Corporate Social Responsibility and Brand Identity of Kenyan Corporate Firms: Case Study of Communication Authority of Kenya (CA)

Abstract

In the past few decades, corporate social responsibility, or CSR, has become more prominent. Companies have been using CSR as a tactic to enhance their reputation. The CSR approach addresses employee life and work balance, charitable giving, and sponsorship initiatives for the local populations. Brand identity has a key role in how customers and other stakeholders perceive an organization. In the recent years, firms have incorporated CSR to enhance their brand identity. This is as a result of traditional brand identity tools degrading with time. The study examined and determine the effects of CSR activities on the trademark identity of a firm utilizing case of Communications Authority of Kenya. Objectives of the investigation include: (i) To determine the effects of economic corporate social responsibility on the brand identity of the Communication Authority of Kenya (ii) To evaluate the effect of moral corporate social responsibility on the brand identity of the Communication Authority of Kenya (iii) To determine the effect of philanthropic corporate social responsibility on the brand identity of the Communication Authority of Kenya. It utilized Carroll’s Pyramid of CSR and Creating Shared Value theory. The study examined the effects of financial, ethical and philanthropic CSR on brand identity of CA target population being employees and customers of the firm. The study implemented descriptive study design utilizing questionnaires and secondary data. Data was presented in tables and the validity as well as reliability of the investigation was measured utilizing Cronbach alpha test model. The findings concluded that economic, ethical and philanthropic CSR have a greater influence on brand identity of CA however other factors such as work culture contribute to the brand identity. The findings concluded that CSR not only fulfils the duty of providing for the needy in our society but also performs a critical function in building brand identity. The findings also revealed that CSR is not only beneficial to CA’s stakeholders in terms of building a connected society, creating a digitally transformed nation but also it helps in creating awareness and mandate of the Communications Authority of Kenya. Such issues can be addressed through policy by publicizing of CSR activities and creating linkages and relations with the media which is a major stakeholder of the organization. The efforts by the organization to deploy resources are conducted in a fashion which is equally helpful to both parties and the communities that they serve. If well implemented CSR is a mutually beneficial scenario for both the organization as well as the beneficiaries. This information can be used by CA as a means of creating new interventions as a matter of policy