Corporate Social Responsibility Associations Research Articles

LGBTQ-Supporting Diversity CSR in India: Impact of CSR Levels and Role of Value-Based Attributions and Social Acceptance on CSR Outcomes

ABSTRACT In 2018, India scrapped Section 377 of the Penal Code to decriminalize homosexuality in the state. This study examines the impact of different levels of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ)-supporting corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on individuals’ behavioral intentions to support a company and its CSR initiatives by conducting an online experiment with Indian citizens. It also examines the role of value-driven motivations and social acceptance. The findings show a direct impact and an interactive effect of social acceptance of the LGBTQ community on individuals’ CSR associations. Moreover, CSR-induced value-driven motives can strongly influence corporate ability (CA) associations. The dual-path model proposed in this study will serve as a foundation for future research in the strategic communication of CSR programs for sensitive topics such as LGBTQ issues due to polarized public opinion in developing countries. The practical and theoretical implications of this study are also discussed.

An Integrative Framework to Explore Corporate Ability and Corporate Social Responsibility Association’s Influence on Consumer Responses in the Banking Sector

In response to the rising attention being given to corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities in the marketplace, this study aims to explain how corporate ability in terms of CSR initiatives influences consumer attitudinal (trust) and behavioral (purchase intention and word of mouth (WOM)) outcomes in the context of the Indian retail banking industry. The data for the study were taken from banking customers through a survey administered in the bank branch during working hours. Non-probabilistic convenience sampling is used to target the respondents. The 357 completed questionnaires taken from the respondents were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling. The findings show the strong influence of CSR on consumer trust, which leads to positive word of mouth and purchase intentions. The findings provide an important insight into consumer behavior, how they form their attitude and make judgments towards the company, and also allow the companies to design better strategies for consumers that prove to be profitable in the long run. This study has implications for banks, as the practical significance of the study is that managers can learn to understand the relevance of CSR in marketing, and the proposed model of this study will help in assessing the effectiveness of CSR initiatives in relation to consumer responses.

The effect of face on consumer responses to socially responsible hospitality brands: the role of consumption setting

PurposeThis study examines the effect of face on consumer responses to socially responsible hospitality brands and the influence of the consumption setting. Based on the literature on face concern, the consumption setting is expected to influence the effect of face on consumer responses to socially responsible brands.Design/methodology/approachAn experimental design with face concern (low vs high) under two consumption settings (private vs public) was adopted for a fictitious hotel involved in community service. To test this design, 360 participants were recruited.FindingsThe results showed that face positively affected consumer responses to socially responsible hospitality brands. Consumers with a high (vs low) level of face concern had higher purchase intention and a greater propensity to spread positive word-of-mouth for hospitality brands with strong corporate social responsibility (CSR) associations. In addition, the favorable effect of face concern on consumer responses was more pronounced in a public consumption setting than in a private consumption setting.Practical implicationsHospitality service managers could strengthen the physical evidence of CSR brands during service encounters. This strategy would be more effective for consumers who have a high level of face concern and lead to an increase in revisit intention.Originality/valueThis study highlights the effect of face on consumer responses to CSR brands and the influence of the consumption setting. Managerial implications for hospitality service managers regarding communication and brand management strategies are discussed.

Consumer motivations for engaging with corporate social responsibility on social media

Purpose This study aims to analyze consumer motivations to share information about corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities through electronic word of mouth. It examines the roles of self-enhancement, identity signaling and social bonding as antecedents of consumers’ CSR engagement on social media. Design/methodology/approach A quantitative approach is used with a single-factor between-subjects experimental design in which the presence vs absence of CSR information on a company website is manipulated. The hypotheses are tested through structural equation modeling. Findings Results show that after viewing the company’s CSR message on its website, consumers who generated more CSR associations were more motivated to engage with the CSR information to satisfy fundamental personality traits (need for self-enhancement) and social relationship motivations (social bonding), which increased their intention to share the information. Research limitations/implications This study is restricted to CSR information on websites. Further research should consider what happens if such information is shared on social media, as consumers are more likely to spread CSR messages when they are shared by other public social network sites. Practical implications The study highlights the relevance of including CSR information on websites and offers insights into the importance of considering consumers in disseminating CSR information. Consumers share information when they have personal motivation for doing so. Social implications This study put the focus on the role of consumers in the diffusion of corporate information. Originality/value The results show the importance of personal motivations such as self-enhancement and social bonding in sharing CSR information on social media.

Synthesizing the affinity between employees' internal‐external CSR perceptions and work outcomes: A meta‐analytic investigation

AbstractThis paper contains a meta‐analytic review of 140 research articles and 320 effect sizes to explore how employees' perceptions of internal and external corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities influence an array of work outcomes at three levels (emotional, attitudinal, and behavioral). We aim to discover the underlying psychological and methodological factors affecting this linkage. This study reveals that CSR is more strongly connected with employees' psychological‐emotional reactions (i.e., organizational trust and pride) and work attitude (i.e., organizational commitment) rather than work behavior (i.e., organizational citizenship behavior). Although each type of CSR's association with four work outcomes is positive and significant, wide variance exists in effect sizes reported across studies, warranting a search for substantive moderators. Meta‐regression and subgroup analyses indicate the moderating effects of specific study‐level attributes viz. CSR typology, type of organizational commitment, source & type of organizational citizenship behavior, study design, and other contextual factors. It is found that the CSR‐to‐employee outcome relationship significantly contrasts across industries, regions, and cultures. This paper enriches the extant micro‐CSR literature by emphasizing that CSR can cultivate positive employee sentiments, work attitudes, and behaviors, provided CSR is embedded and integrated innately with sustainable human resource management and core business processes while rising above legal requirements and egocentric motives. Important implications for theorists and managers and potential avenues for future research are conferred in this paper.

Exploring effects of message framing on supportive behaviors toward environmental corporate social responsibility

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to shed light on how effective environmental corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication can be achieved through persuasive communication strategies using message framing.Design/methodology/approachThis study conducted an online experimental study with a 2 (narrative: narrative or non-narrative) × 2 (framing: gain or loss) between-subjects design.FindingsThe findings showed that environmental CSR communication using narrative framing messages is most effective in creating strong CSR associations between a company and the environmental CSR domain and sharing the company's CSR information on supportive communication and advocating for the environmental campaign.Originality/valueThis study highlights the importance of a company's environmental CSR communication efforts using the right message format (narrative style) to increase its persuasive sequence from CSR evaluation to supportive behaviors, contributing to theoretical development in the research of environmental CSR communication. This study suggests that environmental CSR campaign managers should first formalize the company's environmental responsiveness by clearly establishing policies and practicing CSR performance that could result in a strong CSR association before asking their target publics to engage in pro-environmental activities.

Is Distant Extension Always Upset? Neural Evidence of Empathy and Brand Association Affect Distant Extension Evaluation.

Distant brand extension as an essential strategy of obtaining benefits was highly focused on the normal marketing practice and academic research. In the current study, we aim to recognize that how individuals with different levels of empathy respond to distant extensions under corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate competence (CC) associations to explore the corresponding neural mechanisms using event-related potentials (ERPs). We divided subjects into two groups involving a high empathy (HE) group and a low empathy (LE) group according to an empathy measure questionnaire. The subjects first faced a brand name following the CSR or CC association descriptions, and then, they were asked to evaluate the new product of brand by a five-point scale. Current results revealed that the participants of the HE group were more apt to accept the distant extension products than those of the LE group. Additionally, in the HE group, products from a brand with CSR associations were more acceptable than CC associations. Moreover, a larger N2 amplitude was elicited in the LE group than in the HE group. For the LE group, an augment N2 was found under CSR than CC associations, reflecting that LE consumers might perceive conflict when evaluating distant extensions and allocate more cognitive resources to deal with CSR information. At the later stage, the HE group showed a greater P3 than the LE group. For the HE group, an increased P3 was elicited under CSR than CC associations, suggesting that empathic individuals might show motivational salience and helping willingness toward distant extension products, especially under the CSR scenario. These results provide potential electrophysiological evidence for the positive impact of brand associations on the evaluation of distant brand extension in the case of subdividing different empathic individuals.

What drives CSR communication effectiveness on social media? A process-based theoretical framework and research agenda

While practice and research show that Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communication on social media can have positive effects on corporate reputation, brand attitude and purchase intention, consumer engagement with CSR posts has been underwhelming. Companies are not successfully tapping into the inherent potential of social media communication. This theoretical review integrates extant CSR and social media communication research to contribute to a better understanding of the processes involved in CSR effectiveness on social media. We develop a theoretical model of CSR social media communication, that takes into account its specific characteristics—sensitivity to peer influences through norm activation, interactivity, viral CSR message propagation through sharing, CSR empowerment, and humane-oriented appeals in CSR posts. The hypothesized framework connects CSR and social media-specific drivers with two social media CSR communication outcomes: i) CSR effectiveness in terms of CSR associations, corporate/brand attitude and purchase behavior, and ii) social media performance indicators related to propagation on the network—social media endorsement and opposition (liking, positive and negative commenting, and sharing of the CSR post). The model explains the resulting relationships through mediation processes based on CSR credibility and motive attribution, psychological consumer empowerment, moral emotions, as well as social identity and norm activation. Self-construal and community identification are identified as consumer-based contingency factors of these effects. The review framework provides an extended process-oriented agenda for future studies. The paper recommends multi-brand experimental field studies in a real-life social media setting and highlights the requirement of industry collaboration. The expected findings will help companies to choose relevant CSR initiatives, design effective CSR posts, boost viral propagation on the network, and counter and avoid social media opposition through negative feedback.

Attribute framing in CSR communication: Doing good and spreading the word – But how?

In two experiments, we investigated the effects of positive and negative attribute framing in corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication on consumer attitudes toward the firm and purchase intentions. Study 1 shows a positive main effect of positively framed CSR communication with consumer perceived corporate hypocrisy and CSR associations as mediators. This effect tends to be stronger for products that consumers can evaluate more (as compared to less) easily. Study 2 replicates the positive main effect of Study 1 and finds the effect to be stronger for CSR communication with concrete (as compared to vague) arguments. In combination, the findings provide new insights into how attribute framing in CSR communication affects consumer reactions, additionally demonstrating product type and message specificity as boundary conditions.

The association spillover mechanism of CSR crises: evidence from the Uber case

ABSTRACT Drawing on insights from the corporate ability (CA) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) associations framework, the associative network theory (ANT) of memory, and crisis communication literature on the CA-CSR crisis typology, this study examines the impact of CSR crises on stakeholders’ responses via the underlying mechanism of the spillover from CSR onto CA associations. Using the context of Uber’s CSR crisis events in early 2017, results from a survey (N = 510) among participants in the United States showed that in CSR crises, weakened CSR associations had a spillover effect onto CA associations. The effects from both CSR and CA associations then influenced stakeholders’ company and product evaluations, which in turn led to negative word-of-mouth intention. Theoretical implications are discussed.

The Moderating Role of CSR Associations on the Link between Brand Awareness and Purchase Intention

This study uses the moderating model to explore the relationships between Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) associations, brand awareness and consumer purchase intention. Besides investigating the direct effects of CSR associations on brand awareness and consumer purchase intention, this study also focuses on discovering the moderating role of CSR associations on the relationship between brand awareness and consumer purchase intention among Vietnamese students. Adapting scales from previous research, the authors distribute questionnaires to consumers across the country. Then, the validity and reliability are tested via Cronbach's alpha, Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). Moreover, by employing a meta-analytical path analysis with a sample of 686 consumers, the authors show that CSR associations play an important role in shaping purchase intention among Vietnamese consumers regarding the consumption of organic milk products. Also, CSR associations have a strong effect on brand awareness. However, our study shows that purchase intention is not directly affected by brand awareness. In other words, brand awareness does not mediate the relationship between CSR associations and purchase intention. Interestingly, authors show that CSR associations moderate the link between brand awareness and consumer purchase intention. Based on the research, some recommendations are made to companies that produce organic milk products.

Truly Sustainability or Hypocrisy: The Effects of Corporate Sustainable Orientation on Consumers’ Quality Perception and Trust Based on Evidence from China

Sustainable initiatives have been widely fulfilled by corporations, which can acquire better reputations by performing environmental, social, and economic responsibilities. However, if a corporation’s propaganda about sustainable orientation is contrary to the actual action, or even does not have a clear orientation, then it may also fall into the reputation of hypocrisy. In this study, from the perspective of consumer behavior and based on the moral responsibility theory of corporate sustainability, we identify six types of sustainable corporations by their orientations toward sustainability, including value, goals, and structure. We empirically examine their direct effects on consumers’ sustainable quality perception and trust, as well as the moderating effects of corporate social responsibility associations and consumer–corporation identity. Data are collected in China; 203 adults participated in the survey. The results reveal that the types of sustainable goals and structure have a significant effect on consumers’ sustainable quality perception and trust. Furthermore, consumers’ perception is also positively associated with their trust in a corporation. Moreover, the consumer–corporation identity negatively moderates the relationship between perception and trust. These findings also bring theoretical and practical insights for governments and corporations.

The interplay between post-crisis response strategy and pre-crisis corporate associations in the context of CSR crises

How should a company respond to a crisis that is related to its social responsibility by capitalizing on consumers’ existing corporate associations? To answer this question, the present study focuses on two primary types of corporate associations, corporate ability (CA) associations and corporate social responsibility (CSR) associations, and proposes two different types of response strategies that are association-based: CA strategy and CSR strategy. Drawing on the framework of CA-CSR, Expectancy Violation Theory, and information processing literature, this study examines whether and how these crisis response strategies interact with consumers’ pre-crisis associations and collectively influence consumer reactions in times of CSR crises. Results of two experiments render support for the predicted interaction effect. Furthermore, the results show that crisis response diagnosticity and novelty, as perceived by consumers with varied pre-crisis associations, serve as the underlying process explanations that drive the observed interaction effect. Theoretical contributions and practical implications of these results to crisis communication are also discussed.

Examining the indirect effect of corporate social responsibility on firm performance: an empirical study in Lebanon

The current study examines a mediated model to understand the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm performance (FP). Based on the research findings from a sample of 110 respondents from Lebanese firms, the results suggest that the CSR and FP association is an entirely mediated relationship. In particular, CSR is positively linked to firm financial performance indirectly through the enhancement of reputation, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage. Hence, the findings reduce ambiguity around CSR's direct role, and reveal that CSR promotes firm performance indirectly through building intangible assets (reputation, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage) that are essential to the survival of a firm.

Examining the indirect effect of corporate social responsibility on firm performance: an empirical study in Lebanon

The current study examines a mediated model to understand the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and firm performance (FP). Based on the research findings from a sample of 110 respondents from Lebanese firms, the results suggest that the CSR and FP association is an entirely mediated relationship. In particular, CSR is positively linked to firm financial performance indirectly through the enhancement of reputation, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage. Hence, the findings reduce ambiguity around CSR's direct role, and reveal that CSR promotes firm performance indirectly through building intangible assets (reputation, customer satisfaction, and competitive advantage) that are essential to the survival of a firm.

Consumers’ implicit attitudes toward corporate social responsibility and corporate abilities: Examining the influence of bank governance using the implicit association test

In studying corporate association valence for two dimensions: corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate abilities (CA), this paper aims to investigate how corporate governance may contribute to brand equity. Using an experimental design, this research measures implicit consumers attitudes with two implicit association tests (IAT) to assess the potential moderating effect of banks governance. In study 1, we manipulated solidarity vs. non-solidarity concept (major meaning associated with CSR) by mobilizing 116 respondents. In study 2, we manipulated performance vs. non-performance concept (major meaning associated with CA) by mobilizing 96 respondents. Results reveal that the CSR association is more positive for member-owned banks than for investor-owned banks. Conversely, the CA association is more positive for investor-owned banks than for member-owned banks. These results emphasize the role of governance in building brand equity through its impact on the valence of the brand associations.

Consumers' corporate social responsibility and corporate ability associations as predictors of reputation: Developing countries under analysis

AbstractThis study investigates the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate ability (CA) associations on perceived corporate reputation (PCR) and the relationship between the two associations in different cultural environments. By focusing on electricity providers, we carried out a questionnaire survey within BRICS capital cities—that is, Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa—and tested a conceptual model via structural equation modelling. Results showed that, grouping BRICS together, CSR and CA associations predicted PCR, and CA association partially mediated the relationship between CSR association and PCR. When analysing each country separately, these relations were confirmed only for Brazil, China, and South Africa. These findings extend the literature on consumers' corporate associations by differentiating between CSR and CA among different cultural environments. Managers should avoid replicating business strategies in different cultural systems, coordinating such strategies to maximise PCR. The paper concludes with suggestions for coordinating CSR and CA within business development strategies.

The Influence of Internet Entrepreneur-Related Word-of-Mouth (WOM) on Corporate Image Association

Both the consumer’s corporate social responsibility association and enterprise production capacity association are beneficial to business sustainable development. Based on Chinese traditional culture and from the perspective of Stereotype Content Model, this paper explores the relationship between two types of entrepreneur-related Word-of-mouth (WOM) and the two afore-mentioned types of consumer’s associations. On the one hand, the results show that the entrepreneur-related WOM labeled as “making yourself a person”, which emphasizes the personal qualities of the entrepreneur, may prompt consumers to form corporate social responsibility associations. On the other hand, the entrepreneur-related WOM labeled as “managing your own affairs”, which emphasizes the ability of the entrepreneur, may cause consumers to form associations regarding the enterprise’s production capacity. The mechanism underlying these effects is that the former type of entrepreneur-related WOM stimulates the consumer’s perception of the entrepreneur’s warmth, while the latter stimulates the consumer’s perception of the entrepreneur’s competence.

Measuring the Influence of Corporate Social Responsibility on Employee Engagement in Islamic Banking Sectors in Malaysia

Employee engagement has been a major attention among researchers and corporations for it significant impact on organization overall performance and competitive success. The objective of the study is to determine the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) association and participation on employee engagement among 200 Islamic Banking employees in Malaysia. The sample was determined using stratified random sample and data was gathered using research questionnaires. Descriptive analysis was utilized to describe the respondents and the Pearson Product Moment Correlation was used to assess the influence of the independent variables on its dependent. The result indicates the positive significant relationships between variables and supports the hypotheses. This study suggests that CSR association and CSR participation; factors employed in this study influencing employee engagement to the organization, and therefore the factors could be utilized by managers as dimensions to be focused to, in order to promote organizational citizenship among employees.

Digging deep? Digging more? A research on the influence of corporate CSR theme consistency strategy

PurposeAs the focal point of both academic studies and business practices, the theme strategy of corporate social responsibility (CSR) arouses wide attention. However, extant studies concentrate more on the selection of the theme of CSR activities, such as the fitness between CSR activities and the core business, thus largely neglecting the consistency of the theme. The purpose of this paper is to determine whether the enterprise should adopt a consistent theme strategy or should participate in different social programs, and how do customers response to the lack of studies in different theme-consistent strategies.Design/methodology/approachIn this paper, two progressive experiments are performed. The purpose of study 1 is to examine the influence of theme consistency on consumers’ CSR association and how consumers’ attribution to corporation motivation mediates such impacts. The purpose for study 2 is to examine whether information dissemination channels and cooperation with public organization could affect the influence of theme consistency strategy.FindingsThe significant influences of theme consistency on consumer CSR association was demonstrated, and consumer’s perceived motivation of CSR was found to play the mediation role. Moreover, the moderation effect of the communication channel of CSR information was found to be important to strengthen the influence of the theme-consistent strategy.Originality/valueThis paper not only demonstrates the influence of theme consistency, but also explains how theme consistency influences consumers’ attitude and behavior. It enriches the study on the antecedent variables of consumers’ attribution to corporate motivation.