Effect of social responsibility information, source of information, and type of media on consumer perceptions of product recalls

Abstract

A three-variable full factorial experimental design was performed to study consumer's perceptions of a company after they had learned the company had made a product recall. The three variables studied were the effects of favorable remarks about the company's social responsibility in acting quickly to recall the defective product, the effect of the medium used to present the information, and the effect of the source of the information.

The results of the study indicated that favorable social responsibility did influence subject's attitudes toward the company in a positive manner. Media type also seemed to influence subject's responses. Subjects who received the product recall information through print media tended to view the company in a more favorable light. Although the inclusion of social responsibility information did influence subject's attitudes, the effects of media type and source of information also appear to influence consumer's thinking when they learn of a product recall.