Benefits of corporate social responsibility

Abstract

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to determine how consumers benefit from corporate social responsibility (CSR) and whether spiritual benefits are a stronger outcome of CSR. Design/methodology/approach Items for values are developed and tested prior to their inclusion in an experiment that manipulates the presence and absence of CSR. A structural equation model is used to test the mediation effect of perceived value on the relationship between CSR and consumer outcomes. A chi-square test is used to compare the magnitude of the significant effects. Findings CSR influences spiritual, status, efficiency and aesthetic benefits equally. Spiritual benefits is a stronger predictor of attitude and personal satisfaction than efficiency and status benefits. Originality/value Conceptual and qualitative findings in the literature demonstrate that CSR is associated with spiritual benefits. This study quantitatively tests not only how CSR influences various benefits but also how those effects compare to the relationship between CSR and spiritual benefits. The examination of the effect of CSR benefits on consumer outcomes reveals that the types of benefits do not have identical effects.