KURUMSAL SOSYAL SORUMLULUK ALGISINA SATIŞ PERSONELİ AÇISINDAN FARKLI BİR BAKIŞ: SİVAS İLİNDE BİR ARAŞTIRMA

Kurumsal Sosyal Sorumluluk (KSS) üzerine yapılan çalışmalar tarandığında genellikle konunun firmalar açısından ele alındığı görülmektedir. şekillenmesinde ve şirket itibarının müşteri üzerinde birincil elden oluşturulmasında büyük önemi vardır. KSS faaliyetlerinin sağlıklı bir iletişim sürecinde aktarılması ve verimliliği açısından bakıldığında da satış personellerinin Kurumsal Sosyal Sorumluluk algısı daha da önem kazanmaktadır. Bu çalışma nispeten farklı bir bakış açısıyla Sivas ilindeki beyaz ve elektronik eşya sektörlerinde çalışan satış personelinin kurumsal sosyal sorumluluk algısını araştırmayı amaçlamaktadır. Beyaz eşya ve elektronik eşya sektörlerinin birbirlerini tamamlayan teknoloji yoğun ve inovatif (yenileşimci) sektörler olmasından ve bu iki sektör arasındaki endüstriyel benzerliğinden dolayı, bu sektörlerin satış personeli örneklem grubu olarak belirlenmiştir Bu amaçla katılımcılara 22 sorudan oluşan bir anket hazırlanmış ve 111 satış personeline uygulanmıştır. Anketten elde edilen veriler kümeleme analizine tabi tutulmuş ve kümeler öklidyen uzaklıkların kullanıldığı K-Ortalamalar yöntemi ile oluşturulmuştur. Böylelikle satış personelinin kurumsal sosyal sorumluluk profilleri ile nitelikleri belirlenmiş ve böylelikle kurumsal sosyal sorumluluk algısının bir satış personelinin profilini belirlemede ayırıcı bir etkisinin olduğu saptanmıştır. Doğru ayrımın yapılabilecek küme sayısı üç olarak belirlenmiştir ve ayrıca kurumsal sosyal sorumluluk algısına sahip olan çalışanların 21 yaş ve altında oldukları ortaya çıkmıştır. Çalışmanın, satış personelinin kurumsal sosyal sorumluluk algısına odaklanan diğer çalışmalara katkısağlayabileceği düşünülmektedir.

DIFFERENT LOOK TO PERCEPTION OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN TERMS OF SALESPEOPLE: A RESEARCH IN SIVAS

Studies about Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) generally handle the subject in terms of firm aspect. Sales people have great importance on embodiment of customer’s attitude and establishment of firm reputation on the customer as firsthand. Considering CSR activities in terms of healthy communication and productivity, the CSR perception of sales people become more important. From a relatively different viewpoint, this study aims to investigate the CSR perception of salespeople who labour both in the sectors of white goods and consumer electronics in theprovince of Sivas. Due to the fact that sectors of white goods and consumer electronics are technology intensive and innovative complementary sectors and that there is an industrial convergence between them, their sales people were determined as sample group of the study. For this purpose, a survey with 22 questions was was applied to 111 sales people. Data derived from the survey were subjected to Clustering Analysis and clusters were built via K-Means method using Euclidean distances. By this way, CSR profile and features of sales people were determined and it was found that CSR perception has a discriminative effect by determining a salesperson’s profile. Numbers of clusters reflect accurate discrimination was found as three and it was also revealed that sales people with higher CSR perception are at the age of 21 and below. It is thought that this study will guide further studies focus CSR perception of sales people Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) becomes more mentioned concept gradually in the business world. CSR, also named as ‘Cause Related Marketing’ (Orçan,2003, p.28), influence most consumers and employees among stakeholders (Kendrick et al. 2013, p.142, as cited in Battacharya et. al., 2011). Employees’ CSR perceptions are thought to be more consistent determinant of CSR activities. Sales people are one of different kind of emplyoees which have bi-directional information flow between customer and firm, thus it can be thought that they have more objective perspective in terms of CSR. For this purpose, a survey consist of 22 questions conducted to sales people which work in the sectors of both electronic and white goods in the city of Sivas. Data derived from the survey were analysed via clustering analysis. 1. Conceptual Framework 1.1. Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) can be briefly described as ‘generally accepted relations, necessities and tasks between institutions and people’ (Robin and Reidenbach, 1987, p.45). Investments funded to CSR create value for both the company and stakeholders. It is reasonable to think that employees which are from internal stakeholders can be influenced more by the added-value created by CSR activity. 1.2. Behavioural Dimensions of Corporate Social Responsibility and It’s Relevancy With Sales Profession Because of its wide content, CSR became an irreplaceable part of business world (Kendrick et al., 2013, p.141). Considering the framework of social marketing, CSR activities formed by sales people primarily. Because customers would like to encounter a sales person who believes more to his/her firm and righteousness of the firm’s activities in terms of CSR. On the other hand, CSR perception of CSR and effect of this perception to employees’ behaviour are rare subjects that should be investigated thoroughly (Fu et al., 2014, p.66). Sales people are foremost employees who reflect mission and vision of the firm primarily. In other saying, if business firm intend to establish a CSR perspective, this can be possible with communication of the sales people. These employees have also high ability of attorney and presentation. Understanding of occupational responsibilityperception of these employees can be helpful for successful integration to CSR activities. 1.3. Literature Review Although there are many studies about ethical perception, job attitudes, job satisfaction levels and job performance of employees, there are relatively less studies aimed at direct CSR measurement of employees. Moreover this study specifically aims only at sales people. Studies about CSR perception in literature focus on the context of business firm generally and this study reduced the focus of the study to the context of employee and thus, this study can be evaluated as genuine from this aspect. 2. Research 2.1. Aim of the Research This study aims to investigate CSR perceptions by way of a survey based on conceptual framework in the literature. Moreover, it was investigated that whether administrators or sales people hold tight the CSR behaviour. Finally, by the help of a pilot question that was used for a query of prior knowledge, the consistency level between knowledge of sales people about CSR and their behaviours in the context of CSR was tried to be measured. By this way, a secondary purpose of this study can be specified as determining of characteristics of sales people. 2.1. Method of the Research A survey with 22 questions was prepared to measure the CSR perception of sales people. The survey consist of demographic and interval scale questions (five likert scale). Interval scale questions derived from the study of Polášek (2010) and adapted tostructure of firms which sell electronic and white goods in the city of Sivas. In this study, it was reached to 132 sales people and the surveys were conducted to 121 sales people who wanted to take part in the research. Convenience sampling method was used in the survey process. 2.3. Data Analysis Data were analysed via clustering analysis. Proper cluster numbers determined via hierarchical clustering analysis which is one of the general clustering methods. K-Means Algorithm was used in the analysis and Euclidian Method was used by determining of inter-cluster distances. 2.4. Findings and Evaluations Findings can be evaluated as follows:  Participants were identified with three groups as far as a dendrogram which created after hierarchical clustering analysis.  When knowledge of sales people about CSR (first hypothesis) analysed within the scope of the study, there was a differentiation. Hereunder, first hypothesis was rejected.  There is also differentation in the issue of CSR implementations in business firms (second hypothesis) according to analysis results. Therefore, the null hypothesis was rejected and it can be said that business firms of participants have a CSR perception.  Sales people working over 10 hours have low- and mid-level of CSR perception. Likewise, participants in this group regard CSR as a unnecessary side benefit of firm’s product.  Variables of ‘Income’ and ‘Educational Status’ was nonsignificant by cluster discrimination, so they did not fall within any cluster and they have no effect on CSR perception.  According to results of the analysis, younger sales people have high-level of CSR. These people work between 5-9 hours.  ‘Age’ factor was inversely proportional with CSR perception. 3. Conclusion According to results of analysis, having information about CSR is a differential feature in terms of sales people and their institutional perception. The study population was limited only with sales people. In this multi-dimensional study, CSR loses its discrimination by sales people while it is still discriminative for business firm. According to the results, CSR perception inversely proportional with age factor.

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