Corporate Social Responsibility Reputation Research Articles

HOW IMPORTANT IS CSR COMMITMENT IN SHAPING CORPORATE REPUTATION?

Objective: The study investigates the relationship between CSR and corporate reputation, given the trend of companies integrating CSR to meet stakeholders’ expectations and enhance reputation. Theoretical Framework: The study employs stakeholder theory to emphasize positive stakeholder relationships' impact on corporate reputation, the institutional approach advocating strategic societal engagement, signal theory highlighting CSR's role in signaling commitment to stakeholders, and legitimacy theory emphasizing active CSR participation to maintain societal legitimacy. Method: We use a panel data model on a sample of the world's most admired companies between 2015 and 2019. The proxy considered for corporate reputation includes eight firms’ attributes. Results and Discussion: Findings provide the positive relationship between CSR and corporate reputation firstly the stakeholders’ theory which suggests that companies engage in CSR in order to improve their image and meet stakeholders’ expectations suggesting that ethical CSR practices can create a belief that the organization upholds ethical standards and cares about the well-being of society, which, therefore, positively influences corporate reputation. Research Implications: The study has direct implications for academia and business, emphasizing CSR’s importance in enhancing corporate reputation, urging transparent implementation of CSR initiatives, and highlighting competitive advantages associated with responsible business practices. Originality/Value: The study provides novel insights into the relationship between CSR commitment and corporate reputation by employing a comprehensive corporate reputation proxy and a panel data model analysis of globally renowned companies across various industries. It offers new insights into CEO motivations for CSR adoption.

Influencing Factors and Mechanisms of Corporate Social Responsibility Reputation under Green and Low-Carbon Transition: Evidence from Chinese Listed Companies

Amid China’s pursuit of a green and low-carbon transition, corporate social responsibility (CSR) is facing new challenges. Our research delves into the influencing factors and mechanisms for CSR reputation under green and low-carbon transition and provides practical enlightenment for enterprises to achieve sustainable development. This paper constructs a comprehensive index system of CSR from five dimensions (innovation, coordination, sustainability, openness, and sharing), and CSR reputation of China’s A-share listed companies is comprehensively estimated by using an entropy method and data from 2013 to 2021. Then, from the perspective of external supervision and internal governance, we discuss the influence factors of CSR reputation, with an emphasis on the impact of public environmental concerns. Finally, the realization mechanism of CSR is further revealed. It is found that public environmental concern and the expansion of the enterprise scale boost the enhancement of CSR reputation. However, a higher proportion of female managers tends to hinder CSR reputation. Furthermore, public environmental concern plays a more prominent role in improving CSR reputation of non-state-owned and eastern enterprises. Additionally, public environmental concern significantly enhances CSR reputation through green technology innovation and executive environmental awareness. This research provides valuable insights for improving CSR reputation and optimizing regulatory compliance and governance practices.

Double-edged sword of corporate social responsibility (CSR) halo: the role of CSR efforts and crisis type and severity

ABSTRACT In recent years, the restaurant industry has been struggling with a variety of brand crises, including both product and moral harm crises. To mitigate the negative impact of such crises on their brands, companies are actively engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. While a number of previous studies have investigated the influence of CSR on consumers’ responses to a brand in a routine setting, few have incorporated crisis-related situational variables into their examination of the role of CSR in a brand crisis situation. In order to test the extent to which the CSR halo plays a role in consumers’ evaluation in a brand crisis event, this study used a scenario-based 2 CSR efforts (low/high) x 2 crisis type (product harm/moral harm crisis) x 2 crisis severity (low/high) experimental design. The findings suggest that a higher level of brand engagement in CSR can offset the negative consequences of brand crisis in the case of product harm and less severe brand crisis, compared to moral harm and severe brand crisis, respectively. Our results provide valuable insights for companies wishing to respond successfully to a brand crisis event based on predicted consumers’ responses and on their CSR reputation.

Impact of perceived CSR practices on customers loyalty. The mediating role of reputation and customer satisfaction

AbstractCustomers' loyalty is considered as an important factor ensuring overall organizational success in the long run. The purpose of this investigation is to determine how customer loyalty in Pakistan's banking sector affected by perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) practice. To end this, the present study collected data from 378 respondents using convenience sampling technique. To test proposed hypothesis, the study used correlation analysis, regression analysis, and Baron and Kenny method used to test mediation effect of variables together with the Sobel test. The result of the study shows a significant positive association among perceived CSR, bank reputation and customers loyalty and customer satisfaction. This study further shows that bank reputation has a mediating effect between perceived CSR and customer loyalty, but the relationship between CSR practices and customer loyalty has a negative effect on customer satisfaction. It was found that there was no mediating effect of degree. The findings highlight the importance of allocating resources to CSR initiatives and reputation management as a means of increasing customer loyalty. The results provide an important academic addition to the current body of research on the impact of CSR on the development of customer loyalty, with a particular focus on the Pakistani banking industry.

Sustainable Practices, CSR, and Brand Reputation: Influencing Purchase Intentions in Luxury Green Marketing

The purpose of this study is to examine the integration of sustainable practices and corporate social responsibility initiatives within luxury brands, as well as the impact that these initiatives have on consumer behavior with regard to their purchasing intentions. The study identifies a shift in the luxury branding paradigm away from one that historically placed an emphasis on exclusivity and towards one that is more socially responsible and sustainable. As part of the research methodology, a systematic literature review will be conducted in order to evaluate the relationship between sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and brand reputation. By implementing effective social responsibility programs in addition to actual sustainability initiatives, luxury brands are able to engage consumers more effectively and thereby create stronger relationships with them. Consumer purchase decisions are significantly influenced by the reputation of a brand, which is backed up by sustainable and corporate social responsibility initiatives. Research directions are recommended, emphasising the need for more in-depth sector-specific studies and a better understanding of the relationship between sustainability and brand loyalty over the long term.

The Impacts of Technology Innovation on Customer Satisfaction, Employee and Leadership Commitment in CSR Practice

Abstract: In today’s digital economy, the Airline industries face ever-increasing innovation and social demands. This paper aims to explore the mediating impacts of technology innovation on customer satisfaction, employee commitment, and leadership commitment for the reputations of corporate social responsibility (CSR) practice evidence from Ethiopian Airlines. This study used mixed research design methods through primary data sources using structural equations and path modeling analysis. The results show that technology innovation is the most significant factor that mediates customer satisfaction and employee and leadership commitment with CSR practice. Employee commitment and customer satisfaction have also substantially impacted CSR, followed by technology innovation. Comparatively, leadership commitment is inversely and significantly associated with the mediator technology innovation. Although Ethiopia Airlines is trying to improve its CSR reputation, it must adopt more well-planned CSR, digitalization, and innovation capability. The existing airlines’ CSR efforts are reactive in nature, responding to customer, employee, and economic, legal, and philanthropic aspects rather than being proactive in transformative leadership commitment and environmental and ethical concerns. Therefore, the airline should prioritize digital technology innovation, transformative leadership, and moral and ecological CSR concerns. This will boost the airlines to treat CSR and technology innovation as the two sides of one coin.

Walk your reputation: The impact of corporate social responsibility decoupling on the hospitality and tourism firm value in the time of crisis

A growing body of research has tested the protective effect of pre-COVID-19 CSR reputation or during-COVID-19 CSR action for hospitality and tourism firms but has obtained inconclusive results. These inconclusive results may have been because of the decoupling of during-COVID-19 CSR action from pre-COVID-19 CSR reputation. From the perspective of institutional theory, we use a sample of Chinese hospitality and tourism listed firms during the COVID-19 pandemic and a cluster-adjusted panel data regression with robust standard errors to reveal that the decoupling of a firm’s during-COVID-19 CSR action from its pre-COVID-19 CSR reputation negatively impacts firm value, and the negative impact is amplified for firms under stronger stakeholder scrutiny. Our findings could contribute to institutional theory by proving that decoupling is under close stakeholder scrutiny during crises and by identifying a specific type of CSR decoupling, and could offer practical implications for firms to protect their firm values during crises.

The role of corporate social responsibility and corporate social irresponsibility in shaping corporate reputation: An analysis of competitive action and innovation strategies

AbstractThis study delves into the intricate interplay of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and Corporate Social Irresponsibility (CSI) within the context of corporate reputation, further illuminated by the influential moderating effects of competitive action and innovation. It underscores that CSR positively influences firms' corporate reputation, aligning with established notions of ethical practices enhancing stakeholder trust and public perception. Conversely, CSI's adverse impact on corporate reputation serves as a cautionary tale against ethical negligence. To explore this link, the study analyzes a sample of top global automotive firms using dynamic panel data system Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) estimates. The investigation of secondary data from 132 global automotive firms over the period 2016–2022 finds evidence supporting the association between CSR, CSI, and reputation. Notably, competitive action emerges as a significant moderator in this equation. The study reveals that firms with high competitive action experience a more pronounced positive relationship between CSR and corporate reputation, while a parallel link exists between competitive action and the adverse influence of CSI on reputation. This underlines competition's role in intensifying reputational effects. Additionally, innovation assumes a similar role as a moderator. High innovation levels accentuate the positive CSR‐corporate reputation relationship, underscoring the potency of innovation in amplifying ethical impact. Conversely, innovation mitigates the negative CSI‐corporate reputation link, highlighting the potential of innovative practices to offset the repercussions of irresponsibility. In conclusion, this study provides a nuanced understanding of how CSR, CSI, competitive action, and innovation collectively shape corporate reputation. This intricate nexus unveils the intertwined dynamics of ethics, competition, and innovation that define modern corporate landscapes, casting light on their far‐reaching implications for organizations' reputational trajectories.

Impact of Corporate Social Responsibility on Firm Reputation and Financial Performance: The Moderating Role of Servant Leadership

This study investigates the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on firm reputation and financial performance within Afghanistan's banking industry, utilizing the frameworks of stakeholder theory and contingency theory. To gauge the perceptions of CSR, reputation, and performance among a sample of 200 employees from both private and public banks, a questionnaire survey was administered. The collected data was subjected to quantitative analysis. The findings reveal that socially responsible actions undertaken by bank employees exert a significant and positive impact on the bank's reputation and financial performance. Moreover, the study demonstrates that the relationship between CSR and financial performance, as well as CSR and firm reputation, is moderated by servant leadership. These results highlight how businesses that actively participate in social activities and adopt a servant leadership style can enhance their public image and financial performance. Keywords: Corporate Social Responsibility, Firm Reputation, Firm Financial Performance, Servant Leadership, Banking sector.

Hotel Guests' Revisit Intentions Post-Covid-19: Reexamining the Role of Service Quality, CSR, and Reputation While Accounting for Guests' Trepidation

This study reexamines the relationships between service quality (SQ), CSR, and hotel reputation and their effects on hotel guests' revisit intentions (RIs) in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It also assesses the moderating role of fear of visit caused by COVID-19 on the paths between established variables and guests' future (post-COVID-19) RIs. Data were collected during May 2021 from 195 French respondents who stayed at mid- to upscale hotels during the previous 2 years. Using structural equation modeling (SEM), results revealed that, while SQ directly and indirectly (through reputation) positively influences guests' post-COVID-19 RIs, CSR only exerts an indirect positive influence on RIs through reputation. Moreover, findings indicated that a hotel reputation can ease guests' fear, thereby driving future post-COVID-19 revisits. These results add to the few studies in hospitality and tourism on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic (through fear of visit) on travelers' future revisit intent.

Strategy in increasing Consumer Loyalty

The purpose of this study is to understand Strategy in increasing Consumer Loyalty. A Case Study of Indonesian Unilever Products. In particular, this study analyzes the relationshipbetween CSR, WOM and Company Reputation towards consumers' loyalty specially the products of Lifebuoy, Pepsodent, and Kecap Bango. Data was collected through a survey conducted among 110 respondents.Structural equation modeling was used to test the proposed hypothesis. The research model was tested using survey data analyzed by structural equation modelingof partial least squares. the implementation of CSR strategy shows that there is a significant influence of WOM and Company reputation on consumers' loyalty. On the other hand, CSR strategy has no significant influence the consumers' loyalty. Yet as CSR was carried out through the implementation of Word of mouth (WOM) and Company Reputation there is a significant correlation between CSR and the consumers' loyalty of Lifebuoy, Pepsodent, and Kecap Bango products. The use of data that is too small for each variable resulted in limited results. As well as the limited representation of all users and consumers of Unilever products in other cities. In addition, this study did not involve other companies that also use CSR strategies as a comparison. Keywords :Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Word-of-mouth (WOM), Company Reputation, Consumers Loyalty, Social Company

Intrinsic drivers of the reputation for CSR: a cognitive analysis of consumer expectations

PurposeThe appraisal of corporate reputation based on third-party corporate social responsibility (CSR) indices appears to have been institutionalized. The endorsement of such an approach by sustainability custodians and influencers undermines the uptake of the morality and legitimacy of CSR. This study takes a social realist perspective, which suggests that social phenomena such as CSR and corporate reputation are shaped by social structures and power relations. This study aims to contribute to a deeper understanding of the complex relationship between CSR and corporate reputation and understand ways in which the constructs are influenced by cognitive factors.Design/methodology/approachThis study surveyed 411 respondents across five shopping malls and analyzed the data using path analysis of the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique. The mall-intercept survey sought to critically assess expectations of CSR vis-à-vis evaluation of corporate reputation. Based on a case study of three Johannesburg Stock Exchange listed companies, CSR expectations were measured along the philanthropic, economic, ethical and legal dimensions, while evaluation of corporate reputation was based on product quality, financial performance and social responsibility. SEM path analysis was used to extrapolate the predictive outcomes of CSR on corporate reputation.FindingsReputation for product quality and social responsibility is underpinned by the fulfillment of ethical CSR expectations, while philanthropic gestures enhance the evaluation of financial performance. Legal CSR significantly influences the reputation for social responsibility and product quality. Fulfillment of economic CSR expectations influences the reputation for product quality. However, no relationship was established between economic performance and social responsibility. Involvement in economic, philanthropic and particularly, legal CSR, are not indicative of the reputation for financial performance. Conversely, companies’ involvement in economic CSR does not suggest a higher propensity for social responsibility.Research limitations/implicationsThe predictive outcomes of CSR expectations on corporate reputation can reveal situated understanding of actual perceptions of corporate behavior.Practical implicationsEthical business conduct is synonymously associated with social responsibility while espoused corporate philanthropy signals strong financial performance. The awareness of consumers’ cognitive evaluation of corporate reputation can offer a pathway to corporate communication professionals, policy makers and agencies to rethink and reposition CSR efforts.Social implicationsInsensitivity to taken-for-granted cultural prescriptions and reliance on market-based reputational rankings undermine mutually beneficial stakeholder relationships and the social license to operate.Originality/valueThis study brings to the fore, cognitively dominated indicators of consumers’ perceptions of the reputation for CSR, to foster nuanced and halo-removed approaches to social responsibility. The authors show for the first time how companies’ skewed focus on corporate philanthropic giving paradoxically signals a capitalistic notion of social responsibility and unethical business conduct. This study offers a halo-removed orientation to the appraisal of CSR and corporate reputation.

Understanding customer participation in CSR activities: The impact of perceptions of CSR, affective commitment, brand equity, and corporate reputation

This study investigates the mediating role of affective commitment in the link between perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the intention to participate in CSR activities. We also examine the moderating role of firms' brand equity and corporate reputation in the relationship between perceived CSR and affective commitment. The data were collected from two online surveys and analyzed using Hayes' PROCESS macro. The results indicate a partial mediating effect of affective commitment and a significant moderating effect of brand equity. However, the moderating effect of corporate reputation is not significant. This study contributes to uncovering the process of enhancing CSR performance.

Examining the effects of CSR on organizational attractiveness: perception study of job seekers in India

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to study the effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) effectiveness on job seekers’ organizational attractiveness (JSA). Deriving inspiration from Carroll’s theory, the study specifically tries to measure the impact of CSR on JSA with the four dimensions pertaining to economics (PECO), pertaining to legal compliance (PLCO), pertaining to ethics (PETH) and pertaining to philanthropic (PPH). Furthermore, the paper also tries to examine the moderating role of company selection (COM SEL) done based on high or low CSR reputation and JSA.Design/methodology/approachManagement and engineering students enrolled in premier institutions and universities of Western Odisha in India are surveyed for their perceptions of CSR and JSA. Purposive and convenience sampling are applied to collect data from 456 job seekers. Based on the analysis, the study proposes two main models (Models 1 and 2) wherein Model 1 tries to measure the effect of CSR on JSA and Model 2 checks the moderating effect of COM SEL on CSR and JSA. In addition, robustness of the study is tested using control variables (Models 3 and 4). Data is treated through SmartPLS 3.3 software. The structural equation modelling (partial least squares-SEM) method is applied to test the hypotheses and for further analysis.FindingsThe result reveals an interesting insight. There is a positive and significant effect of PECO, PLCO and PPH on JSA. Moreover, no such significant effect is observed between PETH and JSA. Further, the findings are contrary with respect to COM SEL, that partially moderates the effect of CSR on JSA. However, the results reveal that COM SEL has a substantial moderating effect on the PPH dimension of CSR and JSA.Practical implicationsThe results highlight that CSR positively and significantly affects JSA in terms of PECO, PLCO and PPH, thereby emphasizing that organizations must be more focused on these perspectives of CSR. Further, though the results did not exhibit any significance with PETH, it is essential that organizations should strengthen the ethical aspects of CSR as well and align them with the CSR strategic actions. The study also confirms the moderating effect of COM SEL on PPH dimension of CSR and JSA, thereby supporting the philanthropic approach in this domain. Further, the organizations should foresee the philanthropic factor of CSR as a competitive advantage to attract potential job seekers.Originality/valueThis research attempts to contribute to CSR and HR literature in two ways. First, it is the first attempt to use PLS-SEM with an attempt to understand job seekers’ perception of CSR and JSA with Indian data consisting of students belonging to premier business management and engineering institutes. Second, the study is an attempt to empirically measure the moderating effect of COM SEL on JSA. To sum up, the study will provide insights to organizations to help craft CSR strategies for attracting more job seekers.

THE IMPACT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ON BRAND REPUTATION: AN ANALYSIS OF COMPANIES ACT

Corporate social responsibility is gaining the attention of business groups and the broader community (CSR). This study examines the impact of CSR on the brand reputation of Indian companies operating under the 2013 Indian Companies Act. The findings of the study provide a critical appraisal of the assertion that CSR actions improve brand reputation. The study reveals numerous ways in which the CSR dimensions of ethical, legal, economic, and charitable responsibilities impact brand reputation. Specifically, ethical responsibility, followed by legal and philanthropic responsibilities, as well as economic responsibility, has the greatest impact on brand reputation. According to the findings, CSR initiatives can be used as a strategic tool to enhance brand reputation and gain a market advantage. This research study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on CSR by offering empirical data on the relationship between CSR and brand reputation in the setting of the Companies Act 2013 in India. The study's findings are applicable to organizations seeking to enhance brand perception through CSR initiatives. The findings show that corporations should give ethical responsibility high priority in their CSR operations to maximize the influence on brand reputation. The report also underlines the importance of integrating CSR into the overall company plan to ensure its efficacy.

CSR and Organizational Attractiveness: The Impacts of Crisis and Crisis Response

This study explores whether different sources of CSR information (i.e., the organization itself vs. the third party) and CSR reputation (i.e., leading vs. backward) affect job applicants’ attraction to organizations. This study demonstrates the interaction effects of sources of CSR information and CSR reputation on organizational attractiveness and contributes to the literature by identifying the impact of crisis and crisis management strategies of the organization on its organizational attractiveness. From a Situational Crisis Communication Theory (SCCT), we examined the impacts of the crisis on organizations and what the crisis response strategies (i.e., excusing, apology, and scapegoating) organizations applied influence their organizational attractiveness. A fictitious food company was created for the experimental study. In total, 345 undergraduate business students at a university in central Taiwan were randomly assigned to 13 groups in different experimental settings. ANOVA and paired-sample t-tests were used to test the hypothesis. We found that (1) significant impacts made by the interaction effects of CSR reputations and the sources of CSR information of organizational attractiveness; (2) crisis events decreased organizational attraction dramatically regardless of the interaction of the sources of CSR information and CSR reputations; and (3) crisis management strategies effectively reduced the damages of crises on organizational attractiveness.

The impact of corporate social responsibility on firm reputation and organizational citizenship behavior: The mediation of organic organizational cultures.

This study investigates the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on firm reputation and organizational citizenship behavior, along with the mediating inclusion of organic organizational cultures (Clan and Adhocracy) in the medium and large enterprises of Pakistan. To do the path analysis and to investigate the mediating role of organic organization culture, Smart PLS was used. For data collection, the convenience sampling technique was used and responses from 360 questionnaires were the main data source. The results displayed that CSR has a significant and optimistic effect on a firm reputation and employees' organizational citizenship behavior (OCB). Secondly, the outcomes showed a positive and full mediation effect of organic organizational cultures between CSR and firm reputation but a partial mediation effect of organic organizational cultures between CSR and employees OCB. Further, the results demonstrated a positive and significant influence of employees' OCB on a firm reputation. The extensive analysis of all factors of the study was autonomously examined to identify the insights that verify how the inclusion of organic organizational cultures can boost the firm reputation and employees' OCB. Theoretical implications and future research direction are discussed.

A consumer perception study on CSR reputation shaping brand image in India

The purpose of this study is to reveal that a brand incorporating corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives helps strategically shape its brand image and enables it to stand apart in a competitive market. Data for this research was gathered from a primary data collection exercise done across a sample of respondents in India. The paper succeeds in establishing the hypothesis (H1) of 'Whether CSR reputation (CSRR) and brand image (BI) are statistically related? ' through canonical correlation. The study established that there exists a positive correlation between CSRR and BI; consumers are willing to praise CSR performing brands publicly and easily distinguish such brands from other competing brands. Consumers' respect for such brands grows every time they learn of their CSR efforts. This study extends the dynamic relationship between the consumer and the brand. It concludes by suggesting that strengthening CSR makes business sense.

A Consumer Perception Study on CSR Reputation Shaping Brand Image in India

A Consumer Perception Study on CSR Reputation Shaping Brand Image in India

Wrinkles in a CSR story: mismatched agendas in fast fashion service brands' CSR reputation

PurposeCorporate social responsibility (CSR) is an increasingly important issue for service brands in fast fashion retailing, as consumers' negative impressions about retailers' CSR activities influence brand experience. Consumers' impressions of CSR efforts arise based on agendas communicated through many channels from different sources. The paper unravels the ‘wrinkles’, i.e. possible mismatches in CSR communication around service brands by studying differences between the three main sources of fast fashion brand-related CSR agendas: Autonomous company communication, news media and social media postings by consumers.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use structural topic modeling (STM) to analyze a corpus of texts focusing on the CSR efforts of three major fast fashion service brands over three years. The texts included 89 items of company communication (CSR reports and press releases), 5,351 news media articles about the brands' CSR efforts and 57,377 consumer generated tweets about the brands.FindingsThe STM analysis extracted 26 different CRS-related topics from the texts. Results showed differences in how much the three sources emphasized topics. The brands' own communication puts emphasis on environmental responsibility. News media tended to report on economic issues, treatment of employees and specific CSR-related events. Twitter showed more activity in discussing incident-based and emotionally charged topics.Research limitations/implicationsThe results feed into the ongoing discussion about how companies' CSR communication relates to communication in the press and among consumers. The authors highlight themes in the individual topics that are emphasized by the three sources, and discuss how CSR themes emerge in the overall transformative agenda.Practical implicationsThe paper highlights how fast fashion service brands can identify and understand different CSR agendas arising around their brand. Insight into such agendas can be used to tailor the brands' communication strategies.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to the understanding of the factors behind fashion service brands' CSR reputation, highlighting how the three main sources of CSR reputation (company reports, news and social media) emphasize different types of agendas.