Fueling Trust and Loyalty Toward Oil Marketing Companies (OMCs) in Ghana: The Role of Corporate Reputation and Distribution Intensity

This study examines the effect of corporate reputation - product and service quality, customer centricity, corporate credibility, and social and environmental responsibility (SER) on brand loyalty as well as the mediating and moderating roles of brand trust and distribution intensity respectively in these relationships. The study data was collected from 614 conveniently sampled customers in the downstream oil sector in Ghana, which was analyzed using covariance-based structural equation modeling. Results from the analysis indicate all corporate reputation dimensions except SER directly affect customer loyalty toward OMC brands. The findings provide insights into the intermediary role of brand trust particularly in the SER-loyalty relationship. The study also finds that distribution intensity serves as a boundary condition, strengthening the effect of product and service quality, customer centricity and corporate credibility on loyalty. These findings offer insightful implications for research considerations and actionable directions for OMC reputation-building activities that foster trust and loyalty in such a volatile and competitive sector.