Operationalising Corporate Social Responsibility (Csr) And The Development Debate

A considerable amount of attention has been paid to the construct of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and yet research on the precise measurement of CSR has remained limited. Measures have been hampered by a lack of clarity in theoretical frameworks and empirical methods for the CSR construct. Given that the empirical study of CSR measurement is in an undeveloped state, this research describes efforts to justify and prove the relationship between measurement items and the construct. Based on a study among Malaysian stakeholders, this research conceptualises CSR as a formative construct consisting of eight dimensions: process, policy, values, environment, personal, profit, people and politics. The analyses reveal alternative approaches from a conceptual and methodological standpoint that makes clear the danger of misspecifying formative models as reflective, or vice versa. In this regard, it is proposed that the agenda and scope of CSR, as well as the measures used to implement it, are a manifestation of the formative construct that corporations have to operationalise in order to perform CSR better or more efficientl

East meets West : toward a theoretical model linking guanxi and relationship marketing

This conceptual study critically examines the separate concepts of guanxi and relationship marketing, explores the differences between the two approaches, and proposes innovative linkages between them. Chinese guanxi develops relationships at the inter-personal level, whereas relationship marketing develops relationships at the inter-organizational level. Both concepts are well known, but a dearth of critical comparison remains in academic literature, even though evidence suggests that managers can use the linkages between the approaches to improve customer recruitment and retention. Through a critical review and synthesis of prior research on guanxi and relationship marketing, this study proposes a novel theoretical model that links guanxi and relationship marketing and develops theoretical and managerial implications of such linkages. As such, this study offers new and valuable insights and benefits for Asian firms, which employ only guanxi-type relationships

To do well by doing good: improving corporate image through cause-related marketing

As part of their corporate social responsibility, many organizations practice cause-related marketing, in which organizations donate to a chosen cause with every consumer purchase. The extant literature has identified the importance of the fit between the organization and the nature of the cause in influencing corporate image, as well as the influence of a connection between the cause and consumer preferences on brand attitudes and brand choice. However, prior research has not addressed which cause composition most appeals to consumers or the impact of cause choice on corporate image. A between-subjects field experiment in the Netherlands examines the influence of three core cause attributes—cause type, cause scope, and cause acuteness—on consumers’ perceptions of corporate image. Furthermore, this experiment examines the extent to which consumer identification with the cause mediates the influence of the cause attributes on corporate image. The findings indicate that identification with the cause leads to more positive evaluations of marketing campaigns for cause type and cause scope. Also, however, our results uncover a negative direct relationship between cause scope and corporate image. Cause acuteness is only marginally influential in corporate image perceptions. By proposing and testing a comprehensive model of the influence of cause attributes on corporate image in cause-related marketing, this article provides important implications and suggests avenues for further research

Reviewing Competence in Practice: Reform of Continuing Professional Development for Irish Pharmacists

There has been significant reform of the Continuing Professional Development (CPD) requirements for Irish pharmacists over the past five years. In 2015, a new system was established that includes quality assurance of practitioner engagement in CPD and quality assurance of practitioner competence. Pharmacists must now plan and document their learning activities in an electronic portfolio (ePortfolio) and they must participate in an ePortfolio Review process once every five-year period. A random sample is chosen each year to participate in a review of their practice for pharmacists in patient-facing roles. This paper provides an overview of the development and implementation of these quality assurance processes and it considers the outcomes that were observed in the first four years of implementation. By April 2019, almost 3000 pharmacists had participated in the ePortfolio Review process over the preceding three years, of which 96.2% demonstrated appropriate engagement in CPD. In the preceding two years, almost 200 pharmacists had participated in Practice Review, of which 97.5% have demonstrated the required level of competence across four competencies. All of the pharmacists who did not demonstrate the required level of competence in one or more competency area during Practice Review had previously demonstrated appropriate engagement in CPD through the ePortfolio Review process. This raises interesting questions regarding the use of engagement in continuing education (CE) or CPD as a surrogate measure for competence by professions

ePortfolio to support professional development during experiential learning placements: Guided by students-as-partners theory, enabled through students-as-partners practice

This case study applies a students-as-partners focus to the use of ePortfolio concepts during experiential learning placements. In describing our project and as evident here, in referring to ePortfolio in the singular, we cite it as an abstract concept, while the plural reference marks practice, in this study taking the form of studentgenerated instances of ePortfolio use, in particular as detailed in the ePortfolios experiences of two final-year students on experiential placement in a pharmacy programme. These two students used their ePortfolio to document and reflect critically on their experiential placements, showcasing their own studentgenerated ePortfolios at a symposium co-hosted by student partners, their placement preceptor, and other mentors. This student co-developed case study summarises key findings, including how the use of ePortfolio can support learner agency, and outlines recommendations for further incorporating ePortfolio use in experiential learning contexts. While grounded in the context of an undergraduate pharmacy programme, much of the study will resonate with colleagues based in International Journal for Students as Partners Vol. 7, Issue 2. October 2023 Roche, C., Abria, L., Farrell, O., Johnston, J., Penny Light, T., McKibben, A., Reast, A., & Yancey, K. B. (2023). “ePortfolio to support professional development during experiential learning placements: Guided by students-as-partners theory, enabled through students-as-partners practice” International Journal for other disciplines aligned with competency frameworks. The staff-student collaborative approach explored in this case study is likely of interest to students, educators, preceptors, tutors, mentors, and others developing curricula with an ePortfolio component

Exploring perceptions of advertising ethics: an informant-derived approach

Whilst considerable research exists on determining consumer responses to pre-determined statements within numerous ad ethics contexts, our understanding of consumer thoughts regarding ad ethics in general remains lacking. The purpose of our study therefore is to provide a first illustration of an emic and informant-based derivation of perceived ad ethics. The authors use multi-dimensional scaling as an approach enabling the emic, or locally derived deconstruction of perceived ad ethics. Given recent calls to develop our understanding of ad ethics in different cultural contexts, and in particular within the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, we use Lebanon—the most ethically charged advertising environment within MENA—as an illustrative context for our study. Results confirm the multi-faceted and pluralistic nature of ad ethics as comprising a number of dimensional themes already salient in the existing literature but in addition, we also find evidence for a bipolar relationship between individual themes. The specific pattern of inductively derived relationships is culturally bound. Implications of the findings are discussed, followed by limitations of the study and recommendations for further research

Using qualitative research methods in biomedical innovation:the case of cultured red blood cells for transfusion

Background  Qualitative research has a key role to play in biomedical innovation projects. This article focuses on the appropriate use of robust social science methodologies (primarily focus group studies) for identifying the public’s willingness and preference for emerging medical technologies. Our study was part of the BloodPharma project (now known as the Novosang project) to deliver industrially generated red blood cells for transfusion. Previous work on blood substitutes shows that the public prefers donated human blood. However, no research has been conducted concerning attitudes to stem cell derived red blood cells.  Method  Qualitative research methods including interviews and focus groups provide the methodological context for this paper.  Results  Focus groups were used to elicit views from sub-sections of the UK population about the potential use of such cultured red blood cells. We reflect on the appropriateness of that methodology in the context of the BloodPharma project. Findings are in the form of lessons transferable to other interdisciplinary, science-led teams about what a social science dimension can bring; why qualitative research should be included; and how it can be used effectively.  Discussion  Qualitative data collection offers the strength of exploring ambivalence and investigating the reasons for views, but not necessarily their prevalence in wider society. The inherent value of a qualitative method, such as focus groups, therefore lies in its ability to uncover new information. This contrasts with a quantitative approach to simply ‘measuring’ public opinion on a topic about which participants may have little prior knowledge. We discuss a number of challenges including: appropriate roles for embedded social scientists and the intricacies of doing upstream engagement as well as some of the design issues and limitations associated with the focus group method

The role of brand trust within related and unrelated brand extension activities : a consumer perspective

The research examines the structure of consumer-brand `trust', and the concept's role within brand extension evaluation decisions, an association largely neglected within existing consumer brand extension literature. A review of the literature, which covered the interpersonal relations, psychology, sales management, source credibility, and relationship marketing areas, served to develop a list of thirty `trust-related' variables, which were hypothesised to split into a number of dimensions of trust. The variables and dimensions were screened and tested, initially, within four qualitative focus groups and a pilot quantitative survey of 108 respondents. The final research study, which utilised 411 respondentconsumers within the Tea, Coffee, Grocery Shops, Pens, and Internet Retail product/service categories, tested four research hypotheses. Findings related to Hypothesis 1, which postulated a six dimensional model of brand trust, found, instead, strong support for a four dimensional model of brand trust, based around the dimensions of Probity, Equity, Reliability and Satisfaction, reflecting and supporting both `affective' and `cognitive' elements of trust previously identified within the literature. The finding extends the work on consumer trust within the Relationship Marketing literature, where a definitive definition and conceptualisation of trust are yet to emerge. Findings related to Hypothesis 2, which postulated that brands with differing mean ratings on brand trust would correlate positively at statistically significant levels with differing mean ratings for brand extensions measurement responses, `likely to try' and `trust brand to provide', found clear support for the hypothesis. Findings related to Hypothesis 3, which postulated a positive correlation between brand trust, the dimensions of brand trust, and brand extension measurement responses, `likely to try' and `trust brand to provide', found statistically significant, though weaker, levels of association between `brand trust', `dimensions of brand trust' and brand extension measurement responses. The findings for Hypothesis 2 and 3, are felt to add a further dimension to the brand extension literature, where consumer-brand trust has largely been overlooked. Findings related to Hypothesis 4, which postulated that females, lesser educated, and older respondents would exhibit higher `brand trust', `brand trust dimension', and brand extension response variable measurements, found: strong support for gender type mediating the evaluation of brand trust and brand extensions; support for differences in age playing a role within brand trust; and limited support for educational level playing a role within brand trust and brand extension evaluation. These demographic findings, particularly relating to gender and age, extend both the literatures on consumer-brand trust and brand extension, neither of which had previously related to demography as a mediator