Date of Award
Spring 4-25-2024
Degree Type
Dissertation/Thesis
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy in Business Administration
Department
Business - Coles College of Business
Committee Chair/First Advisor
Dr. Brian Rutherford
Second Advisor
Dr. Armen Tashchian
Third Advisor
Dr. Patrick van Esch
Abstract
This dissertation examines the corporate philanthropic activities of a national retailer and tests whether specific donation types impact consumer outcomes. The independent variable is donation subsets, specifically consumable products (congruent versus incongruent), volunteer time (skilled versus unskilled), and money (high versus low dollar amounts). Consumer outcomes, as assessed by attitude toward the company, brand loyalty, and purchase intention, measure the impact of donation types on consumer perception. The setting for the studies shows a retailer partnering with a nonprofit to aid recovery efforts after a natural disaster. The first main study utilizes tornadoes as a natural disaster. The second main study replicates the first by using the same variables within a different natural disaster setting: wildfires. The additional context aids the validation and generalizability of the first main study’s findings. This research offers valuable insights into the strategic importance of different corporate donation types and their influence on consumer perception, with practical applications for businesses developing philanthropic initiatives.