Corporate Social Responsibility as a Factor Influencing Purchasing Decisions of Consumers in Central and Eastern Europe
Purpose: The purpose of this article is to examine the impact of CSR on the purchasing decisions of Polish and Ukrainian consumers against other decision-making criteria. Design/Methodology/Approach: We collected the data through questionnaires. We received them from 836 customers in Poland and Ukraine, which we then analyzed with the IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 and Microsoft Excel 2019. Findings: The paper presents the results of a study on the influence of CSR on purchasing decisions of Polish and Ukrainian consumers against other decision criteria such as price, quality, opinions of other customers or guarantee conditions. Conclusions from the study indicate that the influence of CSR on purchasing decisions is rather small. More important factors, than CSR, influencing consumer decisions are: quality, price, positive feedback of other customers, warranty terms and conditions as well as repair network. The analysis carried out showed no significant differences in CSR evaluation in relation to demographic variables, apart from gender. It appeared that women rated CSR activities of a company as a more important criterion in purchasing decisions compared to men. Practical Implications: The presented findings can be used by marketing managers who shape the ways in which CSR activities are communicated with stakeholders, including consumers. Companies knowing consumer attitudes towards CSR should work to improve these relationships. Originality/Value: The research adds to the knowledge on consumer perceptions of CSR in Central and Eastern Europe and extends the findings of previous studies.