College Students' Perception of Philip Morris's Tobacco-Related Smoking Prevention and Tobacco-Unrelated Social Responsibility

Abstract

This study examined the effects of 2 Philip Morris corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs—a tobacco-related smoking prevention versus a tobacco-unrelated program—on college students' perceived CSR motive, attitudes toward Philip Morris, and behavioral intentions to support the company. Using 2 college student samples in the United States and South Korea, this study found that the tobacco-unrelated program and a positively perceived CSR motive elicited more positive responses about CSR values, attitudes toward CSR activities and the company, and behavioral intentions to support Philip Morris. Korean college students were more likely to perceive Philip Morris's CSR activities as mutually beneficial and to support Philip Morris than were American college students.

Notes

¹Having a control group within factorial experimental designs helps identify the presence of treatment effects or effect sizes resulting from different levels of each factor (Keppel, 1991). This study is interested in comparing effects of tobacco-related and tobacco-unrelated CSR practices rather than identifying effect sizes from different levels of CSR practices.

Note. *p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.

Note. CSR = Corporate social responsibility.

*p < .05, **p < .01, ***p < .001.