Consumer stakeholder view of corporate social responsibility: a comparative analysis from USA and India

Do financial performance and firm's value affect the quality of corporate social responsibility disclosure: Moderating role of chief executive officer's power in China

This paper investigates the correlation between the quality of corporate social responsibility disclosure (CSRD) and financial performance (FP). It also investigates the moderating role of chief executive officer power (CEOP) in the relationship between the quality of CSR disclosure and firm value (FV) in Chinese listed companies. The evidential research used the up-to-date sample (3, 248) of unbalanced findings for the period of 2014-2020, from the registered Chinese firms in the Shenzhen and Shanghai Stock Exchanges as samples for the study. As a starting point technique, the STATA 15 has been used to test pooled ordinary least squares (OLS) regression on a sample of Chinese listed companies. We use 1-year lagged regression and two SLS regressions to monitor the potential endogeneity problem. The imbalanced data set was received from the China Stock Market and Accounting Research (CSMAR) web page, which is the most significant source of information for Chinese publicly listed firms. Data on CSR information items and media reporting are compiled manually. The findings of the study revealed that there are positive FP consequences for the companies engaged in the quality of CSR disclosure. We also report that higher CEO power negatively enhances the quality of CSR disclosure effect on the FP of FV. The research investigates the impact of CSR disclosure and FP by presenting evidence of the moderating role of CEO power. Therefore, it is suggested that a higher law for CSR engagement and disclosure be implemented in China, and robust measures for the implementation of CEO power, although there are financial advantages to be gained. A key relevance to the empirical quality of CSR disclosure research can be recognized as the moderating role of CEO power in the quality of CSR disclosure, FP, and FV in the context of Chinese study. The findings are robust with the use of an instrumental variable method.

Extending the knowledge on cause-related marketing (CrM) campaign with focus on skepticism

Purpose

This study aims to gain insight on evaluation of cause-related marketing (CrM) campaigns by the millennial with focus on skepticism, brand identity and patronage intention.

Design/methodology/approach

To attain the above objective a conceptual model was developed and tested using structural equation modeling and confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

The finding suggests that sub-segments exist among millennial segments. They can be classified into hedonic, utilitarian, individualistic and collectivists. Compared to utilitarian and individualistic customers hedonic and collectivists were found to evaluate CrM campaign more favorably. Utilitarian and individualistic depict skepticism toward CrM campaign.

Practical implications

The in-depth knowledge gained about millennials is expected to benefit academicians and marketers alike. Academicians will be enriched by the knowledge of the micro-segments that exists among the millennial and how that had differential impact on their skepticism while evaluating CrM campaign. The marketers involved in the designing and implementation of the CrM campaign will be benefited from the in-depth knowledge of segments with lower and higher levels of skepticism. Such knowledge gained will help them develop more effective CrM campaign.

Originality/value

One of the contributions of the present study is that it extends the existing knowledge about millennials, particularly in the context of CrM campaign evaluation integrating it with other important variables such as skepticism, brand identity and patronage intention.

Consumer perspective on CSR literature review and future research agenda

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present a taxonomical classification of literature on consumer perspectives toward corporate social responsibility (CSR) along with a comprehensive bibliography and future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

A range of online database was searched to collect research papers from various journals. Hundred articles were identified from the source of 61 journals that have been reviewed thoroughly. The papers were classified under different categories.

Findings

The results show that most of the studies in this context have been conducted in developed countries, and there is a dearth of studies that have been done in a developing economy. This study reveals a growth pattern of research during the time studied and has identified major gaps in the existing literature, and they may be exploited for further research.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to full-text articles in English that are available in the selected database. The findings are generalized only to the specific population of selected databases for a given time period. This paper will be useful for academicians to analyze the current nature of academic research in this area and will provide an added advantage to managers for understanding the impact of CSR activities on consumer behavior.

Originality/value

This is the first academic literature review on consumer perspectives toward CSR, and it provides a bibliography of academic literature from 1997 to 2013, covering 61 journals.

CSR reporting in the United States and Russia

Purpose

– The purpose of this study is to contribute to the scarce body of academic research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) in BRIC countries and Russia in particular, by performing a comparative analysis of CSR, reporting of ten major players in the energy sector in the USA and Russia.

Design/methodology/approach

– This study applies a content analysis research design in order to obtain an in-depth understanding of the key themes communicated in the reports. Drawing on an institutional approach to CSR, this study attempts to explain revealed differences in CSR reporting in Russian and American companies.

Findings

– The results suggest that Russian companies compared to American ones report more extensively on the areas of social performance and CSR issues related to employees and consumers. Nevertheless, American reports contain topics of global concern in the scope of environmental performance that are omitted by Russian companies.

Practical implications

– The paper deepens the understanding of CSR reporting specificity related to an institutional context and suggests that CSR fills different needs in different types of societies.

Originality/value

– The study contributes to the academic research on CSR in BRIC countries and provides some insights into how the revealed differences between Russian and American reports in the energy industry can be explained using an institutional approach.

Introducing value-based framing as a strategy for communicating CSR

Purpose

– The purpose of this paper is to test how framing of CSR messages, based on a value-theoretical framework, impacts consumer perception of the CSR message.

Design/methodology/approach

– Quantitative study in the form of an online survey strongly inspired by classical experimental design.

Findings

– Findings demonstrate that explicit communication of CSR framed as a corporate competence, and to some extent also as something personally relevant to the receivers, positively impacts evaluations of CSR messages and the companies behind them.

Research limitations/implications

– Findings indicate that CSR messages could increasingly emphasize corporate competence with a lesser focus on moral ideas and commitments, and that framing strategies can be effective in creating CSR messages that will be positively evaluated by young consumers.

Originality/value

– This study contributes by providing new insights into how value-based framing of CSR messages can increase credibility and relevance and thus help facilitate the complicated task of communicating CSR by way of suggesting a new CSR communication strategy framework.