Responsible concepts and start-ups, a new way to differentiate in the international market?

Résumé du document

These last years, we discovered the development of many ecological concepts as sustainable development became respected and understood by people and so consumers. As the Ademe, (French Environment and Energy Management Agency) shows, from 2006 to 2008, 66% of French people feel concerned by environment protection against 53% in 2006. In 2008, more than half of people questioned were worried by global warming (57%), water shortage (56%) and pollution (51%). Thanks to Copenhagen conference about climate in 2009 (from the 7th to the 18th of December) countries committed themselves to sustainable development. For example, to reduce carbon emissions or greenhouse gas effects.

But this conference was a failure, which is why, one-year later politicians met again in Cancun about climate from the 29th November until the 10th of December 2010. The emergence of new eco-friendly companies with eco-friendly produgives a big impact on people's consumption habits. Then some new kind of buying appears. The most famous was fair trade thanks to Max Havelaar concept. It is an association supporting small producers (as coffee), and not big multinationals or developed countries companies.

Extraits

[...] Benefits to a cause Within this last subchapter, the goal is mainly to measure the repercussions of the socially responsible campaigns of companies on the cause. Indeed, the results are not always published and so consumers cannot know the results of their buying. So are these actions effective? Most of causes supported are situated in poor countries in Africa, Asia or South America. Most of them are helping poor people for a safer life by giving food, clean water, education or products that assure their security. Basics Needs. There are two kinds of help. [...]

[...] This start-up sells scarf and caps (in tease, alpaca or angora) that you can custom online and choose to mix colours. Moreover, it is also part of the concept to be able to choose the woman who knits your scarf. Here Goldenhook helps retired Edgard You Master International Business 11 11 women. In an other example, the shoe company Faguo helps handicapped. The company has given responsibility for the storage and shipment of its products to a French organisation called E.S.A.T. [...]

[...] Now the question is: Can start-ups that include a socially responsible concept use this to differentiate themselves and be successful on the international market? The dissertation speaks about socially responsible concepts because it includes charity actions and environment actions of companies in different industries. Moreover, start-ups were chosen because they represent future trends of our future economy and their success is more risky due to their small budget. But currently the most famous start-up are specialised in the fashion and footwear sector, that is why this dissertation will speak more about companies such as Toms Shoes, the pioneer of the One for One concept. [...]

[...] In order to understand what kind of concepts start-ups employs, it is important to show the difference between sponsorship and patronage. Indeed, sponsorship is a way to communicate that makes part of the strategy because its consequences must be quantifiable. Available at http://www.tomsshoesblog.com/http:/www.tomsshoesblog.com/toms-internship-insideradvice 9 Edgard You Master International Business 20 20 On the other hand, patronage is an institutional communication that must agrees two rules. First, it must contain a global interest and secondly, a relative discretion. Its first aim is to get a good image for the company. [...]

[...] Now people do not buy a brand, they take care of the fabrication process. Thanks to certified products (product with a label about social corporate responsibility for instance: Max Havelaar), companies reassure people about social side and fabrication process. People are more and more interested in associations, and they choose it according to the percentage of money going on the ground, to people in need. Indeed, nowadays as they are more and more association, the donation campaign needs bigger advertising budget to promote each association. [...]