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Attitude-Behaviour Gap
The fact that consumers possess knowledge about a firm’s CSR activities is not a guarantee for them to act on it, according to Titus and Bradford (1996). Moreover, Carrigan and Attalla (2001) point out that an ethically minded consumer need not consistently purchase ethically produced products. Öberseder et al. (2011), Bhattacharya and Sen (2004), as well as Boul-stridge and Carrigan (2000), recognise this gap between action and attitude. According to Öberseder et al. (2011), there is a response of positivism towards the CSR actions of a com-pany, but this is not necessarily transferred into a change in behaviour. In a study carried out by Carrigan and Attalla (2001), only 20 per cent of the participants had made a purchase because of the connection to CSR, even though a willingness to make ethical purchases was inclined.
According to Connell (2010) there are two existing obstacles that contribute towards this gap. Consumer’s ability to acquire knowledge concerning the manufacturing process and how to purchase ethically produced clothing can have an impact on whether consumers act according to their attitude (Connell, 2010). However, research suggests that greater aware-ness ‘would only affect behaviour among certain product categories (Carrigan & Attalla, 2001, p.570). In addition, a study by Carrigan and Attalla (2001) showed that consumers continued to buy products from an offending company even with knowledge about unethical activity since social responsibility was valued less than other factors in the purchasing deci-sion. Thus, the attitude of the consumers’ towards purchasing ethically produced apparel can be an obstacle as ethically produced clothing might not meet their needs and wants (Connell, 2010). The price, quality, style, and material of the apparel as well as the availability are factors that consumers are not willing to trade off (Connell, 2010; Carrigan & Attalla, 2001).
According to Carrigan and Attalla (2001) this gap mainly exists because consumers lack the sufficient information about different companies’ ethical or unethical behaviour and the abil-ity to compare this information between different companies. The authors further claim that this information needs to be better communicated by companies for consumers to incorpo-rate their own ethical values in the purchasing decision (Carrigan & Attalla, 2001). As a result of the existence of these obstacles that result in an attitude-behaviour gap, Carrigan and At-talla (2001, p.568) suggest that ‘a poor ethical record has no effect on purchasing intention’. Thus, corporate irresponsibility scandals can continue to occur without a negative impact on purchasing behaviour as a result (Carrigan & Attalla, 2001).
Method and Data
In this part the viewpoint that the research has originated from will be outlined, by describing the research layout, design and how it was conducted. The following section will describe the process of gathering infor-mation, including reasons for the decisions being made.
Methodology
In order to have an origin for the assumptions being made throughout the thesis, a pragma-tism research philosophy will be implemented. Because of the complexity of the topic at hand (Öberseder et al., 2011; Folkes & Kammins, 1999) e.g. how to investigate the reactions of consumers, how diverse factors affects differently, and how these translates into the con-nection between consumers and CSR of companies, it is argued by the authors of this thesis that a pragmatism research philosophy is necessary to use as a foundation for the following research. Keleman and Rumens (2008) suggest that a pragmatist finds the superior way of viewing the world for the question at hand through practical exercises. Saunders, Lewis and Thornhill (2012) derive from the research by Keleman and Rumens (2008), that the pragma-tism research philosophy is implemented when there is not required to limit the research to one single method. Furthermore, it is believed that several point of views might be necessary in order to understand the research topic (Saunders et al., 2012). Thus, this reasoning will be implemented in order to get a reliable result from the research.
There are two other commonly used research philosophies which were under consideration to be implemented; the philosophy of positivism and the philosophy of interpretivism. The positivism focuses on observing phenomena in a value-free way, and mostly using quantita-tive research for collecting data (Saunders et al., 2012). The interpretivism philosophy focuses on humans as social actors, and collects data through qualitative studies (Saunders et al., 2012). Neither of these two philosophies are believed by the authors of this thesis to provide an efficient set of knowledge about the topic of consumers and CSR, while the pragmatism philosophy will use a mixed method and thus obtain a deeper knowledge.
Mixed Method
For this thesis a mixed method will be implemented, which is applied by a quantitative and qualitative research combined. It is believed by the authors of this thesis that the use of solely a quantitative or qualitative study will not provide the data necessary to draw any relevant conclusions. This can only be achieved if the methods are complementing each other. Saun-ders et al. (2012) argue that the mixed method approach is relevant when the researcher wants to gain a deeper insight of the topic at hand since it combines both the quantitative and qualitative research, as well as gaining new information and ideas from one method which can be followed up by the other method.
1 Introduction
1.1 Problem
1.2 Research Question
1.3 Purpose
1.4 Definitions .
1.4.1 Negative Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)/ Corporate Irresponsibility
1.4.2 Ethical Behaviour
1.5 Delimitations .
1.6 Perspective
1.7 Disposition
2 Frame of Reference
2.1 CSR
2.2 CSR and the Apparel Industry
2.3 CSR and the Consumer
2.3.1 Demographic Differences
2.4 CSR and Culture
2.5 Locus of Control .
2.6 CSR and Purchasing Criteria
2.7 Consumer Reactions to Negative CSR .
2.8 Attitude-Behaviour Gap .
3 Method and Data
3.1 Methodology .
3.2 Method
4 Empirical Findings
4.1 Findings from Survey .
4.2 Cross Tabulation of Survey
4.3 Findings from Interviews
5 Analysis
5.1 CSR and the Consumer
5.2 CSR and Culture
5.3 Locus of Control .
5.4 CSR and Purchasing Criteri
5.5 Consumer Reactions .
5.6 Attitude-Behaviour Gap
5.6.1 Factors Contributing to the Attitude-Behaviour Gap
6 Conclusion
7 Discussion
GET THE COMPLETE PROJECT
Consumers’ response to irrespo n sible corporate behavio u r
