Consumer empowerment in corporate social responsibility: the effect of participatory CSR on company admiration and word-of-mouth communications

Abstract

PurposeThis study conceptualizes participatory corporate social responsibility (CSR) as a consumer empowerment strategy and examines the effect of participatory CSR on consumer responses in a social media setting.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a 2 (type of CSR campaign) × 4 (tone of consumer comments) between-subjects experimental design. The sample comprises college students and nonstudent participants recruited from Amazon Mechanical Turk.FindingsData indicate that the participatory CSR program leads to higher levels of perceived self-efficacy and social worth, which subsequently results in stronger intentions to spread positive word of mouth about the company’s CSR efforts. The findings suggest that participatory CSR has the power to boost a company’s reputation as an “admired” company through consumer empowerment.Originality/valueThis study advances the scholarship of CSR by explicating participatory CSR communication as a consumer empowerment strategy and providing empirical evidence for the effect of participatory CSR on public responses. The overall findings support the notion that CSR communication as an important function of public relations can generate public engagement with the organization and further co-create meaning with publics for mutual benefit.

How do CSI and CSR perceptions affect word of mouth recommendations? The role of trust, distrust, and moral norms

“…The positive relationship between CSR and WOM is confirmed in several previous works (e.g. Dalla-Pria and Rodríguez-de-Dios, 2022; Park and Kim, 2022). There is also evidence showing that values-driven attributions behind CSR actions (Dalla-Pria and Rodríguez-de-Dios, 2022), and high consumer orientation (Skarmeas et al.…”

Tracking CSR Communication Research Within the Chinese Context: A Systematic Literature Review

“…However, the significance of consumers in CSR communication planning and evaluation is undervalued in the Chinese context, neglecting Chinese consumers’ expanding green consumerism and strength in pushing the green movement (Zhu & Sarkis, 2016). Given the increased focus on consumer empowerment in CSR (Korschun & Du, 2013; H. Park & Kim, 2022), future research should focus more on the communicative approach.…”

Promoting the advocacy behavior of customers through corporate social responsibility: The role of brand admiration

“…Specifically, CSR critically induces the engagement level of customers with that organization, which enhances their feelings of BA. Park and Kim (2021) posited that CSR boosts an organization's ethical reputation, which admires its customers. Moreover, when an organization is engaged in some positive activity (CSR in the current case), customers feel admired, which positively influences their behavior for a socially responsible organization.…”