Internal vs external corporate social responsibility: Company size moderates CSR efficacy

Pittman, M., & Glenna L. Read, (forthcoming). Internal vs external corporate social responsibility: Company size moderates CSR efficacy. Journal of Sustainable Marketing.

Abstract: CSR efforts by established legacy brands are often seen as inauthentic. What can brands do to genuinely engage in corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts? This study investigates internal CSR as a potential solution. CSR type (internal and external) and extrinsic cues (brand size and age) interact to affect congruence, authenticity, and subsequent purchase intention for companies that communicate these efforts on social media. Through a series of three experiments, we compare the effectiveness of internal and external CSR in influencing consumer perceptions. Results confirm that CSR is not a one-size-fits-all solution for brands. We find that Internal CSR is more effective for legacy (older, larger) brands, while external CSR is more effective for novel (newer, smaller) brands. This paper is among the first to conceptualize internal CSR as a potential strategy for legacy brands that often struggle for authentic ways to get involved with social issues. Results indicate that consumers want to see larger, older brands try to "fix" themselves before they attempt to fix the world.