Bad press impact on consumer behavior

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of a bad press image of a company on consumer’s behavior, the motives and commitments of customer’s attitudes towards the CSR message of that company and his ability to influence the chain of events. A combination of quantitative and qualitative methods and theories was used to analyze and compare the empirical secondary data gathered from reports, articles and books, and primary data collected through a set of interviews and a focus group session. An initial array of research interviews showed that the consumer’s attitudes and behavioral intentions would not be significantly influenced by the CSR motives and commitments a company takes in order to fix a previous problem. Then in-depth interviews in the form of focus group discussion were conducted to stress profoundly the mechanisms and reasons behind this thinking. These interviews revealed that CSR is rarely of prime importance in consumer evaluation and decision-making, especially when they are used to fix or to cover an early problematic situation. The results highlight the fact that customers incorporate CSR into their evaluation and buying decision process, associating it with brand and corporate culture. These insights shed light on the impact a company’s image has on consumer behavioral intentions. Moving further with this interpretation the study might serve as a basis for further research of the influencing capability of the consumer to restrict and guide a company behavior.