An Integrative Framework to Explore Corporate Ability and Corporate Social Responsibility Association’s Influence on Consumer Responses in the Banking Sector

Abstract

In response to the rising attention being given to corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in the marketplace, this study aims to explain how corporate ability in terms of CSR initiatives influences consumer attitudinal (trust) and behavioral (purchase intention and word of mouth (WOM)) outcomes in the context of the Indian retail banking industry. The data for the study were taken from banking customers through a survey administered in the bank branch during working hours. Non-probabilistic convenience sampling is used to target the respondents. The 357 completed questionnaires taken from the respondents were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The findings show the strong influence of CSR on consumer trust, which leads to positive word of mouth and purchase intentions. The findings provide an important insight into consumer behavior, how they form their attitude and make judgments towards the company, and also allow the companies to design better strategies for consumers that prove to be profitable in the long run. This study has implications for banks, as the practical significance of the study is that managers can learn to understand the relevance of CSR in marketing, and the proposed model of this study will help in assessing the effectiveness of CSR initiatives in relation to consumer responses.