Abstract
In spite of its critical role in the efficient and effective functioning of marketingsystems, supplier social responsibility (SSR) remains as a neglected topic in the extant
literature, particularly in the context of developing countries. While there have been
some general discussions in the extant literature on this topic, academic research into
the conceptualisation and measurement mechanism for this vital topic is scant. This
research addresses this unexplored subject within the social responsibility domain in
terms of conceptualising and identifying the underlying dimensions of SSR. The aim
is to develop and validate scales for measuring supplier social responsibility. To this
end, this study scanned and reviewed the relevant literature to understand the possible
dimensions underlying supplier social responsibility. The study then utilised nine initial
dimensions emerging from the literature as well as from the author’s professional and
research experience.
The database used in this research comprises 202 responses of garment
manufacturers operating in Bangladesh. A mixed method approach comprising both
qualitative and quantitative techniques is used to analyse the data using approaches
and techniques employed in prior scale development literature. The preliminary scales
and items representing the scales are refined first via the qualitative technique (e,g.,
focus group, expert opinion, face validity) and then refined through a pilot study
followed by validation of the scales with sophisticated statistical techniques such as
structural equation modelling (SEM). The research phase resulted in the emergence
of ten scales: legal compliance-based supplies, ethics oriented supplies,
environmentally friendly supplies, supply of healthy products, disseminating correct information to buyers, community welfare driven supplies, supply of safe products,
buyer social demand-based supplies, sustainable supplies, and community
philanthropy-driven supplies. In the final validation process, one of the nine initial
scales (community-driven supplies) re-emerged into two scales ‘community welfare-driven
supplies’ and ‘community philanthropy-driven supplies. They are included in the
ten final validated scales of supplier social responsibility. This research establishes
these ten measurements scales and introduces them to the literature to fill the gap in
the measurement mechanism of supplier social responsibility, principally to advance
research in this nascent area. Theoretical and practical implications of this research
along with the limitations as well as future research directions of this topic are
highlighted in the thesis.
| Date of Award | 2020 |
|---|---|
| Original language | English |
| Supervisor | Ali Quazi (Supervisor), Johra FATIMA (Supervisor) & Abu MOLLIK (Supervisor) |