An empirical examination of consumer CSR expectations: attribution, satisfaction, referral, and willingness to pay a premium

ABSTRACT

This research employs the Expectancy Confirmation/Disconfirmation (ECD) paradigm to extend the knowledge about consumer response to CSR. While several scholars have identified consumer satisfaction with the firm as a salient variable that justifies investment in CSR, few have considered consumers’ CSR perceptions against the backdrop of their CSR expectations, and none has done so empirically. This research examines whether ECD, which incorporates perceptions and expectations regarding CSR, affects satisfaction, referral, and willingness to pay a premium. In addition to replicating prior findings of the interplay between the three outcome variables, our two empirical studies underscore (a) the pertinence of the ECD paradigm to CSR research; (b) the direct and indirect effects of ECD on satisfaction, referral, and willingness to pay a premium; and (c) the role of attribution and satisfaction as serial mediators. Theoretical and managerial implications are discussed, and research limitations are disclosed.

KEYWORDS:

• Expectancy confirmation/disconfirmation
• attribution
• satisfaction
• referral
• pay

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1. Poolthong and Mandhachitara (2009) employ corporate socially responsible expectations as proxy for what would happen if a bank incorporated CSR in its corporate strategic plan.

2. An implicit understanding in traditional CSR literature holds that communicating CSR leads to positive and uplifting stakeholder reactions (Park & Kim, 2019; Rasche et al., 2017). Guided by such understanding, some researchers argued that CSR information creates an encouraging context that can only enhance consumer evaluation of the firm and its offerings (e.g. Gürhan-Canli & Batra, 2004; Papadas et al., 2019; Park & Kim, 2019). Other scholars contest the universality of positive effects of CSR and raise contingencies such as firm–cause fit, customer expectations, and industry-level social responsibility benchmarks (e.g. Olkkonen, 2017; Pomering & Dolnicar, 2009; Ramasamy & Yeung, 2009). Industry-level CSR investments help shape consumer expectations (Liu et al., 2019; Mohr et al., 2001; Podnar, 2008). In fact, consumers often use industry averages as reference points when evaluating firm performance (Poolthong & Mandhachitara, 2009).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Roberto Saldivar

Roberto Saldivar (Ph.D., University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, previously the University of Texas-Pan American) is an associate professor of marketing at the University of the Incarnate Word. Before joining academia, he held sales and managerial positions in different industries. He has authored journal articles in the International Marketing Review and the Journal of Consumer Marketing, among others. He has also made presentations at national conferences such as the American Marketing Association Summer and Winter Conferences and the Academy of Marketing Science Annual Conference.

Mohammadali Zolfagharian

Mohammadali Zolfagharian (PhD, University of North Texas) is chair and professor of marketing at Bowling Green State University. Prior to joining academia, he held managerial and consulting positions in manufacturing and international trade. He has served as department chair and provided consulting in public and private spheres. He has authored over 150 journal articles, book chapters, and conference proceedings featured in International Journal of Research in Marketing, Industrial Marketing Management, European Journal of Marketing, Decision Sciences, Psychology & Marketing, and International Marketing Review, among others.