Business Ethics, Corporate Social Responsibility, and Brand Attitudes: An Exploratory Study
Abstract
This study explores the distinct roles of business ethics and corporate social responsibility (CSR) in shaping consumer brand attitudes. Through an experimental design using four scenarios that combine varying levels of ethical and CSR behavior, the research demonstrates that while consumers value both ethics and CSR, ethical conduct has a stronger influence on brand perception. Findings show that customer expectations of ethical behavior more significantly affect perceptions of both ethics and CSR activities. The study highlights the need for companies to differentiate and communicate both ethical practices and CSR initiatives, providing insights for brand management and future research.
Authors
O.C. Ferrell is the James T. Pursell Sr. Eminent Scholar in Ethics and Director of the Center for Ethical Organizational Cultures at the Harbert College of Business, Auburn University. A leading scholar in marketing ethics and corporate social responsibility, he has authored numerous peer-reviewed journal articles and textbooks widely adopted in business education. His work integrates ethical theory with practical business strategy and has been foundational in shaping business ethics curricula at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
Linda Ferrell is the Roth Family Professor of Marketing and Business Ethics at Auburn University. Her research focuses on business ethics, marketing education, and corporate social responsibility. She has co-authored several widely used business ethics textbooks and has been actively involved in developing academic standards and pedagogical approaches for teaching ethics in business schools. Her contributions have significantly advanced the understanding of ethical decision-making processes within marketing contexts.
Dana E. Harrison is Associate Professor of Marketing at East Tennessee State University. Her academic research spans marketing strategy, sales ethics, and pedagogical innovation in marketing education. She has published in several respected academic journals and frequently collaborates on interdisciplinary projects that address ethical leadership and corporate responsibility from a marketing perspective.
Joe F. Hair holds the Cleverdon Chair of Business at the University of South Alabama and serves as Director of the Ph.D. in Business Administration Program. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to multivariate data analysis and marketing research, authoring more than a dozen leading textbooks, including Multivariate Data Analysis, widely cited across the social sciences. His methodological expertise underpins much of the empirical research in marketing, and he is one of the most cited scholars in the field globally.
Keywords
brand attitude, expectations of customer social responsibility, expectations of business ethics