Corporate Social Responsibility Authenticity Research Articles

Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve: Exploring Moral Identity as a Moderator Across CSR Authenticity, Consumer Admiration, and Engagement in the Fashion Industry

A rapidly shifting, hyper-sensitive modern fashion industry, coupled with an increasingly developing global environmental concern, has seen to an ever-imperative role for corporate social responsibility (CSR) to play in the successful operation of fashion companies. This study primarily investigates effective measures for successful CSR implementation in both corporate and consumer domains, looking at Patagonia, an exemplar company with an environmental mission, to understand the central contributions of active consumer engagement to the success of CSR initiatives. We explore consumer admiration as a concept necessary to elevate CSR practices from image maintenance to genuine engagement and advocacy, and how such admiration could be cultivated on the consumerside, investigating perceived CSR authenticity and corporate self-sacrifice as primary determinants. Specifically, we speculate the asymmetric role of consumers’ moral identity, revealing that moral identity symbolization positively interacts with both determinants while negatively moderating the relationship of these intentions and consumer admiration. We derive our analysis from diverse international and Korean data, concluding with theoretical and managerial implications for domestic and international companies in pursuit of environmental CSR campaigns that bridge consumer and company, as well as limitations and future research directions.

Wear Your Heart on Your Sleeve: Exploring Moral Identity as a Moderator Across CSR Authenticity, Consumer Admiration, and Engagement in the Fashion Industry

A rapidly shifting, hyper-sensitive modern fashion industry, coupled with an increasingly developing global environmental concern, has seen to an ever-imperative role for corporate social responsibility (CSR) to play in the successful operation of fashion companies. This study primarily investigates effective measures for successful CSR implementation in both corporate and consumer domains, looking at Patagonia, an exemplar company with an environmental mission, to understand the central contributions of active consumer engagement to the success of CSR initiatives. We explore consumer admiration as a concept necessary to elevate CSR practices from image maintenance to genuine engagement and advocacy, and how such admiration could be cultivated on the consumerside, investigating perceived CSR authenticity and corporate self-sacrifice as primary determinants. Specifically, we speculate the asymmetric role of consumers’ moral identity, revealing that moral identity symbolization positively interacts with both determinants while negatively moderating the relationship of these intentions and consumer admiration. We derive our analysis from diverse international and Korean data, concluding with theoretical and managerial implications for domestic and international companies in pursuit of environmental CSR campaigns that bridge consumer and company, as well as limitations and future research directions.

An investigation of consumer evaluation of authenticity of their company's CSR engagement

Authenticity seems to be relevant for corporate social responsibility (CSR) judgement as it mitigates the inherent tension between pro-sociality and profit seeking and conflicting demand from various stakeholders. In this study a CSR authenticity model was developed and tested to identify factors that influenced consumer evaluation of the CSR authenticity of their bank. Primary data were collected through the use of a survey. This study used confirmatory factor analysis to evaluate the measurement properties and structural equation modelling with AMOS to identify significant relationships. Practitioners can use this framework to critically examine their portfolio of CSR activities and to assess how each activity is congruent with their core purpose and business in order to develop more effective strategies. The present study contributes theoretically and empirically to expanding limited knowledge about the relationship between CSR authenticity and consumer responses. Also, by linking the concept of identification with CSR authenticity, we build on and contribute to both social identity theory and CSR literature.

How much firms “give” to CSR vs how much they “gain” from it: inequity perceptions and their implications for CSR authenticity

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to answer the call for additional detailed research on factors that influence corporate social responsibility (CSR) authenticity by examining how the former is affected by the commonly reported CSR spending allocations expressed as percentages of annual profits. It integrates equity and attribution theories to propose a new construct of inequity perceptions to explain how CSR spending allocations influence CSR authenticity. Inequity perceptions form from smaller allocations that are perceived disproportionate compared to the potential reputational gains from the executed CSR communication, which, in turn, prompts lower authenticity inferences.Design/methodology/approachThree experiments were performed. Study 1 examines how different CSR spending allocations influence inequity perceptions and how the latter relate to CSR authenticity. Study 2 examines how inequity perceptions are affected by firm size. Study 3 examines whether psychological distance (being a customer or non-customer) affects information processing by predisposing customers to forming higher inequity perceptions.FindingsStudy 1 shows that lesser allocations produce higher inequity perceptions. Study 2 demonstrates that inequity perceptions are enhanced when numerically small allocations are reported by a large as opposed to a small firm. Study 3 shows that both customers and non-customers form similar inequity perceptions from smaller percentage allocations without support for the psychological distance effect.Research limitations/implicationsThis study shows that the percentage of profits allocated to CSR, as well as firm size, can affect authenticity inferences via inequity perceptions. These findings point to different implications of CSR communication that features percentage allocations that multiple firms may not be aware of.Practical implicationsMarketers can benefit from the reported findings by understanding when and how CSR communication that features percentage allocations may be counter-productive by generating lesser CSR authenticity.Originality/valueThis study provides a novel perspective on how consumers evaluate CSR authenticity in a marketplace where awareness of firms’ vested interests is increasing.

Corporate social responsibility authenticity from the perspective of restaurant consumers

ABSTRACT While authenticity and personal values are considered critical components in the brand development process, little research has investigated their roles in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) context. Therefore, this study formulated an empirical research model to maximize the effectiveness of restaurant companies’ CSR efforts by considering the significant roles of CSR authenticity and personal value relevance in establishing and maintaining strong brand loyalty from consumers’ perspectives on CSR. With the data collected in the United States, this study found that consumers’ perception of CSR activities increases their favorable perceptions, attitudes, and behavior toward a restaurant brand through the significant mediating role of CSR authenticity. However, this study also found that depending on the degree of personal value relevance, the significant paths would be different. Based on the empirical findings, this study suggests managerial implications for foodservice companies to effectively design and implement CSR initiatives.

The Formation Mechanism of Consumer Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility Authenticity: An Empirical Study of Chinese Consumers

Consumer Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility Authenticity (CPCSRA) belongs to the field of micro Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) research. In general, understanding the formation mechanism of CPCSRA could make it better able to play its role in several ways. Firstly, most previous studies do not empirically consider a key factor, i.e., the consumer perceived senior managers’ involvement. We add this key factor into the independent variables of our formation mechanism. Secondly, most previous empirical research studies the relevant factors of consumer perceived CSR commitment as a whole. We study these relevant factors separately instead. Thirdly, we simultaneously choose the consumer perceived strategy-driven motive and consumer perceived value-driven motive as the mediating variables of our formation mechanism. Based on the above innovations, we comprehensively and systematically study the formation mechanism of CPCSRA. We use structural equation modeling to study the formation mechanism. For the convenience of data collection, our data are all from Chinese consumers. The study results show that three independent variables can directly affect CPCSRA. The three independent variables are consumer perceived level of invested resources, consumer perceived CSR efforts matching company and consumer perceived senior managers’ involvement. Consumer perceived senior managers’ involvement has the greatest effect. The two variables consumer perceived strategy-driven motive and consumer perceived value-driven motive play partial mediating effects on the relationship between independent variables and CPCSRA. Based on our empirical research, we put forward some feasible suggestions for company managers to increase company sustainability in market competition by promoting the formation of CPCSRA.

An original sin of casino hotels? Consequences of CSR misfit and the remedies

Casino hotels have long been stereotypically associated with negative images that induce a perceived misfit between their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and their core business as gaming operators. Building on the contingency theory of communication strategies, a multilevel design was adopted to investigate the negative consequences of CSR misfit on legitimacy through CSR authenticity. The firm-level moderating effects of two communicational cues, relational genuineness and marketing skepticism, are also examined. In a context of controversial industries, this study fills a research void by investigating corporate-level moderators that buffer the insidious influences of CSR misfit. It enriches the literature on the consequences of company–CSR coherence and elucidates the mediating role authenticity plays in the CSR implementation process. Practical implications for gaming operators are provided, and remedies that casino hotels can use to lessen the negative consequences of stigmatization are suggested.

The Effect of CSR Fit and CSR Authenticity on the Brand Attitude

This study examined consumer evaluation of corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities with a focus on the authenticity and fit of CSR activities and analyzed the influence of consumers’ individual perception based on CSR involvement. We carried out an empirical survey to test the hypotheses presented by a scenario test using a questionnaire of 315 college students. The results showed that higher CSR fit has a positive effect on CSR authenticity and brand attitude. As a result of verifying the moderating effect of CSR involvement, the higher the CSR involvement is, the lower the impact of CSR fit on CSR authenticity. Therefore, consumers with high CSR involvement are less affected by CSR fit in evaluating the authenticity of CSR.

Customer perceptions of CSR authenticity

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to look at corporate social responsibility (CSR)-related actions to see whether they relate to clients’ perception of CSR.Design/methodology/approachNinety-nine bank customers in Brisbane, Australia were surveyed by mail in a cross-sectional field study.FindingsNot all CSR-related behaviors of the organizations were influential to perceptions of social responsibility. Big picture actions for the betterment of humanity were found to be influential to the perception of the firm’s CSR. However, respondents did not relate the firms’ profit and revenue initiatives to social responsibility, other than negativity toward false and misleading practices.Research limitations/implicationsResults are limited to one industry in Australia.Practical implicationsActions for human betterment were found to be influential to the perception of the firm’s CSR. Also the uses of dishonest marketing schemes were seen as detrimental to CSR perceptions of the firm. However, respondents did not connect the firm’s business actions affecting profitability with customers, to their perceptions of its CSR. Thus, the authors conclude that altruism from a “big picture” standpoint has value in shaping CSR perception, but the organization may not always find it necessary to deprioritize profit, or to attempt to weave CSR actions into every aspect of their business.Originality/valueThe inquiry takes a novel approach to CSR, capturing an unexplored aspect of how CSR is perceived and valued by stakeholders.

Does the authenticity of corporate social responsibility affect employee commitment?

We investigated how employees' perceptions of the internal (endorsed by the firm and in line with its mission and values) and external (driven by practical or instrumental benefits) legitimacy of their firm's corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities influence their work orientations. Specifically, we believed that internal legitimacy would be considered more authentic than would external legitimacy, and that it would have a more positive influence on employees' organizational identification and affective attachment. We conducted a field survey using employee data from 38 firms listed on the Dow Jones Sustainability Index Korea in 2009. As predicted, external legitimacy reduced employee's perception of CSR authenticity whereas internal legitimacy increased it. Perceived CSR authenticity was also found to be an important mediator in the relationship between employees' legitimacy perceptions and their work orientations. The results supported most of our hypotheses; implications of these findings are discussed.

The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) activities and CSR Authenticity on Consumer Perceived Quality and Brand Attitude

The Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) activities and CSR Authenticity on Consumer Perceived Quality and Brand Attitude

A Comparative Analysis of CSR Authenticity between Proactive and Reactive CSR under Corporate Crisis: Moderating Roles of Company-cause Fit and the Firm’s Prior Reputation

This study examines the different effects of corporate social responsibility(CSR) strategies on consumers’ perceptions of CSR authenticity after corporate crisis, focusing on the moderating roles of company-cause fit and the firm’s prior reputation. The results of an online survey with a sample of of 400 Chinese consumers reveal that proactive CSR was perceived more authentic than reactive CSR activities under a corporate crisis situation. Additionally, the difference in the perceptions of CSR authenticity between pro- and reactive CSR was larger when company-cause fit is higher and the firm’s prior reputation is lower. Theoretically, these findings suggest that, in non-routine situations, consumers may exhibit different perceptions of CSR authenticity between pro and reactive CSR initiatives and the differences vary by company-cause fit and prior reputation. Practically, CSR marketers may need to understand the complex nature of corporate crisis and the possible effects of company-cause fit and the firm’s prior reputation when trying to maximize the buffering effects of their CSR campaigns.

Effect of CSR on Customer Loyalty: Moderating Effect of Authenticity

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) issues have received attention of consumer, communities and policy makert due to importance of CSR. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of CSR (ethical, environmental and well-being CSR) on customer loyalty through brand image and customer trust as well as moderating effect of authenticity. The study proposes that CSR has a positive impact on brand image and customer trust, which influence customer loyalty as well. In addition, the result shows that the moderating effect of authenticity is sinificant. Therefore, this study highlights the importance of managing CSR for corporate that intends to enhance customer loyalty. Fast food firms must consider how authentic CSR activities in connection with corporate goal are effective and strategic in the era of rising share value.

The effect of CSR evaluations on affective attachment to CSR in different identity orientation firms

The goal of the present research was to examine the way in which organisational identity orientation and corporate social responsibility (CSR) interact to produce affective attachment and related beneficial behaviours among organisational members. Using a questionnaire administered in Poland, it was shown that when CSR activity was viewed as authentic by employees, it led to affective attachment to the organisation's CSR stance, while an instrumental evaluation was correlated with a negative attachment to the CSR stance. The results suggest that CSR motives were particularly important for organisations with relational and collectivistic identity orientations because of the focus of these organisations on mutual or collective good that could be demonstrated through CSR. The results contributed to social identity literature by establishing a clear relationship between the concepts of identity orientation and CSR and showing that only authentic CSR produces affective attachment and behaviours that benefit the organisation.

Corporate social responsibility authenticity: Investigating its antecedents and outcomes

Authenticity is examined in various marketing literature, but an understanding of its role in the context of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is lacking. Although it is known that consumers reward companies that engage in CSR, there is still a notable level of skepticism that hinders the success of CSR campaigns. This paper describes two studies. The first employs content analysis to understand the factors that influence the perceived authenticity of CSR initiatives. The second empirical study develops and validates a CSR authenticity scale and offers evidence that CSR authenticity is influenced by fit, impact, and reparation. Further, the findings indicate that CSR authenticity has a mediating influence on important consumer outcomes. The results indicate that it is not enough for a firm to simply engage in CSR. A firm's CSR strategy must also take into account the extent to which consumers perceive the CSR initiative to be authentic.

Toward Strategic and Authentic Corporate Social Responsibility in Professional Sport: A Case Study of the Detroit Lions

The rise and institutionalization of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in sport is captured in a growing body of work in sport management. This literature suggests professional teams should be strategic in their approaches—matching internal resources with external needs—but we lack an understanding of the processes and mechanisms in the evolution to more strategic CSR, as well as specific practices that characterize these approaches. Further, by focusing on broad trends in how and why teams are adopting CSR, we miss the opportunity to learn from teams with innovative and authentic CSR approaches. To address these gaps, this article uses a qualitative case-study approach to examine how one professional team in the U.S.—the Detroit Lions—evolved their CSR to a more strategic and authentic partnership-focused model. Our findings point to key process steps and mechanisms in the decision making around, and implementation of, this approach, including the role of organizational structure, leadership, and community partnerships. We draw out themes around these central partnerships and highlight best practices. In offering a more nuanced understanding of professional sport CSR process and practice, we contribute to the literature on CSR in sport, sport-community partnerships, and sport and city revitalization.

Towards Strategic and Authentic Corporate Social Responsibility in Professional Sport

The rise and institutionalization of CSR in sport is captured in a growing body of work in sport management; however, this research tends to highlight trends across teams, obscuring the opportunity to learn from positive outliers. In particular, we need a better understanding of the evolution of CSR in sport towards more strategic approaches that are smart, thoughtful and genuine. The purpose of this paper is to present and analyze a case study of a professional sport team in the U.S. that has reinvented, and reorganized around, a significant component of their CSR – their community relations approach. We use qualitative data to explore the case of the Detroit Lions as they evolve their community relations approach from a broad philanthropic model to a more strategic and authentic partnership-focused model of economic development. We draw out themes around the Lions’ approach, process, and partnerships, and highlight best practices. In doing so, we hope to stimulate discussion and future research in the areas of CSR in sport, sport-community partnerships, and sport and city revitalization.

The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility Authenticity on Corporation Fame and Repurchase in the Retailing Context

The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility Authenticity on Corporation Fame and Repurchase in the Retailing Context

The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility Authenticity on CSR Performance Evaluation, Relationship Quality, and Corporate Image

The Effect of Corporate Social Responsibility Authenticity on CSR Performance Evaluation, Relationship Quality, and Corporate Image