License to Ill: The Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility and CEO Moral Identity on Corporate Social Irresponsibility

Although managers and researchers have invested considerable effort into understanding corporate social responsibility (CSR), less is known about corporate social irresponsibility (CSiR). Drawing on strategic leadership and moral licensing research, we address this gap by considering the relationship between CSR and CSiR. We predict that prior CSR is positively associated with subsequent CSiR because the moral credits achieved through CSR enable leaders to engage in less ethical stakeholder treatment. Further, we hypothesize that leaders’ moral identity symbolization, or the degree to which being moral is expressed outwardly to the public through actions and behavior, will moderate the CSR–CSiR relationship, such that the relationship will be stronger when CEOs are high on moral identity symbolization rather than low on moral identity symbolization. Through an archival study of 49 Fortune 500 firms, we find support for our hypotheses.     

Cognitive processing of corporate social responsibility campaign messages: the effects of emotional visuals on memory

ABSTRACT

This study explored the effects of visual strategies on consumers’ memory of corporate social responsibility (CSR) campaign messages. Using the limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing (LC4MP), we examined how emotional CSR messages are cognitively processed—specifically, how emotional visuals in CSR messages affect two subprocesses of information processing: encoding and storage. We conducted a 2 (valence: positive vs. negative) × 2 (arousal: moderately arousing vs. highly arousing) within-subjects experiment across four different CSR issues. The results showed that recognition accuracy and sensitivity (d′) of company logos were best for moderately arousing negative images, whereas for recognition accuracy and sensitivity (d′) of company names, there were no significant differences across the emotional conditions. For cued recall of companies associated with CSR issues, the pattern was different—highly arousing negative images with aversive cues were the most effective. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of these findings.     

Are you willing to pay the price? The impact of corporate social (ir)responsibility on consumer behavior towards national and foreign brands

This research examines how the country of origin (national vs. foreign) affects the relation between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and consumers' willingness to pay and purchase intention. In the study, we adopted a first‐price sealed bid auction approach, using money in a “real‐world” setting. The results showed that CSR/corporate social irresponsibility (CSIR) affects consumer behavior and, particularly, consumers' willingness to pay and purchase intention. The study supports both the moderation hypothesis of country of origin in the relationship between CSR/CSIR and willingness to pay and between CSR/CSIR and purchase intention. In the globalization context, these results have important implications for brands' communication and marketing strategy and can stimulate important insights in organizations. Future research directions and limitations are also discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anthropomorphizing brands: The role of attributed brand traits in interactive CSR communication and consumer online endorsements

Consumers tend to relate to brands in similar ways as they relate to individuals and groups. However, relatively little is known about the attribution of human traits to brands in online contexts. The current research focused on the role of attributed brand traits in interactive corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication and positive electronic word‐of‐mouth intentions. Results of an online survey (N = 174) revealed that higher levels of perceived interactivity were associated with stronger attributions of morality, sociability, and competence traits to brands. Yet only attributed brand morality was associated with consumers' willingness to endorse the brand and its CSR message on social networking sites. These findings underline the importance of brands' openness to dialogue regarding the promotion of CSR activities. Furthermore, these findings suggest that consumers are most likely to feel that brands can represent their identity when brand morality is considered to be high.     

Chinese Corporate Social Responsibility by Multiple Objective Portfolio Selection and Genetic Algorithms

In this paper, we study corporate social responsibility (CSR) in China through the prism of investments. We work with large stocks and assess their CSR performance from agency CSR data. We formulate Chinese CSR by a multiple objective extension of a traditional portfolio selection model and analytically solve the extension. We also solve the extension by a genetic algorithm and directly evaluate the algorithm's performance against the analytical solution. The multiple objective formulation is tested by randomly choosing nondominated portfolios with out‐of‐sample data to identify nondominated portfolios that outperform the 1/n portfolio (equally weighted portfolio). Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Extending Corporate Social Responsibility Research to the Human Resource Management and Organizational Behavior Domains: A Look to the Future

Although issues of corporate social responsibility (CSR) have become an important topic of research, there have been few studies on this topic conducted in the fields of human resource (HR) management and organizational behavior (OB). To address this gap, we edited a special issue of Personnel Psychology that explicitly focuses attention on CSR in the HR/OB domains. In this introductory editorial, we synthesize and extend the four articles published in the special issue. We also address issues relating to the conceptualization and measurement of CSR, the application of microlevel theories to CSR, and the practical and methodological implications of research in this domain. Finally, we provide suggestions for future research linking CSR with some of the most frequently studied topics in HR/OB. We propose that a focus on HR/OB will improve our understanding of the antecedents and consequences of CSR and also benefit HR/OB in terms of bridging the science–practice and micro–macro gaps.     

Pharmaceutical companies and access to medicines – social integration and ethical CSR resolution of a global public choice problem

This article argues that effective corporate social responsibility (CSR) of multinational pharmaceutical companies in developing countries should reflect context, opportunity, proximity, time and impact in accordance with the social integration and ethical approaches to CSR. It proposes a CSR model expressed as CSR=COPTI+SI+E, which acknowledges access-to-medicines as a matter in the global public domain, a public choice problem and a moral responsibility issue for multinational pharmaceutical companies. This model recognises the globalisation of the principle of humanity in communities of place and communities of interest as highlighted by the Global Economic Ethic Manifesto 2009 as an integral part of the responsibilities of multinational pharmaceutical companies. The model reflects a global application of the concept of disadvantaged consumer already known to some national laws. The article suggests an access-to-medicines CSR framework for pharmaceutical companies which may include pricing, patents, testing and clinical trials, research and development, joint public private initiative and appropriate use of drugs.     

企业为何履行社会责任却落得“伪善”名声?——企业社会责任类型和感知品牌伪善间的关系

2015年中国300强企业慈善捐款达60.03亿元,形成鲜明对照的是,消费者对企业社会责任行为动机的质疑呈整体上升趋势。企业耗费巨资履行社会责任反遭遇感知伪善,无疑与其初衷背道而驰,而现有理论不能充分解释这一现象的原因。自Wagner等学者2009年在营销顶级期刊开启感知品牌伪善相关研究以来,学者多从社会学借鉴感知个体伪善研究中言行不一的分析框架,把企业社会责任单维化,显然不能反映由多样性利益相关者所决定的企业社会责任类型的差异性和复杂性,所以应从利益相关者视角揭示感知品牌伪善的形成机制。根据利益相关者特征划分企业社会责任类型——技术性和公共性,进而引入其中间机制——合法性理论和感知道德资产理论,最终验证企业社会责任类型的交互作用、企业社会责任类型与宣传的交互作用对感知品牌伪善的影响。考虑到企业社会责任的经济和社会双重影响,这一成果将指引企业正确履行社会责任,促进企业和社会良性互动。     

Applicants' and Employees' Reactions to Corporate Social Responsibility: The Moderating Effects of First‐Party Justice Perceptions and Moral Identity

This research explored individuals’ reactions to perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) using a multimotive framework. In 2 studies, the authors explored the boundary conditions of CSR effects among job applicants and internal employees. A scenario‐based experiment (N = 81) showed that the effect of CSR perceptions on job applicants’ job pursuit intentions was mitigated by applicants’ first‐party justice experiences, whereas it was amplified by their moral identity (Study 1). Survey data from 245 full‐time employees (Study 2) further supported the interactive effects revealed in Study 1. Specifically, first‐party justice perceptions attenuated the positive relationship between employees’ CSR perceptions and their organizational citizenship behavior (OCB); and the relationship between CSR perceptions and OCB was more pronounced among employees high (versus low) in moral identity. Our findings bridge the CSR and organizational justice literatures, and reveal that the effects of individuals’ CSR perceptions are more complicated than previously thought. The findings shed light on micro (employee)‐level CSR phenomena and offer implications for both research and practice.     

员工对企业社会责任的差异化反应:基于归因理论的阐释

企业社会责任归因是指个体对企业践行社会责任背后的动机进行主观推理和判断的过程与结果, 也是影响企业社会责任发挥积极作用的关键因素。通过梳理以往研究, 从个体、领导及组织三个层面总结了影响员工企业社会责任归因的因素, 同时从社会交换和组织认同视角深入剖析企业社会责任归因对员工态度和行为的影响及作用机理。未来研究可以进一步明晰不同企业社会责任归因的独特影响因素与作用效果, 基于归因理论探索企业社会责任归因的形成机制, 同时研究多种因素对企业社会责任归因的影响, 考察归因对企业社会责任公平启发机制的影响, 并基于中国情境开展本土化研究。     

In defense of a regulated market economy

The dominant understanding of political corporate social responsibility (CSR) suggests new, broader political roles for businesses in the globalized economy, challenging the classical liberal social order (where business firms’ task is to focus on economic issues and the government's role is to take care of political responsibilities). In this paper, we show how the major framing of the political CSR discussion not only challenges the classical liberal social order but also goes against the more general political economic perspective of the regulated market economy (where strict and [in most cases] strong boundaries exist between business and politics). We argue that this latter tendency of the political CSR discussion is its main weakness. We introduce a Rawlsian reframing of political CSR that is in line with the idea of a global-regulated market economy and compatible with some of the basic global ethical aims of the political CSR movement.     

Impact of consumers' corporate social responsibility‐related activities in social media on brand attitude,electronic word‐of‐mouth intention,and purchase intention: A study of Chinese consumer behavior

This study examines how consumers' corporate social responsibility (CSR)‐related activities in social media affect their responses to brands. We defined consumers' CSR‐related activities in social media as the extent to which consumers use social media to engage in CSR communication by companies. An online survey was conducted to examine social media users in China, the largest consumer market in today's global economies. This study developed a theoretical model and empirically tested the relationships between consumers' CSR‐related activities in social media, identification with the brand, and three consumer behavior outcomes: electronic word‐of‐mouth (eWOM) intention, brand attitude, and purchase intention. The results suggested that consumers' CSR‐related activities in social media significantly impacted eWOM intention and purchase intention through enhancing identification with the brand and positive brand attitude. This study provides important insights on consumer behavior and CSR by investigating social media, an important and emerging marketing platform. Moreover, this study fills in the research gap about the association between consumers' CSR‐related activities in social media and their responses to brands. Theoretical and managerial implications for CSR strategies in social media are discussed.     

Corporate Social Responsibility, Applicants’ Individual Traits, and Organizational Attraction: A Person–Organization Fit Perspective

The purpose of this study is to explore whether different aspects of corporate social responsibility (i.e., economic, legal, and ethical) have independent association with job applicants?? attraction to organizations and how applicants combine the information. Further, from a person?Corganization fit perspective, we examine whether applicants are attracted to organizations whose corporate social responsibility (CSR) reflects their differences in ethical predispositions (i.e., utilitarianism and formalism) and Machiavellianism. Using factorial design, we created scenarios manipulating CSR and pay level. Participants read each scenario and answered questions about their attraction to the organization depicted in the scenario. We found that each aspect of CSR had an independent relationship with organizational attraction and the probability of accepting a job offer. Participants combined information from each type of CSR in an interactive, configural manner. Applicants with different ethical predispositions and Machiavellianism personality were affected by CSR to different extents. Understanding how job applicants evaluate CSR information may give managers an opportunity to influence applicant attraction. Further, our study shows that organizations may be able to maximize the utility of their CSR investments by selectively conveying CSR information in recruitment brochures that are attractive to their ideal applicants. This is the first study to examine how job applicants form their perception based upon different configurations of the multiple aspects of CSR. In addition, this is the first study to examine the moderating effect of individual differences in ethical predispositions and Machiavellianism on the relationship between CSR and applicant attraction.     

企业社会责任活动中感知伪善的结构与量表开发

不当的企业社会责任(Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR)表现会让消费者感知企业伪善, 从而产生极负面的影响。但“伪善”概念刚经由社会心理学引入营销学领域, 亟需准确定义和科学的量表。为此, 将以中国文化为背景, 通过系列研究, (1)探究CSR活动中消费者感知企业伪善的内涵并与相关概念区分; (2)揭示企业伪善的构成结构, 开发多维度的企业伪善量表并进行严格的信度、效度检验; (3)探索其前因后果, 特别是实证检验其对消费者态度和行为三个层面的影响。     

SA8000企业社会责任的伦理解读

本文认为SA8000没有囊括企业社会责任的全部内容,仅规定了企业的内部社会责任;SA8000不只是发展中国家企业的社会责任,而是全球企业共同的社会责任;SA8000不是强加给企业的负担,它有助于正确处理企业社会责任与企业经济绩效的关系,实现共赢理念.     

The influence of retailer size on consumer responses to social responsibility initiatives

The current research demonstrates that retailer size moderates the positive effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on consumer outcomes such as increased purchase intentions and perceptions of CSR. Retailer size is introduced as a factor that leads consumers to respond more positively to small retailers' CSR activities, relative to CSR from large retailers. We also provide support for the ability of consistency/commitment to CSR to serve as a means by which larger retailers can counter their size liability. We replicate and generalize these results across multiple CSR forms. Implications for retail management and future research are discussed.     

How do consumers infer corporate social responsibility? The role of organisation size

Consumers are generally supportive of firms that engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities. However, consumers are also largely unaware of CSR activities of firms and often use available information to infer CSR. The current study utilises in‐depth consumer interviews to explore the influence of firm size on consumer perceptions of both CSR and corporate socially irresponsible behaviour through the lens of attribution theory. We identify two key emerging antecedents – consumer trust and expectations for CSR engagement – that are influenced by organisation size and ultimately distinguish the types of attributions consumers hold towards CSR and corporate socially irresponsible behaviour. Specifically, consumers have greater levels of trust and significantly lower expectations for CSR engagement for small firms. Conversely, a lack of trust exists amongst consumers towards large firms along with greater expectations for CSR engagement. Although the interview findings generally suggest that small firms benefit from CSR engagement because of positive attributions that consumers hold, we also identify opportunities for large firms to develop positive attributions amongst consumers. Further, we find that consumers are often willing to accept socially irresponsible behaviour by small firms whereas showing very little tolerance for similar transgressions by large firms. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Wobbling on a One-Legged Stool: The Decline of American Pluralism and the Academic Treatment of Corporate Social Responsibility

B. Readings (University in Ruins. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1996) argued that universities have abandoned their original project of promoting a national culture and have tried to substitute by embracing globalization, but the vagueness and incoherence of the concept has failed to return purpose to the University. The academic treatment of corporate social responsibility illustrates this dilemma. For a generation after H.R. Bowen (Social Responsibilities of the Businessman. New York: Harper & Row, 1953) founded the field, scholars struggled to fit the concept within a national system of pluralistic power-sharing among a variety of institutions that would define and enforce standards of responsibility necessary for the general good of American society. That understanding changed in the nineteen eighties, shortly after corporate executives had united to an unprecedented degree to direct the power of government in their interests, influence the public agenda, and roll back the power of unions. In response, business ethicists began to reformulate corporate social responsibility as a voluntary practice on the part of these same executives. Since the Kantian and Lockean principles upon which this approach was based were themselves problematic, it is not surprising that the experience gained over the last generation casts doubt on the efficacy of this reliance on voluntary restraint and personal initiative. However, circumstances that include the failure of globalization to deliver on its promises may have changed sufficiently in recent years to revive interest in approaches that acknowledge the importance of countervailing power for encouraging greater corporate social responsibility.     

How the Process of the CSR Activities Works on Private Hospitals and Pharmaceutical Firms: Multiple Case Study from Strategic Perspective

Journal of Religion and Health - The phenomenon of corporate social responsibility “CSR” has stimulated lots of debates and disagreement among the business scholars. One of the most...     

Consumer intention to purchase and corporate social responsibility: Evidence from an experiment in an entrepreneurial context

Previous research has addressed the effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives on consumer purchase intention (CPI). However, most of the empirical evidence is based on the analysis of mature large-scale firms; much less examines the effects of CSR initiatives on CPI in entrepreneurial contexts. In this study, we address this gap by investigating whether entrepreneurial start-ups' declaration of CSR engagement affects consumers' purchasing intent. We assert that consumers may consider firms' CSR engagement as a signal for unobserved product quality. We exploit a vignette experimental approach to test our theoretical predictions. In our experiment, participants received online invitations to subscribe to an electronic catalog that advertised various products supplied by entrepreneurial start-ups. The invitations are of five types, some of which presenting different CSR-related information on the suppliers to the participants. Overall, we find that the displayed information on CSR engagement promotes participants' willingness to subscribe to the electronic catalog, indicating that consumers will increase their purchase intentions for ethically oriented suppliers. Moreover, we find that among all the initiatives, external CSR initiatives (social contribution and environmental responsibility) promote consumers' intentions to purchase most effectively. To the best of our knowledge, our study is the first to explore the effects of different CSR initiatives on entrepreneurial start-ups in entrepreneurship literature. We highlight the heterogeneous effects of CSR initiatives on CPI, contributing new insights to research on CSR and consumer behavior.