ASSESSMENT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY AMONG UGANDA’S TELECOMMUNICATION COMPANIES. A CASE OF AIRTEL UGANDA

Abstract

The study investigated the relationship between corporate social responsibility and customer loyalty among Uganda’s telecommunication companies using Airtel Uganda as a case study. The study examined the different Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) activities carried out by Airtel Uganda, investigated the components of customer Loyalty as well as established the relationship between Corporate Social Responsibility CSR and customer loyalty at Airtel Uganda. The study adopted a descriptive research design that uses both quantitative and qualitative approaches. An interview guide and questionnaires were used to collect data from staff and customers of Airtel Uganda. The study reveals that Airtel Uganda’s CSR initiatives are most effective in education, environmental conservation, and technology access, with high mean scores of 4.38, 4.27, and 4.29 respectively, while health-related programs lag significantly at 2.53, signaling a need for strategic improvement. Customer loyalty is notably strong, especially in the willingness to remain with Airtel despite lower competitor prices (4.92), satisfaction with rewards programs (4.67), and prompt issue resolution (4.33). However, trust in the brand (2.35) and overall service satisfaction (2.20) remain critical concerns. CSR efforts positively shape customer perceptions, with scores of 4.17 for perceived value and 3.87 for trust due to transparency, though their influence on choosing Airtel over competitors (2.12) and on overall satisfaction and loyalty (3.19 and 3.23) is moderate. The study recommends enhancing health-related CSR, rebuilding brand trust, and expanding successful initiatives, while calling for broader, comparative research across the telecom sector to better understand CSR’s evolving role in customer loyalty.