dit nie reeds die geval is nie. As sulks, het die suksesse en mislukkings van die korporasie 'n merkbare impak op die menslike samelewing. Gevolglik beoog hierdie studie om voormalige tekortkominge in korporatiewe denke en praktyk te ondersoek en te verduidelik, grotendeels met verwysing na die verskil in tempo waarmee beide die samelewing en korporasies reageer op die nuwe uitdagings wat gepaardgaan met globalisering. Dit word verder geargumenteer, dat hierdie proses van verandering geen voorspelbare einde het in die klassieke sin nie. Juis daarom het die voortdurende verandering oudmodiese bestuurstyle en tegnieke onkant betrap, met nagevolge wat strek tot by burgerlike verset. Sentraal aan die ondersoek van hierdie situasie is nie net die intensie om dit te verstaan nie, maar ook die soeke na strategieë om dit reg te stel. Om die onderneming te fasiliteer word twee ideaal state, naamlik die ou en die nuwe maatskappy ontwikkel. Die ou maatskappy verteenwoordig uitgediende strategieë en bestuurspraktyke, terwyl die nuwe maatskappy 'n toekomstige staat is en dus nog nie gerealiseer is nie. Die fokus is dus op die beweging van die ou na die nuwe maatskappy. Laastens sal dit ook aangetoon word dat uiters outoritêre bestuurstyle en strategieë nie meer van pas, of suksesvol is in die hantering van korporatiewe probleme nie. Alternatiewelik word 'n proaktiewe benadering, op beide etiese en finansiële gronde, aanbeveel.

The motivation for this study is based on the inclusion of social marketing actions in the business model of small businesses. Whether these initiatives arise from social scrutiny or leaders¿ commitment, they provide a return by improving positioning, reinforcing customer service and, in short, boosting sales. Without doubt, both academic and business literature has recognized such policies and the returns provided for large companies. Swayed by this, some small retailers have willingly adopted similar policies, carrying out actions recognized by some stakeholders that have a positive influence on their buying decision. This study discusses the strategic and social model's key levers as encouragement for the rest of the companies in the non-adopting group which keep on operating at the mercy of consumer trends monopolized by category leaders.
La motivación del estudio se fundamenta en la incorporación de las acciones de marketing social -o responsabilidad social corporativa en el ámbito comercial y de marketing- en los modelos de negocio y en la comunicación del pequeño comercio por ser aquéllas beneficiosas para la comunidad y para la empresa. Se trata de un homenaje a un colectivo en ocasiones desamparado, a merced del entorno y a las tendencias de un consumo acaparado por los líderes de categorías. Un colectivo en el que la subsistencia familiar dificulta genuinamente una profesionalización por justificar. Para ello, partimos de la definición más amplia de la responsabilidad social corporativa y de planificación y gestión empresarial. Concretamos nuestra investigación en el apartado de la gestión de empresas de grandes y pequeños correspondiente al marketing estratégico, donde deberían residir los aspectos comerciales de la RSC, el marketing social. Analizamos el estado de situación del pequeño comercio catalán a través de las magnitudes económicas, empresariales y de responsabilidad social, incorporando la discusión sobre los factores y limitaciones que afectan a la adopción heterodoxa de iniciativas de marketing estratégico con causa social. El consenso literario sobre la bondad de incorporar y comunicar este tipo de acciones en los modelos de negocio contrasta con la irregular y apocada adopción en los pequeños. Sean aquéllas fruto del escrutinio social o por iniciativa de las personas de vértice, existe retorno a través de la notoriedad, se afianza el posicionamiento, repercute en el servicio al cliente y, en definitiva, se incrementan las ventas. Y cada vez más los consumidores discriminan positiva o negativamente su consumo de las marcas según la aptitud de su marketing social. La sociedad lo reclama y la extensa literatura ratifica su impacto comercial positivo, siempre que se comunique. Sin embargo, por ausencia de recursos económicos, por desconocimiento o por falta de compromiso, su adopción en el pequeño comercio es abrumadoramente tímida. Centramos nuestra atención en un segmento de la pequeña y mediana empresa, el pequeño comercio, la tienda o grupo de tiendas de barrio que en suma no sobrepasen los 49 trabajadores, con aspectos de gestión comunes a los medianos pero con una idiosincrasia única ligada a la personalidad del propietario. Apuntamos al comercio de barrio -acotándolo geográficamente en Cataluña- en base al propósito de exhortar al pequeño a la inclusión de políticas sociales en sus modelos de negocio que han sido incontestables para los grandes tanto en la literatura académica como empresarial. Para ello, escogemos una muestra de juicio de 150 comercios catalanes en distintas categorías del comercio cotidiano y con página web. Exploramos cualquier indicio de acción sobre marketing social que realice. Los comercios que cuentan con página web comunican su misión, sus acciones sociales, su identidad, su oferta. Los que no cuentan con página web refuerzan la tesis y corroboran la literatura existente. La ausencia de comunicación se aproxima a la ausencia de adopción, por cuanto es la sociedad quien debe percibir los beneficios sin perjuicio de determinados impactos blandos en la implementación de acciones sociales. Posteriormente, realizamos entrevistas personales a aquellos comercios más intensivos en responsabilidad social. Sobre los resultados, discutimos las palancas clave del modelo de negocio estratégico-social del segmento que dispone de RSC voluntariosa aunque poco estandarizada, como apostolado para el colectivo -mayoritario- de pequeños comercios no adoptantes

Företag inom slow fashion arbetar mer med hållbarhet, både för konsumenterna och deras anställda. Det är stort fokus på att miljön ska bevaras medan företagen konkurrerar med fast fashionkedjor som massproducerar kläder och säljer till låga priser. Det stora problemet inom industrins produktion handlar om hur man ska försöka minska utsläpp och påverkan på miljön samt hantera överkonsumtionen genom hållbar marknadsföring. Studiens syfte är att utvärdera vilka karaktärsdrag slow fashion företag har gentemot fast fashion företag och hur slow fashion företag inom klädindustrin marknadsför sitt hållbarhetsarbete till konsumenterna. Studien undersöker även hur företagen arbetar med marknadsföring för att nå ut till sina nuvarande och framtida konsumenter. Studien har en kvalitativ ansats och det empiriska materialet samlas in genom semistrukturerade intervjuer med fyra slow fashion företag. Vi har även samlat in empiriskt material genom undersökningar av företagens offentliga material så som hemsidor och sociala medier för att komplettera intervjuerna. Resultatet analyseras med hjälp av tidigare forskning och begreppen slow- jämfört med fast fashion och marknadsföring. Vidare analyseras företagens ansvar med hjälp av begrepp och modeller inom triple bottom line, corporate social responsibility, certifieringar och legitimitet. Det sista inom studien som analyseras är konsumentens ansvar i form av politisk konsumtion samt aktiviteterna bojkott och buycott. Resultaten visar att alla fyra företagen är positiva till att arbeta med hållbarhet för att förbättra miljön och deras arbete kommer inte avta men att företagen vill nå ut till fler konsumenter och minska konsumtionen genom att påverka konsumenterna till att göra färre onödiga inköp.
Slow fashion companies work more with sustainability, both for consumers and their employees. There is a strong focus on preserving the environment while companies compete with fast fashion chains that mass-produce clothes and sell at low prices. The big problem in industrial production is about how to try to reduce emissions and impact on the environment and manage overconsumption through sustainable marketing. The purpose of the study is to evaluate the characteristics of slow fashion companies in relation to fast fashion companies and how slow fashion companies in the clothing industry market their sustainability work to consumers. The study also examines how companies work with marketing to reach their current and future consumers. The study has a qualitative approach, and the empirical material is collected through semistructured interviews with four slow fashion companies. We have also collected empirical material through studies of the companies' public material such as websites and social media to supplement the interviews. The results are analyzed with the help of previous research and the concepts of slow- vs. fast fashion and marketing. Furthermore, corporate responsibility is analyzed with the help of concepts and models within triple results, corporate social responsibility, certifications, and legitimacy. The last thing in the study that is analyzed is the consumer's responsibility in the form of political consumption and the activities boycott and buycott. Results show that all four companies are positive about working with sustainability because the environment and their work will decline, but that the companies want to reach more consumers and choose consumption by influencing consumers to make fewer unnecessary purchases.

This final thesis describes the core of the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) concept, monitors its development and its present role in the Czech Republic and the world. In the practical part of this thesis I focus on the institutions in the field of CSR in the Czech Republic, with emphasis on the Business Leaders Forum. I reveal the knowledge and the attitude of the target groups (managers, university students) towards the concept. In the last part of the thesis I suggest measures for higher efficiency of the promotion of the CSR concept in the Czech Republic.

There are great problems of pesticide poisonings in the rural parts of the developing countries. Although these countries only use 25 percent of the world’s pesticide production they suffer from 99 percent of the deaths due to pesticide poisoning.

The study took place in Tarapoto, Peru, where immense quantities of pesticides are used in their extensive cultivations of rice. The highly toxic pesticides are applied with backpack sprayers without using any safeguard.

The objective of the study is to find out if the unsafe use of pesticides in Tarapoto is a result of insufficient information from the chemical companies and the distributors. It is also to study what effect the distributors’ relationship marketing has on the usage of pesticides. The purpose of the study is to help the farmers to get a deeper understanding about the problem by explaining the situation to them.

Four theories have been used as analytical tools in the study; corporate social responsibility, relationship marketing, buyer’s value chain and costumer value, and salespeople and their ethical behavior. The guidelines for personal protection and good labeling from the Food and Agricultural Organization of the United Nations have also been used as a basis for the empirical study.

A triangulation of data was use during the empirical studies and three types of respondents were interviewed; farmers, vendors and organizations and authorities. Participating observations were also made both in the field and in the stores.

The results of the empirical studies show that the main reason of the unsafe use of pesticides is not lack of information or unawareness. The etiquettes have to be approved by the Agrarian Health Department and all the interviewed farmers were literate and could therefore read the given information. All the interviewed farmers were also aware of how they really should manage the pesticides.

The primary source of information is however the vendors. They have a close relation to the farmers due their selling strategies of relationship marketing. The vendors recommend what pesticides the farmers should use, and how and when to use them. There is though a problem in the information from the vendors. The most recommended products are extremely or highly toxic and they are restricted; they are not allowed to use in rice. They also recommend the farmers to drink milk to avoid intoxication, which the etiquettes warn against. Regular safety instructions were only given by 50 percent of the interviewed vendors.

RESUMEN

Existen muchos problemas de intoxicación debido al uso de pesticidas en las zonas rurales de los países en desarrollo. Aunque únicamente un 25 por ciento de la producción mundial de pesticidas es utilizada en estos países, ellos sufren del 99 por ciento de las muertes causadas por pesticidas.

El estudio fue realizado en Tarapoto, Perú, donde se utilizan cantidades enormes de pesticidas en los cultivos de arroz. Los pesticidas, en frecuentes casos extremadamente tóxicos, se aplican con mochilas y sin ningún tipo de equipo de protección.

El objetivo del estudio es investigar si el uso inseguro de pesticidas, es resultado de la información insuficiente de parte de las compañías químicas y de los distribuidores. El objetivo es también estudiar cuál es la influencia de los vendedores sobre el uso de pesticidas. El propósito es ayudar a los agricultores de Tarapoto a tener una compresión más profunda del problema.

Los resultados muestran que la razón principal por el uso inadecuado de pesticidas, no es ni la escasez de información, ni la inconciencia de los riesgos. El nivel educativo, permite sin problema alguno a los agricultores leer las etiquetas en los envases; etiquetas previamente aprobadas por SENASA antes de salir al mercado. Existe por lo tanto una conciencia colectiva del uso adecuado de los pesticidas que no obstante, no se practica.

La fuente principal de información son sin embargo los vendedores. Ellos tienen una relación cercana con los agricultores, les recomiendan qué productos usar, cuándo y dónde. El problema recae en una recomendación de los productos más tóxicos e incluso restringidos para los cultivos de arroz. También se les recomienda beber leche para evitar intoxicaciones, a pesar de que es contraindicado en la etiquetas tomar leche en caso de intoxicación.

Mestre em Administração
Esta dissertação de mestrado procurou compreender o conceito de Responsabilidade Social Corporativa, denominada neste estudo por CSR - Corporate Social Responsibility - com o objetivo de esclarecer as dimensões que esta categoria organizacional assume nos dias atuais, a partir de uma abordagem ética fundamentada na teoria da Business Ethics. Também foi estudado o conceito mercadológico de Sistema de Identidade de Marca, com o objetivo de investigar as dimensões desta categoria que se relacionam com a responsabilidade social corporativa. A partir do referencial teórico foi realizado um estudo de caso com o objetivo de levantar, descrever e analisar como o corpo gerencial de nível médio da ACS (Algar Call Center Service S/A) estabelece a relação entre a gestão da Responsabilidade SocialCorporativa na perspectiva da business ethics e a gestão do Sistema de Identidade de Marca. As evidências foram coletadas por meio de observações, análises de documentos e entrevistas semi-estruturadas, sendo utilizada a abordagem qualitativa. A análise dos dados utilizou como técnica analítica a descrição geral do caso seguida da análise das proposições teóricas, verificando-se a relação das dimensões das categorias de análise com as práticas gerenciais relatadas e observadas no contexto empresarial. Como resultado da pesquisa parece possível afirmar que o alinhamento do sistema de gestão da CSR e da identidade de marca possa auxiliar na tomada de decisão mercadológica por uma proposta de valor que integre benefícios de valor econômico e de valor social à marca. Esta integração dos dois sistemas de gestão estabelece associações genuínas e ricas em significado estético e ético com a marca. Uma identidade de marca fundamentada em valores sociais poderá fortalecer o relacionamento com os stakeholders e promover o respeito à diversidade cultural, características emergentes da gestão empresarial no século XXI.

Įmonių socialinės atsakomybės klausimas plačiai diskutuojamas spaudoje, įmonės praneša apie įvairias veiklas, skirtas gamtos apsaugai, apie paramą bendruomenei. Kita vertus, garsiai nuskamba pavyzdžiai, kai įmonės dėl vienokių ar kitokių priežasčių elgiasi neatsakingai darbuotojų, klientų ar aplinkos atžvilgiu. Kokios priežastys paskatina ar verčia įmonių vadovus imtis socialiai atsakingos veiklos, kai priešingas elgesys gali būti netgi labiau skatinamas ir finansiškai naudingas? Darbo tikslas – identifikuoti, kokios priežastys skatina vadovus laikytis ĮSA. Darbo uždaviniai: 1. Apžvelgti ir išanalizuoti ĮSA ištakas, teorinius modelius.. 2. Identifikuoti ĮSA varomąsias jėgas. 3. Empirinio tyrimo pagalba ištirti, kokie veiksniai įtakoja vadovus taikyti ĮSA priemones. 4. Nustatyti ĮSA teikiamą naudą. Literatūros apžvalgoje buvo atskleista ĮSA samprata ir ištakos. Peržvelgus ĮSA teorinius modelius, parodyta ĮSA sampratos kaita, ĮSA įtaka suinteresuotųjų grupių ir verslo subjektų santykiams, o taip pat ĮSA nauda verslo įmonėms; taip pat buvo sudarytas ĮSA varomųjų jėgų empirinio tyrimo modelis. Siekiant nustatyti, kokios priežastys paskatina įmonių vadovus imtis socialiai atsakingų veiklų, kokias veiklas jie vykdo ir kokią naudą gauna, buvo atliktas kokybinis tyrimas: asmeninis interviu. Interviu metu buvo apklausti 10 Lietuvos įmonių, turinčių formalų ĮSA apibrėžimą, vadovaujantys darbuotojai. Tyrimo metu buvo nustatyta, kad ĮSA įtakoja moralinės ir materialinės paskatos... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]
The issue of corporate social responsibility is widely discussed in media, companies announce about various activities for environmental protection and support for community. On the other hand such cases when companies behave unfairly regarding their employees, customers and environment are widely known. What are the reasons impacting companies‘ managers to behave in a socially responsible way while the opposite act sometimes might be more encouraged and financially beneficial? Study‘s objective- to identify what are the reasons and motives which induce the managers to follow CSR. Study’s tasks are: 1. To review and to analyze the CSR sources, theoretical models. 2. To indentify the driving forces of CSR. 3. With the help of empirical study to investigate the factors which impact the managers to apply the CSR measures. There was the definition and sources revealed in the literature review. The change of CSR definition, the impact to relationship of interest groups and business subjects, as well as CSR benefits to business companies were shown after revising the CSR theoretical models. The CSR empirical study model of driving forces was also conducted. Seeking to determine the reasons which impact the companies‘ managers to launch socially responsible activities and to examine what are these activities and their outcomes, the qualitative research- personal interview was conducted. The managers of 10 Lithuanian companies stating social responsibility in written form were... [to full text]

ABSTRACT This qualitative study advances crisis communication and relationship management application and theory by examining the crisis response strategies used by corporations during a time of crisis involving a nonprofit partner. A qualitative content analysis was performed on the Facebook pages of 57 companies that were corporate partners of Susan G. Komen in early 2012. Nineteen companies responded using their Facebook accounts during two crisis periods studied. The researcher argues that consideration must be given to additional contingent factors beyond those proposed by situational crisis communication theory. Contingent variables related to the corporations' relationship with the charity, including level of investment, as well as the size and exposure of the businesses were explored for possible influence on the companies' choice of crisis response strategy. Though causation cannot be determined in a qualitative study, support was found for the variables' role in prompting company responses within this particular crisis. The study concludes with a call for more research on the contingent variables that may influence responses in corporate social responsibility partnership crises, as well as for further study on the effectiveness of response strategies employed.

Implementation av ett CSR-engagemang innebär stora ekonomiska påfrestelser på ett företag vilket kan visa sig vara problematiskt för företag då konsumenterna uppger att de är villiga att överväga CSR men när det gäller verklig konsumtion är det få konsumenter som tar hänsyn till CSR. Syftet med denna uppsats är därför att kartlägga åsikterna om företags CSR inom mejeribranschen och klädbranschen hos konsumenter i Stockholm län. Frågeställningarna för denna uppsats är “anser svenska konsumenter att det är viktigt med CSR inom mejeribranschen respektive klädbranschen??” samt “vilka CSR-faktorer anser svenska konsumenter påverkar deras köp mest inom mejeribranschen respektive klädbranschen?”. Arbetet i studien är grundat i en kvantitativ undersökning där 307 respondenter deltog i en enkätundersökning. För att studera resultatet av enkätundersökningen har arbetet utgått ifrån teorier inom CSR och konsumentbeteende. Utifrån resultatet kan man konstatera att respondenterna anser att det är viktigare med CSR inom mejeribranschen än inom klädbranschen samt att de faktorer som respondenterna anser påverkar deras köp mest är smak eller utseende, beroende på branschen. En slutsats som kan dras utifrån resultatet är att CSR är viktigare för kvinnor än för män inom respektive bransch, samt att konsumenterna inte anser att CSR faktorer är det som har störst påverkan på deras köp inom respektive bransch. Slutligen kan slutsatsen om att respondenterna anser att CSR faktorer har större påverkan på deras köp inom mejeribranschen än i klädbranschen, bortsett från arbetsförhållanden som anses påverka mer inom klädbranschen.
Implementation of a CSR engagement involves major financial strain on a company, which may prove problematic for companies, as consumers state that they are willing to consider CSR, but when it comes to real consumption, few consumers take CSR into consideration. The purpose of this paper is therefore to map out the opinions about the corporate social responsibility regarding the industries of both clothing and dairy products for the consumers in the Stockholm area. The research questions that were examined was “do Swedish consumers consider CSR to be important in the dairy industry and the clothing industry?” and "which CSR factors do Swedish consumers consider to affect their purchases most in the dairy industry and the clothing industry?". The research has a quantitative base with a survey with 307 respondents. In order to study the result of the survey the use of different theories has been implemented for example CSR, Green Marketing and Consumer Behaviour. The result shows that the respondents think that CSR is more important in the dairy industry than the clothing industry, as well as the most important factor in their purchase is the taste or looks of the product, depending on the industry. Another conclusion is that CSR is more important for women than for men in both industries. Furthermore, consumers don't think that CSR factors is what has the greatest impact on their purchases within each industry. Lastly is that the respondents consider CSR factors to have a greater impact on their purchases in the dairy industry than in the clothing industry, apart from working conditions which are considered to affect more in the clothing industry.

Įmonių socialinė atsakomybė šiandien jau nagrinėjama kaip strateginės reikšmės klausimas ir svarstoma, kaip aplinkosauginius ir socialinius aspektus integruoti į įmonės strategiją bei kasdieninę praktiką. Tai tiesiogiai susiję su visuomenės, taigi, kiekvieno iš mūsų, gerove, reikšminga ir verslo atstovams, todėl pasirinkta tema yra aktuali ir kaip teorinio pažinimo dalykas, ir kaip praktinio, empyrinio tyrimo objektas. Visuomenė iš verslo reikalauja socialiai atsakingo elgesio. Tačiau problema yra ta, kad įmonės, nematydamos griežtų metodologinių nurodymų, o tik „rekomendacinio“ pobūdžio moralinius patarimus, suvokia poreikį socialinę atsakomybę institucionalizuoti įmonėje, bet susiduria su klausimu – kaip tai daryti teisingai arba net nesvarsto tokio klausimo, o tai dar blogiau. Todėl šio darbo tyrimo objektas – Lietuvos įmonių socialinės atsakomybės strategijos. Darbo tikslas – parengti įmonės socialinės atsakomybės strategijos metodiką, integruojant į įmonės organizacinę struktūrą etines ir socialinės atsakomybės vertybes. Darbo uždaviniai: išnagrinėti įmonių socialinės atsakomybės sąvokos teorinius aspektus; nustatyti priežastis, lemiančias būtinybę rengti įmonių socialinės atsakomybės strategiją; pasirinkti ir pagrįsti įmonių socialinės atsakomybės tyrimo metodą; atlikti viešoje erdvėje socialiai atsakingomis besiskelbiančių Lietuvos įmonių tyrimą; remiantis tyrimo rezultatais, nustatyti ar tiriamos įmonės yra socialiai atsakingos; įvertinti problemos sprendimo... [toliau žr. visą tekstą]
Corporate social responsibility is today regarded as a matter of strategic importance and considered in the environmental and social aspects of integration of business strategy and everyday practice. This is directly related to the public, so each of our welfare, important and business representatives, and the chosen topic is of interest, and how theoretical knowledge of the subject, and as a practical empyrinio investigation. The public demands from the business of socially responsible behavior. But the problem is that a company without seeing the strict methodological guidelines, but only "recommendatory" nature of moral advice, aware of the need to institutionalize social responsibility in the company, but faced with the question - how to do it correctly or even does not consider the question, which is even worse. Therefore, the subject matter of this work – Lithuania corporate social responsibility strategy. The aim - to develop corporate social responsibility strategy methodology, in integrating the company's organizational structure of the ethical and social responsibility values. Job tasks: to examine the concept of corporate social responsibility in the theoretical aspects of the reasons underpinning the need to develop corporate social responsibility strategy choice and corporate social responsibility based on the method used to carry out a public space of socially responsible companies claiming Lithuanian study, based on the results of the study, to determine... [to full text]

The purpose of this thesis is to examine the use of certified green labelling together with green labelling created by companies themselves, as a tool within green marketing communication to create credibility for green products. A focus has been placed on department stores within the retail sector. This thesis is a qualitative study conducted in an approach where induction and deduction have been combined. Data has mainly been collected by performing 10 semi-structured interviews with company representatives and experts within the chosen subject and industry. This study clearly shows that the perception of the use of both certified green labelling and green labels created by companies themselves, as a green marketing communication tool, is positive. However, the green labelling created by companies is preferred above certified green labelling for this purpose. The result of this study also shows very clearly that all three parts of the 3Cs´ principle are of importance to create an effective green marketing communication, and that green labelling, both of the earlier mentioned types, can be an effective tool to achieve this. Thus, it is of importance that the identified risks connected to the use of green labelling are minimized.
Denna uppsats är skriven ur ett företagsperspektiv och berör bruket av egna och certifierade gröna märkningar samt dess positiva och negativa aspekter i egenskap av kommunikationsverktyg för att skapa trovärdighet för gröna produkter. Ett fokus har lagts på övrig sällanköpshandel.   En kombination av induktiv och deduktiv forskningsansats tillsammans med en kvalitativ undersökningsmetod har använts till denna uppsats. Data har främst samlats in genom tio semistrukturerade intervjuer med företagsrepresentanter och experter inom den valda branschen och ämnet.   Denna studie visar tydligt att uppfattningen gällande bruket av både egna och certifierade gröna märkningar är positiv ur en kommunikationssynpunkt, men att de undersökta företagen föredrar egna gröna märkningar i detta syfte. I studien har det även tydligt framkommit att samtliga tre delar av 3C-principen är av vikt för att skapa en effektiv grön marknadskommunikation, och att gröna märkningar kan vara ett effektivt sätt för att uppnå detta. Dock behöver de identifierade riskerna kopplade till användningen av gröna märkningar minimeras och förslag hur detta kan göras har kunnat presenteras.

Diploma thesis focuses on history analysis and today's CSR issues that multinational marketing corporations have to face up. It describes both CSR positives and negative responses to CSR implementation. It follows today's customer trends on markets and possibilities, how to win mainstresm customers for CSR challenges. Especially the trend of building CSR in the core business and in brands themselves is pointed out. The diploma work shows many examples of practising marketing with some social effect, from which both the company and the supported object can profit. Finally, the work describes some possibilities of CSR implementing and communicating. The practical part describes current CSR activities of Unilever company, including its Vitality mission, that is built in the whole business.

Introduction: The society is becoming more aware of the importance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) work. CSR has also be-come a competitive tool in order to reach out to potential cus-tomers. There are also many definitions of what CSR actually means. These are things that makes it interesting to find out how multinational corporations, who has a lot of power, per-ceive and work with CSR, as well as what can be done to make corporations work more with CSR.

Purpose: The purpose of this thesis is to describe what CSR as a con-cept means, whose responsibility it is, as well as why corpora-tions work with it. We also intend to find out what it takes to make CSR a more prevailing and decisive instrument for cor-porations?

Method: We conducted six unstructed interviews with multinational corporations in Sweden.

Conclusion: Today the phenomena of CSR has no unified definition, this is why we believe that a definition that is precise in describing what CSR is can be useful. We think that transparency is something important since information provided to the pub-lic, provides consumers and stakeholders with power to make information based investment, and purchase decisions. We have also concluded that we think that the most important factor in driving the CSR work forward and making it grow in size, is to make consumers reward the corporations that per-form well in their CSR activities.

The central question addressed was what motivates small business leaders to incorporate social responsibility in their companies' mission, vision, and culture. In particular, there is a knowledge gap about what motivates small business leaders to take both financial and non-financial actions to support their employees, their local economies, and their communities. Interviews with three small business owners in Michigan were coded to identify key emergent themes explaining why small business leaders contributed to their local communities. Theoretical or conceptual support for the study included Carroll's social performance model, Vroom's expectancy theory, and CCI strategies. The literature review included that of motivation and social responsibility. The interviews were coded, analyzed, and six themes emerged. The participants were concerned with being socially responsible and motivation comes from defining social responsibility and finding ways to fulfill a need. Employees play a key role in creating and continuing an environment set by the example of the owner and this is done through repetition, thus aligning business practices with being socially responsible. Lastly, connection to people helps build relationships, while being cognizant of initiatives to protect the environment, thus Going Green initiatives. After the research, the researcher developed the Small Business Community Involvement model (SBCI), based on the themes. This model can help small business leaders looking to partake in socially responsible activities. This study is significant because it will improve understanding of social responsibility in the small business sector.

Det är idag uppenbart att miljön måste skyddas för att kunna säkerställa en god livskvalitet även för kommande generationer. I samband med dessa frågor spelar byggsektorn en oerhört central roll, vilken kan hänföras till den betydande miljöpåverkan industrin har på samhällsutvecklingen idag. Byggsektorn, också kallad "40-procents-sektorn" i miljösammanhang, svarar för 40 procent av den totala energi- och materialresursanvändningen i Europa och den nordiska marknaden. Det är därmed tydligt att byggindustrin har en signifikant påverkan på individers livskvalitet och miljö, varför det är av största vikt att sektorn tar ett aktivt ansvar för en hållbar samhällsutveckling. Kunder har konstaterats utgöra en av den viktigaste intressentgruppen, som med dess miljömedvetenhet och kännedom utgör de främsta påverkande faktorerna till den gröna revolutionen. Tänk då om byggbranschen skulle kunna påverka kunder, som väljer att investera i nyproducerade bostäder, till miljövänligare alternativ. Detta menar vi har potential att bidra till en markant effekt på hållbarhetsutvecklingen. Vi ställer oss dock frågande till om kunder i samband med nyproducerade bostäder erhåller möjligheten att göra medvetna konsumtionsval. Med denna bakgrund syftar vi i denna studie att undersöka om och hur byggnadsindustrin arbetar med miljö i sin bostadsmarknadsföring ut mot kund. Studien baseras på en undersökning bland fyra av Sveriges största byggföretag; Skanska, NCC, Peab samt det nyetablerade norska företaget Veidekke.

Samtliga byggföretag har tagit steg i rätt riktning och poängterar vikten av att integrera hållbarhetsarbetet och den gröna aspekten i samtliga verksamhetsgrenar genom ambitiösa miljöpolicys och målsättningar. Dock är det endast fåtalet bostadsprojekt som framhålls miljövänligare. Vi kan konstatera att kunder inte erhåller tillräckliga möjligheter för att göra aktiva konsumtionsval ur miljösynpunkt på bostadsmarknaden. I samband med bostadsmarknadsföringen har brister identifierats vid tillämpandet av Internet och mäklare/säljare som kommunikationskanaler. Samtliga företag fallerar på ett eller annat sätt att upplysa bostadskonsumenten om byggbolagets gröna initiativ, samt vilka miljövänligare byggnations- och inredningsval kunderna erbjuds. Endast fåtalet byggbolag tillvaratar möjligheten att genom marknadsföring vid interaktion med kunder påverka dess konsumtionsval. De synliggör heller inte möjligheten att göra ett aktivt bostadsval till fördel för samhällsutvecklingen, stort ansvar läggs istället på kunden att söka denna information. Vi kan dra slutsatsen att byggbranschen tillsammans med dess kunder kan bidra till förändring. Byggbranschen bör dock, med hänsyn till konsumenters befarade okunskap kring miljöaspekter i relation till bostadsbyggnationer, ta första steget mot en hållbarare bostadskonsumtion.

I förgrunden till studiens genomförande ligger Kotlers (2005) modell, "The Marketing Triangle Model". För att skapa djup i studien omfattar den därmed en skildring av vad som kommuniceras ut mot kund gällande miljöaspekten och bostadsbyggnationer genom olika nivåer; koncern, svensk marknad, bostadsmarknad samt via interaktion med mäklare/säljare. De tre första leden omfattas av en studie baserad på information vilken förmedlas via respektive företags webbsidor på Internet, medan mäklar/säljarstudien stöds på intervjuer. Studien täcker således några av de vanligaste informationskällorna kunder nyttjar vid beslut, varför en verklighetstrogen skildring av respektive byggföretags kommunikation genereras. I fallstudierna av respektive företag tillämpade vi med denna bakgrund olika infallsvinklar och metoder med bas i den teoretiska referensramen.

It is now clear that the environment must be protected to ensure good quality of life for future generations. In connection with these issues the construction industry plays an extremely essential role, which can be attributed to the significant environmental impact industry has on society today. The construction sector, also called "40-percent-sector" in the environmental context, accounts for 40 percent of the total energy and material resource use in Europe and the Nordic market. Thus, it is obvious that the construction industry has a significant impact on individuals' quality of life and the environment, therefore it is crucial that the sector takes an active responsibility for sustainable development of society. Customers have been identified as being one of the most important stakeholder groups and the main influencing factor to the green revolution. What if the construction industry could influence customers, who choose too invest in newly produced housing, toward environmentally friendly alternatives. We believe that this has potential to distinct contribute to the sustainable development.  Tough we are questioning whether customers, in relation to newly produced housing, receive the opportunity to make informed choices. In relation to this background, we aim in this study to examine whether and how the construction industry works with environmental aspects in their residence marketing to the customer. The study is based on the four leading construction companies in the Swedish market, Skanska, NCC, Peab and Veidekke.

All construction companies have taken steps in the right direction and stress the importance of integrating sustainability efforts and the green aspect throughout the business. However, only few are communicated as more environmentally friendly. We can conclude that customers do not receive sufficient opportunities to make active, environmentally friendly choices on current housing market. In the housing marketing, shortcomings have been identified regarding their use of Internet and broker/salesperson as communication channels. All companies fail in one way or another to inform the customer about the company's green initiatives and about available more sustainable construction- and interior choices. Only few building companies take charge of the potential of influencing customer choices through interactive marketing. They do not either visualize the possibility to make an active sustainable choice of residence, rather heavy responsibility is enforced on the customer to find this information. We want to emphasize that the construction industry together with its customers can contribute to a significant change. However, with respect to anticipated consumer lack of knowledge about environmental issues in relation to housing construction, the construction industry need to take the first step toward a more sustainable housing consumption.

Kotler's (2005) model, "The Marketing Triangle Model" constitutes the foreground to the study's implementation. In order to create depth in the study it therefore embrace a depiction of what is communicated to the customer regarding environmental aspects and residence construction through various levels; Corporate Group, Swedish market, housing market and through interaction with the broker/salesperson. The initial three levels of the study are based on information which is made available through each company's websites on the Internet, while the broker/salesperson study is supported in interviews. The study therefore covers some of the most common information sources customers' use in the decision-making-process, hence generating a realistic depiction of the construction companies' communication. In the case studies of the respective companies, within this context, we used different approaches and methodologies based in the theoretical frame of reference.

The purpose of this study was to investigate Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) as a contribution tool to the future practices of corporate marketing communications. Another aim was to discover the current practices of CSR within corporate marketing communications with a specific focus on corporate and stakeholder value creation gained through this merging of two disciplines. Finally, the possibility of creating future competitive advantages through the use of CSR in marketing communications was also examined. The author applied a qualitative interview questionnaire as well as a quantitative survey study as primary research methods conducted for the purpose of this thesis. The interview questionnaires focused on the internal stakeholders' point of view on CSR as a marketing tool, while the survey study examined customer and external stakeholders' interest in current practices and value of CSR. The primary research was complemented by a broad literature review on the subjects of corporate marketing communications and corporate social responsibility. The main results revealed by the literature reviews and empirical research showed that corporate social responsibility has gained increasing value amongst business practitioners and external stakeholders. It was found that CSR can be executed most efficiently though public relations, and thus it helps sustain a sound corporate identity, brand, image and reputation, resulting in stakeholder loyalty and corporate value. The key findings of the research proposed that the proper use of CSR within marketing communications, by developed mid- and large-size organizations, could result in future competitive advantages in the market place. The principal concluding remark of the author was to highlight the importance of corporate social responsibility practices in marketing communications, with respect to value creation. This thesis aims to create motivation for further empirical research and development.