Marketing Mix Elements and Corporate Social Responsibility: Do they Really Matter to Store Image?

Abstract

This purpose of this article is to examine the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and marketing mix elements on store image in Malaysian retail sector. The data were collected through a quantitative survey method from 278 customers of retail stores in eastern Malaysia. All of the returned questionnaires were inserted into SPSS and analyzed based on the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique using AMOS 18. The findings showed that CSR has a significant positive effect on store image. Furthermore, the outcomes revealed that advertising and price have significant positive effects on store image. However, the effect of sales promotion on store image is insignificant and negative. Finally, the results confirmed that store location and store environment have a significant positive effect on store image. The findings of this study contribute to our understanding with regard to the importance of these factors in influencing store image in the retail context.