Handbook of Management Scales/Social and environmental responsibility

Social and environmental responsibility (AVE = 0.55; CR = 0.76)

Description

Based on a comprehensive scale development and validation procedure, the authors find support for a five-dimensional scale to measure customer-based corporate reputation of a service firm: customer orientation, good employer, reliable and financially strong company, product and service quality, and social and environmental responsibility.

Definition

Social and environmental responsibility relates to the customers’ perceptions that the company sees and acts on environmental and social responsibilities.

Items

• Seems to make an effort to create new jobs. (0.59)
• Would reduce its profits to ensure a clean environment. (0.56)
• Seems to be environmentally responsible. (0.55)
• Appears to support good causes. (0.48)

Comments

Item 3 was adapted from a scale by Fombrun et al. (2000). The first item does not really seem to measure social or environmental responsibility. The factor loadings of the last items are relatively low; the wording of this item is also very general. In general, as companies can be socially responsible but, at the same time, not environmentally responsible and vice versa, this scale might actually be two-dimensional. In general, this scale should be further developed before it is used again.

Source

• Walsh & Beatty (2007): Customer-based Corporate Reputation of a Service Firm: Scale Development and Validation. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Vol. 35, No. 1, pp. 127-143.