The effect of CSR expectancy violation: value from expectancy violation theory and confirmation bias
Year: 2019
Type: article
Abstract: This study applies expectancy violation theory and confirmation bias to the corporate social responsibility (CSR) context to explore how consumers respond to a corporation’s CSR activities. A 2 (CSR expectancy: higher vs. lower) X 2 (CSR practice: good vs. bad) experimental study examines how both negative and positive expectancy violation/conformity influence consumers’ attitudes to a corporation and their intentions to support it. The results reveal a significant interaction between CSR expectancy and CSR practice (i.e., expectancy violation/conformity effects). Specifically, negative expectancy violation (i.e., where a corporation violates consumers’ higher CSR expectancy) elicited less positive corporate attitudes and supportive behavior intentions than lower expectancy conformity (i.e., where a corporation meets consumers’ lower-CSR expectancy). On the other hand, positive expectancy conformity (i.e., where a corporation meets consumers’ higher CSR expectancy) yielded more positive consumer responses than positive expectancy violation (i.e., where a corporation exceeds consumers’ lower-CSR expectancy). This study also explores the mediating role of corporate credibility as communicator reward valence in influencing the effects of expectancy violation/conformity. The implications of the study provide strategic guidance that should help corporations implement CSR initiatives that satisfy consumer expectancy and enhance corporate credibility, thus minimizing negative expectancy violation effects.
Authors: Sun-Young Park, Moonhee Cho, Soojin Kim
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2977726488