Does CSR Branding Increase Organisational Identification? An Interdisciplinary Approach

Abstract

Although the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received much attention over several decades, a lack of adequate measures of the construct is apparent and its impact on corporate performance remains unclear (Waddock and Graves 1997; Margolis and Walsh 2003; de Bakker, Groenewegen, and den Hond 2005; Orlitzky, Schmidt, and Rynes 2003). While prior empirical research pays attention to the relationship of CSR and firm financial performance (e.g., Hull and Rothenberg 2008; McWilliams and Siegel 2000), this paper takes a different approach by investigating non-financial performance - specifically the degree to which managers identify with their organisations (organisational identification) (Ashforth and Mael 1989). Arguably one reason for the conflicting results obtained in prior empirical research is the lack of clarity surrounding the definition of CSR (Clarkson 1995). This study focuses on a particular aspect of CSR, namely CSR branding, defined as the extent to which organisations authentically embed CSR practices in their operations and incorporate CSR claims as a key component of their corporate brands. Organisational identity is central to the understanding of the CSR branding construct (Albert and Whetten 1985). This paper describes the development of a new CSR branding scale which is subsequently used to investigate the relationship between this aspect of CSR and organisational identification. The conceptualisation of CSR branding put forward in this study is based on an interdisciplinary approach drawing on theories from the fields of management, marketing, and social psychology.