Corporate social responsibility that converts: hotel purchase intentions and the limits of price moderation
Year: 2026
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Purpose This study tests whether social, environmental and economic CSR initiatives increase hotel consumers’ purchase intentions and whether these effects are moderated by willingness to pay (WTP). Design/methodology/approach A cross-sectional online survey (N = 164) employed validated scales to assess social, environmental and economic CSR, purchase intentions (seven items per CSR type) and single-item WTP for each type. Dimensionality and reliability were evaluated through exploratory factor analysis and Cronbach's a. Hypotheses were tested via ordinary least squares regressions with mean-centered predictors and CSR × WTP interactions (PROCESS Model 1). Findings All three CSR dimensions are positively associated with purchase intentions (ps < 0.001), whereas WTP did not significantly moderate any CSR–intention relationship within the observed range. CSR effects on intentions thus appear stable across WTP levels. Research limitations/implications The cross-sectional, self-report design limits causal inference and generalizability. Future work should use experiments or field tests with explicit price manipulations and multi-item price constructs to identify CSR × price boundary conditions. Practical implications Hotels should communicate specific, verifiable CSR actions at booking touchpoints, test price-fairness thresholds for any CSR-linked premium and pair economic CSR with visible service-quality investments to avoid “self-serving” perceptions. Originality/value This study simultaneously compares three CSR types in hotels and examines price-related boundary conditions. It shows that CSR reliably enhances purchase intentions even when WTP varies, offering actionable guidance on what to communicate and when.
Source: International Hospitality Review
Institutions: University of Amsterdam, Zuyd University of Applied Sciences
Language: English
Subfield: Strategy and Management
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7136322316