Comparing the effects of consumers' perceptions of companies' corporate social responsibility initiatives in emerging and developed markets

This work proposes a framework that attempts to explain the connection between the dimensions of consumer perceived corporate social responsibility (social, environmental, economic), firm trustworthiness and firm reputation, using market level of development as a moderating factor. Mexico and Spain were selected as the emerging and developed markets; a cross-cultural study with 1173 consumers (521 from Mexico and 652 from Spain) was undertaken. In each country, participants evaluated one of two well-known companies (one making consumer products and one providing retail services). The hypotheses were tested through SEM. The results showed that, in the emerging market, perceived environmental actions did not influence consumers perceptions and, in the developed market, perceived social actions had no effect. The study identifies two mechanisms through which consumers perceptions of a companys CSR influence company reputation, offering evidence that the level of development of a country can have a moderating effect on how the mechanisms operate.