Toward effective CSR communication in controversial industry sectors

ABSTRACT

This study is aimed to unveil the effects of philanthropic corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs on consumers’ perceptions toward CSR communication from corporations in ‘issue-riddled’ controversial industries, compared to noncontroversial industries. Particularly, this study examines how industry sector controversy, corporate reputation, and CSR company-cause fit jointly affect the outcomes of CSR communication. A total of 307 participants participated in a 2 × 2 × 2 between-subjects factorial experiment. The study finds that corporate reputation interacts with industry sector to influence consumers’ attitude and behavioral intention. The effects of company-cause fit on CSR outcomes are overshadowed by corporate reputation and industry sector. This study implies that CSR communication could shorten the attitude gap between corporations in controversial and noncontroversial industries. More importantly, compared to employing specific communication tactics, maintaining good corporate reputation is more important for corporations in controversial industry sectors to enhance communication effectiveness. For companies with good corporate reputation in controversial industries, shifting reputation management strategy to industry reputation management can improve the effectiveness of CSR communication.

KEYWORDS:

• Corporate social responsibility
• corporate reputation
• company-cause fit
• consumer attitude

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Baobao Song

Baobao Song is an assistant professor of public relations in the Richard T. Robertson School of Media and Culture. Her area of research includes public relations, organizational communication, corporate social responsibility communication, and social media.

Jing Wen

Jing Wen is an assistant professor in the College of Information and Communications at the University of South Carolina. Dr. Taylor Wen conducts research in consumer psychology and media effects in the context of marketing, health, and risk communications with a special focus on the construct of emotions.

Mary Ann Ferguson

Mary Ann Ferguson has been a professor in the University of Florida ’s College of Journalism and Communications for 27 years.  She teaches public relations research methods, ethics and social responsibility, and corporate social responsibility.  She is an expert in applied communication research methods.