Over the last decades,
expectations of society for responsible business institutions have increased.
Societies have started to expect socially responsible behavior from
corporations. They expect companies to consider the environment, society,
fulfill legal requirements, and act ethically. Among those societal issues,
especially the environmental issues have become one of the most important
topics during the last decades (Chai, Aguilar, 2013).The environment has a
great impact on well-being and economy of every community. It affects a large
spectrum of social and economic criteria that have an important impact on the
quality of community life. Unsustainable use of the natural resources damages
either the ecosystem or health and living standards (Srinivas, Pallen, 2005;
EEA, 2015). Environmental issues are stated as: pollution and environmental
degradation, land use and transportation, the quality and availability of water
and sanitation services, air quality, solid and liquid waste management, noise
pollution, loss of soil functions, climate change, deforestation (Srinivas,
Pallen, 2005; Gallego-Álvarez et al., 2013; EEA, 2015).
Expectations of societies from
corporations differ from one industry to another regarding their impact on
society and the environment (Panwar, Hansen, 2008; Panwar, et al., 2010).
Forest products industry has been main consumer of the nature and is considered
that it has the greatest effect on environment among other industries (Bhambri,
Sonnenfeld, 1988; Panwar et al., 2010). Forest products sector includes
growing, harvesting and processing wood and wood fiber, manufacturing pulp,
paper and paperboard products from both virgin and recycled fiber, and
producing engineered and traditional wood products. Firms at lumber and wood
products industry cut timber and pulpwood, mill raw materials into lumber and
building materials, and manufacture finished articles such as wood panels
(EPA). Wood products generate substantial part of the raw materials in
furniture industry.
Furniture
industry processes wood material that is supplied from forests into end product
by intensive manufacturing activities and offers at marketplace. In 2011, furniture industry used 30 m3 of
industrial wood per day and 15 million m3 industrial woods per year (TOBB, 2013).
According to the MÜSIAD report, 2012, it has an important position both in
global economy and Turkish economy (MÜSIAD, 2012). In 2012, world furniture
production costs USD$450 billion. Between 2002 and 2012 production grew at a
yearly average of 18% in emerging countries and +1% in advanced economies
(Csil, 2013). According to TUIK, 2009, the production cost 6.5 billion TL in
Turkey. Moreover, the employment rate is at high level in furniture industry
(TOBB, 2013).
Even if furniture industry has an
important position in global economy and society, most of the companies
implement CSR practices because of the legal requirements (Panwar, Hansen,
2008). However, furniture companies have to behave responsibly in terms of
material and their business activities. Moreover, it is a laborintensive
industry so firms should consider their impact on employment among the society.
Another point which is also
important is the conceptualization of CSR differs according to the
socio-economic context. At advanced economies -high level of economic
development and strong democratic traditions- societies expect that businesses
are vehicles for the CSR activities. However in developing economies –less
economically developed- societies expect that businesses run pure economic activities
which provide jobs and achieve other economic activities (Panwar, Hansen,
2008). It can be concluded that societies go from developing economies to
advanced economies, their perception towards CSR changes. The importance of CSR
in advanced economies is higher than developing economies. At advanced
economies businesses perform for CSR, however in developing societies it is
only an outcome for economic activities. According to World Bank Turkey is
developing country. This study is conducted in Turkey.
Corporations increasingly
communicate about their CSR practices through social media in order to increase
their stakeholders‘ awareness (Eberle et al., 2013; Reilly, Hyan, 2014).
Interactive social media channels enable to develop stronger feelings towards
the corporation and consumers enhance trust to the content of message. As a
result, interactive social media channels boost corporate reputation and
word-ofmouth (WOM) communication (Eberle et al., 2013). Social media is defined
―Electronic communication channels such as social networking web sites, blogs,
chat rooms, discussion boards, and customer service rating web sites, all of
which can provide ample opportunities for two-way communication between
marketers and consumers‖ (Bernhardt et.al, 2012, pg 132). With the diffusion of
social media such as Facebook and Twitter, firms start to contact with their
end-consumers directly and timely. The communication has turned into an
interactive, two-way communication. Companies can create active community for
low cost and can receive higher efficiency. However, companies have no control
over the information on social media since there are no centralized entities of
control in social media. The new media communication is referred as viral
because ideas and opinions spread like an epidemic disease through the social
networks via word-of mouth communication. Social media allows people to share
information/content everywhere to anyone who are connected to the social
networks (Kaplan, Haenlein, 2010; Colleoni et al., 2011; Colleoni, 2013). Due
to those characteristics –interactive, efficient, WOM, viral, low cost- of
social media, it has become a prominent concept for many business executives
today. Managers and consultants try to identify ways that firms can make profitable
use of applications such as Facebook, Twitter, and Wikipedia etc. (Kaplan,
Haenlein, 2010).
This study
emphasizes young (Y-generation) consumers as a target group. Those trustful,
tolerant, globalized, experienced advances in communication technology and
social networking consumers support social causes and socially responsible
companies (Park, Gursoy, 2012; Valentine, Powers, 2013). According to Turkish
Statistical Association (TUIK), Turkey holds highest rate of young population
with
16.6% among
other EU countries in 2013.
The aim of this study is to
understand the relationship between CSR practices and consumers‘ trust, loyalty
and purchase decision in Turkish furniture industry. Furthermore, social media
has been selected as a moderating factor to find out if it has any effect on
this relationship.
0 Komentar untuk "INTRODUCTION"