MINISTRY OF EDUCATION AND TRAINING
UNIVERSITY OF ECONOMICS HO CHI MINH CITY
--------------
Nguyen Anh Tuan
THE IMPACT OF CONSUMER PERCEPTION
TOWARD CORPORATE SOCIAL MARKETING
ON MULTI-DIMENSIONS OF BRAND EQUITY:
THE CASE OF MILK PRODUCTS IN VIETNAM
Major: Business Administration
Code: 9340101
SUMMARY OF DOCTORAL THESIS
Ho Chi Minh City – 2020
The thesis was completed in University of Economics Ho Chi Minh
City
Tutor: Asso. Prof. Ph.D. Vo Thi Quy
Reviewer 1 : ...................................................................................
Reviewer 2 : ...................................................................................
Reviewer 3 : ...................................................................................
The thesis will be protected in front of the Council at: .......................
..............................................................................................................
At ……. Hour …… …… …… …… …… ……
The thesis can be found at: ..................................................................
1
CHAPTER 1. OVERALL INTRODUCTION
1.1. Research Context and issue statement
The trend towards green and/or sustainable consumption places a
requirement for marketing (companies) to not only bring satisfaction to
customers, maximize profits (Levitt, 1960), but also be proactive responsible
for social causes / issues (Crane and Desmond, 2002; Maignan and Ferrell,
2001, 2004); marketing must contribute to the formation of sustainable social
behavior (Gordon et al., 2011; Emery, 2012), actively support sustainable
economic development and achieving sustainability in the marketplace (Hunt,
2011; Martin and Schouten, 2012). That is, companies must actively apply a
sustainable marketing form such as corporate social marketing (CSM)
(Gordon et al., 2011; Martin and Schouten, 2012; Emery, 2012).
CSM is based on the economic, ethical, philanthropic responsibilities of
both companies and marketers in implementing responsibility for social issues
(Kotler and Lee 2005a; Kotler, 2009, 2011). CSM affects perceptions and
behaviors of target audiences (communities, suppliers, consumers, ...),
thereby forming sustainable social behaviors, creating benefits not only for
society but also for companies (Kotler et al, 2002; Kotler and Lee, 2005a,
2008; Gordon et al., 2011; Lefebvre, 2012; Emery, 2012).
The dairy industry has made important contributions to the economy,
sustainable economic development, and human nutrition and health (FAO).
The achievements in consumption and production of the Vietnamese dairy
industry have been achieved over the past time, showing the positive moves
of consumers; the companies's investment and efforts in branding, asserting
its position in the market (StoxPlus, 2018; VIRAC, 2019; VDA, 2019, 2020).
To ensure success and effectiveness in branding, it is necessary to have a
clear understanding of brand equity (Keller and Lehmann, 2006), how to
measure and manage consumer-based brand equity ( CBBE) (Kapferer, 2008;
Kartono and Rao, 2009a; Nguyen Dinh Tho and Nguyen Thi Mai Trang,
2011); how to evaluate sources (marketing) affecting on CBBE creation
(Aaker, 1991, 1996; Keller, 1993, 2008; Hsieh, 2004; Anderson, 2011).
2
Many authors have examined the relationship of marketing mix on CBBE
dimensions (eg, Yoo et al., 2000; Ramos and Franco, 2005; Tong and Hawley,
2009b; Kim and Huyn, 2011; Nguyen et al, 2011; Buil et al., 2013; Shariq,
2018;…). However, in the dairy industry in Vietnam, there is still a lack of
empericals about CBBE; about the relationships among marketing activities
– especially CSM – impact on CBBE creation.
Case study of Hoeffler and Keller (2002) showed that CSM has a positive
effect on brand equity. On the other hand, CSM is characterized by influences
on individual perception and behavior (Kotler and Lee, 2008; Lefebvre, 2012;
Kotler et al, 2012); applied more and more popularly (Drumwright and
Murphy, 2001; Andreasen, 2002; Truong and Hall, 2013, 2016); but CSM has
not been investigated from a consumers’s perception (Bloom et al., 2006;
Inoue and Kent, 2014; Deshpande, 2016).
From the above premises, it is necessary to conduct empirical research to
investigates the relationships between CSM impact on CBBE dimensions, on
behavioural intention toward milk brand, based on consumers' response, in
the case of milk products in Vietnam.
1.2. Research Objectives
The specific research objectives are as follow:
The first, To Explore consumer perception of CSM, the case of milk
products in Vietnam market.
The second, To Measure the relationship impact of CSM (perceived CSM)
on CBBE dimensions, the case of milk products in the Vietnamese market.
The thesis also includes the added objective of measuring the dimensions
of CBBE; and the inter-relationships among the dimensions of this CBBE.
The third, To Measure and evaluate the importance of CSM - compared to
advertising and distribution intensity - in the impact relationships on CBBE
dimensions, the case of milk products in the Vietnamese market.
The fourth, To test the factors (gender, location, income, age, types of
milk, original of milk brands) on the relationships that affect CBBE
dimensions. From there, to evaluate the stability of the research model and
propose managerial implications.
3
1.3. Research subjects and scope
The research subject is the consumers’s response (awareness, attitudes and
behavioural intention) in the impact of marketing activities (CSM,
advertising, and distribution intensity) on CBBE multi-dimensions.
Respondents: senior researchers, practical experts in the field of marketing
or branding; Consumers are individuals (over 18 years old, who directly and
regularly purchase/use powdered milk and/or fresh milk brands from dairy
companies in Vietnam). This study focuses on surveying consumers who are
living and working in two big cities in Vietnam (Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi), in
the period of 2018 - 2019.
The thesis will focus on the perspective of Cognitive Consumer Behavior
to investigate the relationships between elements marketing impact on CBBE
creation.
1.4. Methods of studying
The author will use the mixed method: combination of qualitative research
(indepth-interviews with experts, focus group discussions with consumers),
and preliminary and formal quantitative research (face to face interviews with
respondents).
Data were analyzed using structural equation modelling (SEM) to test the
influences of different marketing activities on multi-dimensions of CBBE.
The multi-group analysis method was used to evaluate invariance and stability
of the model.
1.5. Contribution of research in theory and practical implications
Explore and investigate the consumers’ perception of CSM. The thesis has
built a new scale of the Perceived CSM construct (4 items), and tested the
Brand trust scale for the first time in the dairy industry in Vietnam market.
The remaining scales are adjusted to suit the market and context of the study.
Examning and investigating the relationship of positive effects of CSM
(perceived CSM) on multi-dimensions of CBBE (the case of milk products in
the Vietnamese market). This is also the first emperical study to focus on the
relationships between CSM and CBBE dimensions.
