The effect of corporate associations on consumer behaviour

Abstract

Purpose

In the present paper, the authors aim to study the relationship between corporate associations and loyalty by analyzing the role of identification with the company and satisfaction in this connection.

Design/methodology/approach

The effects of corporate associations on consumers' loyalty were tested through a structural equation model for a sample of 781 financial services users.

Findings

The results confirm the value of commercial expertise (CE) as one of the most important determinants of both consumer satisfaction and identification with their financial services provider. Besides, corporate social responsibility (CSR) contributes to building consumer identification with the company, which is positively correlated to satisfaction too. Satisfaction is thus presented as both an affective and cognitive consumer response in the financial industry, which, along with identification, finally determines the attitudinal loyalty a consumer shows towards their provider.

Originality/value

With this study, the authors try to contribute to a better knowledge of the consumer loyalty formation process as it begins with the perception of corporate associations for its commercial expertise and its social commitment. The researchers take into account the role of two variables – i.e. identification and satisfaction with the company – that had not been studied in depth in research analyzing the role of corporate associations in consumer loyalty. Moreover, CSR associations are also studied from a multidimensional point of view, as suggested in recent studies and in comparison to the vast majority of previous research, which has concentrated on specific and narrow dimensions of the concept, especially the social dimension.

Citation

Pérez, A., del Mar García de los Salmones, M. and Rodríguez del Bosque, I. (2013), "The effect of corporate associations on consumer behaviour", European Journal of Marketing, Vol. 47 No. 1/2, pp. 218-238. https://doi.org/10.1108/03090561311285529