The Impact of CSR on Consumer Behavior in Bar Service Operation: A Conceptual Framework

Introduction

All service sectors and major companies come under this sector are developing new products and processes to achieve the goal of minimizing negative environmental effects. Choi and Parsa (2006) revealed that these developments are driven by socially responsible goals, while it is debated that the fundamental stimulus for such action remains economically motivated.The key ingredient for hospitality and tourism businesses is the integrity of the surrounding natural environment. Hotels mainly located in natural areas, such as mountains or beaches, are dependent on the ‘healthiness’ of their sites. There are many entrepreneurs who run their hotel business and have been engaging in ‘green’ practices and eco-tourism for several years. Bar and beverage operation are less dependent on such environmental factors and accordingly shown less concern for such issues.To fulfil their economic responsibilities, marketers of products such as alcohol must simultaneously increase volumes sold, gain efficiencies in production or achieve sales growth and cost efficiencies. In stable markets where there is little population growth, an increase in the volumes sold introduces a conflict, because in order to sell more consumers need to drink more, thus increasing certain health and social risks. The corporate world has experienced a distinct increase in focus on organizations ethical behaviors and responsibilities concerning their environments. Corporate social responsibility plays a pivotal role for the consumers and in the restaurant industry (Tracking and interpreting restaurant trends, 2010). According to Klonoski (1991) many debate had took place over the proper relationship between business and society has focused on the topic of corporate social responsibility. Blume and Resor (2007) stated that while low to moderate alcohol consumption may offer some protective health effects, high alcohol consumption increases the risk of heart, and vascular diseases, stroke, liver cirrhosis and some cancers. CSR includes the manner of a business so that it is economically profitable, law abiding, ethical and socially supportive (Carroll, 1983). Profitability and obedience to the law are foremost conditions to be socially responsible when discussing the firm’s ethics. The CSR model which is in the form of pyramid, which presents company responsibilities as comprising economic, legal, ethical andphilanthropic dimensions (Carroll, 1991). These model businesses are expected to be profitable, obey the law,be ethical, and to be good corporate citizens. There are other terms of CSR as well which can be referred as corporate social opportunity, corporate responsibility, responsible business and corporate citizenship (Ismail, 2009). Further Brammer, Jackson and Matten (2012) stated that the term CSR itself contains the feature of society within its own label, this provides a clear understanding that CSR relates to social responsibilities of businesses all along. The objective of this paper is to examine a conceptual framework which predicts that CSR has an impact on consumer behavior in bar service operation. This study also proposes an integrated framework regarding impact of CSR on consumer behavior. This framework will help the researchers and to provide the direction about some CSR practices which affects the consumer behavior. The future researchers may consider this framework while working on the topic empirically.