Understanding Consumer Reactions to Corporate Association Strategies Factoring Industry Types: Corporate Social Responsibility vs. Corporate Ability Associations

• In Event: CSR, Communication, and Public Perceptions

Abstract

This study proposes a model of corporate association communication strategy (corporate ability, corporate social responsibility) on consumer responses and tests the model with 12 Fortune 500 companies across three industries (consumable goods industry, durable goods industry, stigmatized industry). Consumer responses were tested through attitudes toward, supportive communication intent regarding, and purchasing intent toward the given company.
The study found that corporate association strategies (CA strategy, CSR strategy) effectively facilitate consumers’ corporate associations across different industries. Generally, CA associations showed a relatively stronger impact on consumer responses for the consumable goods industry, while CSR associations were relatively more important for the durable goods industry. In the case of stigmatized industry, CSR associations showed significant importance for consumer attitudes toward, supportive communication intentions regarding, and purchasing intentions toward the given companies.

Authors

• Yeonsoo Kim, James Madison U

• Hanna Park, Middle Tennessee State U