Win from Within: An Internal Fit Perspective of CSR Models Applied in Digital Platforms

Abstract

Based on the internal fit perspective from contingency theory, this study unveils the latest CSR models applied in digital platforms and finds out the internal forces that drive the adoption of those models. We select four representative cases in China and conduct detailed within- and cross-case analyses. Four distinctive CSR models emerge from the results: the platform-embeddedness model, the platform-leverage model, the platform-outsourcing model, and the platform-generation model. We also discover three major internal contingency factors behind the selection of those CSR models: resource commitment, relevance of CSR practices to core businesses, and social-orientation. Our study supports the active agent role championed by the internal fit perspective in that firms can selectively design a strategy based on its internal contingencies rather than passively responds to external constraints.