Children-Engaging Social and Environmental Initiatives as Determinants of Corporate Reputation

Abstract

Objective: The paper aims to explore children-engaging social and green initiatives as determinants of corporate reputation.
Research Design & Methods: The research data were collected by means of a consumer survey (n=354) in Lithuania. During the research, consumers’ perception and attitudes towards companies which take children-engaging social and environmental initiatives were surveyed.
Findings: The research findings indicate that consumers tend to agree that companies implementing children-engaging CSR initiatives contribute to the development of children as responsible citizens. However, consumers have a different attitude towards companies which implement children-engaging environmental initiatives and companies which take children-engaging social initiatives.
Implications & Recommendations: The research results suggest that consumers form opinions about the company not only by assessing the company’s behaviour towards them, but also by assessing the corporate performance targeted at children. Therefore, companies should consider children-engaging CSR as determinants of corporate reputation.
Contribution & Value Added: The paper provides some empirical evidence on how CSR practices targeted at children may affect corporate reputation.

Keywords

children, corporate citizenship, corporate reputation, social responsibility, CSR

Author Biography

Ingrida Šmaižienė

A lecturer at the Department of Strategic Management, Kaunas University of Technology since 2009. Main fields of scientific interests are corporate reputation management, reputational capital, country image and branding, and made-in image. The study subjects delivered: Image and Reputation, Entrepreneurship, Business research methods.

References

1. An, S., & Kang, H. (2014). Advertising or games? Advergames on the internet gaming sites targeting children. International Journal of Advertising, 33(3), 509–532. doi: 10.2501/IJA-33-3-509-532
2. Arendt, S., & Brettel, M. (2010). Understanding the influence of corporate social responsibility on corporate identity, image and firm performance. Management Decisions, 48(10), 1469–1491.
3. doi: 10.1108/00251741011090289
4. Babiak, K., & Trendafilova, S. (2011). CSR and environmental responsibility: motives and pressures to adopt green management practices. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 18, 11–24. doi: 10.1002/csr.229
5. Bartikowski, B., & Walsh, G. (2011). Investigating mediators between corporate reputation and customer citizenship behaviors. Journal of Business Research, 64(1), 39–44. doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2009.09.018
6. Bergadaa, M. (2007). Children and business: pluralistic ethics of marketers. Society and Business Review, 2(1), 5–73. doi: 10.1108/17465680710725272
7. Brammer, S. J., & Pavelin, S. (2006). Corporate reputation and social performance: the importance of fit. Journal of Management Studies, 43(3), 435-455.
8. Calvert, S. L. (2008). Children as consumers: advertising and marketing. Future of Children, 18(1), 205-234.
9. Capriotti, P., & Moreno, A. (2007). Corporate citizenship and public relations: The importance and interactivity of social responsibility issues on corporate websites. Public Relations Review, 33(1), 84–91.
10. Carlson, L., & Clarke, B. (2014). Reassessing the current state of advertising to children. International Journal of Advertising, 33(3), 429–436. doi: 10.2501/IJA-33-3-429-436
11. Castaldo, S., Perrini, F., Misani, N., & Tencati, A. (2009). The Missing Link between Corporate Social Responsibility and Customer Trust: The Case of Fair Trade Products. Journal of Business Ethics, 84(1), 1–15. doi: 10.1007/s10551-008-9669-4
12. Cohen, J. (2009). Getting the stain out of sustainable brands. In J. Klewes & R. Wreschniok (Eds.), Reputation Capital. Building and maintaining Trust in the 21st Century (pp. 236–248). London: Springer.
13. Crane, A., & Kazmi, B. A. (2010). Business and children: Mapping impacts, managing responsibilities. Journal of Business Ethics, 91(4), 567–586. doi: 10.1007/s10551-009-0132-y
14. Crittenden, V. L., Crittenden, W. F., Pinney, C. C., & Pitt, L. F. (2011). Implementing global corporate citizenship: An integrated business framework. Business Horizons, 54(5), 447–455. doi: 10.1016/j.bushor.2011.04.006
15. Dawkins, J. (2004). Corporate responsibility: the communication challenge. Journal of Communication Management, 9(2), 108–119.
16. De La Ville, V. I. (2014). Young people as company stakeholders? Moving beyond CSR… Young Consumers, 15(1), 3–16.
17. Deng, X., Kang, J., & Low, B. S. (2013). Corporate social responsibility and stakeholder value maximization: Evidence from mergers. Journal of Financial Economics, 110(1), 87–109. doi:
18. 1016/j.jfineco.2013.04.014
19. Doster, L., & Tyrrell, J. M. (2011). Marketing communications in the classroom: The parents' view. Journal of Marketing Communications, 17(1), 1–15.
20. Estrela, R. C., Pereira, F. C., & Ventura, J. B. (2014). Children's socialization in consumption: the role of marketing. EuroMed Journal of Business, 9(3), 222–251. doi: 10.1108/EMJB-10-2013-0051
21. Gibbs, C. (2012). Corporate citizenship and corporate environmental performance. Crime, Law and Social Change, 57, 345–372. doi: 10.1007/s10611-012-9365-2
22. Green, T., & Peloza, J. (2011). How does corporate social responsibility create value for consumers? Journal of Consumer Marketing, 28(1), 48-56.
23. Graafland, J. J. (2004). Collusion, reputation damage and interest in code of conduct; the case of Dutch construction company. Business Ethics: A European Review, 2-3(13), 127-142.
24. Hart, J., Paludan., M. B., Steffen, L., & O’Donoghue, G. (2011). Working with children as stakeholders in development: the challenges of organizational change. Development in Practice, 21(3), 330–
25. doi: 10.1080/09614524.2011.558066
26. Hillenbrand, C., & Money, K. (2007). Corporate responsibility and corporate reputation: Two separate concepts or two sides of the same coin? Corporate Reputation Review, 10(4), 261–277.
27. Lin, C. P, Tsai, Y. H., Joe, S. W., & Chiu, C. K. (2012). Modelling the relationship among perceived corporate citizenship, firms’ attractiveness, and career success expectation. Journal of Business
28. Ethics, 105(1), 83–93. doi: 10.1007/s10551-011-0949-z
29. Linthisum, C., Reitenga, A. L., & Sanchez, J. M. (2010). Social responsibility and corporate reputation: The case of the Arthur Andersen Enron audit failure. Journal of Accounting and Public Policy,
30. (2), 160–176.
31. Lynes, J. K., & Andrachuk, M. (2008). Motivations of corporate social and environmental responsibility: A case study of Scandinavian Airlines. Journal of International Management, 14(1), 377–390.
32. doi: 10.1016/j.intman.2007.09.004
33. Maden, C., Arikan, E., Telci, E. E., & Kantur, D. (2012). Linking corporate social responsibility to corporate reputation: a study understanding behavioral consequences. Procedia – Social and Behavioural Sciences, 58(1), 655–664. doi: 10.1016/j.sbspro.2012.09.1043
34. Maignan, I., & Ferrell, O. C. (2004). Corporate social responsibility and marketing: An integrative framework. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, 32(1), 3–19.
35. Mallarino, C., Gomez, L. F., Gonzalez-Zapata, L., Cadena, Y., & Perra, D. C. (2013). Advertising of ultraprocessed foods and beverages: children as a vulnerable population. Revista De Saude Publica,
36. (5), 1006–1010. doi: 10.1590/s0034-8910.2013047004319
37. Mehtap, O., & Kokalan, O. (2012). The relationship between corporate reputation and organizational citizenship behaviour: a comparative study on TV companies and banks. Quality & Quantity,
38. (1), 3609–3619.
39. Orlitzky, M., Siegel, D. C., & Waldman, D. A. (2011). Strategic corporate social responsibility and environmental sustainability. Business & Society, 50(1), 6-27.
40. Pomering, A., & Johnson, L. W. (2009). Constructing a corporate social responsibility reputation using corporate image advertising. Australiasian Marketing Journal, 17, 106–114. doi:
41. 1016/j.ausmj.2009.05.006
42. Rego, A., Leal, S., Cunha, M. P., Faria, J., & Pinho, C. (2010). How the perceptions of five dimensions of corporate citizenship and their inter-inconsistencies predict affective commitment. Journal
43. of Business Ethics, 94(1), 107–127. doi: 10.1007/s10551-009-0252-4
44. Rozendaal, E., Slot, N., van Reijmersdal, E. A., & Buizen, M. (2013). Children’s responses to advertising in social games. Journal of Advertising, 42(2-3), 142–154. doi: 10.1080/00913367.2013.
46. Shinkle, G. A., & Spencer, J. W. (2012). The social construction of global corporate citizenship: Sustainability reports of automotive corporations. Journal of World Business, 47(1), 123–133. doi:
47. 1016/j.jwb.2011.02.003
48. Simoes, I., & Agante, L. (2014). The impact of event sponsorship on Portuguese children’s brand image and purchase intentions. The moderator effects of product involvement and brand familiarity.
49. International Journal of Advertising, 33(3), 533–556. doi: 10.1590/S0034-8910.2013047004319
50. Sison, A. J. G. (2009). From CSR to corporate citizenship: Anglo-American and Continental European perspectives. Journal of Business Ethics, 89(1), 235–246.
51. Smaiziene, I., & Jucevicius, R. (2009). Corporate reputation: multidisciplinary richness and search for a relevant definition. Inzinerine Ekonomika – Engineering Economic, 62(2), 91-101.
52. Smaiziene, I., & Jucevicius, R. (2013). Structural composition of a corporate reputation portfolio (Sustainable development perspective). International Journal of Business and Management, 8(15),
53. -56. doi: 10.5539/ijbm.v8n15p44
54. Timonen, L., & Luoma-aho, V. (2010). Sector-based corporate citizenship. Business Ethics: A European Review, 19(1), 1-13. doi: 10.1111/j.1467-8608.2009.01575.x
55. Tracey, P., Phillips, N., & Haugh, H. (2005). Beyond Philanthropy: Community Enterprise as a Basis for Corporate Citizenship. Journal of Business Ethics, 58, 327–344.
56. Truscott, R. A., Bartlett, J. L., & Tywoniak, S. A. (2009). The reputation of the corporate social responsibility industry in Australia. Australasian Marketing Journal, 17(1), 84-91. doi:
57. 1016/j.ausmj.2009.05.001
58. Veleva, V. R. (2010). Managing corporate citizenship: A new tool for companies. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 17(1), 40–51. doi: 10.1002/csr.206
59. Vilanova, M., Lozano, J., & Arenas, D. (2009). Exploring the nature of the relationship between CSR and competitiveness. Journal of Business Ethics, 87(1), 57-69.