Impact of CSR Activities on Customer Loyalty in Media Channels in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is nowadays an important strategic instrument that organisations use to improve customer trust, brand reputation, and customer loyalty in the short and long term. Despite the fact that CSR is a common practice in most industries, the Sri Lankan media industry has not been making full utilisation of its opportunities in enhancing the interest of the audience. This research is aimed at investigating the impact of the major dimensions of CSR, which include the economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibilities, on customer loyalty in the media channels in Sri Lanka. The quantitative research design was utilised, which is a structured questionnaire that was given to 384 respondents who were selected using convenience sampling. The data obtained were broken down to give descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression analysis, using SPSS software. The findings showed that the four CSR dimensions have a considerable impact on the loyalty of customers, and the legal and ethical responsibilities of the company have the most positive outcomes. The results underline that the process of building a positive relationship with the audience and loyal customer engagement toward the brand is supported by socially responsible, transparent, and ethically orientated practices. The research finds that CSR activities are crucial to the improvement of trust, differentiation, and competitive advantage in the Sri Lankan media industry.