Linking corporate social responsibility attributions and creativity: Modeling work engagement as a mediator

Abstract

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to examine whether employees attribute different motives to corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices of the organization and if these motives predict employee creativity. In addition, the study aims to explore the underlying psychological mechanism by proposing work engagement as a mediator of the relationship between CSR attributions and creativity. Sample for the study consisted of 219 employees from various IT organizations in India known for their CSR engagement. Exploratory factor analysis, CFA and SEM bootstrapping procedures were used to test the study hypotheses with the help of SPSS AMOS 24. Results indicate that employees differentiate the motives behind organizational CSR engagement as intrinsic and extrinsic. These motives were found to differentially impact work engagement and creativity. Intrinsic CSR attributions related positively and significantly with creativity, and work engagement fully mediated the relationship. However, extrinsic CSR attributions failed to show any significant relationship with both work engagement and creativity. By highlighting the role of the attributions in the context of CSR, this research provides important information on why organizational CSR involvement may not always yield positive results for the organization. The study identifies managing employees’ skepticism as a critical success factor in the implementation of CSR to optimize the returns on CSR investments. The findings also carry significant implications for managers and policy makers of Indian IT industry in terms of how they devise, implement and communicate CSR plans and strategy.