WOLAITA SODO UNIVERSITY

SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES

MASTERS OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION

INDIVIDUAL ASSIGNMENT

ON

ARTICLE REVIEW OF JOURNAL

BY: GETAHUN TEREFE ID NO. PGR/51023/13

Submitted to:
Abayneh D. (PhD)
 JOURNAL ARTICLE REVIEW

Name of the author- Veronica Gabrielli, Ilaria Baghi & Francesca Bergianti
Title of the Journal -Journal of Marketing Management
Title of the Article
Brand scandals within a corporate social responsibility partnership: asymmetrical effects on for-
profit and non-profit brands
Year of Publication
May 2021.
Volume number:
Issue number
Pages- 1-26
Document identification number
DOI: 10.1080/0267257X.2021.1928267
 Introduction
The study touches the effects of a brand scandal that affects a forprofit brand collaborating with a
non-profit organization. There are two experimental studies demonstrated that the effects on the
for-profit brand were driven by the domain of the partnership and the crisis, while the effects on
the non-profit brand were not. A crisis in the same domain as the partnership had stronger effects
on the for-profit brand (intention to buy and negative word of mouth). These effects are mediated
by perceptions of brand hypocrisy and a decrease in for-profit brand equity. The non-profit brand
is equally hurt by the for-profit brand crisis, regardless of the partnership-crisis consistency. Our
results indicate a strong asymmetry: the non-profit brand, despite its innocence, is more
vulnerable than the guilty for-profit brand. The researchers tried to address some limitations of
their two studies and suggest related paths for future research. The first limitation is that the
sample is limited to Italian consumers. In light of previous studies, this sample might not favor
the results, as Italian consumers belong to an individualistic culture. The literature on brand
crises demonstrates that individualistic cultures are less sensitive to values-related crises than
performance related ones. Another limitation is linked to the CRM co-branding activity used as a
stimulus. We described a tactical co-branding alliance.

The participants
In the study 1 the researchers used a sample of 160 Italian consumers took part in an online
experiment. And, in the study 2 they used a sample of 219 Italian consumers participated in
Study 2. In both studies Participants were recruited on Prolific Academic The researchers used
both primary and secondary data sources. single sample t-test respected to middle point of scale
= 4; p > .05 and independent t-test p > .05)were used. In the study both male and female were
participated.

The Findings and Discussions

The researchers find out that a values-related crisis involving a for-profit brand did not
differently affect the non-profit brand partnered with it: consumers’ intentions to donate to the
non-profit organization were not statistically different in the event of a partner scandal in the
same versus a different domain compared with the partnership. This works for independent
variables. But, the independent variable (partnership–crisis consistency) has a significant effect
on the for-profit brand. A crisis in the same domain as the causerelated partnership induces a
stronger effect in terms of perceptions of for-profit brand hypocrisy, which in turn affects for-
profit brand equity and the intention to buy the for-profit brand’s products.

Authors Suggestions
The authors stated discussed the limitations that their sample is limited to Italian consumers. In
light of previous studies, the sample might not favor their results, as Italian consumers belong to
an individualistic culture. Similarly, the CRM co-branding activity used as a stimulus. They
described a tactical co-branding alliance.
Therefore, by manipulating a values-related crisis within an individualistic sample, they might
have undercut the effect of partnership–crisis consistency. They also suggest future research is
encouraged to investigate the same issue in a collectivistic culture that is more sensitive to
values-related misconduct, where results are likely to be stronger. Finally, the authors analyzed
brand equity as a whole, but future research might investigate the effects on each component of
this relevant intangible asset.
Citations and References
All the sources cited in the text appear in the reference section. Additionally cites important for
this study but cited in this study are appeared in the reference.

My suggestions
The selection of appropriate title, deep investigation for the findings, ways of sampling and
writing the study in short and precise way are the strong sides of the authors.
On the other hand, starting the study with limited sample size, lack of issue number are some of
the weak sides of the authors.
Finally, I suggest that the study tried to find out Brand scandals within a corporate social
responsibility partnership: asymmetrical effects on for-profit and non-profit brands. And it can be
used as a source for future study.