An Analysis on the Link Between Emerging Markets MNEs’ Reputation and Corporate Social Responsibility

Purpose of this chapter – The chapter analyzes the link between cultural factors, corporate reputation, and social responsibility, considering the case of emerging markets MNEs.Design/methodology/approach – On data provided by the Reputation Institute, applied to the cultural clusters of Europe, we analyze, using multivariate linear regression, whether the inclusion of cultural dimensions as femininity and hedonism has a significant influence on corporate reputation, as one tends to strengthen corporate social responsibility, while the other is more connected with customer focus.Findings – Our conclusions point to the fact that, despite its many cultural clusters, Europe should be regarded, from the point of view of multinationals, as a homogenous region, where one corporate social responsibility strategy may well suit all markets.Research limitations/implications – Including inside data from multinationals may be a sound continuation of the study.Practical implications – The chapter guides multinationals into using cultural indexes when assessing the impact of their actions on their reputation, as perceived by consumers.Social implications – The findings influence CSR, as a component of reputation, making corporations rethink their CSR policies in the light of culture-mediated perceptions.Originality/value of chapter – The chapter looks at reputation and CSR from a novel perspective, that of cultural factors, and their impact on consumer perception.