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1 – 10 of over 3000Thomas Koch, Benno Viererbl, Johannes Beckert and Juliane Keilmann
When a crisis occurs, do corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities protect organizational reputation by buffering negative effects or do CSR activities intensify negative…
Abstract
Purpose
When a crisis occurs, do corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities protect organizational reputation by buffering negative effects or do CSR activities intensify negative effects, potentially leading to a worse reputation compared to if the organization had no prior CSR engagement? The authors hypothesize that if a crisis emerges in a domain aligned with an organization’s CSR initiatives (crisis-congruent CSR) backfire effects would arise, adversely affecting the organization’s reputation. Conversely, in cases of incongruence, where the crisis emerges in a domain not aligned with an organization’s previous CSR involvement, a buffering effect would manifest, protecting the organization’s reputation.
Design/methodology/approach
The authors conducted an experiment with a 3 (crisis-congruent, crisis-incongruent, and no CSR activities) × 2 (repeated measures) mixed factorial design. In the first scenario, no information was provided concerning a company’s social commitment. Alternatively, participants were exposed to an article illustrating the company’s dedication either to healthcare (crisis-incongruent commitment) or to combating sexism (crisis-congruent commitment). Afterward, participants were presented with a newspaper article addressing allegations of sexism against the company’s CEO.
Findings
The findings demonstrate that prior CSR activities have the potential both to serve as a buffer and to cause backfire effects in times of crisis. Domain congruence is the decisive moderator of these effects: Crisis-incongruent CSR activities acted as a buffer, crisis-congruent CSR activities “backfired” and led to more negative perceptions of the company’s reputation.
Originality/value
The study directly contributes to the understanding of CSR effects in crisis communication, while also addressing the often paradoxical and contradictory findings of prior studies.
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Keywords
This research aims to demonstrate that coupons with short durations for redemption can backfire, lowering consumers’ attitudes toward the company.
Abstract
Purpose
This research aims to demonstrate that coupons with short durations for redemption can backfire, lowering consumers’ attitudes toward the company.
Design/methodology/approach
Two experimental studies in the restaurant context demonstrate the backfire effect. A boundary condition of the effect as well as the underlying psychological process are identified.
Findings
Consumers respond adversely to coupons with restrictive requirements for redemption – in particular, a short duration. Study 1 indicates that while a short-duration (vs long-duration) coupon may backfire when its face value is low, this backfire effect is attenuated when the coupon’s face value is high. Furthermore, Studies 1 and 2 provide evidence that psychological reactance is the process underlying this backfire effect.
Originality/value
Consumers respond negatively to coupons with restrictive requirements for redemption because they perceive them as a company’s attempt to limit their freedom of choice. Companies should take measures, including careful target marketing, to avoid rousing this reaction from their consumers.
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Keywords
HUNGARY: EU brinkmanship begins to backfire
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-ES289748
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
ARGENTINA: Payback for legislative defeat may backfire
BANGLADESH: Party’s message to voters could backfire
Details
DOI: 10.1108/OXAN-ES284187
ISSN: 2633-304X
Keywords
Geographic
Topical
IRAN/IRAQ: Airstrikes on Kurdistan could backfire
Stephanie Jean Tsang, Jingwei Zheng, Wenshu Li and Mistura Adebusola Salaudeen
Given the rapid growth in efforts on misinformation correction, the study aims to test how evidence type and veracity interact with news agreement on the effectiveness of…
Abstract
Purpose
Given the rapid growth in efforts on misinformation correction, the study aims to test how evidence type and veracity interact with news agreement on the effectiveness of fact-checking on how well a corrective message discount a false news information.
Design/methodology/approach
Experimental participants (N = 511) in Hong Kong were exposed to the same news article and then to a piece of corrective information debunking the news article with variation in the types of evidence (numerical vs narrative) and veracity (no verdict vs half false vs entirely false) in 2019.
Findings
Among the participants who disagreed with the news article, numerical fact-checking was more effective than narrative fact-checking in discounting the news article. Some evidence of the backfire effect was found among participants for whom the article was attitude incongruent.
Originality/value
When debunking false information with people exposed to attitude-incongruent news, a milder verdict presented in the form of a half-false scale can prompt a more positive perception of the issue at stake than an entirely false scale, implying that a less certain verdict can help in mitigating the backfire effect compared to a certain verdict.
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Keywords
WEST AFRICA: Security crackdowns may backfire
BOLIVIA: Minister killing may backfire on miners
NIGERIA: Airstrikes against bandits may backfire