Differentiating Inclusion in Social Innovation – The perception of general consumers
(A2025-125737)

AUTHORS

Lina Jacobsen, Aarhus University; Anne Peschel, Aarhus University

ABSTRACT

Consumers perceive a company’s social innovativeness to be higher when the company engages in inclusion initiatives for underrepresented groups. The question we seek to answer is whether the particular underrepresented group in focus of the inclusion initiative matters in this perception. We focus on elderly and people with disabilities as they are distinct in social identity threat. The main study was based on an online survey (n=4,737) among Danish consumers analysed with SEM. Results indicate that general consumers value companies’ inclusive initiatives within product/services and marketing communication. However, the pattern changes when considering the individual underrepresented groups targeted by the initiative. We introduce social identity threat as a potential explanation for this change. We conclude that careful consideration of the individual underrepresented group is necessary for successful implementation increasing perceived social innovativeness among general consumers.