“When” Does It Pay to Be Good? Attributions Mediate the Way CSR Elements Impact on Consumer Responses, and Are Controllable

Responding to the appeal for more research on the contingencies that shape the relationship between CSR and corporate performance, this paper incorporates environmental CSR, sets up an experimental survey and employs multiple mediation analysis with the aim to test the mediating role of consumer attributions on the CSR elements–consumer responses relationship; and further to examine the degree to which attributions are controllable, i.e., specific CSR elements activate specific type of attributions. Results support that attributions have a strong predicting power on consumer outcomes. The right time of appearance and the appropriate amount of resources committed to a CSR campaign, through the dual type of attributions they activate (more positive, i.e., values-driven and less negative, i.e., egoistic), impact positively on consumer reactions. In this respect, the study adds to past research showing that attributions are controllable, i.e., specific CSR initiative characteristics of a impact on the dimensionality of attributions and, through that, on specific target-types of consumer responses. This study thus shows that the activation of a dual-level attributions’ system is ambivalent, dependent on the character of the CSR campaign. The fact that specific CSR elements (i.e., CSR Timing) activate dual-level CSR motives that act complementarily indicates that managers should be clear about the capabilities of the elements of their CSR initiatives and how much impact they expect those elements to have on consumer response.

Good times and bad: responsibility in brand alliances

Purpose Marketing managers have strategic choices when forming brand alliances. One such choice is integration, defined as the extent to which the offering is a fusion in the form and function of the partner brands. The paper aims to investigate how integration affects consumer attribution of responsibility to brand alliance partners. Design/methodology/approach This paper builds on the previous study on brand alliances and attribution theory. Multiple experiments are used to test three hypotheses. Findings This research shows that consumers are sensitive to the level of alliance integration, which, in turn, affects attributions of responsibility for the joint offering. Consistent with attribution theory, results show that responsibility for each brand varies systematically by integration and lead brand status vis-à-vis the alliance: while consumers perceive both brands as equally responsible for higher integration brand alliances, responsibility attributions diverge in lower integration alliances based on whether the brand is the alliance host. This pattern also holds for product-harm events. Research limitations/implications It is important to explore brand alliance characteristics and to date, the level of integration between the partners has not been considered from a consumer standpoint. Consumers are sensitive to the level of partner brand integration and this perception influences perceptions of responsibility. Practical implications Managers should be aware that the level of brand alliance integration and lead brand status lead to different attributions of responsibility, which is strategically important, as brands seek to take credit in positive contexts and avoid blame for negative events. Originality/value This paper explores brand alliances via the level of integration and leads brand status, which are key determinants of consumer attributions of responsibility.

How implicit mindset influences consumers’ perception of company engagement with product complaints online

Consumer complaints posted on social media can quickly escalate a problem to become a crisis for a company. Although many companies engage with consumer complaints on various social media platforms, understanding of the mechanisms underlying consumer perceptions of such engagement remains limited. Thus, we examined how company engagement and consumers’ implicit mindset (i.e., implicit beliefs about the nature of human traits) influences consumer attributions regarding complaints posted online. Through an experiment (N = 356 participants) we showed that (a) company engagement with consumer complaints led to positive responses, potentially reducing the likelihood that negative events will become crisis situations, and (b) this effect was mediated by consumer perception of company responsibility. Further, the mediated relationship between company engagement and outcome of responding to complaints through the degree of perceived company responsibility was contingent on the consumers’ mindset (i.e., a moderated mediation effect), showing the importance of consumers’ implicit mindset to online complaint behaviors.

Building a theoretical framework of message authenticity in CSR communication

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to provide an integrative theoretical framework that advances the underdeveloped stream of research that analyses how message authenticity influences the persuasiveness of corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication. Design/methodology/approach Theoretical and empirical literature on authenticity is reviewed to provide a comprehensive definition of message authenticity in CSR communication. An integrative theoretical framework is also developed to understand how message authenticity is enhanced through the design of informational content and it improves consumer responses to CSR communication. Findings The framework presented in the paper defends that message authenticity can be integrated in communication models based on three streams of research: identity-based brand management model, attribution theory and heuristic-systematic model. Consumer attributions of message authenticity can be notably improved with a message design based on CSR fit, social topic information and specificity. Authenticity improves message and source credibility by reducing consumer scepticism and enhancing their attributions of corporate expertise and trustworthiness. Indirect benefits of CSR message authenticity include increased consumer purchase, loyalty and advocacy behaviours. Originality/value The value of the paper resides in making the rather underdeveloped and inconclusive literature on authenticity accessible to CSR and communication researchers and practitioners. A theoretical framework is provided for further research that would contribute to improving the knowledge on the role that message authenticity plays in CSR communication.

Influence of Consumer Attributions and Service Quality on Support of Corporate Social Responsibility

This study examines whether or not a consumer will support a firm due to its CSR activities depending on what perceived motivation (egoistic, strategic, stakeholder and value driven attributions) the consumer has towards those activities and also analyzes how the relationship between consumers’ attributions and the change in their supportive behaviour according to their perceived service quality. The survey was conducted with customers of mobile telecommunication services in Turkey. In order to collect data to test the hypotheses, in accordance with the theory of stated preferences versus theory of revealed preferences, a face-to-face survey was carried out by adopting a quota sampling technique based on the market share of each mobile service provider. The sample consisted of 400 respondents who were drawn from the Istanbul metropolitan area. The results show that value driven, strategic and stakeholder driven motives have a direct and positive effect. Egoistic motive was found to be significant and had a negative effect. Service quality moderated only the relationship between strategy driven motives and supportive behaviour, and value driven motives and supportive behaviour, but in an unexpected direction.

The Relationship among Consumer Attributions, Consumer Skepticism, and Perceived Corporate Social Responsibility in Taiwan

This study aimed to explore the relationship of consumer attributions, consumer skepticism toward CSR, and its influence on perceived CSR in Taiwan. Final usable questionnaires received from 659 respondents to reach the return rate of 78.8%. After confirming reliability and validity of survey questionnaire, the structural equation modeling was used for tests the model. Results were summarized as follows: (a) value-driven motives are negatively related to CSR skepticism, which was significant; however, the relationship was positive association. (b) CSR skepticism is positively related to ethical responsibility, which was supported. (c) CSR skepticism is negatively related to philanthropic responsibility, which was significant; however, the relationship was positive association. This study may make a positive contribution for business managers to understand the expectations of consumers in Taiwan.