Relações entre consumo e responsabilidade social corporativa: estudo cross-cultural no setor de transporte aéreo

Abstract

What makes globalization more challenging is the fact that, even when connected, the differences still exist between people, which seems not to be left alternative but to investigate their national cutltures to draw its essence and make this a tool for international operations. In this globalizations context, there is the air transport sector, which has received notable attention due to its increasing contribution to economic and social development of a country. Concomitant with the concern about global warming, the aviations industry is under the target of public pressure due to its staus as a major consumer of fossil fuels and their harmful consequences to the environment. Few researchs, however, are devoted to analyze how the airlines are positioned facing the issues of social responsibility, as well as the behavior of their consumers. Given this context, this study seeks to examine if there are differences in image perception, attitude and purchase intent of Brazilians and Spanish airlines consumers. Thus, based on the Vila and Gimeno-Rodriguez (2010) model, this study sought to adapt it to the airline industry and validate it. It also sought to identify the relationships of Corporate Social Responsibility (antecedent construct) with the images perception, attitude and purchase intention (consequential constructs) from Spanish and Brazilians air transport consumers. In addition, we sought to investigate whether the culture/nationality influences this relationship. Thus, it was conducted a survey research with 267 Brazilians and Spanish consumers through a questionnaire composed by four scales to measure: CRS of air transport companies, airlines image perceived by consumers, consumer s attitudes and their intention to use the air transport services. To validate Vila e Gimeno- Rodriguez model to the airline industry, it was used the Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analysis. The model showed satisfactory rates of adjustment, allowing its reapplication. To assess the relationships between the antecedent and the consequential constructs, this study was held on Structural Equation Modeling, through which were confirmed four research hypotheses: the CSR is an antecedent construct to the image perception, and image is an antecedent construct of attitude and purchase intention. Attiude shown preceding the purchase intention. To check the influence of nationality on these relationships, it was used the Invariance Test. Finally, it was found that nationality influences the relationships between: CSR practices by airlines and the perceived image by consumers; the image perceived by consumers and their approach to buy/use the airlines services; the image perceived by consumers their intention to buy/use the airline services and, the attitudes and their intentions to purchase/use the airlines services.