The Effects of Corporate Ability and Corporate Social Responsibility on Winning Customer Support: An Integrative Examination of the Roles of Satisfaction, Trust and Identification

Abstract

This research proposes an integrative model in which corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate ability (CA) influence customer supporting behaviours through three relational factors (i.e. customer satisfaction, trust and identification). A survey was conducted in China. Empirical results indicate that (1) satisfaction, trust and identification are all important routes through which positive perceptions on CSR/CA transfer into enhanced customer support; (2) CSR initiatives gain customer support more effectively through identification, while CA has stronger effect through changing satisfaction and trust; (3) No significant difference in the efficacy of CSR and CA exists across local and global corporations.