Segmenting Latvian consumers by corporate social responsibility perceptions: a cluster analysis approach

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) affects consumer assessments of companies; however, many CSR studies are variable-centred, which may obscure variation in perceptions, especially in post-transition economies. This study utilises a validated consumer CSR perception scale and employs a person-centred approach to identify CSR perception profiles among Latvian consumers. Survey data from N = 453 respondents were analysed across four CSR dimensions: economic, legal, ethical, and philanthropic responsibility. A two-stage clustering procedure was employed, integrating hierarchical Ward’s method and k-means clustering, with variables standardised before segmentation. Three segments were identified: 1) CSR high, 2) CSR moderate, and 3) CSR low, showing consistently ordered differences across all CSR dimensions. Demographic profiling using chi-square tests, Cramer’s V, and an exhaustive CHAID classification tree indicates that education is the most salient differentiator of cluster membership; gender is statistically significant but small in magnitude, while age group is not significant and is not selected by CHAID. The findings demonstrate substantial heterogeneity in CSR perceptions and indicate that segmentation-sensitive CSR positioning may be relevant in Latvia and similar post-transition contexts.