An investigation of employee perception of micro-corporate social responsibility and societal behavior: a moderated-mediated model

Abstract

Purpose

The micro-level research investigating employees' attitudinal, behavioral and psychological reactions to corporate social responsibility (CSR) has recently been expanded within CSR literature. Based on two interrelated social psychological theories, such as the theory of social information processing and the theory of social learning, this study examines the impact of perceived CSR–community (PCSRc; a micro-CSR area) on societal behavior (SB; a micro-level social work) at the employee level of analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

This study recruited 440 bank employees of Bangladesh through a survey method and ran structural equation modeling to test the proposed measurement model and structural relationships in AMOS.

Findings

The study's outcomes report that PCSRc is positively related to SB and CSR engagement (CSRe). CSRe is also positively related to SB, and CSRe mediates the association of PCSRc and SB. CSR positivity (CSRp) moderates the direct relationship between PCSRc and CSRe and the indirect connection between PCSRc and SB via CSRe such that these relationships are significant when CSRp is high as compared to low.

Research limitations/implications

This study focuses on highly educated employees' perception of micro-CSR initiative on micro-level social behavior in a newly emerging market context such as Bangladesh only.

Practical implications

This study's outcomes guide policymakers to adopt CSR policy and its implementation strategies, accordingly, to employees' attitudinal, behavioral and psychological reactions to CSR.

Social implications

This research can be used to steer the behavior of employees within society. It will eventually also have a positive influence on the perception of society toward the organization.

Originality/value

This study's originality is to find CSRe as a new intervening mechanism and CSRp as a new boundary condition of organizational CSR and employees' behavioral outcomes in the micro-CSR literature. The first study investigates the connections of three micro-constructs together, such as a micro (individual)-level analysis, a micro-CSR area and a micro-level social work setting.

Citation

Mahmud, A., Ding, D. and Ali, Z. (2023), "An investigation of employee perception of micro-corporate social responsibility and societal behavior: a moderated-mediated model", International Journal of Emerging Markets, Vol. 18 No. 9, pp. 2455-2476. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOEM-02-2021-0266