Effects Of Entrepreneurs Social Responsibility Behaviour Deviation On The Brand Image

All along, the entrepreneur is considered an important shaper and influencer of corporate brand, their socially responsible behavior has a very profound impact on the brand performance. In real life, because consumers make their buying decisions, not only increasing attention to corporate social responsibility, but also they advocate awareness and understanding of brand personality characteristics through the association of entrepreneurs or brand image endorsement. However, how should entrepreneurs act appropriate and effective social responsibility to enhance the brand image? The answer is unknown. At present, neither the wealth of practical experience to provide entrepreneurs demonstration, nor lack of theoretical guidance.In fact, in the marketing study field, researchers have referred the important influence of entrepreneur on the brand image about the study of brand personality, brand image composition and brand concept map. But in the past scholars studied the relationship between entrepreneurs and corporate brand image, more focusing on entrepreneurs as managers and as leaders, from the enterprise inside perspective, studied through employee behaviour to construct indirectly the brand image. Even from the enterprise outside perspective, the studies are limited to entrepreneurs in the advertising which the role of spokesman, while ignoring the impact of entrepreneurs as the social influencer on brand image. Therefore, from the perspective of external customers, this paper will study the impact of entrepreneurs socially responsibility on the brand image.Based on the social norms theory, moral ideology theory and behavior deviation theory, this paper will integrate entrepreneurs social responsibility behaviour、consumer moral ideology、corporate brand image and the relevancy of entrepreneurs-corporate brand into an analytical framework. According to social norms and public reaction, entrepreneurs social responsibility behaviour are divided into over-conform to norm behaviour(OCNB) and under-conform to norm behaviour(UCNB). Based on moral ideology theory, the consumers are composed of idealists and realists. On this basis, the consumer groups with different moral ideology will evaluate differently the entrepreneurs social responsibility over/under conform to norm behaviour. Meanwhile, the introduction of the relevancy between entrepreneurs-corporate brand, studying in which scenario entrepreneurs social responsibility over/under conform to norm behaviour will have a significant impact on the brand image, what about outcome.We found that comparing to entrepreneurs social responsibility UCNB, when entrepreneurs fulfilled social responsibility OCNB, consumers will make more positive evaluation on entrepreneurs image. However, the stronger purpose perceived by consumers behind entrepreneurs social responsibility behaviour, the worse evaluation. The study also show when the higher between entrepreneurs-brand relevancy, the greater entrepreneurs image influence positively on the brand image. But when the lower between entrepreneurs-brand relevancy, entrepreneurs social responsibility UCNB/OCNB will not exist significantly effect on the corporate brand image.This paper is divided into four major parts:introduction, literature review and relevant theory, research framework and empirical study, the overall discussion. Among them, the first chapter is the introduction, it mainly leads in this paper to study the issue, the significance of topics, innovation and research ideas, frameworks and methods. Part of literature review and theories, including the second and third chapter, mainly sorting out the literature about entrepreneurial behavior, entrepreneurs and corporate brand image, finding the study subject of this paper, based on deviate behaviour theory、social norms and moral ideology theory, further proposing the analysis framework of entrepreneurs social responsibility UCNB/OCNB influencing on the brand image. The fourth and fifth chapter irrespectively includes theoretical framework and empirical research, checking the proposed research model and assumptions by the two experiments, and discussing based on data analysis. The sixth chapter is about the overall discussion, based on the previous research paper, the conclusions and managerial implications are discussed, pointing out the limitations of this study and future research directions.Summary of each chapter is as follows:Chapter I describes mainly the study problem of this paper, research motivation, significance of the topic, and innovation. Because entrepreneurs have to be considered an important shaper and influence of brand image, especially their social responsibility behavior has a profound impact on brand image. The past scholars mainly took the entrepreneurs as managers and leaders, from the inside perspective, studied the effect of internal employees behaviour on building the brand. They ignored the effect of entrepreneurs as the social influence on the brand image. During marketing practice, how to fulfill entrepreneurs social responsibility behaviour can effectively enhance corporate brand image. This is a major problem facing entrepreneurs. Therefore, based on the existing literature and related theories, proposing the research framework, ideas and research methods.ChapterⅡmainly sorted out the literature about entrepreneurial social responsibility behaviour, entrepreneurs image, corporate brand image. The literature on entrepreneurial social responsibility behaviour, this paper mainly combed the two ways:company social responsibility behaviour and entrepreneurial social responsibility behaviour. For the literature of entrepreneurs image, this paper defined the image from the entrepreneurs, physical appearance perspective, personality traits and the mass media perspective view hackled and reviewed. Finally, the literature about corporate brand image, this paper defined the brand image, brand value and symbolic perspective, cognitive psychology perspective of consumers, and the corporate brand image to sort.ChapterⅢmainly find theoretical support for the developing research models in the fourth chapter. This chapter intends to describe deviate behaviour、social norms and moral ideology theory. Firstly, we proposed the social norm theory and discussed the standard of social value. Secondly, according to entrepreneurs social responsibility behaviour deviate, discussing the definition、classification and measurement of behaviour. Finally, social responsibility as a moral category, so consumers individual differences in ethical ideology will affect their evaluation on entrepreneurial social responsibility behaviour? Of this chapter to be talking about.ChapterⅣproposed theoretical framework and assumptions, mainly based on chapter two and chapter three devlopping theory model and inference assumptions. The independent variable is entrepreneurs social responsibility UCNB and OCNB. The mediating variable is entrepreneurs image, the dependent variable is corporate brand image. The moderating variables are irrespectively the moral ideology of consumers and the relevancy between entrepreneurs and the brand. It mainly study the processes and mechanisms of entrepreneurs social responsibility UCNB and OCNB influencing on the corporate brand. Based on literature and related theory, checking and discussing them through empirical research in chapter five.ChapterⅤmainly test and discuss the theory model and hypotheses in chapter four through pre-testing, study one and study two. Firstly, the pre-test intended to check the reliability and validity of scale. At the same time, testing the relationship direction between the moral ideology of consumers and social responsibility. Secondly, we checked the theory model and the hypotheses through manipulating entrepreneurs social responsibility OCNB/UCNB and the relevancy of entrepreneurs-brand, in which the moral ideology of consumers naturally. In study two, we not only manipulated entrepreneurs social responsibility OCNB/UCNB and the relevancy of entrepreneurs-brand, but also manipulated the moral ideology of consumers.Chapter VI for the general discussion, based on the empirical research in chapter five, discussing the processes and mechanisms about the effects of entrepreneurs social responsibility behaviour on the corporate brand, what’s more, based on the preface-structure of Fei Xiaotong and marketing philosophical ideas, proposing the different development stage of entrepreneurs social responsibility, providing appropriate reference and recommendations for entrepreneurs performing proper social responsibility behaviour.In summary, based on the sort of literature and needs of marketing practice, we developped the theory model about the effects of entrepreneurs social responsibility UCNB/OCNB on the brand image. Testing the processes and mechanisms about the effects of entrepreneurs social responsibility UCNB/OCNB on the brand image through two experiments.This study not only enriches the corporate social responsibility and brand image related theories, but also provides references and recommendations for entrepreneurs to fulfill their social responsibility behaviour.