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Article
Publication date: 20 March 2024

Anni Rahimah, Ben-Roy Do, Angelina Nhat Hanh Le and Julian Ming Sung Cheng

This study aims to investigate specific green-brand affect in terms of commitment and connection through the morality–mortality determinants of consumer social responsibility and…

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to investigate specific green-brand affect in terms of commitment and connection through the morality–mortality determinants of consumer social responsibility and the assumptions of terror management theory in the proposed three-layered framework. Religiosity serves as a moderator within the framework.

Design/methodology/approach

Data are collected in Taipei, Taiwan, while quota sampling is applied, and 420 valid questionnaires are collected. The partial least squares technique is applied for data analysis.

Findings

With the contingent role of religiosity, consumer social responsibility influences socially conscious consumption, which in turn drives the commitment and connection of green-brand affect. The death anxiety and self-esteem outlined in terror management theory influence materialism, which then drives green-brand commitment; however, contrary to expectations, they do not drive green-brand connection.

Originality/value

By considering green brands beyond their cognitive aspects and into their affective counterparts, morality–mortality drivers of green-brand commitment and green-grand connection are explored to provide unique contributions so as to better understand socially responsible consumption.

Details

Journal of Product & Brand Management, vol. 33 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1061-0421

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 4 July 2023

Abosede Ijabadeniyi and Jeevarathnam Parthasarathy Govender

The appraisal of corporate reputation based on third-party corporate social responsibility (CSR) indices appears to have been institutionalized. The endorsement of such an…

Abstract

Purpose

The 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/approach

This 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.

Findings

Reputation 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/implications

The predictive outcomes of CSR expectations on corporate reputation can reveal situated understanding of actual perceptions of corporate behavior.

Practical implications

Ethical 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 implications

Insensitivity 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/value

This 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.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 20 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 31 July 2023

Ali Kara and Maung K. Min

The purpose of this study is to explore Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers’ sustainable consumption behaviors at a university campus by examining various antecedent and moderating…

1791

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore Generation Z (Gen Z) consumers’ sustainable consumption behaviors at a university campus by examining various antecedent and moderating influencers of their sustainable consumption behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative research methodology is used in this study. A structured questionnaire was administered (n = 279) to young college students (Gen Z consumers in the context of this study) enrolled at a large state university in the USA. The structural equation model was used to test the hypothesized relationships in the conceptualized model.

Findings

Study findings show that social responsibility (feelings, engagement and expectations) and external incentives (material and social) positively influence Gen Z consumers’ sustainability interests, which in turn influences their sustainable consumption behaviors (actions). Collectivist cultural values did not appear to have any statistically significant effect on Gen Z consumers’ sustainable consumption interests. Moreover, learned helplessness, perceived barriers and the awareness of the consequences of sustainability consumption actions did not have any significant moderating effect on Gen Z consumers’ sustainable consumption behavior.

Research limitations/implications

The questionnaire was only sent to students majoring in business degrees, which may limit the generalizability of this study to broader Gen Z consumer populations. Expanding this study to include non-business students may be valuable as a next step. Replicating this study in different cultural environments of international countries could enhance the relationships identified in this study.

Practical implications

Consumer social responsibility education along with material and social incentives will encourage Gen Z consumers’ participation in sustainable behaviors at college campuses.

Originality/value

This research provides valuable insights into understanding the importance of consumer social responsibility and external incentives in influencing Gen Z consumers’ sustainable consumption intentions and behaviors. Accordingly, consumer social responsibility education and incentive programs need to be developed to encourage the participation of Gen Z consumers in sustainable consumption.

Details

International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, vol. 25 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1467-6370

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 15 December 2023

Saad Saif, Hashim Zameer, Ying Wang and Qadir Ali

Growing environmental issues worldwide need the engagement of all stakeholders to compliance with the decisions of global leaders made at COP21 and COP26. In this regard, the…

Abstract

Purpose

Growing environmental issues worldwide need the engagement of all stakeholders to compliance with the decisions of global leaders made at COP21 and COP26. In this regard, the present study looks at the influence of retailer social responsibility and consumer environmental responsibility by reinforcing consumer’s green consumption behaviors. Similarly, the proposed study incorporates the mediating role of customer trust and environmental concern to understand whether retailer corporate social responsibility and consumer environmental responsibility strengthen green consumption behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Multiple hypotheses have been developed in light of the theoretical analysis of the available literature. The information was gathered through a survey method. A web-based portal was used to administer the survey, and 340 useable responses were processed by SPSS 23.0 and AMOS 23.0 for experiential analysis. First, the validity and reliability were evaluated. The authors then tested potential relationships using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Survey data analyzed using the SEM approach reveal that consumer environmental responsibility and retailer CSR does not drive green consumption behavior directly. However, green concern and consumer trust mediates the relation of consumer environmental responsibility and retailer CSR towards green consumption behavior. Another mediating path was also tested through environmental responsibility and green concern among retailer's CSR and green consumption behavior. The outcomes of this path are also significant.

Practical implications

The study holds promising implications for green consumption behaviors. The following can be achieved by implementing more sustainable supply chain strategies, such as lowering carbon footprint, purchasing eco-friendly goods and supporting environmental causes through retailers and consumers as well.

Originality/value

This study investigated the joint contribution of retailer CSR and environmental responsibility to green consumption for the first time. The work strengthens the body of knowledge in the field of managerial decision-making and creates new directions for scholarly investigation.

Details

Marketing Intelligence & Planning, vol. 42 no. 1
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 0263-4503

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 June 2023

Cong Doanh Duong

The purpose of this study is to use the theory of planned behavior and a moderated mediation model to bridge the gap between attitude, intention and behavior in the context of…

1107

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to use the theory of planned behavior and a moderated mediation model to bridge the gap between attitude, intention and behavior in the context of green consumption. The study will focus on how environmental corporate social responsibility initiatives play a positive moderating role in the mediation effect of green purchase intention on the relationship between attitude toward green products and environmentally friendly purchasing behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A representative sample of 583 consumers was gathered from five major cities in Vietnam using a mall-intercept survey method. The moderated mediation model and the formulated hypotheses were tested using the PROCESS macro.

Findings

The results of our study reveal that green purchase intention is not only positively and directly associated with environmentally friendly purchase behavior but also significantly mediated the green purchase attitude–behavior link. Environmental corporate social responsibility initiatives were found to positively moderate the direct effect of attitude toward green products on green purchase intention. More importantly, our study also yielded that the mediation effect of green purchase intention on the relationship between attitude toward green products and environmentally friendly purchase behavior is positively moderated by environmental corporate social responsibility initiatives. As such, the indirect impact of environmentally friendly purchase attitude on green purchase behavior through green purchase intention was stronger when the level of environmental corporate social responsibility initiatives was higher.

Practical implications

The results of this study have practical implications and offer valuable recommendations for marketing practitioners, administrators and policymakers. These recommendations can help promote corporate social responsibility practices among firms, encourage environmentally friendly consumption among consumers and contribute to the overall sustainable development of the country.

Originality/value

This study has made significant contributions to the existing literature on pro-environmental behavior by addressing the gap between attitude, intention and behavior in sustainable consumption. Furthermore, to the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study to use a moderated mediation model to shed light on the moderating effect of environmental corporate social responsibility initiatives on the direct and mediated relationships among attitude, intention and behavior in the context of green consumption.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 20 no. 2
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 17 April 2024

Mohamud Said Yusuf, Khadar Ahmed Dirie, Md. Mahmudul Alam and Isyaku Salisu

The purpose of this study is to investigate the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the amount of trust customers have in Somali Islamic banks. Furthermore, the…

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the link between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the amount of trust customers have in Somali Islamic banks. Furthermore, the role of gender in CSR activities and Islamic bank clientele is evaluated.

Design/methodology/approach

Throughout February and March 2022, 410 clients of Islamic banks in Somalia were surveyed using a questionnaire. The partial least squares approach and the structural equation model are applied to examine the data.

Findings

Findings indicate that all variables of CSR activities, such as social product, social legal, social needs, social environment and social employees’ responsibility, are influential and significant predictors of trust in Islamic banks in Somalia. Gender inequalities moderate the relationship between social product, social needs, social environment, social employee and trust. Conversely, only social legal responsibility was unaffected by gender differences in Somalia regarding people’s trust in Islamic banks.

Practical implications

A sample from a developing country such as Somalia is useful for shedding light on the outcomes of consumers’ perceptions of and trust in businesses’ CSR in the developing world. Furthermore, this study contributes to knowledge regarding CSR and how it can help the Islamic banking industry. Its findings will be useful to policymakers and regulatory bodies in the banking industry in their efforts to improve CSR.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first empirical investigation of its kind about the understudied relationship among customer trust, CSR efforts and gender in Somalia context. Furthermore, it investigates how gender specifically moderates CSR in the Islamic banking sector in a developing country.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. ahead-of-print no. ahead-of-print
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Open Access
Article
Publication date: 24 October 2023

David Amani

The current study was developed in response to the profound impact of ethical practices on the beverage industry. It aims to examine the mediating role of perceived brand…

Abstract

Purpose

The current study was developed in response to the profound impact of ethical practices on the beverage industry. It aims to examine the mediating role of perceived brand trustworthiness in the relationship between brand social responsibility and brand positioning in the Tanzanian beverage industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted a post-positivist approach, as it encompasses a deterministic perspective where causes are believed to determine outcomes or effects. The study focused on customers of two major beverage companies in Tanzania, namely Coca-Cola and Pepsi. Data were collected from 458 customers and analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings indicate that brand social responsibility serves as a valuable intangible asset, capable of establishing a competitive edge when integrated into the value proposition. Additionally, the results reveal that brand trustworthiness plays a mediating role in the connection between brand social responsibility and brand positioning.

Research limitations/implications

The study employed a convenience sampling technique; hence, generalization of the findings should be approached with caution.

Originality/value

This study represents one of the few scholarly endeavors that explore the role of social responsibility at the product brand level in establishing brand positioning. By doing so, it contributes to the advancement of knowledge concerning the impact of brand social responsibility on building competitiveness within the context of today's competitive business environment.

Details

European Journal of Management Studies, vol. 28 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 2183-4172

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 28 March 2023

Zakaria Abbass, Omar Benjelloun Andaloussi and Fatimazahra Rais

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has a positive impact on consumer behavior; however, how CSR affects consumer perceived value (CPV) has been neglected. The purpose of this…

Abstract

Purpose

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has a positive impact on consumer behavior; however, how CSR affects consumer perceived value (CPV) has been neglected. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of CSR on CPV. More specifically, this paper investigates how the dimensions of CSR can generate the three types of CPV.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is confirmatory and therefore quantitative. Thus, the choice fell on the questionnaire survey of 108 customers of conventional banks in Morocco. The partial least square method was chosen for the data analysis.

Findings

The results show that the link between CSR and customer perceived value can vary according to the CSR dimension. This study finds that the economic dimension is the only one to contribute the three types of CPV (functional value, emotional value and social value). The environmental dimension affects only the functional value. The social dimension does not generate any value.

Research limitations/implications

CSR is not the only variable that generates CPV. The consideration of other constructs seems to be considered. Restricting this study to a single category of banking customers and to a single sector is another limitation. Future research might replicate this study on a sample of clients from participatory banks as well as from other sectors.

Practical implications

The results can help Moroccan banks identify the dimensions of CSR that can meaningfully generate CPV. This will help them to increase customer loyalty, develop a competitive advantage and improve their performance by prioritizing CSR initiatives capable of creating value for consumers.

Originality/value

No previous research in Morocco, to the best of the author’s knowledge, has explored the effect of CSR on CPV. This paper therefore provides the first empirical evidence in North Africa on the link between CSR and CPV in Morocco. This study also extends previous studies by considering CSR as a multidimensional construct covering three dimensions (social, environmental and economic).

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 19 no. 10
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 18 August 2023

Md. Farijul Islam, M.M. Mofiz Uddin and Md. Mominur Rahman

This study aims to examine the determinants of retailer social responsibility (RSR) in Old Dhaka City and their impact on RSR practices.

Abstract

Purpose

This study aims to examine the determinants of retailer social responsibility (RSR) in Old Dhaka City and their impact on RSR practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional design was used to collect primary data from 180 retailers through a questionnaire survey. The study used partial least squares structural equation modeling to analyze the data and examine the relationships among the determinants of RSR.

Findings

The study found that economic and ethical factors positively and significantly affect RSR practices, while social and environmental factors negatively but not significantly affect RSR practices. Cultural factors were also found to positively and significantly affect RSR practices.

Practical implications

This study provides insights for retailers and policymakers to enhance their RSR practices by considering economic, ethical and cultural factors. The findings also contribute to the existing literature on stakeholder theory by highlighting the importance of considering multiple stakeholders in RSR practices.

Originality/value

This study provides insights into the determinants of RSR in a unique setting in associating stakeholder theory and in Bangladesh, which has received limited attention in the literature on RSR.

Details

Social Responsibility Journal, vol. 20 no. 3
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1747-1117

Keywords

Article
Publication date: 23 August 2023

Grzegorz Zasuwa and Magdalena Stefańska

This paper has a twofold objective: (1) to examine how trust and distrust mediate the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and irresponsibility (CSI…

Abstract

Purpose

This paper has a twofold objective: (1) to examine how trust and distrust mediate the relationship between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and irresponsibility (CSI) perceptions and word of mouth recommendations; and (2) to show that moral norms moderate this mediating relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Two experimental studies test the proposed model. Study 1 performs a single-factor experiment with three levels of corporate social responsibility (positive, neutral, negative) to test the mediation hypothesis (N = 180, 66% females, mean age = 22.3). Study 2 validates the mediation findings and examines the role of moral norms as moderators (N = 240, 50% females, mean age = 39.5).

Findings

Study 1 reveals that trust in the company partially mediates the effects of CSR on word of mouth (WOM) recommendations. Study 2 shows that consumers who adhere to higher moral standards follow distinct paths to negative WOM. Specifically, these consumers tend to spread negative comments when they expect the firm to behave irresponsibly. When unsure about future corporate behaviour, they are less likely to spread negative WOM.

Originality/value

This is the first study, to the authors' knowledge, to demonstrate how moral norms shape the effects of distrust in the corporate culprit on word of mouth recommendations. Accordingly, this research proves that conceptualising trust and distrust as separate constructs is useful in explaining consumer reactions to corporate social irresponsibility.

Details

Corporate Communications: An International Journal, vol. 28 no. 6
Type: Research Article
ISSN: 1356-3289

Keywords

1 – 10 of over 4000