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This chapter sets out the background of the study and introduces the topic area that the
dissertation will cover, which is the impact of CSR on consumer behavior. Further, the problem
statement and rationale of the study is provided to underscore the urgent necessity of a study of
this nature. Further, the section sets out the research questions, objectives of the study as well as
1.1. Background
In the welfare of people lies the king's welfare and in their happiness his happiness.
interests rather than merely focusing on maximizing returns for the shareholders. This feat is
achievable through corporate social responsibility (CSR), a term that encompasses the ongoing
commitment by firms to observe ethical conduct and contribute to the betterment of the
communities in which they operate. CSR is concept that captures the need for businesses to
operate in a sustainable way, fulfill the needs of multiple stakeholders, and maximize economic,
environmental, and social value (Matten, Crane, and Chapple, 2003; Waddock, 2004). The
incremental attention and importance of corporate social responsibility, rising environmental and
consumer concern, and strict legal regimes contribute the pressure exerted on businesses to be
socially responsible.
Its adoption in the corporate landscape heralded a paradigm shift from Friedmans (1970)
postulation that there is one and only one responsibility of business-to use its resources and
engage in activities designed to increase its profits. In articulating this position, Friedman failed
to see the utility in pursuing CSR or juggling parallel demands placed on organisations by
different stakeholders, which diverted resources and efforts away from profit-making, the
ultimate purpose that businesses must pursue. Notably, the basis of his opposition to CSR was
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the ignorance of the stark reality that good corporate citizenship can help drive profitability.
What is more, Friedman and his adherents failed to consider that societal welfare is paramount to
the existence of businesses, which rationalizes their engagement in CSR activities that promote
communal well-being.
It is interesting to note that CSR whose beginnings faced severe opposition by dissidents
is now an integral corporate strategy that enables firm to achieve sustainable profitability by
influencing consumer behavior. CSR is no longer perceived as the strategy that inclined firms to
divert their efforts and resources from profit-making and instead direct them to altruistic causes
that had nothing to with their raison detre in the first place. The concept has since gained
traction globally with most firms, especially large corporations, considering it an indispensable
part of their business culture. Today, CSR is recognized as an integral part of core business
activities that are tied closely to marketing strategies; firms no longer see it as merely pertaining
to philanthropic initiatives (Bhattacharya, Smith, and Vogel, 2004) as was purported by its
original opponents.
Scholarly debate on CSR reveals that its benefits do not merely accrue to the society, but
businesses as well. There are multiple benefits that firms derive from CSR activities. According
to Kurucz et al. (2008), these benefits can be categorized into four groups including reduction of
cost and risk, gaining and maintaining a competitive advantage, building a positive reputation
and legitimacy, and eliciting win-win outcomes via synergistic value generation. In affirming this
position, Kotler and Lee (2005) note that firms CSR strategies to defend or protect their
reputation, validate the benefits gained over costs and to integrate key stakeholders into their
initiative. More often than not, CSR enables corporations to realize these goals along with the
A more precise thread of literature examines the impact of CSR on purchasing behavior
and establishes that a positive nexus exists between the two variables (Abrantes Ferreira et al.,
2010; Lee and Shin, 2010; Rahim et al., 2011; Chung et al. 2011). In essence, CSR strengthens a
companys reputation and goodwill within a community or country, which in turn fosters
favorable consumer perceptions and responses that ultimately yield more sales. What this means
is that it is becoming increasingly vital for firms to engage in CSR practices in order to achieve
and maintain optimal profitability in the contemporary marketplace. CSR has gained traction and
transformed consumer expectations, which makes it necessary for businesses to respond to the
Scholarly work underscores the value of CSR practices in influencing consumer behavior
by enabling firms to establish credibility and goodwill. Even so, there is a dearth of literature that
delves into this aspects in most developing countries. In spite of the approval of a context-
specific applicability to social responsibility (Matten and Moon, 2008 as cited in Muthuri and
Gilbert, 2011), there is still an over-powering supremacy of western-centric studies that largely
concentrate of developed (Europe and North America) and progressively transitional (China,
India, Brazil) economies (Visser, 2008; Dobers and Halme, 2009 as cited in Muthuri and Gilbert,
2011).
developing countries is scarce. Also, the few scholarly studies that examine CSR in developing
economies cover a limited scope of the concept. Most of them have a relatively generalized
orientation as they are yet to narrow down to examine specific CSR variables, let alone their
interactions in disparate industries as well as organisations. The need for concentrating CSR
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studies on developing nations is important especially with the consideration that extant CSR
strategies that originate from developed economies may not adequately relate or respond to the
unique circumstances and settings that typify developing countries (Hamann, 2006 as cited in
This study seeks to fill this scholarly gap by investigating the impact of Safaricoms CSR
provider that currently holds nearly 70 percent of the market share and enjoys unparalleled
success within its niche. Ever since its entry into the Kenyan marketplace, the firm has been
actively engaged in far-reaching CSR initiatives across the country. Therefore, it offers a
pragmatic context to examine the how CSR affects purchasing behavior in Kenya. The aspiration
is that the study will add to the existing body of knowledge by fostering a nuanced understanding
about the CSR activities of Safaricom? have on the CSR activities of Safaricom.
3 What are the major CSR activities of 3 To determine the major CSR activities of
Safaricom? Safaricom.
4 Are consumers aware of the CSR activities 4 To find out whether consumers are aware of
of other telecommunication companies in the CSR activities of the other players in the
activities when they were making their initial they were making initial purchasing
products or services?
The studies conducted on CSR within the Kenyan context demonstrate a generalized
focus by, for instance, examining the CSR activities businesses pursued by businesses. This
research departs from this direction by tackling the impact that socially responsible behavior has
on consumer behavior in the country. A narrow focus is employed whereby the scrutiny merely
covers Safaricoms application of this approach and whether it yields beneficial outcomes for the
business. No other businesses in the same or different sectors will be examined. The firm
operates in the telecommunications sector and while the outcomes may give invaluable insight
into consumer behavioral patterns in the given setting, it is highly likely that other sectors may
register peculiar outcomes due to the disparate nature of CSR engagement across different
The study will not delve into how separate CSR initiatives pursued by Safaricom elicit
favorable consumer responses within the Kenyan market. Rather, a collective outlook of the CSR
practices is adopted even though their nature and scope will be discussed. The dominant concern
here is how the cumulative CSR efforts ultimately impact consumer purchase and repurchase
intentions, rather than weighing which practices or mix of socially responsible undertakings
elicit the best responses. Certainly, consumers in developing nations esteem CSR practices
differently than the ones in developed economies, but the scope of the paper is limited to
Consumers around the world are more conscious that corporations, in pursuing their
organisational objectives, now have an obligation to ensure the betterment of society and the
environment. On their part, businesses now acknowledge that the level of their involvement in
CSR practices can influence consumers purchasing behavior. There is an increasing body of
work that examines how consumers perceive CSR activities by companies in different regions,
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and whether this has an impact on their purchase or repurchase intentions. In Kenya, Safaricom
Ltd pursues far-reaching CSR initiatives particularly through The Safaricom Foundation in a bid
to impact society positively as well as create a favorable image of the business that could
translate into sales. Therefore, Safaricom presents a feasible and appealing context to examine
the interplay of CSR and consumer perceptions as well as purchase intentions in the Kenyan
context.
In spite of the robust CSR program at Safaricom, there is a dearth of studies that examine
the firms social responsibility, let alone how the initiatives affect consumer behavior. This
literature review aims to examine pertinent literature review on the impact that a corporations
CSR initiatives have on purchase decisions and consumer perceptions. First, the analysis covers
the conceptual framework of CSR and applies a pragmatic model in examining Safaricoms CSR
initiatives. Afterward, the discussion examines germane literature that affirms the existence of
linkages between good corporate citizenship and consumer behavior. Finally, the discourse
moves to context-specific studies to discover whether there is a gap in scholarly work that
rationalizes and underscores the need for the present study. It is established that there is a dearth
of Kenyan-centric research that examines how CSR pursuits ultimately affect consumer behavior
and perceptions.
There is yet to be a consensus on a precise definition of CSR because of the broad nature
of the concept. Some good attempts to capture the essence of CSR, however, exist in scholarly
work. For instance, Kotler and Lee (2005, p.3) define CSR as a corporations commitment to
advance societal welfare through discretionary business practices and contributions of corporate
resources. This summative definition of the concept calls for an explanation in order to map out
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its scope. In essence, CSR is an active obligation that stems from an organisations goals,
activities, and values. It is a concept whose precepts are largely informed by the stakeholder
theory, and for this reason, CSR entails taking into considerations the expectations that principal
stakeholders have of the company along with the duties that enable companies to fulfill those
duties.
CSR is founded on social, environmental as well as economic principles and the main
reason for its deployment is to achieve sustainable development within corporations voluntarily.
What this means is that CSR is a concept whereby firms incorporate social and environmental
considerations in their organisational operations and their dealings with different stakeholders on
a voluntary business. This extensive description of the scope of CSR is far more beneficial for
the purposes of this review than Kotler and Lees curt explanation as it paints a holistic picture of
what the concept entails by detailing that it covers social, environmental, and economic factors.
One notable aspect is that most CSR definitions prescribe it as voluntary. However, the voluntary
or discretionary nature of CSR is currently relative. In large corporations, for instance, CSR
initiatives no longer complement business operations. Rather, CSR has become an integral and
maximize their positive impact and minimize their adverse impact as contributing citizens of the
greater society in which they operate in order to preserve long-term societal needs.
The most acclaimed definition and conceptual model of CSR were articulated by Carroll
who conceptualized it as a pyramid. Carroll (1991) proposed that CSR is a concept that
encompasses four types of social responsibilities including legal, economic, philanthropic, and
ethical. In explaining the pyramid model, Carroll first explains that businesses are established as
economic entities designed to offer goods and services to the society (Carroll, 1991). In this
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light, the primary drive of entrepreneurship is profitability (Caroll, 1991). As such, the other
typically operate within the scope of an entire suite of legal frameworks, which impose different
legal responsibilities that the firms must adhere to in order to avoid run-ins with the authorities or
regulatory bodies. Laws impose the overriding imperative that companies, in their pursuit of
profitability, must avoid illegal activities and operate within the rules stipulated by relevant laws
(Carroll, 1991). The legal component, therefore, is the second layer after profitability which is
Ethical obligations pertain to the practices that the society either approves or disapproves
of, but are not expressly mandated in pertinent laws. Ethics refers to the need for businesses to
do what is right and avoid injurious actions. Whether an action is ethical or not varies from one
society or culture to another. As a result, it is necessary for organisations to tailor their ethical
practices and principles around the requirements of their respective communities. Carroll (1991)
confirms this statement by noting that unlike legal rules ethical principles are ambiguous and,
therefore, more challenging for businesses to anticipate and comply with. They are unwritten
rules that have not been legally promulgated by governments but are material to CSR all the
same. Ethical responsibilities fall under the third layer in Carrolls pyramid, but the scholar
asserts that there an innate connection between legal obligations and ethical expectations because
ethical principles can morph into laws if they gain sufficient traction (Carroll, 1991). One
example that illustrates this connection is the need to hire minorities, which began as a voluntary
practice by firms but has since escalated into an indispensable requirement, especially in big
corporations. As this ideal practice becomes entrenched and widely accepted in society,
At the lowest layer of the CSR pyramid is philanthropy. Philanthropic obligations entail
the range of activities pursued by businesses in response to societal expectations that firms, as
good corporate citizens, must advance human well-being (Carroll, 1991). Philanthropic practices
may include volunteer work or making donations to non-profits that serve the needs of society.
Now, companies may pursue philanthropic activities singlehandedly or in partnership with other
entities. The type of philanthropic programs that corporations can fund or participate in through
and veteran assistance projects. Philanthropic programs also include the wide scope of initiatives
meant to foster access to indispensable public utilities such as proper health care, clean water,
quality education, and so forth. Such humanitarian causes enable businesses to tackle concerns
Philathropic
Be a Good Corporate Citizen
Contribute Resources to the CommunityEconomic
Be Ethical
Obligation to do what is rights and avoid harmLegal
Legal
Obey the Law
Follow society's codification of wrong and right Ethical
Be Profitable
The foundation upon which all others rest
While Carrolls pyramid offers a pragmatic framework within which one can examine the
interplay of different CSR aspects, it is lacking. As the author notes, no metaphor is perfect and,
the CSR pyramid is no exception (Carroll, 1991, p. 42). Carroll drew this pyramid when CSR
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was still a nascent concept and scholars and businesses alike were yet to identify the importance
philanthropic achieved lasting profitability, and observed germane laws as well as social norms.
Today, environmental considerations are an integral part of CSR. There is, however, room in
Carrolls framework that permits the integration of environmental and sustainability concerns
into the pyramid within the ethical responsibilities layer or as an entirely different layer of the
conceptual model.
Carrolls pyramid serves as a blueprint for more recent models that take into account the
developments that have taken place in CSR over the years. One model that builds on Carrolls
pyramid is a simplified framework proposed by Chung et al. in their 2015 study that examines
the relationship between CSR activities and customer satisfaction. The model put forward by the
scholars builds on the essence of Carrolls pyramid and introduces additional layers that reflect
what CSR entails in the contemporary corporate landscape. In addition to the four layers
prescribed by Carroll in the 1991 model, Chung et al. (2015) also integrate environmental
contributions and consumer obligations to their CSR framework. Now, the study does not delve
into explanations to rationalize the inclusion of these factors into the earlier model; neither is
there a discussion that associates it to Carrolls model. It simply suffices that there is now a
consensus that environmental and consumer concerns now form part of the wider CSR concept.
Notably, unlike Carroll, Chung et al. make no proposition as to how the factors rank
under this model. For the purposes of this paper, the hierarchy will be as follows: economic,
consumer, legal, ethical, environmental, and philanthropic. Following Carrolls train of thought,
the fulfillment of consumer responsibilities takes precedence over the rest because it goes to the
heart of the raison detre of organisations. Companies cannot become profitable or exist without
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meeting certain identifiable needs or demands by their consumers. Failure to fulfill consumer
needs would render corporations defunct. The inclusion of environmental factors in a layer that
precedes philanthropic is justifiable in the sense that, unlike charitable responsibilities which
pertain to voluntary benevolence, environmental sustainability is now a central legal and ethical
concern. For the purposes of this paper, the applicable CSR pyramid is as follows:
Philanthropic Obligations
Environmental Obligations
Ethical Obligations
Legal Obligations
Consumer Obligations
Economic Obligations
Unlike the Carrolls pyramid, the stakeholder theory is not a model that stems from CSR,
but it is considered as being among the earliest and commonly applied CSR theories (Claydon,
2011). The essence of the model is to foster a paradigm shift where corporations become
increasingly integrated in, rather than separated from, the rest of society (Pedersen, 2006, p.
139). The stakeholder theory is attributable to Freeman (1984 as cited in Freeman, 2004) who
rejected the perspective that businesses should only serve the interests of shareholders. Rather,
Freeman (1984 as cited in Freeman, 2004) articulated that companies have fiduciary duties to
stakeholders. The principal proposition of the theory is that firms should not treat stakeholders
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merely as a means to an end; rather, the stakeholders should be engaged in determining the
This position naturally invites the question, Who are stakeholders? The term
stakeholders refers to groups or individuals who may be harmed or may benefit from an
organisations activities or whose rights a business has to acknowledge and respect to avoid
violating them (Trevino & Nelson, 2011; Hosmer, 2011; Jensen, 2001). This theory postulates
that other than the shareholders, there are other agents who have an interest or stake in a
companys decisions and actions. Corporations typically have internal and external stakeholders.
The internal stakeholders are shareholders, employees, managerial staff, and the board of
directors, while extrinsic stakeholders are customers, supply chain partners, governments, rivals,
communities as well as the environment (Sagebein and Whellams, 2010). The stakeholders have
of product information.
Creditors Credit worthiness, security
Suppliers Payment, long-term relations, and selection and evaluation of supply chain
systems.
Community Safety and security, contribution to community, and environmental safety
and production.
Government Compliance and improved competitiveness.
Table 1: Stakeholder expectations (Cannon, 1994; Longo et al., 2005).
In essence, the stakeholder theory is taken as a CSR theory due to the fact that it offers a
normative structure for accountable business towards the community (Mele, 2008). It embodies
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the need for companies to satisfy the demands of all stakeholders rather than merely maximize
shareholder value. Material to the CSR context is the inclusion of the community within the
model coupled with the recognition that corporations should meet communal expectations by
making a contribution to society and ensuring environmental safety. Even though the tenet of this
model is that every stakeholder matters and that firms have the duty to integrate their interests,
achieving an equilibrium between competing demands can be problematic (Vos and Achterkamp,
2006; Galbreath, 2006). Corporations characteristically get caught up in a debacle where they
need to pursue parallel stakeholder interests that force them to prioritize their obligations in
accordance with normative and instrumental considerations (Jamali, 2008). In this way, the
theory brought to the forefront a new set of insights that previous CSR models omitted. It
underscored the necessity to view firms as operating at the core of a web of interconnected
stakeholders that create, sustain, and enhance value creating capacity (Post et al., 2002).
Safaricom fulfills most of its philanthropic CSR commitments through The Safaricom
Foundation, which is among the largest corporate foundations in the country. The Safaricom
Foundation was established in August 2003 and has since invested an excess of US $ 21 million
in economic empowerment, health, education, environmental protection, music, arts and culture,
and sports (Safaricom, n.d.). Other than that, the firm also offers assistance during humanitarian
emergencies and disasters across the country. This analysis, however, does not examine the
Carrolls CSR pyramid, which integrates six factors under the wider concept of CSR. These
include economic, consumer, legal, ethical, environmental, and philanthropic contributions made
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by Safaricom in the Kenyan context. The objective of leveraging this pyramid is to paint a
realistic, holistic, and theoretically sound picture of the responsibilities that firms typically fulfill.
i. Economic responsibilities
which is the overriding reason for its existence. The organisation fulfills these obligations in a
variety of ways. First of all, the firm has over the years managed to maintain an unbreakable
market leadership in Kenya. Safaricom has the most subscribers Kenya and the firms
telecommunications services that go so far as mobile money transfers are yet to be trumped by its
key competitors Airtel Kenya and Orange Kenya. Closely associated with this layer also, is the
incremental profits that the firm registers on a yearly basis as well as its strong performance in
the Nairobi Stock Exchange vis--vis its key rivals and other companies outside the
telecommunications industry.
Safaricom has unparalleled service coverage and is renowned for offering top-notch
telecommunications services even in remote areas. Unparalleled service provision is the main
reason why Safaricom enjoys the largest share of subscriptions in the Kenyan market. Its M-Pesa
services also have the greatest geographical reach and provide customers with an opportunity to
transfer, receive, and save money with great convenience. The only area that the company is yet
to address is the security of this money transfer service, as stories abound of customers being
defrauded while using M-Pesa. In the meantime, Safaricom disseminates warnings to subscribers
concerning fraudulent activities and has recently installed a functionality that permits users to
reject erroneous transaction within a 20-second window. The firms Customer Care also offers
As is typical for all businesses, Safaricom operates within a legal context and has the
mandate to comply with multiple laws regarding the standard quality of its services, workplace
securities exchange, and so forth. Safaricom strives to operate within these regulations. The only
notable aspect of this layer concerns the organisations market dominance as it enjoys a market
share that contravenes Kenyas limits under regulations that are meant to curtail unfair
competition practices.
The company also observes uncodified ethical principles in keeping with the expectations
of the Kenyan society. For instance, Safaricom sources employees from different communities in
v. Environmental responsibilities
as well as wildlife protection in Kenya (Safaricom, 2010). The Safaricom Foundation achieves
this through participatory conservation initiatives, conducting public awareness, and engaging in
the preservation of the countrys natural resources (Safaricom, 2010). Besides participatory
activities, the firm also funds projects meant to safeguard the environment. For instance, in 2010,
the foundation bought e-waste grinders to help computer schools to mitigate the escalation of e-
waste in the country (Safaricom, 2010). Internally, Safaricom executes an array of strategies
meant to lessen the impact that the organisation has on the environment including recycling and
energy efficiency. These strategies help in reducing the ecological footprint of the business,
albeit on a limited basis because Safaricom, like most businesses in Kenya, does not formulate
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its operations around achieving reduced greenhouse gas emissions. Closely associated to this is
the absence of an organisational imperative to achieve ethical input sourcing. Consequently, the
participatory activities and funding initiatives that are material to the preservation of the
environment. In this way, the firm prioritizes what matters most to the Kenyan public as regards
the environment.
Safaricom aspires to advance the welfare of the Kenyan society and have a positive
impact. The Safaricom Foundation deals with multiple social concerns including:
a. Economic empowerment
by exponential unemployment rates, high wealth and income disparities, inflation, and poverty.
vocational training, which go a long way into transforming lives and enabling people to gain
empowerment programs across the nation ranging from small scale community-level projects to
expansive nationwide initiatives (Safaricom, 2010). Each year, the Foundation issues grants to
generation, the creation of employment, and skills transfers via vocational training.
b. Education
Access to education is another area of concern in Kenya, where illiteracy levels are
disconcerting. Most schools across the country are also ill-equipped to deliver proper education
with other students in remote areas having to learn under trees. In recognition of this situation,
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The Safaricom Foundation invests in the construction of laboratories and libraries in schools
(Safaricom, 2010). The Foundation also directs its funds towards infrastructural advancement
and the acquisition and dissemination of specialized learning equipment for special schools and
offers material support to schools in severely marginalized areas in the country (Safaricom,
2010).
c. Health
Many Kenyans cannot access proper healthcare, which is a serious issue that fuels high
mortality rates across the country. The Safaricom Foundation responds to this problem by
supporting initiatives that are meant to facilitate access to affordable and specialized care that is
typically out of reach in the Kenyan setting (Safaricom, 2010). The Foundation partners with
care providers as well as communities in building and equipping many health facilities, offering
critical health information and care via medical camps, and fostering the provision of specialized
care (Safaricom, 2010). For instance, in 2010, the company reports that it ran multiple medical
camps in Mwatate, Mogotio, Kitui West, Karachuonyo, Gichugu, Sabatia, Runyenjes, Mt. Elgon,
and Turkana South (Safaricom, 2010). In these camps, an aggregate of 3,000 Kenyans gained
d. Water
Like the preceding utilities, access to clean water in the country is problematic in
severely marginalized regions, remote areas, and areas that face prolonged drought spells on an
annual basis. In response to this need, The Safaricom Foundation partners with key non-profits
that service these areas such as the Kenya Red Cross Society as well as Action Aid Internation to
execute large-scale community-based water projects (Safaricom, 2010). The three organisations
achieve this under the Maji na Uhai program. In 2010, the foundation committed substantial
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funding for expansive water projects in arid and semi-arid regions like Gachoka, Katalwa,
community-based groups to advance and preserve the countrys rich natural heritage in music,
culture, and arts (Safaricom, 2010). One good example is the renovation of the Louis Leakey
Auditorium situated in Nairobi, which is a project that the organisation partnered with the Kenya
Museum Society and the National Museums of Kenya (Safaricom, 2010). The Auditorium
f. Sports
Concerning Sports, the organisation supports sports initiatives that offer opportunities for
the integration of life skills, health, and education. The premise of this initiative is the
recognition that sports play a crucial part in promoting health and wellbeing, while also fostering
g. Voluntary work
Volunteering is an integral part of CSR in Safaricom. Here, the firms staff members
participate in a myriad of voluntary work such as tree planting, visiting charities, and cleaning
(Safaricom, 2010). The firm has set aside four CSR leave days annually for every employee to
Evidently, Safaricom engages in a wide array of CSR activities in order to realize its
aspiration to have a positive impact in the Kenyan society. By supporting multiple community-
centric causes, the firm fosters the betterment of many Kenyans. The organisation pursues these
activities throughout the country as opposed to merely focusing on one area. What this does is
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that it contributes to the visibility of Safaricoms CSR initiatives throughout the country. As more
consumers or potential customers come into contact with the companys CSR projects, their
2.2. Toward a Holistic Conceptual Model of the CSR Process and its Outcomes
The first prototype of a conceptual model that considered CSR outcomes was put forward
by Wood. In 1991, Wood built on the CSP framework and introduced critical refinements to its
original form as formulated by Carroll in 1979, which merely identified the varying types of
obligations. Wood revisited the model by evaluating different issues that motivate socially
responsible behavior, the course of responsiveness as well as the outcomes of CSR initiatives
(Wood, 1991). In this way, the authors refined proposed CSR framework marked a radical shift
from perceiving the concept using a stand-alone definition and placed it in a wider and realistic
configuration of the multiple CSR principles, the course of social responsiveness, and observable
Outcomes
Institutional Environmental Social impacts
Social programs
principle: assessment Social policies
Stakeholder
legitimacy
Organisational management
Issues management
principle: public
responsibility
Individual
principle:
managerial
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discretion
Table 2: The CSP theoretic model (Wood, 1991).
about the principles (individual, organisational, and institutional) that motivate the deployment of
CSR strategies. The framework demonstrated that organisations may pursue CSR in a bid to
corporate citizens. Further, it may very well be the case that the managerial staff are the ones
Corporate responsiveness under this model entails the CSR processes that are
management, and issues management. At the heart of responsiveness is the recognition of the
and discovering optimal approaches to developing and monitoring the companys responses to
different social issues (Wood, 1991). Wood theorized that CSP elicits three-fold outcomes
including social impacts, social programs, and social policies. The theorist failed to consider that
the intrinsic factors that motivated the pursuit of CSR in the first place could also be outcomes of
More recent models have gone beyond this point toward examining CSR internal impacts
as well. Even so, there is yet to be a consensus on which model best illustrates the nexus between
CSR and consumer behavior. One basic framework that tackles the impact in this way was
provided by Kim and Kim (2016). The authors build on Carrolls pyramid model and portray the
concept as follows:
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Legal Ethical
Responsibility Responsibility
Economic Philanthropic
Responsibility Responsibility
Consumer
Behaviour
The dangers of applying Carrolls pyramid framework in the contemporary context have
already been set out in the previous section. To be precise, the model omits pertinent
considerations that form part of modern CSR practices. Kim and Kims application of the
pyramid as it was, therefore, imports the same weaknesses that inhere Carrolls model into their
prototype of how CSR affects consumer behavior. The framework is also devoid of substantive
details to explain the proposed relationships. Their study, however, helps to demonstrate that
there is a positive correlation between CSR components and buying behavior (Kim and Kim,
2016).
Keen on avoiding the pitfalls associated with Carrolls pyramid framework, Chung et al.
(2015) expand Carrolls pyramid factors into six components (including philanthropic, ethical,
legal, economic, environmental, and consumer protection responsibilities) and apply the
modified version in examining CSR influence on consumer behavior. The authors proposed a
relatively developed conceptual framework that demonstrates how the fulfilment of CSR
obligations improve the companys image, which in turn augments customer satisfaction and
customer loyalty.
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The best conceptual model, however, was proposed by ORiordan and Fairbrass in 2008
and later refined in 2013. ORiordan and Fairbrass (2008) propose a three-pronged stakeholder-
The authors propose a series of three different models and provide theoretical bases for
all of them. The first model in the framework concerns the domains of the landscape or context
that decision-makers face when choosing to engage in CSR. The essence is to offer a checklist
that helps clarify the key factors and actors who wield an influence of CSR stakeholder practices.
ORiordan and Fairbrass (2008) analogize the first model as a representation of the chessboard
and chessmen including the stakeholders, context, managerial response, and event.
Context
Stakeholders
CSR Dialogue
Stakeholder
Practices
Management Event
Response
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With reference to the chess analogy, the second model in ORiordan and Faibrass
framework represents the skill or systematic method used in gauging which moves one should
make or avoid. Here, it is critical to take into account key elements such as the country in
question, industry in which the business operates, the type of company along with its
organisational culture, and the individual decision-makers. The incorporation of these context-
specific is instrumental since it is anchored on the recognition that contextual factors wield a
significant influence on CSR practices. Simply put, the factors are lenses through which
companies view and consider multiple CSR pathways. It is worth noting here that the elements
are not hierarchical even though the authors use a pyramid to illustrate their proposition.
Country
(Kenya)
Industry
(Telecommunications)
Company
(Safaricom)
Individual
(Managers)
Figure 6: Levels of perspective for analysing the circumstantial domains (ORiordan and
The contextual factors that influence CSR are best demonstrated in the table below.
stakeholders
xv. Governance practices
xvi. CSR practices
xvii. Etc.
c. Conditional/contingent/external issues
PEST climate
Influence of the media
Effectiveness of stakeholder pressure
Competitor activity
Etc.
Table 3: Detailed issues concerning context-specific CSR (ORiordan and Fairbrass, 2008, p.
21).
The third part in the framework also fits within the chess analogy. It demonstrates the
prospective moves that companies take when executing CSR initiatives (Oriordan and Fairbrass,
2008). This part of the conceptual model entails two separate phases. The first one pertains to
CSR strategy development phase, which comprises of values, alternatives, and strategies. The
values are the vision, objectives, and scope of the organisation in question that are material in the
formulation of the CSR strategy. Once the values of the corporation are consistent with the
pursuit of good corporate citizenship, the next rung involves weighing the available alternatives
27
by establishing stakeholder priorities, the causes that the firm needs to support, the nature of the
support, and the requisite policies or practices. Afterward, the company can choose strategy
options on the basis of their value and suitability. Phase two pertains to the implementation of
selected strategies as well as desirable advantages that accrue to the organisation after execution
Figure 6: Phases and steps of the CSR process (ORiordan and Fairbrass, 2008, p. 18).
It is evident that ORiordan and Fairbrass initial model offers a pragmatic and holistic
framework within which one can examine and gain an understanding of how the CSR process
ultimately yields desirable outcomes such as goodwill, reputation, and image. The importance of
these CSR outputs in influencing consumer purchase behavior cannot be overemphasized. The
model, however, may invite criticism on account of its fragmented nature. Even so, the three-part
format is permissible as well as highly beneficial, because its basis is on the recognition that
context-specific factors wield a significant influence on CSR processes, practices, and outcomes.
In 2014, the scholars revisited their conceptual framework and sought to offer a
condensed model that built upon the previous propositions. The refined framework essentially
offers a refined portrayal of CSR and captures its essence as a cyclical and contextual process.
28
ORiordan and Fairbrass (2014) integrate the propositions in the three-step framework proposed
in 2008 into a single model, but revert to their initial approach where they use a separate
prototype to explain the ultimate framework in detail. In the first place, the authors depict the
To elaborate, the inclusion of the context component in the framework underscores the
fact that CSR practices differ according to the industry, company, or geographic location in
question, as well as the point that the activities typically change with the passage of time
(ORiordan and Fairbrass, 2014). Choice, essentially, incorporates the components found in the
alternatives rung of the final phase within the initial three-part model. Here, firms evaluate how
to balance conflicting stakeholder interests and determine which practices to pursue. Choice is
affected by each organisations governance system. The calculation element entails a triple
bottom-line perspective where companies consider the value of the CSR practices in terms of the
resources invested as well as the sustainability of their benefits to the company and the
29
community (ORiordan and Fairbass, 2014). Finally, communication is undertaken after the
three other aspects have first been systematically and thoroughly examined, planned and
implemented (ORiordan and Fairbass, 2014, p. 17). The figure below demonstrates the depth
Figure 8: Revised and refined framework in detail (ORiordan and Fairbrass, 2014, p. 5).
The final model incorporates the four elements to CSR management into a wider
framework that identifies the interconnectedness of the stakeholder relationships that businesses
deal with in deploying CSR initiatives. The framework underscores the importance of sustainable
relations between the firm and stakeholders and demonstrates that equitable reciprocation is the
heart of building and maintaining these relationships. As the firm executes the CSR practices
selected through the four-part CSR stakeholder management process discussed in the preceding
paragraph, the benefits of the CSR practices accrue to the society and the business as well. As
30
regards the community, the gains include balance, progress, and development. As for the
business, the beneficial outcomes include brand loyalty, appealing image, and innovation.
Ultimately, this fosters the credibility of the organisation, which is instrumental in gaining a
competitive advantage and achieving sustainable profitability. This process is cyclical in nature
and the same outputs are elicited for as long as the company continues to pursue CSR initiatives.
Figure 9: Revised and refined framework in detail. (ORiordan and Fairbrass, 2014, p. 9).
Many studies on CSR establish that good corporate citizenship is a prerequisite for
contemporary companies (Udokmit, 2013). For this reason, it is imperative for businesses to
achieve lasting profitability as well survival is now achievable by pursuing the betterment of the
31
societies in which they operate, and the community members will be more than eager to return
the favor (Du Plessis and Gobler, 2013). In essence, sustainability and profitability are the key
motivators of CSR practices (Ofari, Nyuur, and Daako, 2014). Through CSR, organisations can
boost their business in the long-run because social responsibility can help build as well as rebuild
communal trust in the focal firms, and fulfill customers sustainable expectations and needs
(Doan, 2012). Understanding the relationship between social responsibility and customer
behavior is the best way of justifying the significant company expenses incurred in the pursuit of
companys offerings, which indicates that good corporate citizenship produces commercial
returns for an organisation (Garcia et al., 2005). Hildebrand et al. affirm this statement by noting
that the positive valuation that a firm receives for being socially responsible also helps to foster
consumer loyalty and devotion (2011). At the same time, firms that conduct their business
irresponsibly, face the risk of boycotts that can hurt their sales and ultimately, profitability (Abd-
Rahim, Jalaludin, and Tajuddin, 2011; Udomkit, 2013). Since social responsibility has morphed
into a standard operational element, companies currently try to leverage it in establishing lasting
relations with customers. McElhaney notes that firms today are keen on fostering relationships
with consumers instead of focusing on generating mere transactions, and CSR is an effective
avenue for building relationships in ways that offerings cannot on their own (2009).
enables businesses to position their offerings and marketing material to customers as the firm
interacts with societal members at the grounds level (2010). Also, CSR approaches are useful in
targeting and penetrating novel consumer segments by introducing offerings that match the
32
interests of the targeted market (McElhaney, 2009). A good example of this is when a firm seeks
to target a niche of consumers who value environmental responsibility. In order to tap into this
segment, an organisation can use fully recyclable packaging, which will improve the consumers
perception of its products. As key stakeholders, customers nowadays expect firms to behave
responsibly (Van den Berg and Lindfors, 2012). In highly developed markets, this evaluation
even goes as far as comparing a firms CSR practices against key rivals (Gao, 2009). The level of
awareness of and interest in CSR activities, however, varies from varies from one country to
another (Veersalu, 2011). What this means is that the interest, as well as awareness levels
registered in the West, are not the same ones in developing countries. The concept of CSR is yet
Johnson et al. define customer retention as consumers intending to purchase from the same
business, as long as the most recent purchase experience was satisfactory (2001). The essence of
customer retention is enlisting the customers commitment and loyalty toward the business.
Extant scholarly work establishes that since the advent of social responsibility, customer
retention is achievable through avenues that are beyond tailoring the perfect purchase
experience. Tong et al. (2012) conducted a study of the execution of CSR among Hong-Kong
retail banks and found that it contributes to desirable consumer behavior as it has a positive
A similar conclusion was drawn by Lee and Shin (2010) whose research involved Korean
consumers. The study revealed that social responsibility practices by businesses have influence
purchase intentions (Lee and Shin, 2010). Jose et al. (2015) also affirm the conclusion that there
is a positive relationship between CSR practices and repurchase intentions. The importance of
33
profitability and market leadership. Having a loyal customer base enables a firm to withstand
competition or the rapidly changing conditions that characterize contemporary markets. As brand
loyalty is recognized as an important objective for a corporations growth and survival, building
a loyal consumer base has not only come to be a fundamental goal in marketing, but it is also
CSR influences consumer behavior by, first of all, building a positive image of the
company in the minds of both extant and prospective consumers. Perceptual concerns are
especially material to discussions surrounding brand identities. Kitchen and Schulz (2001) define
the term brand image as a collection of perceptions in the mind of the consumer. In essence, a
brand is not something tangible like the benefits that accrue to the consumer when using a
typically built on the reputation of an organisation. The collection of perceptions that customers
hold about a company as well as its products can lead to an affection for the business, and
Nguyen (2006) elucidates the concept of corporate image in a way that is useful in
understanding how CSR affects customer perceptions. The author defines the term corporate
image as a customers response to the aggregate offerings and is connected to the name of the
business, its architecture, the range of products or services, ideology, tradition, and to the
perception of quality communicated by those who interact with the organisation (Nguyen, 2006).
Previous research demonstrates that a favorable corporate reputation and image can offer a
business a unique and reliable appeal, as well as be a source of highly effective differentiation
34
and a competitive edge (Chung et al. 2011). Positive perceptions of a business are a salient
resource for achieving and maintaining a competitive edge, which is an intrinsic motivation of
implementing CSR.
influences
Consumer
perception, Perception which in
CSR typically
elicits a favorable image of a business in the mind of a consumer, which in turn affects their
purchase intention. Engaging in CSR enables companies to interact with customers in areas that
matter most to them by helping to resolve confounding problems within the society. The
interactions between businesses and consumers afforded by engaging one another at the
community level have a great influence on their attitude towards and relationship with the
business. The positive attitude that the customers develop about the company generates and
perpetuates and intent to deal with the organisations. CSR fosters an emotional attachment to the
business, builds relationships, and enhances customer endorsement of the company. It enables
corporations to gain better recognition as responsible corporate citizens (Rahim et al., 2011).
The basis for this argument is inherent in the fact that positive consumer perceptions of a
company are not inherent in its offerings alone as espoused correctly by Nguyen. Rather,
35
perceptions comprise of the beliefs that the customers have concerning the attributes of the
business including its involvement in CSR. As a result, customers will express varying behaviors
Abrantes Ferreira et al. (2010) conduct a review that offers invaluable insight into the
factors that customers take into account when making purchase intentions with regards to CSR
from the lens of an offerings perceived value to the customer. One of the elements concerns the
proposition that CSR makes customers feel good about contributing to altruistic actions (Mohr
and Webb, 2005 and Smith, 1996 as cited in Abrantes Ferreira et al., 2010). This emotional
benefit that consumers derive from buying products or services from CSR-oriented firms stems
from the intrinsic desire for moral satisfaction by doing good. In this light consumers, feel that
their continued association with the corporation through purchases entails, by extension,
engaging in the benevolent activities pursued by the firm. Fundamentally, favorable perceptions
about a business formed around its CSR exploits makes customers desirous of having contact or
a relationship with the respective organisation. Such an aspiration often translates into decisions
to purchase the companys products or services either through a single transaction or repeat
purchases. In essence, this highlights the importance of CSR eliciting outcomes that are
Study
The reality is that developing nations do not have the same social values, priorities, and
norms as well as cultural practices that underlie western-centric CSR (Jamali and Mirshak, 2007
as cited in Muthuri and Gilbert, 2011). As a result, there is mounting concern that CSR, as it is
36
today, only serves to reproduce as well as legitimize perspectives or values that do not take into
account the interests and priorities of developing states or the marginalized and the poor
(Blowfield and Frynas, 2005 as cited in Muthuri and Gilbert, 2011). This situation creates a
challenge for corporations regarding achieving an equilibrium between the need to achieve
global CSR standards and the necessity to realize register consumer responsiveness locally.
Consequently, in order to understand any outcomes with regards to the responsiveness of the
Kenyan market to Safaricoms CSR, it is material to take into account the fact that the cultural
environment and context-specific determinants influence consumer behavior in this area. One
pivotal step associated with this acknowledgment is conducting germane research that generates
outcomes that can then form the basis for assumptions regarding CSR in the specific contexts.
One of the extant contextual studies that examine CSR in Safaricom was conducted by
Kwalanda in 2007. The purpose of the research was to map out the scope of CSR activities
pursued by the company in Kenya at the time. Another key objective was to establish the firms
posture toward CSR, which is whether Safaricom deems CSR beneficial to its success. The
researcher found that Safaricom is indeed involved in CSR as they view issues affecting the
society as part of the issues affecting them as a business, they believe an empowered society is
good for business (Kwalanda, 2007). Kwalanda offers a positive appraisal of Safaricoms CSR
initiatives even though a more recent study situates the conceptualization and operationalization
of CSR in Kenya at its infancy where it is largely misunderstood and misused (Cheruiyot and
Tarus, 2012). The veracity of these conflicting positions is one of the key concerns in this paper,
which establishes that the firm pursues a wide array of CSR activities in Kenya that satisfy the
components of leading CSR frameworks. In any case, Kwalandas study predates much of the
existing literature on CSR within the Kenyan context. Many changes have taken place in the
37
countrys corporate scene, which makes it fundamental to be cautious in projecting the outcome
A more recent study that tackles CSR within Safaricom was authored by Cheruiyot and
Tarus. The researchers set out to examine the implications of CSR and Kenya as well as propose
key reflections on this area. The study examines the evolution of CSR and its principal variants
such as benevolence, philanthropy, and corporate citizenship in the Kenyan setting. The authors
opined that the operationalization and conceptualization of CSR in the country is still in its
infancy, and CSR, therefore, remains largely a misunderstood, misused, and abused concept
(Cheruiyot and Tarus, 2012). This position is not entirely unfounded as it was derived from the
array of CSR definitions as well as applications that situate the concepts contextual
understanding in the countrys socio-cultural and political-legal nexus (Cheruiyot and Tarus,
2012). The assessment drew from domestic cases Safaricom and Delmonte to establish the
perceived hindrances to effective social responsibility in Kenya (Cheruiyot and Tarus, 2012). The
key challenge, as the study established, is situated in the erroneous understanding of what the
Closely associated with this thread of literature is a 2011 study conducted by Muthuri and
Gilbert whose objective was to examine the institutionalization of CSR in Kenya. The
researchers hypothesized that while CSR is now a prominent feature in business, its practice
varies across different countries. The study applies the institutional theory to assess the focus
and form of CSR practice of companies in Kenya (Muthuri and Gilbert, 2011). The study
revealed that the CSR orientation differs across organisations that are only operational in Kenya
and those that either have overseas headquarters or global operations (Muthuri and Gilbert,
2011). Other than that, firm-level drivers such as performance and public relations as well as
38
international pressures explain the variations in the form and focus of CSR across Kenyan
companies (Muthuri and Gilbert, 2011). In tackling the challenges that stifle proper CSR
implementation, the authors take an entirely different stance from the one taken by Cheruiyot and
Tarus. Cheruiyot and Tarus (2012) established that the key driver of improper CSR
descriptions of the concept. It is possible, however, to reconcile these two positions as Muthuri
and Gilbert find that firms that have international affiliations or origins practice CSR differently
conceptualization of CSR.
The key take-home from these three studies, however, is that they do not cover the
material concerns that inform the present study. Kwalanda (2007), for instance, only dwells on
mapping out specific CSR activities pursued by Safaricom. The objective of the study, it seems,
is to conduct a quick assessment of whether Safaricom prioritizes CSR or not, and if it does,
what is the firms perception of the concept and how is it operationalized. Kwalanda, therefore, is
a rather descriptive study of what Safaricom does without any substantive analysis of the subject.
It is also too generalized. Cheruiyot and Tarus take up the challenge to conduct an in-depth
assessment of the firms conceptualization and operationalization of the concept based on the
preemptive hypothesis that what Safaricom, along with other Kenyan companies, practices in the
name of CSR is but a shadow of what it entails. Since Kenyan firms, with Safaricom included,
have an incorrect perception of what CSR entails and what its deployment requires, their
activities amount to a misapplication of the concept. On their part, Gilbert and Muthuri also
examine the institutionalization and draw a conclusion pertaining to the differential execution of
39
CSR across Kenyan companies. Their findings are that the origin, international presence, and
None of the preceding studies scrutinize specific metrics that pertain to consumer
responses to CSR activities in Kenya. The Kenyan study that comes close to studying the
examinable metrics in this research was conducted by Cheruiyot who sought to examine the
essence, the study examined CSR initiatives and their corresponding outcomes from resident
communities of 20 different classified hotels in the country. The target population in the research
were members of the respective communities within proximity to the hotels. The outcomes
elicited in the study were puzzling. In the first place, corporate irresponsibility was rife among
the sampled hotels as established by the respondents (the sample size was 650). Even so, most of
the participants were not contemptuous of the social irresponsibility that was portrayed by the
hotels, but remained cautiously optimistic (Cheruiyot, 2012, p. 5). Following this unexpected
outcome, the researcher detailed five paradoxes that typified the communitys state of perceived
Stakeholder Asymmetry (PSA), the paradox of reciprocity (POR), the paradox of corporate
image (PCI), the paradox of corporate goodwill (PCG) and the paradox of public resource use
(PPRU) (Cheruiyot, 2012, p. 5). Consequently, Cheruiyot (2012) arrived at the conclusion that
CSR initiatives systemic, paradoxical, and remain unmitigated. What this means is that even
though CSR activities are universal, the outcomes are contradictory in different geographical
contexts.
It would be impossible to replicate this paradoxical outcome in the west where consumers
are largely informed about the importance of CSR and the responsibility that businesses have to
40
ensure societal welfare as they conduct their operations. The enigmatic outcome derived by
underscores the necessity for context-specific studies, and this research, in particular. It does not
suffice to simply peruse scholarly work from other areas and assume that the hypothesis that
there is a positive nexus between perceived social responsibility and irresponsibility holds true
for Kenya. Extrapolating outcomes from foreign studies and projecting them onto the developing
disparate consumer priorities. It is, therefore, timely to examine how Safaricoms far-reaching
CSR initiatives impact on consumers perception of the company and whether it has an impact on
purchasing behavior. Given the conclusion arrived at by Cheruiyot, the possibility of an equally
Cheruiyots study offers invaluable insight into how consumer perceptions or responses
to CSR activities within the Kenyan context are peculiar to the nature of the market base, but
there are material concerns about projecting this outcome onto Safaricom. It is worth noting here
that Cheruiyot target population was not drawn from actual customers who frequent the selected
hotels or who were likely to go to the hotels. The only criteria were whether the participants
lived near the hotels. An examination of the stakeholder theory would be beneficial in
establishing the implications of the research outcomes in the current study. The concept of CSR
draws some of its fundamental precepts of the stakeholder theory, which identifies primary and
shareholders, employees, customers, the government, suppliers, and the society. Evidently,
Cheruiyots study involves the community and not the existing or potential consumers. The focus
is largely on how the respective communities respond to social responsibility and irresponsibility
41
in Kenya as indicated in the title of the study. While it is true that community-level perceptions
are a reflection of the consumers perception, there is nothing in the study that intimates that any
Further, while the study concerns the wider Kenyan service industry in which Safaricom
also operates, it is entirely different in the sense that it tackles the hospitality sector, whereas
Safaricom operates in the communications sector. This aspect also has material implications that
make it necessary to exercise caution when applying the outcomes. The characteristics of the
hospitality industry in Kenya are different from the countrys telecommunication services
segment especially in terms of their geographical reach, popularity, and market or consumer
base. A hotel in Kenya typically has a geographical reach that is limited to its physical outlets,
and its popularity is relative and may not translate into actual sales (particularly the five-star
hotels studied by Cheruiyot). Hotels are also characterized by compact market or consumer
bases. On the other hand, Safaricom services the entire country and the virtual nature of
telecommunication services makes it impossible to limit the firms reach to its local outlets. What
is more, Safaricom is currently a household name in the country, which means that its popularity
is unmatched within the hospitality sector. This popularity does translate into incremental user
subscriptions and purchases, unlike a five-star hotel. Finally, Safaricom serves the masses and
studies. They also demonstrate that the high stakes that Safaricom has in building up positive
perceptions within the market are a key driver of its CSR. It is no wonder, therefore, that
Safaricom has been keen on pursuing CSR ever since its entry into the Kenyan market. Small-
sized institutions with compact-sized markets can afford to dispense with their CSR
42
commitments, but the largesse, popularity and wide geographical reach of conglomerates make it
bound to attract significant attention and public outcry because the company dominates the
Kenyan telecommunications market. Media outlets are more likely to pick up such a study and
trade stories that can taint the organisations image. Of course, the prejudicial effect of such
developments on consumer behavior is highly dependent on the gravity of the misconduct and
the sensitivity of the consumers vis-a-vis their ability to migrate to a rival provider. On the
positive side, publications that depict Safaricom in the positive light, pursuing benevolent
initiatives as well as safeguarding the environment would have a favorable impact on the
business. As with the initial case, the same can be retold by the media and elicit favorable
perceptions of the brand that influence both purchase and repurchase intentions.
2.6. Conclusion
It enables firms to leverage opportunities to build a positive image in the consumers minds,
which goes a long way into influencing their purchase or repurchase intentions. In recognition, of
the importance of CSR in driving business success, Safaricom undertakes an array of socially
responsible actions. Safaricoms CSR falls under six specific factors within a model proposed by
Chung et al. whose research covers metrics that are reminiscent of the primary concerns of the
present study. The elements include philanthropic, ethical, legal, economic, environmental, and
Safaricom observes the law, accomplishes its overriding obligation to achieve sustainable profits,
and observes societal norms. Further, the organisation pursues philanthropic activities by making
donations to non-profits that service Kenyan communities, requiring its employees to spend CSR
43
leave days on volunteer work and maintaining strategic partnerships that foster opportunities to
advance charitable causes. The firm addresses an entire suite of social concerns in Kenya
including water shortage, lack of access to proper healthcare or education, and so forth.
Safaricom promotes environmental protection, albeit in the manner satisfies the requirements of
the Kenyan public without expending its efforts towards achieving international standards. Also,
services. There is a scholarly gap in examining whether the favorable outcomes associated with
CSR in other areas in the world also accrue to Kenyan businesses, let alone individual companies
that register notable exploits in social responsibility. The preceding discussion underscores the
need for a context-specific study by demonstrating that scholarly discourse on CSR in Kenya is
first, scarce and second, does not examine the variables that are examinable under this study.
This research seeks to fill this gap by examining the interaction between Safaricoms CSR and
consumer behavior.
Fundamental to research process is the need to position the study within a paradigmatic
model, because it enables researchers to reflect upon the wider epistemological and
philosophical outcomes of their perspective (Perren and Ram, 2004, p. 95). In essence, each
44
paradigm has unique assumptions, methodologies, strategies as well as limitations. The nature
and objectives of this study make it best suited for an interpretive qualitative method that will
foster a nuanced understanding of the research area. This study adopts the interpretivist research
philosophy. Interpretivism is premised on an ontology that holds that all observation is based on
value and theory and that an examination of society cannot in itself be the quest of an isolated
objective truth (Leitch, Hill, and Harrison, 2010). This philosophy is based on the assumption
that reality is constructed socially rather than being determined by objective means.
Interpretivism encompasses the position that placing people in a societal setting augments
the ability to gain an understanding of the beliefs they hold of their activities. The intrinsic nature
of interpretivism facilitates the retrieval of qualitative data. Its main concern is with the
peculiarity of a specific situation, which contributes substantively to the quest for contextual
depth, a vital concern in this study. In affirming this, Kelliher (2011) asserts that interpretive
research is recognized for its value in providing contextual depth. Interpretivists opine that since
peoples behaviors are affected by the meanings and interpretations they attach to social
situations, the task of a researcher is to understand these interpretations and meanings, and how
people understand and see the world. For this reason, the adherents of this philosophy have the
conviction that a researcher needs to engage the people personally rather than merely collecting
numerical data, which makes it instrumental in retrieving qualitative data and conducting
exploratory research.
The present study will apply inductive reasoning as its scientific approach. Inductive
observations rather than formulated theories as is the case with the deductive methodology.
45
Inductive researchers work from the bottom-up, using the participants views to build broader
themes and generate a theory interconnecting the themes (Creswell and Clark, 2007).
that help in detecting the existence of regularities and patterns. If patterns are discovered, then
the researcher formulates tentative hypotheses to explain the observable phenomenon, and
ultimately develop general theories about the occurrence. Induction, therefore, entails moving
Tentative
Observation Pattern
Hypothesis
Theory
Arguments founded on observation or experience are best suited for inductive expression as
is the case in this research project. Further, the approach is highly beneficial in a case where little is
known about a research area. As established in the literature review little is known about how CSR
impacts purchase decisions in the African continent, let alone individual nations and specific
industry. Consequently, the inductive approach will be valuable in gaining an understanding of this
Before setting out the research design, it is necessary to revisit the objectives of this
As mentioned, this study seeks to examine a purely uncharted scientific area, which is the
impact of CSR activities pursued by Safaricom on Kenyan consumers. As a result, this study will
apply an exploratory methodology to discover what is going on, especially in situations where
there is little understanding or little knowledge (Robson, 2002). It enables researchers to search
for fresh insights into phenomena, ask questions, weigh the occurrence from a new perspective
as well as formulate hypotheses and ideas that could be used in future research (Robson, 2002;
Saunders et al., 2009). An exploratory research is typically conducted when there is a need for
society (Yin, 2008). This approach is applied when there is a need to examine differences as well
as relationships (Bickman and Rog, 2009), where how, why, and what queries are
answered, but the main focus is on the what questions (Yin, 2008).
This thesis will apply the case study method as its research strategy. A case study is an
empirical inquiry that investigates a contemporary phenomenon within its real-life context,
especially when the boundaries between phenomenon and context are not clearly evident (Yin,
2008, p. 13). The utilization of this method is pragmatic means to explore as well as challenge
extant theories, drawing the conclusion of whether additional research is needed, or if the
47
existing propositions should be accepted (Saunders et al., 2009). This research strategy is
preferable when examining the perspectives held by the individuals engaged or involved in the
situation in question (Gillman, 2000). As this study aspires to examine the perspectives of
Kenyan consumers regarding Safaricoms CSR activities, a case study approach will be
instrumental. This research will use case study as the research strategy. Case study has
particularly been used where researchers were concerned about the ability of quantitative
strategies to give in depth and holistic explanations about social and behavioral issues. Case
study has been chosen as a research strategy because it goes beyond quantitative and statistical
results, and enables researchers to understand behavioral situations through the respondents
perspectives.
48
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