Corporate Social Responsibility and Firm Financial Performance

This assignment explores the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Firm Financial Performance (FFP). It focuses on three mediating factors: Competitive Advantage, Reputation, and Customer Satisfaction. Through a review of academic sources like Yoon (2015), Binks & Chiplin (2015), and others, the assignment aims to understand how CSR initiatives can positively impact FFP through these channels.

Project management

Table of Contents
INTRODUCTION...........................................................................................................................1
Task 1 ..............................................................................................................................................1
1.1 Research project outline specifications......................................................................................1
1.2 Factors that have contributed to the process of research project selection.......................2
1.3 Literature review regarding the customer's satisfaction and the different influential factors
of customer's satisfaction........................................................................................................2
1.4 Appropriate methods for the research methodologies......................................................4
1.5 Appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification...........................5
Task 2 ..............................................................................................................................................8
2.1 What are the different resources in order to carry out the research and the relationship
between the research resources and research question (500).................................................8
2.2 Questionnaire to collect the data from the respondents....................................................8
2.3 Records of the respondents from the survey. ..................................................................9
Task 3.............................................................................................................................................11
3.1 Data analysis techniques.................................................................................................11
3.2 Data analysis and interpretation (500)............................................................................11
3.3 Conclusion and recommendation ..................................................................................15

INTRODUCTION
Customer satisfaction is one of the important factor which plays significant role in the
success of the organisation. If he customer is satisfied with the venture, then firm can able to sell
more products and services and able to earn more profit. Customer satisfaction is the marketing
term where marketer measures that how the goods and services is being supplied to the customer
in order to cater their needs and wants. Customer satisfaction refers to the total percentage of
customers who reportedly achieve the satisfaction level by consuming a particular product or
service. This term is very much significant for the marketers because it helps them to serve the
metric by which they can enhance and manage the business activities and operations.
Task 1
1.1 Research project specifications.
Research aim
Key objective of a researcher is “To analyse different influential factors of customer's
satisfaction: A case study of Easy-jet and Ryanair”
Research objectives
 To explore the concept of customer's satisfaction
 To determine the impact of customer satisfaction on organisation performance
 Exploring the various factors which have a great impact over the customer satisfaction
 Suggesting effective strategies through which an organisation can develop customer
satisfaction
Research question
 What is customer satisfaction?
 What is the impact of customer satisfaction on organisation's performance?
 What are the various factors influencing customer satisfaction?
 What are the different strategies through which organisation can enhance their customer's
satisfaction?
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1.2 Factors that have contributed to the procedure selecting a research project
There are many factors that influenced the selection of the research topic. He have
analysed that customer satisfaction plays very important role in the success of a organisation.
Researcher have proper and relevant knowledge and information about the customer's
satisfaction and this is the primary reason he or she have selected the same subject. Other than
that investigator want to conduct more depth analyse about the subject so that he or she find the
different reason why the customers are satisfied or dis-satisfied with the organisation, this is the
second reason that researcher have selected the subject. With that researcher want to explore and
suggest the different strategies to the organisation Easy-jet and Ryanair by which they can serve
high level of satisfaction to the customers.
1.3 Literature review regarding the customer's satisfaction and the different influential factors of
customer's satisfaction.
Concept of customer's satisfaction
According to the view of (Cha and Jang, 2016). It is being known that organisation
activities and operations starts with the customers and ends with the customers. Firm produce
goods and serve services to the customers in order to cater their needs and wants. Thus, it can be
said that customer are the King of the market. All the business image, enhancement, image,
status etc. are dependent on the clients. Hence, it is very much significant for the organisation to
meet the customer's expectation and identify their needs in order to satisfy them. Customer
satisfaction is the measure of how the needs and responses are collaborated and delivered to
excel customer expectation.
In the contradicting view of Agnihotri and Krush, (2016) Customer satisfaction is an
internal element of customer’s experience that exposes a supplier’s behaviour on customer’s
expectation. This can be attained when the organisation have good relationship with the
customers. As it being known that, there are large number of competitors in the market, and it is
very significant for the venture to have customer's satisfaction which helps them to be
differentiate from the different market players. Satisfaction is being linked with the different
aspects such as production activities, marketing of the product and services, quality of material,
customer's response towards the venture, completion of the different projects, complain
management, post delivery services etc.
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Impact of customer's satisfaction on organisation performance
According to the view of Saeidi and Saaeidi, (2015) it have been known that customer's
satisfaction is the most important element for the success of venture. This is because all the
business activities and operations are being done in order to serve high level of satisfaction to the
customers. If the venture is producing high level of quality products, customers will be
impressed.
In the contradicting view of Yoon, (2015) customer's satisfaction is the overall essence
by which company can leave their impression on the customers. This impression which a client
makes regarding organisation is the sum total of all the procedures that goes through, start from
connecting venture before doing any marketing activities that is to post delivery options and
services and managing queries or complaints post delivery. It is very much significant for the
venture to have proper communication and connection with the customers in order to satisfy
their needs and collect the feedback that whether they are satisfied with the venture or not?
Different factors that have great impact over the customer's satisfaction
According to the view of Binks and Chiplin, (2015) It have been identified that there are
several factors that have great impact over the customer's satisfaction and dis-satisfaction. One
of the significant factor is quality of products and services consumed by them. It is being known
that most of the customers buy premium or branded products because they find high quality.
This states that most of customers are found of high quality and this is the reason they agree to
pay high prices. In such case if they do not find good quality of products and services, they will
never come back to the company and buy their products. Thus, it shows that customers get dis-
satisfaction from the brand. This is the reason firm need to focus on quality of products and
services in order to satisfy needs and wants of the customers.
In the contradicting view of Heide and Tracey, (2016) other than that access to the
organisation and their products and services also plays very significant role in the satisfaction of
the customers. If the organisation have no website? no contact information? no search engine
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optimization then there will be no business. The Internet has made finding products and services
a snap. Thus, it is very significant for the venture to be available on internet such as social media
channels like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. As well as on the search engine optimization,
pay per click, digital marketing etc. so that they can promote their business to the large target
market.
Different strategies by which organisation can enhance their customer's satisfaction
According to the view of Bansal and Taylor, (2015) There are several strategics by which
organisation can serve high level of satisfaction to the customers. One of the effective strategy is
Build customer loyalty to increase customer satisfaction.
In the contradicting view of Han and Hyun, (2015) other than that there are several other
strategics which can e used by the venture in order to serve the highest level of satisfaction to the
customers. Firm need to remember the special occasion of the customers such as their birthday,
anniversary etc. Other than that should serve the proper information about the product in order to
educate them and invest in the self service support channel. Top level management of the firm
should lead from the front with the customers services and should have proper communication
and connection with the customers and then deliver them the products.
1.4 Appropriate methods for the research methodologies
Research Strategy: It is a important method of research methodologies which helps the
investigator to collect and analyse the data in order to find the appropriate outcomes. There are
basically two kinds of research strategies which are qualitative and quantitative. Implementation
of this method is dependent on the aim and objectives of the researcher. In order to attain the
objective, researcher have selected qualitative research strategy.
Research Approach: It is also one of an essential chapter of research methodology
which helps the investigator to analyse and evaluate the information about the subject. There are
two types of research approach, that are inductive and deductive. When it comes to the inductive
research approach, investigator generate new theory from the emerging data. On the other side,
in the deductive approach, researcher frame the hypotheses and then conduct the investigation.
In order to attain aim and objectives, scholar have selected inductive research approach.
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Research philosophy: It refers to the value, assumptions and beliefs related to a
particular topic. It deals with the source, nature and development of knowledge, It also affects
the scholar assumption, value and beliefs. There are two types of research philosophy that are
interpretive and positivism. When it comes to the interpretive, several facts reflect the single
fact. On the other hand, in the positivism philosophy, researcher dependent on the different
facts of the data. In order to attain aim and objectives, researcher have selected interpritivism
Research philosophy.
Data collection: It can be referred as one of the most significant chapter of the research
and research methodology by which data can be collected. There are two ways by which data
can be gathered, primary and secondary. When it comes to the primary data collection, then it is
being gathered from those sources where it have never been collected such as survey, personal
interview, observation. On the other hand, when the data is collected from the secondary sources
then books, Journal are being considered.
Sampling: It is the tool by which samples are drawn from the large population. It is not
possible for the researcher to collect information from the whole population, this is the reason
samples are drawn. There are two ways by which samples are drawn that are probabilistic and
non probabilistic. Here researcher have selected random sampling by which 10 tourism students
are selected.
1.5 Appropriate plan and procedures for the agreed research specification.
Activity/Week 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16
Making the proposal of research
Creating aim and research objectives
Writing the background of research
study
Assortment of key research
methodologies
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Data gathering by the sources of
primary and secondary
Investigation of the gathered data
Interpretation of gathered information
to find the expected results
Conclusion and recommendations
Submission of draft of the report
changes as per the feedback
comments
Final Submission
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Task Name Duration Start Finish Predecessors
Investigation task 74 days Mon 2/27/17 Wed 5/17/17
Preparation 14 days Mon 2/27/17 Wed 3/15/17
Selecting the subject of research 7 days Mon 2/27/17 Mon 3/6/17
Creating statement of research 2 days Tue 3/7/17 Thu 3/9/17 3
Determining the time framework
for the allotment of resources 5 days Fri 3/10/17 Wed 3/15/17 4
Execution 49 days Thu 3/16/17 Wed 5/10/17
Taking revaluation of literature 10 days Thu 3/16/17 Tue 3/28/17 5
Selecting the different methods
of investigation 10 days Wed 3/29/17 Wed 4/12/17 7
Computation for the costs 6 days Thu 4/13/17 Wed 4/19/17 8
Analysis of information and
then concluding them 14 days Thu 4/20/17 Wed 5/10/17 9
Evaluate the results 9 days Thu 4/20/17 Mon 5/1/17 9
Project closer 11 days Tue 5/2/17 Wed 5/17/17
Providing last conclusion 5 days Tue 5/2/17 Tue 5/9/17 11
Effective presentation the results
in an proper documents 4 days Wed 5/10/17 Tue 5/16/17 13
Submitting the last report 2 day Wed 5/17/17 Wed 5/17/17 14

Task 2
2.1 What are the different resources in order to carry out the research and the relationship
between the research resources and research question (500)
The understanding that original research is based on first hand data, makes it necessary to
distinguish between various kinds of sources. There are different types of sources in order to
carry out the research which are given below:
Primary sources: - It is one of the important source of the research and it plays the most
significant role in the success of the organisation. The primary source is usually the outcomes or
document that is being reported first hand. On the other hand, primary sources are the original
sources of the research (Bansal and Taylor, 2015). It is not interpretations prepared by another
people. With the help of some effective functions like diaries, poem, court records, surveys,
interviews, works of fiction, numeric data, corpora and official documents, organisation can
accomplish the research successfully.
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Secondary sources: - These sources are based on the value, discuss, comment and analyse of the
primary sources of the research. Secondary source are those that determine or examine primary
sources, including the reference materials, textbooks, dictionaries, studies, encyclopedias and
books or article that interpret (Han and Hyun, 2015). Along with this, these source are those that
describe primary sources, including the review, biographies, monographs, fieldwork and
synthesize original research.
Tertiary sources: - It is the source that summarises or complies facts and knowledge produced by
another people. Tertiary sources are those utilised to manage and determine secondary and
primary sources. These sources based on the primary and secondary sources of the research. This
is often few type of assemblage of primary and secondary sources. It is one of the effective
source of the research. Sources that would be regarded as tertiary source include index, another
classification system, study guides, text books, encyclopedias, wikis, abstracts and databases.
Relationship between the research resources and research question: -
Research objectives are higher level than research questions, but they are linked with
each other. A research question is an answerable inquiry into particular concern and conflicts.
Objectives must always be set after having formulated a great research question. There are some
difference between the research resources and objectives or research questions. A research or
analysis objective is the broad factor of the study and a research question is very particular. The
objective is the target and goal and it can be expresses as sentence where the research question is
a yes or no question (Balaji and Krishnan, 2015). Research sources determine what effect the
situation on the human and research question are the mood swings of the human associated with
the particular stages of the development. Research sources and question both are the important
for the analysis. Through it, they can easily analysis about any of the topic in the personal and
professional life. Research questions are those question upon which your research project will be
focused and for which timely and informed answers can be directly developed based on the
analysis of the information and data you conduct.
2.2 Questionnaire to collect the data from the respondents.
Question 1: How frequently do you travel from the airline of Easy-jet and Ryanair.
 Once in a 2 years
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 Once in a year
 Once in a 6 months
 Once in a 3 months
Question 2: As a customer with Easy-jet and Ryanair, are you satisfied with the different
service that is being served by the firm
 Yes
 No
Question 3: To what level do the different product and services characteristics affect the
customers level of satisfaction
 Highly satisfied
 Moderately satisfied
 Not satisfied
Question 4: What are the different factors that have great impact over the customers satisfaction
 Quality of the product and services
 Price of the products and services
 Marketing strategies of the venture
 Post purchase services
Question 5: Satisfaction is being linked with which factor the most?
 Production activities
 Marketing of the product and services
 Quality of material,
 Customer's response towards the venture
2.3 Records of the respondents from the survey.
Theme 1: How frequently do you travel from the airline of Easy-jet and Ryanair.
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Theme 1 Responses Percentage
Total
respondent
Once in a 2 years 4 10
Once in a year 3 10
Once in a 6 months 2 10
Once in a 3 months 1 10
Theme 2 As a customer with Easy-jet and Ryanair, are you satisfied with the range of service
being offered by the firm
Theme 2 Responses Percentage
Total
respondent
Yes 7 10
No 3 10
Theme 3 To what extent do the following product and services features affect your level of
satisfaction
Theme 3 Responses Percentage
Total
respondent
Highly satisfied 5 10
Moderately satisfied 3 10
Not satisfied 2 10
Theme 4: What are the different factors that have great impact over the customers satisfaction
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Theme 4 Responses Percentage
Total
respondent
Quality of the product and services 3 10
Price of the products and services 3 10
Quality of material, 2 10
Post purchase services 2 10
Theme 5: Satisfaction is being linked with which factor the most
Theme 5 Responses Percentage
Total
respondent
Production activities 4 10
Marketing of the product and services 2 10
Quality of material 3 10
Customer's response towards the venture 1 10
Task 3
3.1 Data analysis techniques
It is also one of the important chapter of the investigation and researcher methodology
which helps the investigator to analyse and interpret the data in order to find the end result. As
the researcher have selected qualitative research strategy, thematic data analysis will be used
where different graph and tables will represent the information.
3.2 Data analysis and interpretation.
Theme 1: How frequently do you travel from the airline of Easy-jet and Ryanair.
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Once in a 2 years
Once in a year
Once in a 6 months
Once in a 3 months
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3.5
4
4
3
2
1 Column B
Interpretation and analysis: From this analysis it can be stated that most of the people have
travelled from the Easy-jet and Ryanair twice in a year, from this graph, it have been analysed
that 6 out 10 respondent have been travelling from both of the airline once in the 2 years. Other
than that 3 out of 10 respondent have stated that they have been travelled from the airline once in
the year.
Theme 2 As a customer with Easy-jet and Ryanair, are you satisfied with the range of service
being offered by the firm
Yes
No
0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Column B
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Interpretation and analysis: The question have been asked from the 10 respondent in order to
find that whether they are satisfied with the range of services provided by both of the
organisation. 7 out of 10 respondent have stated that they are satisfied with the organisation
products and services. Other than that 3 out of 10 respondent have stated that they are not
satisfied with the services provided by both of the firm. Thus both of the companies should find
what are the different reason for customer's dis-satisfaction and implement strategies
accordingly.
Theme 3 To what extent do the following product and services features affect your level of
satisfaction
5
3
2
Highly satisfied
Moderately satisfied
Not satisfied
Interpretation and analysis: The question have been asked to find that whether the customer or
respondents are satisfied with the different features of their product and services. 5 out of 10
customers that is 50% of the respondent have stated that they are highly satisfied with the
characteristics and features of their products and services. Other than that 3 out of 10 respondent
have stated that they are moderately satisfied with the features of their products and services.
Firm should find the different ways by which they can serve high level of satisfaction to the
customers.
Theme 4: What are the different factors that have great impact over the customers satisfaction
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Quality of the product and services
Quality of material,
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
3
3 3
2 2
Column B
Interpretation and analysis: This question have been asked to 10 respondents in order to find
that which of the factor is most influencing the customer's satisfaction. There are four factors
have been considered that are quality of the product and service, price of the products and
service, marketing strategies of the venture and post purchase services. 3 out of 10 respondent
have stated that quality of the product and services provide them satisfaction and 3 out of them
have stated that price of the product and service satisfy them. This state that both quality and
price plays equal significant role in serving satisfaction to the customers.
Theme 5: Satisfaction is being linked with which factor the most
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Production activities
Marketing of the product and services
Quality of material
Customer's response towards the venture
0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 3 3.5 4
4
2
3
1
Column B
Interpretation and analysis: From this question it have been identified that there are several
factors that are linked with the satisfaction of the customers. Most of the respondents have stated
that production activities are the most which is being linked with the customer's satisfaction.
3.3 Conclusion and recommendation
It can be concluded from the report that there are several reasons which state that
customer satisfaction is important for the venture. First, it is the leading indicator which tell the
venture about the customer repurchase of product and services and loyalty towards the company.
Secondly, it is way by which firm can differentiate themselves from the different competitors.
Third, it helps the venture to decrease customer churn. Forth, it helps the venture to enhance the
customer lifetime value. Fifth, when it comes to the word of moth, then satisfied customer will
always promote positive image of the organisation and reduce the negative word of mouth. Sixth,
it is easy for the organisation to retain customer rather than attracting new customers. Customer
satisfaction is the indicator which tell the organisation that whether the customer is going to buy
the products and services of the organisation in the future. If the company ask the customer to
rate them from the scale 1 to 10, where 1 is highly satisfied and 10 is low satisfaction. If the
customer rate 7 and above, that state that they are satisfied with the product and services of the
organisation. And if they rate 9 and 10 which states that customer are highly satisfied with the
venture. Other than that if the customers rate the venture below the 6, then it stated that they ate
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unhappy with the organisation and the firm need to implement the different strategies by which
they can serve high level of satisfaction to the customers.
When it comes to the customers dis-satisfaction, then customers do not prefer to purchase
the product and services of the organisation in the future. In this case, customers also suggest
other person to not to buy the product and services of the venture. Customer dis-satisfaction have
very adverse impact over the venture. It reduces the brand image of the firm, sales of the
business and at the end, profitability of the organisation is being hampered. Organisation need to
collect feedback from the customers regularly so that they can find that customer are satisfied
with the organisation products and services or not? There are several ways by which firm can
collect the customer's feedback regarding the satisfaction such as survey, online questions etc.
There are different factors that have great influence over the customer's satisfaction such
as quality and price of the product, value of the goods and services, atmosphere of the store,
services personnel issues, convenience of the store such as location, packing, hours of operation.
These are significant factors which determine the satisfaction of the customer towards the
products and services of the organisation. It is being known that of the customers are satisfied
then they can become the best salespeople for the venture.
Recommendation
 Customer Satisfaction is Worthless, Customer Loyalty is Priceless”. As per this
statement. Organisation need to create effective relationship with the customer which
helps them to enhance loyalty and then customers will be highly satisfied.
 If the firm is serving products at the reasonable prices so that all the customers can afford
them, then also customers will be satisfied with the venture.
 If the venture is doing the different marketing activities such as sales promotion for
example discounts, one plus one free, coupons etc. then also customers will be satisfied
with the organisation.
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