Date of Award

6-2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Business Administration (DBA)

Department

School of Business

First Advisor

Dr. Paul Shelton

Second Advisor

Dr. Debby Thomas

Third Advisor

Dr. David Petrie

Abstract

The wine industry continues to grow and is expected to reach 429 billion U.S. dollars by 2023 (Oloruntoba, 2020) and is a major contributor to environmental degradation. The wine industry plays a role in soil degradation, water pollution, waste disposal, and land/vegetation damage. The wine-making process creates emissions and depletes oxygen in the environment, which is linked with increased death rates of aquatic organisms. The wine industry impacts crop growth, the solubility of metals in soil, increases toxicity of water, and generates destructive algal bloom. The industry has been slow to adopt sustainable practices and has been subject to less scrutiny than other industries. Although consumer preference studies have shown that customers care about sustainability and corporate social responsibility, little research existed on consumer preferences in the wine industry. To better understand if more companies in the wine industry should adopt higher sustainability and socially responsible behaviors, this body of research explored the impact of corporate social responsibility and sustainability on brand trust and purchase intention in the wine industry. The research was conducted with participants who drink or purchase wine, and the results indicate that both corporate social responsibility and sustainability impact consumers' brand trust and purchase intention in the wine industry. This study is important for business leaders to better understand their consumers’ preferences and accordingly make critical changes in their business strategies. It is also important for academia to further research on developing topics in the industry and for consumers to help expand awareness on socially responsible and sustainable companies.

Download

Share

COinS