Assertiveness, Corporate Social Responsibility and Brand Association in Anti-globalization Era

Abstract

This paper aims to look at the relationship among Assertiveness, a National value dimensions (NVD) component, CSR practices, and brand association in Bangladesh. Perceptions of the managers from different organizations of Bangladesh, an emerging economy, has been determined and recorded using a 7 point Likert scale. Purposive sampling has been used to select 113 respondents representing banking, the central bank, NGO, medical, academia, pharmaceutical, manufacturing, and other service sectors. It is found that Bangladeshi managers are non-assertive implying the fact that the claim of Hofstede stating that Bangladesh is a masculine or, assertive society is invalid in this anti-globalization era (post-2008). The results of stepwise-regression prove that CSR to stakeholders, a dimension of overall CSR performance, is positively associated with brand association. Results also show that interaction between assertiveness and CSR to stakeholders have a negative and moderating effect on brand association in Bangladesh. If corporate CSR activities are taken in line with the findings of this article, the country will be able to build better resilience against natural and other disasters, a target under SDG 13. At the same time, it will help organizations to enhance their brand image; and more specifically, strengthen associations of consumers with the brand itself.