| Abstract [eng] |
Relevance of the topic and scientific problem. In recent decades, environmental, sustainability and public health issues have become increasingly important to consumers. All of this defines the activities of a socially responsible corporate that are conveyed through marketing communications. Marketing communication is important not only in providing information or shaping the image of a company, but also as a factor influencing consumer behavior and changes in their consumption habits. However, there are situations where the socially responsible activities delegated by corporates are not communicated to consumers or corporates only delegate socially responsible activities, but do not implement it in reality. Meanwhile, the activities of corporates can have a significant impact on consumers and their intentions in terms of sustainable consumption, which is considered to be the most important aspect of social responsibility. Based on the results and limitations of the research, the following problematic issue is formulated in the master’s thesis: what are the relations between the marketing communication, image and consumer intentions of a socially responsible corporate in context of sustainable consumption? The relations between the marketing communication, image and consumer intentions of a socially responsible company in the context of sustainable consumption are selected as the object of the master's project. The purpose of the project is to theoretically and empirically justify the relations between the marketing communication, image and consumer intentions of a socially responsible corporate in the context of sustainable consumption. Project objectives: 1. to argue the issues of research of the relations between the marketing communication, image and consumer intentions of a socially responsible corporate in the context of sustainable consumption; 2. to perform a theoretical analysis of the relations between the marketing communication, image and consumer intentions of a socially responsible corporate in the context of sustainable consumption; 3. to develop an empirical methodology for the study of the relations between the marketing communication, image and consumer intentions of a socially responsible corporate in in the context of sustainable consumption; 4. after summarizing the results of the empirical research, to provide recommendations to the marketing communication managers of a socially responsible corporate. Results of the project. Based on different research ideas and discoveries, a conceptual model of the relations between socially responsible corporate marketing communication, image and consumer intentions in the context of sustainable consumption has been developed. To empirically justify it, the cases of AB Vilkyškių pieninė and AB AUGA group have been selected. An empirical study has been conducted based on the responses of 212 respondents and and the results of interviews with corporates experts (2 informants). It was established that AB Vilkyškių pieninė and AB AUGA group demonstrate high levels of commitment, involvement in sustainability and marketing communication. According to corporater marketing experts, consumers do not yet recognize the concept of sustainability, so marketing communication remains an important public education tool for promoting sustainable consumption. It was found that the expression of the company's social responsibility activities and its marketing communication have a positive impact on the company's image, which has a positive effect on consumer intentions. The expression of a company's social responsibility activities also affects its marketing communication. However, it has been established that in the case of AB Vilkyškių pieninė, the influence of the company's image on consumer intentions weakens when the interaction is moderated by consumer involvement in sustainable consumption. The interaction between a company’s image and consumer intentions, where the moderator is consumer engagement in sustainable consumption, varies depending on the assessment of the company’s image. |
