Effects of CSR initiatives on company perceptions among Millennial and Gen Z consumers

2019 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 299-317 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seoyeon Kim ◽  
Lucinda Austin
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Corporate Philanthropy ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Social Initiative ◽  
Csr Communication ◽  
Responsible Business Practices ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Comparative Examination

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine Millennial consumers’ responses to two corporate social initiative types – socially responsible business practices and corporate philanthropy – in combination with proactive and reactive CSR communication strategies. Design/methodology/approach A 2 (corporate philanthropy/socially responsible business practices) ×2 (proactive/reactive CSR communication) between-subjects experiment was conducted. Findings The socially responsible business practices were largely perceived more positively than the philanthropic initiatives. Likewise, greater public-serving motives were attributed to the socially responsible business practices compared to the philanthropy. While philanthropic initiatives were perceived more negatively when communicated reactively, there were no significant differences between proactive and reactive socially responsible business practices. Originality/value As an attempt to initiate the comparative examination of the effects of different corporate social initiative types, this study suggests outperformance of the socially responsible business practices type of corporate social initiatives over the resources-giving (i.e. philanthropy) type of initiatives even in the reactive communication setting where reputational threat resides.

Handling negative publicity

2017 ◽  
Vol 21 (3) ◽  
pp. 267-286 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angie Chung ◽  
Hua Jiang
Keyword(s):  
Network Theory ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Csr Communication ◽  
Subject Design ◽  
Negative Publicity ◽  
Associative Network Theory ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
The Impact

Purpose Based on the framing theory and the associative network theory, the purpose of this paper is to develop and test a model that examines the impact of employing corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication in apology statements after negative publicity. Specifically, this study examines the role of CSR fit and CSR history in reducing anger and negative word-of-mouth (NWOM). This study also examines whether perceived CSR motivation and skepticism toward the apology statement mediate the effect of CSR fit and CSR history on anger and NWOM. Design/methodology/approach This study was a 2×2 between-subject design manipulating CSR fit (high or low) and CSR history (long or short). Findings The findings of this study suggest that strategically employing CSR communication in an apology statement after negative publicity may reduce negative consumer reactions. Originality/value The effects of CSR history and CSR fit have been studied in different contexts, but the effects of mentioning the two components in terms of apology statements had been understudied. This paper fulfills an identified need to study how employing CSR communication in apology statements after negative publicity can mitigate negative audience reactions.

Intertwining CSR with strategy – the way ahead

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (2) ◽  
pp. 211-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shital Jhunjhunwala
Keyword(s):  
Business Strategy ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Corporate Strategy ◽  
Sustainable Business ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Sustainable Business Models ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to emphasize the importance and means of making corporate social responsibility (CSR) an integral part of corporate strategy with the help of case studies. Design/methodology/approach – The article explores the transformation of business from being egocentric to socially responsible. With the use of examples it demonstrates how integrating CSR into strategy can create sustainable business models. Findings – Firms need to develop a framework for integrating CSR into their business strategy for long term successful survival. Social implications – Corporates and society are intertwined and mutually dependent. Business cannot survive without society's acquiescence nor succeed without its active support. Originality/value – The article explains the benefits of CSR and how to make it an integral part of business strategy to gain a competitive advantage.

Delivering warmth and expediting love: just-in-time CSR in the midst of COVID-19 mega disruption

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhiwei (CJ) Lin ◽  
IpKin Anthony Wong ◽  
Shuyi Kara Lin ◽  
Yun Yang
Keyword(s):  
Well Being ◽  
Research Problem ◽  
Media Analysis ◽  
Just In Time ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Brand Resonance ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Crisis Responses

Purpose This study aims to move beyond the current understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to propose the concept of just-in-time (JIT) CSR as a metaphor that reflects hospitality operators’ endeavors to expedite socially responsible measures to both internal and external organizational stakeholders during times when functional and emotional supports are urgently needed. Design/methodology/approach This research used a qualitative approach in two studies. Study 1 engaged a media analysis to better grasp the knowledge of the research problem at hand. Study 2 involved interviews from stakeholders to assess their emotions and perceptions of meanings of major contents discerned from the first study. Findings This research highlights a process in which operators’ CSR practices (e.g. for business practices, for organizational strategy and for stakeholder well-being) during the COVID-19 crisis are imbued with connotative meanings (e.g. place-as-safety, place-as-partnership and place-as-warmth) that ultimately give shape to three core outcomes (e.g. individual rejoinder, brand resonance and societal resilience). Research limitations/implications While JIT CSR is not an antidote for all devastations caused by COVID-19, it is posited as a needed mechanism that operators could use to ameliorate the situation and to go beyond their own stake to bring a broader array of societal benefits to humanity. Originality/value This research underscores how hospitality operators expedite crisis responses to the pandemic, and how their societal objectives transform the image of a place from a commercial venue into a place imbued with meaning associated with safety, partnership and warmth.

How Michelin-starred chefs are being transformed into social bricoleurs? An online qualitative study of luxury foodservice during the pandemic crisis

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-99 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wided Batat
Keyword(s):  
Service Providers ◽  
Social Issues ◽  
Social Role ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Small Sample ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Response Strategies ◽  
Responsible Business Practices

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to examine response strategies and the change in Michelin-starred chefs' practices to adapt to the global pandemic coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) crisis that has strongly affected the foodservice sector.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted an exploratory qualitative research that used mixed-method, combining online interviews with 12 French Michelin-starred chefs and archival data. A manual thematic analysis method was used to analyze the data and identify relevant themes following an iterative coding process.FindingsThe findings show that Michelin-starred restaurants implement multilevel response strategies by developing dynamic capabilities while playing a social role through the development of new forms of business practices. The results show that Michelin-starred chefs adopt social bricolage entrepreneurial thinking to deal with the extreme situation and use diverse resources and response strategies to tackle social issues and improve the collective and individual well-being. The authors identified three major response strategies implemented by luxury restaurants: philanthropic activities targeting the well-being of the community, socially responsible business practices to support the foodservice actors and initiatives centered on consumer's food well-being.Research limitations/implicationsThe limits of this study are related to the small sample size and the elimination of psychographic criteria such as age and gender, which can extend our understanding of response strategies implemented by female and male owners or by age range during crises in the foodservice sector. Also, given that France is the country of Haute gastronomy, the conclusions of this study may not be generalizable to other countries where the gastronomic culture might be different.Practical implicationsRestaurants with high-end or luxury positioning must use multilevel – i.e. individual, sector and societal – response strategies to play a social role while sustaining their businesses during times of crisis. These insights seek to provide a roadmap which can be applied to other sectors to assess response strategies driven by various motives, resources and capabilities.Social implicationsThis research contributes to transformative service research literature by providing insights regarding how service providers can rethink their activities during the crises to play an active social role. Also, the findings point to several ways in which service actors can help customers and the community to improve their well-being.Originality/valueTo our knowledge, no prior research examined both the type of response strategies deployed by companies to survive and the importance of playing a social role and developing socially responsible business practices during times of crisis.

scholarly journals Corporate governance and corporate social responsibility synergies: evidence from New Zealand

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rashid Zaman ◽  
Muhammad Nadeem ◽  
Mariela Carvajal
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Governance ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
New Zealand ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Stock Exchange ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Listed Firms ◽  
Responsible Business Practices ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose This paper aims to provide exploratory evidence on corporate governance (CG) and corporate social responsibility (CSR) interfaces. Although there remains a voluminous literature on CG and CSR, very little effort has been put forward to explore the nature of this relationship. Design/methodology/approach Using interviews with Senior Executives of New Zealand Stock Exchange listed firms, this research assesses CG and CSR practices, identifies barriers for CG and CSR adoption and investigates the nature of the relationship between CG and CSR. Findings The results indicate a moderate level of CG and CSR practices, with a lack of resources and cost-time balance as common barriers for CG and CSR adoption. However, despite these barriers, we note that the majority of executives appreciate the increasing convergence between CG and CSR, and believe that a more robust CG framework will lead to more sustainable CSR practices. Originality/value These findings have important implications for managers and policymakers interested in understanding the CG-CSR nexus and promoting responsible business practices.

Socially responsible investments (SRIs) – mapping the research field

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica Sardinha Siqueira Barroso ◽  
Elaine Aparecida Araújo
Keyword(s):  
Design Methodology ◽  
Web Of Science ◽  
Computer Software ◽  
Research Field ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Future Studies ◽  
Socially Responsible Investments ◽  
Literature Reviews ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to perform a mapping of the studies field about socially responsible investments (SRI), showing the different existing lines of research about nowadays theme. Additionally, the study shows considerations and prospects possible future agenda of research related to the SRI thematic. Design/methodology/approach It was performed a systematic literature review from a database of 691 articles selected in the ISI Web of Science. The computer software – HistCite is used to define the lines of research. Findings Based on the study and analysis of the identified lines of research, future study possibilities in this area were shown. So, it was identified five lines of research, which were named by the construction of SRI portfolio, investors’ behavior, SRI versus corporate social responsibility, institutional investors and comparison between conventional investors and SRI. These lines were evidenced in a citation map. Originality/value This paper complements the existing literature reviews, as it uses a broader time horizon (1981 to 2018) and has a different approach, using the HistCiteTM software, which enabled the identification of the different lines of research related to SRI. Additionally, it has been raised ten possible ways to future studies related to the SRI thematic.

Examining Public Response to Corporate Social Initiative Types

2016 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 290-306 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lucinda L. Austin ◽  
Barbara Miller Gaither
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Public Acceptance ◽  
Business Practices ◽  
Message Content ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Public Response ◽  
Corporate Social Marketing ◽  
Responsible Business Practices ◽  
Corporate Social

Corporate social initiatives (CSIs) are increasingly important in boosting public acceptance for companies, and emerging research suggests corporate social marketing (CSM) could be the most effective type of CSI. However, scholars caution that CSM is not a one-size-fits-all. Through a content analysis of Coca-Cola’s social media posts on potentially controversial topics related to sustainability, health, and social change, this study explores how CSI type and message content influence public response to an organization’s social media corporate social responsibility posts. Posts emphasizing socially responsible business practices generally received the most favorable public response, while posts focused on cause promotion were received the most negatively. Findings also suggest that CSM is less effective when the issue and advocated behavior change appears to be acting against the company’s interests.

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

2020 ◽  
Vol 54 (8) ◽  
pp. 1987-2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Liudmila Tarabashkina ◽  
Pascale G. Quester ◽  
Olga Tarabashkina
Keyword(s):  
Firm Size ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Distance Effect ◽  
Psychological Distance ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Csr Communication ◽  
Vested Interests ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Attribution Theories ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose The 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/approach Three 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. Findings Study 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/implications This 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 implications Marketers 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/value This 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 tweeting

2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (9) ◽  
pp. 18-20
Keyword(s):  
Corporate Social Responsibility ◽  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Case Studies ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Reading Time ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Csr Communication ◽  
Pertinent Information ◽  
Corporate Social ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings Organizations need to embrace corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication in order to remain competitive. The best platform from which to do this is Twitter, where communal engagement and storytelling aspects can have the greatest results. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.

Mind: the gap – to advance CSR research, think about stakeholder cognition

2016 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael L. Barnett
Keyword(s):  
Social Responsibility ◽  
Cognitive Process ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Business Case ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Socially Responsible ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Multi Level ◽  
The Individual ◽  
Corporate Social

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to develop a better understanding of how, and how well, stakeholders make decisions about rewarding firms for acts of social responsibility and punish firms for their lack thereof. Design/methodology/approach The author integrates factors at the individual, firm, and industry levels that cause variation in how stakeholders attend to corporate social (ir)responsibility. Findings The author explicates the multi-level cognitive process stakeholders undertake in attending to firm’s actions and identifies limits on their ability to fulfill their central role in conditioning firms to be more socially responsible. Research limitations/implications The author outlines areas for future research that can fill gaps in the understanding of how stakeholders notice, make sense of, and respond to corporate social practices. Social implications The author argues that, under many conditions, business case or self-regulatory solutions may be inadequate to increase corporate social responsibility (CSR), and instead, formal regulatory solutions may prove necessary. Originality/value This paper brings needed structure to the literature on CSR. By delving deeper into the minds of stakeholders and outlining a multi-level cognitive process, it enables scholars to better address the key managerial issue of when, not simply whether, it pays to be good.

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