Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has become an essential mainstream in research circles at present, especially for organizational business management and has been adopted as long-term strategic plans. It plays a crucial role in espousing robust business operation, moderating the harmful negative effect of environmental degradation and being an integral aspect in promoting social and community activities as well as enhancing people's quality of life. Nevertheless, very few empirical studies focused on the effects of CSR on customers' loyalty in a telecommunication sector and none of empirical evidence have investigated in case of Lao PDR. Hence, this paper empirically investigates on the effects of CSR on customers' loyalty in Lao PDR by employing multiple linear regression model to uncover the relationship between an explained variable and a set of regressor in the estimated model. Empirical findings substantiated a positive effect and statistical significance of philanthropic, environmental and legal responsibility on customers' loyalty, whilst legal responsibility has a weak positive influence on an explained variable and the outcomes also found that ethical behavior is positively affected but statistical insignificance on customers' loyalty. In addition, the paper strongly averred that CSR contributes to increase customers' loyalty, investments in CSR activities helps to reach sustainable business development goals and mitigate the potential adverse impact caused from business operation. More importantly, policy implications provide crucial insights and the fundamental role of CSR initiatives in establishing the innovative marketing strategy, contemporary business management and their survival in the era of high competition.

Abstract:The present study aims to investigate determinants of training implementation and intention for firms in Lao PDR. In developing countries like Lao PDR in particular, enterprises are increasingly required to be internationally competitive through such efforts as developing human resources to deal with regionalization and globalization. Training is seen as a major way to develop human resources, but it has not yet been implemented intensively enough. Therefore, it is worth investigating the determinants of training in these firms. We utilize data from the Enterprise Survey 2013 by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit and analyze stratified random sample of 658 small and medium enterprises using ordinary least squares (OLS) and logistic regressions. The results are non-uniform among the different dependent variables, such as engagement in vocational training, the existence of training intention for entrepreneurs and employees, and skills variety of training premeditation for employers and employees. For instance, a gender of entrepreneur has a significantly positive effect on training implementation but an insignificant effect on training plan. Education of entrepreneur has an unconvincing effect on training execution but a significantly positive outcome on training will. Some other independent variables show more inconclusive but explainable results (e.g., firm size, competition problems, membership of a business organization, and age of entrepreneur). However, located in Vientiane Capital has a significant effect but firm-age and ethnicity of entrepreneur are insignificant. The results suggest to pay more careful attention to the potential differences among different training-related variables.