Community internal activism for CSR brand repositioning

Built on the categorization theory and Herzberg's dual‐factor theory, this study consisted of two experiments to investigate how and when small brands were affected by the corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance of other brands in the same product category. This study specifically focused on the type of CSR publicity (positive vs. negative), brand fit (high vs. low), and other brands' leadership positions (high vs. low). The results of Study 1 (156 U.S. consumers) revealed that a leading brand's CSR activities can increase consumers' CSR expectations toward another big brand more than that toward a small brand, by setting up consumers' CSR expectation standards toward the industry as a whole. That is, the big brand's CSR performance was less likely to increase CSR expectations toward the small brand. Study 2 (244 U.S. consumers) confirmed that a brand's CSR activities positively influence its product attitude. In addition, the effect of a small brand's negative CSR publicity on its product attitude was mitigated by other brands' similar publicity. In contrast, other brands' publicity did not amplify the effect of a small brand's positive CSR publicity. These findings manifested small brands were conditionally influenced by other brands in the same category. This suggested that small brands should strategically allocate resources to fulfill CSR by determining their position relative to leading brands as well as to other players in the market.

Purpose This study examines how top management characteristics and social capital shape corporate social responsibility (CSR) commitment in SMEs, and how this, in turn influences firm performance through business model innovation (BMI). Focusing on post-transition economies, it explores BMI as a mechanism linking top management intent to competitive outcomes. Design/methodology/approach Grounded in Upper Echelons Theory (UET), the study develops and tests a conceptual model using survey data from 200 internationally active Polish manufacturing SMEs. Structural equation modeling is used to assess the relationships among managerial traits, CSR, external networks, BMI and firm performance. Findings Managerial experience positively predicts both social and environmental sustainability commitments, while higher education and general experience show negative effects on environmental commitment. External networks strengthen the link between experience and social commitment, but not environmental commitment. Social commitment improves performance indirectly through BMI, whereas environmental commitment has only a direct effect. BMI thus emerges as a key mechanism for translating leadership-driven social sustainability into firm-level value. Research limitations/implications The study is limited to Polish manufacturing SMEs and cross-sectional data; future research should broaden sectoral and regional scope. Originality/value This study contributes to SME and emerging market research by integrating leadership traits, social capital and BMI into a unified framework. It identifies BMI as a central mechanism within UET and reveals asymmetries in how social vs. environmental commitments translate into performance in post-transition settings.

Purpose – This paper aims to investigate how corporate social responsibility (CSR) performance (i.e. to the environment, society and stakeholders) and perceived brand quality influence brand preference. The mediating effect of perceived brand quality on the relationship between CSR performance and brand preference is also studied. Design/methodology/approach – In 2011, 243 valid responses to questionnaire surveys were collected from a convenience sample in China. Regression analyses were used to test the hypotheses. Findings – Customers’ brand preference can be enhanced by CSR performance. Performance in each of the three CSR domains (i.e. environment, society and stakeholders) positively impacts brand preference, although to different degrees. The impact of CSR on stakeholders has the strongest influence on Chinese customers’ brand preference among the three CSR domains. Perceived brand quality was found to be a mediator of the relationship between CSR performance and brand preference. Research limitations/implications – This research studies the relationship between CSR performance and brand preference. Results show CSR performance is not the strongest predictor of branding outcomes, its explanatory power is comparatively weaker than that of perceived brand quality. Additionally, we found a mediating effect of perceived brand quality on the relationship between CSR performance and brand preference. Practical implications – Brands can be more attractive to Chinese consumers when brands take appropriate investments in CSR activities. A socially responsible brand is not guaranteed to yield a competitive advantage. Instead a competitive advantage will more likely result through the employment of the appropriate CSR strategies, with a focus on stakeholders’ interests. Originality/value – The current research contributes to the literature by finding that not all CSR activities are equally effective. Customers in emerging markets still appear to be focused more on the quality of brands and, to some extent, stakeholder CSR practice, as these provide direct benefits to customers. Findings of this study also support the notion that Chinese consumers are beginning to use CSR information to evaluate brands.

PurposeThe purpose of this empirical case study is to apply several existing frameworks to consider the notion of integrating corporate social responsibility (CSR) with a brand leadership strategy. The investigation focuses on two main questions: What are the core components for the development of a CSR brand? What capabilities are necessary to implement a CSR‐related brand strategy?Design/methodology/approachFive firms provide input for a multiple case‐based approach.FindingsIntuitive and intended approaches for CSR brand leadership emerge from the multiple case study results. Different capabilities are required at each stage of the development and implementation process for CSR brand leadership.Research limitations/implicationsThis research extends three prior studies – Aaker and Joachimsthaler's brand leadership framework, Maonet al.'s proposed integrative framework for designing and implementing CSR, and Beverlandet al.'s capabilities view on the development of global brand leadership – and fills a theoretical gap.Practical implicationsManagers can use the proposed integrated and implementable framework to determine the impact of dynamic factors, such as ownership, culture, executive leadership, and the specific context of product and corporate branding, on the development and implementation of their CSR brand.Originality/valueNo studies examine how to leverage CSR in brand‐building activities. Specifically, no empirically grounded research examines the required path to create and manage CSR brands and associated benefits, nor is the number of capabilities required to develop a credible CSR brand clear. Comprehensive models of the processes for developing and implementing CSR brands and the capabilities that underlie them are needed. The proposed model emphasizes the contextualized need to rely on different capabilities at different stages of this development process to generate constructive and sustainable outcomes.

Does CSR Branding Increase Organisational Identification? An Interdisciplinary Approach

Recently, some fashion retailers have initiated sustainable actions in the form of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities to address consumers' social concerns. This study intends to combine the concept of CSR motivation attributions with brand extension literature in order to examine how consumers' trust of a parent brand affects their CSR motivation attributions and ultimately their attitudes towards parent-brand CSR activities and sustainable extension lines. A self-administered online survey was conducted using scenarios describing a fast fashion retailer introducing a sustainable line. Data from 303 female U.S. consumers, aged between 18 and 34 years, were used for the statistical analysis. Data analyses were conducted using SPSS 21.0 for descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and regression analysis. The results revealed that all hypotheses were supported. The findings show that consumers' trust of a parent brand has an indirect impact on positive attitudes towards the parent brand's CSR activities as well as the sustainable extension product line, mediating positive evaluations of the brand's social CSR motivations. In addition, this study suggests consumers' prior trust of the parent brand is a variable that affects consumers' evaluation of CSR motivation sincerity. Marketing suggestions and thoughts based on the findings of this study were provided.

PurposeThis paper aims to explore whether brand corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives increase consumers’ happiness via a mediating mechanism of emotional brand attachment and to examine how brand CSR’s effect may be moderated by CSR fit (e.g. CSR-brand fit vs misfit) and sense of relatedness (e.g. low vs high).Design/methodology/approachA series of six studies (including the one that is available online), combining field and experimental data, were conducted to test the hypothesized relationships.FindingsResults support the hypothesis that brand CSR initiatives make consumers happy by increasing their attachment to the brand (Studies 1 and 2). This effect is strengthened both directly and indirectly through emotional attachment when brands engage in CSR fit activities (Study 3), but it is weakened when brands engage in CSR misfit activities (Study 4). Furthermore, the effect is more pronounced when brands choose CSR activities that have a high sense of relatedness, and it is eliminated when brands use CSR activities with a low sense of relatedness (Study 5). Finally, the results indicate that when brand CSR programs make consumers happy, they become more likely to purchase, spread positive word of mouth and pay a premium (Study 6).Originality/valueThis research has several major implications for business-to-consumer companies that are unsure about the value of brand CSR initiatives, want to make consumers happy but are unsure which CSR strategies to focus on and/or have decided to launch CSR initiatives but lack guidance on the specific strategies relevant to their desired performance outcomes.

Abstract: This study examines relationships among perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR), perceived team CSR, social identities, and corporate brand equity in the context of using Chinese professional baseball teams as brand extensions. Data from online surveys of Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) consumers ( N = 467) were analyzed using structural equation modeling and the SPSS macro PROCESS. Findings revealed that perceived CSR and perceived team CSR have a direct positive effect on corporate brand equity. The results also showed that consumer-company identity mediates the relationship between perceived CSR and corporate brand equity; the relationship between perceived team CSR and corporate brand equity is sequentially mediated by team identity and consumer-company identity. Beyond the CSR initiatives, city identity positively influenced corporate brand equity via team and consumer-company identity. Implications for fostering brand equity and brand values are discussed, focusing on using CSR and city identity as the means of positive influence.

Purpose– Face concern is a personal value that refers to the extent an individual shows regard for or interest in the protection and enhancement of face. This study aims to examine the moderating influence of face concern on consumer responses to brands associated with corporate social responsibility (CSR).Design/methodology/approach– An experimental study was conducted to test the proposed conceptual model in consumer reactions to CSR brands.Findings– The results show that consumers with a high face concern (vs low face concern) have a better quality perception toward CSR brands than non-CSR brands. In addition, they also have a higher purchase intention and propensity to recommend the CSR brands than those with a low face concern. However, this interaction effect between face concern and brand type (CSR brand vs non-CSR brand) is mediated by consumers’ perceived quality of the brand.Practical implications– This study provides critical implications for the formulation of brand management strategies, particularly for international firms entering an Asian country like China where people generally have a high degree of face concern.Originality/value– This study highlights the moderating role of face concern in the relationship between consumer responses and brands associated with CSR. It also suggests the mediating role of consumers’ perceived brand quality in the relationship between brand types (CSR brands vs non-CSR brands) and consumer responses.

This paper examines how power affects consumers’ responses to corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of luxury brands. The results of three studies show that high‐power individuals evaluated a luxury brand's CSR campaign more positively than low‐power individuals. High‐power individuals viewed CSR activities as being more fluent than low‐power individuals. This study further demonstrates that power influences consumers’ responses to nonluxury brand's CSR activities. Low‐power individuals, who are more receptive to warmth, evaluated nonluxury brand's CSR more favorably rather than high‐power individuals.

Recently, there has been a questioning of classic management in Algerian companies accompanied with international competition. Currently, as much as the Algerian government has become increasingly interested to SMEs, it has also interested to corporate social responsibility (CSR). However, the most of Algerian SMEs have a lack in social and environmental commitment. In fact, the structures of these SMEs often do not allow them to respond effectively to social and environmental problems they face. The objective through this study is to determine the concept of CSR in Algerian SMEs. The question that guides this research is to know how SMEs' managers perceive the concept of CSR. And the main hypothesis of this research is: knowing the perception of the concept of CSR which allows leaders to better conduct any program of mainstreaming CSR into the business. For that this research depends on a quantitative analysis through a survey conducted with 86 Algerian SMEs from January 2012 to May 2012. The obtained results have helped to determine and develop CSR concept, as well as these results have allowed proposing a scheme of analysis to improve social and environmental commitment in Algerian SMEs. Hence, the action of Algerian SMEs in favor of socio-environmental commitment is primarily motivated by mainly regulatory issues.

ABSTRACTFirms are increasingly drawing on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in their employer branding to improve attractiveness and engage current and potential employees, and to ensure consistency in employee brand behaviours. However, there is a dearth of literature synthesising CSR and employer branding research to understand employee engagement with CSR-firms from a branding perspective. In this article, the authors carried out an integrative literature review of CSR and employer branding literatures. Informed by signaling theory, the authors develop a conceptual model of the CSR employer branding process as a cohesive view from the potential and current employee perspective. Our review highlights the need for firms to achieve CSR consistency in terms of (a) embeddedness of CSR values, and (b) levels of internal CSR. These two factors frame a typology that enable managers to better execute their CSR employer brand identity to achieve favourable results, such as a high-quality talent pool and positive affective, cognitive and behavioural employee outcomes.

Individual dynamic managerial capabilities: Influence over environmental and social commitment under a gender perspective

This study examines relationships among perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR), perceived team CSR, social identities, and corporate brand equity in the context of using Chinese professional baseball teams as brand extensions. Data from online surveys of Chinese Professional Baseball League (CPBL) consumers ( N = 467) were analyzed using structural equation modeling and the SPSS macro PROCESS. Findings revealed that perceived CSR and perceived team CSR have a direct positive effect on corporate brand equity. The results also showed that consumer-company identity mediates the relationship between perceived CSR and corporate brand equity; the relationship between perceived team CSR and corporate brand equity is sequentially mediated by team identity and consumer-company identity. Beyond the CSR initiatives, city identity positively influenced corporate brand equity via team and consumer-company identity. Implications for fostering brand equity and brand values are discussed, focusing on using CSR and city identity as the means of positive influence.

Purpose In response to consumer and society demands for firms to be socially responsible, brands have been taking a strategic approach to corporate social responsibility (CSR) by integrating socially responsible activities into their brands’ core value propositions to strengthen brand equity. Thus, from a brand building perspective, this paper aims to investigate the immediate effect that brand CSR communications have on the change in brand awareness, perceived quality and loyalty, to provide a deeper understanding of how each dimension affects the overall change in brand equity. Design/methodology/approach With evidence from an experiment conducted in three different countries (Australia, United States and Spain), based on an actual brand CSR program, this paper explores the different immediate effects of change in brand awareness, perceived brand quality and brand loyalty, after the exposure to a CSR message, on the overall immediate change in value that consumers give to a brand. Furthermore, it examines the role of brand-cause fit and the influence that differences in cultural, economic and political environments have on this effect. Findings The change in brand loyalty due to CSR communication is the key dimension driving the immediate positive change in overall brand equity. In addition, change in brand awareness has an inverted U-shape relationship with change in overall brand equity, whereas the change in perceived brand quality does not have an influence. Finally, the results indicate that this immediate effect holds regardless of the level of brand-cause fit, but is greater in countries where firms are expected to participate and CSR reporting is not mandatory, making such practices be seen as voluntary. Practical implications The findings of this study offer research implications for academics, and practical considerations for brand managers, interested in how to rapidly generate changes in consumer perception by leveraging CSR activities for brand building in global settings. Specifically, it indicates that when the aim is to quickly build brand equity, the goal of communicating CSR activities must be to increase the level of attachment that consumers have to the brand since loyalty is the main driver of the immediate change in overall brand equity. Originality/value Although many scholars have demonstrated the impact of CSR on various consumer behavior outcomes (e.g., brand attitude, purchase intention, loyalty), from a brand build perspective the implications of the immediate effect of a brand communication of CSR practices on consumer-based brand equity remain less clear. This study addresses this gap to gain a deeper understanding of how to rapidly generate changes in consumer perception to build strong brands while leveraging CSR practices.