José Luis Vázquez
Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences, University of León
Campus de Vegazana s/n; 24071 León (Spain)
E-mail:  jose-luis.vazquez@unileon.es

Altruism or Strategy? A Study of Attributions of Responsibility in Business and its Impact 
on the Consumer Decision Making Process

 Ana Lanero
Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences, University of León
Campus de Vegazana s/n; 24071 León (Spain)
E-mail: ana.lanero@unileon.es  

María P. García
Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences, University of León
Campus de Vegazana s/n; 24071 León (Spain)
E-mail:  mpgarm@unileon.es

ABSTRACT. The principal aim of this paper is to propose a model of consumer decision making based on responsibility criteria, just as to analyze the role of consumers’ attributions of business responsibility as determinants of that process. A self-reported study was conducted from a total sample of 454 Spanish consumers. Structural equations modeling with PLS was used to test the sequence between information search, information evaluation and purchase behavior based on responsibility criteria, just as the effect of value, stakeholder, strategic and egoistic-driven motivations attributed to corporate  responsibility. Results support a model of responsible consumer decision making and show a different pattern of effects of social and strategic attributions on consumer behavior.

Jesús García
Faculty of Economics and Business Sciences, University of León
Campus de Vegazana s/n; 24071 León (Spain)
E-mail: jesus.garcia@unileon.es

Received: September, 2012
1st Revision: December, 2012
Accepted: April, 2013 

JEL Classification: M31

Keywords: Public marketing, corporate social responsibility, responsible consumption, consumer decision making process, social orientation, profit orientation, Spain