Doctoral thesis: Corporate social responsibilities of food manufacturing and processing companies in Vietnam from the consumers’ perspectives
1. Doctoral thesis: Corporate social responsibilities of food manufacturing and processing companies in Vietnam from the consumers’ perspectives
2. Author: Nguyen Phuong Mai
3. Major: Business Administration
4. Code: 62 34 05 01
5. Supervisor: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Hoang Van Hai
6. Training institution: VNU - University of Economics and Business
7. Research objectives and scope
7.1. Research purposes:
The thesis aims at the following objectives:
- Evaluate the awareness of consumers of the corporate social responsibilities (CSR) of food manufacturing and processing companies in Vietnam;
- Propose some solutions to integrate CSR into business operation of companies to meet the expectation of consumers.
7.2. Research scope: The relationship between CSR awareness of consumers, their attitude and behavior intention toward food manufacturing and processing companies in Vietnam
8. Research methodology
Both qualitative and quantitative research methods are used in this thesis. Qualitative research method is used to explore, adapt and add the observed variables and measure the research concept and formulate the research model as well. Quantitative research method is conducted through sociological research methods and analyzed in SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 20.0 software using EFA, CFA, SEM and ANOVA to test the research hypotheses and give answers to research questions.
9. Major findings and conclusions
- The thesis clarifies the overall context of CSR in food manufacturing and processing industry in Vietnam. On the basis of secondary data, the author has analyzed CSR issues in this industry and the role of consumers as a active force to motivate companies to fullfil their social responsibilities.
- The thesis measure CSR awareness of consumers who use food processing products in the North region. From the survey data of 11 provinces and cities in the North of Vietnam, the analyzed data shows that Vietnamese consumers are more and more concern for CSR issues.
- The research tests the relationship between CSR awareness of consumers, their attitude and behavior intention. It is shown in the research that awareness of CSR to community and CSR to employees have the strongest relationship on consumers’ attitude. Since consumers are aware of CSR issues, their attitude and behavior intention towards food manufacturing and processing companies will gruadually change.
- The research also tests the impact of demographic factors on consumers’ behavior intention. Research results reveal that except for income factor, other demographic factors including gender, age and educational background do not affect and differentiate the behavior intention of consumers.
- The thesis proposes some solutions to the government, enterprises and consumers to promote CSR implementation in the food manufacturing and processing industry of Vietnam. From the government side, policy solution is of focus. From the enterprise side, some suggestions are related to CSR communication, governance issue and manufacturing process innovation. From the consumers side, the suggestion is mostly concerned with raising CSR awareness.