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Firm size has been identified as one of the most important correlates with corporate social performance (CSP). Both conceptual and empirical research has been done to try to explicate and determine this relationship; however, the results from both theoretical and empirical research have indicated a mixed and sometimes inconsistent relationship because of endogeneity between firm size and CSP. This paper aims to add to the body of knowledge by identifying and addressing some of the limitations in determining the relationship between firm size and CSP.

Using the Arellano–Bond method to control for the endogeneity, this study tests the relationship between CSP and firm size using a panel of 380 public companies of various sizes; in various industry types; and across 19 countries in North America, Europe and Asia over a six-year period.

The results of the study show that firm size positively influences CSP and its subcomponents when endogeneity has been controlled for.

This study lends support for the theory of the firm framework that CSP attributes are embedded in the production process that leads to higher economies of scale, and the resource-based view of firms where firms that possess valuable and inimitable resources in CSR can lead to a sustainable competitive advantage over competitors. This suggests that as firms grow in size, they can leverage their resources to achieve greater economies of scale that will lead to better CSP over time.

This study addresses the potential endogeneity problem between firm size and CSP and offers a broader testing context.

This paper aims to understand empirically how shares of standard and premium private label (PL) products affect a retailer’s marketing mix decisions toward national brands (NBs).

Using a comprehensive store-level data set covering 52 categories and 130 stores of two retailer chains during 2003-2009, this paper examines how shares of standard and premium PLs affect retailer marketing strategies for NB retail prices, promotions and product assortments. The empirical analysis uses a simultaneous equations model estimated by the generalized method of moments approach and controls for endogeneity between PL shares and NB decisions and potential confounding variables including consumer, manufacturer and retailer factors.

Standard PL shares are associated positively with NB retail prices and negatively with NB promotions and assortments. In contrast, premium PL shares are associated positively with NB retail prices, promotions and assortments.

The results indicate that retailers make strategic NB decisions through multitier PLs. Specifically, the evidence suggests that retailers use standard and premium PLs differently in promotion and assortment decisions toward NBs. NB manufacturers need to be cognizant of the increasing marketing power of retailers through their multitier PLs.

Prior research has mainly focused on the role of PLs as a strategic weapon to gain power in the channel and its impact on NB pricing decisions in a single PL context. After accounting for potential confounding factors (retailer, consumer and manufacturer) and endogeneity, the authors find empirical evidence that retailers appear to leverage standard and premium PLs differently in some marketing mix decisions toward NB. In particular, the results reveal PL performance to be a determinant of retailer NB assortment decisions.

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of different information sources on consumer health behavior during pandemics.

We collected survey data from 321 adults in a large western US city during November 2009 by mall and street intercepts. We analyzed their beliefs, attitudes and intentions with regard to adoption of the H1N1 (swine flu) vaccine. We developed and tested two alternative models on the role of mass media and personal information sources on the attitude towards the disease and the intention to get vaccinated.

Our study finds that mass media and personal sources of information simultaneously impact perceived threat from disease (attitude) and the intention to get vaccinated during a global pandemic. Personal information sources are more effective than mass media sources in impacting both attitude and intention. While the impact of mass media weakens from the attitude stage to the intention stage, the impact of personal information sources increases from the attitude stage to the intention stage.

The contribution of this paper to health policy makers and marketers is to draw implications on how mass media and personal information sources could be better utilized to counter future global pandemics.

The purpose of this research is to empirically test the interrelationship between corporate social performance and financial‐based brand equity. This paper proposes that social performance leads to enhanced brand equity and, conversely, brand equity positively influences social performance. Firm size is hypothesized to play a moderating role in the interrelationship.

This paper uses cross‐sectional, secondary data of global brands. A system of equations is proposed and estimated using seemingly unrelated regression.

Prior social performance has a positive effect on brand equity, but brand equity only impacts future social performance among very large firms. The positive effect of prior social performance on brand equity is amplified in smaller firms.

Managers can increase brand equity by using corporate social responsibility as a strategic tool for positioning differentiation. To maintain competitive parity in social positioning and preserve brand equity, very large firms will likely need to ensure that they achieve comparable social performance as their global peer competitors.

This research offers a new perspective that looks at corporate social responsibility as a source and outcome of brand equity. The paper is the first empirical study that tests the interrelationship between social performance and financial‐based brand equity. The work offers global managers an improved understanding on how social responsibility relates to brand equity.