• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.41 no.5
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• pp.809-824
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• 2017

Interest in and use of social media as a communication channel are consistently evolving; in addition therefore, corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities have been often conducted on online channels such as social media due to the advantages offered by the rapid spread of information. Consumers can be persuaded differently and their cognition can be influenced depending on who delivers what message. This study examines the influence of information source characteristics on eWOM acceptance of CSR messages and attitudes toward a company. This study compares cases: when a company sends their CSR message versus when an individual (i.e., consumer's acquaintance) sends the company's CSR message. A total of 320 respondents were presented with online stimuli and responded to the questionnaire to identify this phenomenon. Vegan fashion (which refers to products made from raw materials without animal cruelty) was used as stimuli in this study because it is a representative example of CSR activities. As a result, when consumers are exposed to CSR messages online, perceived expertise, trustworthiness and attractiveness of information source affect consumer's electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) acceptance and attitude toward a company. However, only trustworthiness influences eWOM acceptance in cases of a corporation information source. This study confirms the differences in eWOM acceptance and in attitudes to the company depending on to whom the messages were sent and with what content.

• (The) Korean Journal of Advertising
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• v.27 no.8
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• pp.59-90
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• 2016

Consumers demand that corporates fulfill their social responsibility by exerting influence over not only economical values but also social values in markets. Given such a social mood, most corporates are actively engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR) activities, and marketing scholars continue to study the effects of such CSR activities. Numerous such studies examined the relationship between CSR activity and brand equity. Moreover, virtually, a majority of these studies focused on consumer responses to CSR activity from an individual brand perspective. In a situation in which brand management must consider the spillover effects of brands, firms holding various brands should consider these spillover effects when they establish CSR activity strategies. Therefore, we examine the effects of CSR activity using a comprehensive approach that considers the hierarchy of brands. Additionally, we develop a new perspective on fit that has been used as a major influence on the effects of CSR activity. We argue that the mixed results of the impact of fit regarding the effect of CSR activities is attributed to the influence of connections among brands based on the hierarchy of brands. We then examine the effect of two types of CSR activity strategies that reflect the relativity of fit. The results reveal that there was no difference in impact of the two strategies based on unique roles and traits of corporate brand and effects of low fit. Also, we found that the corporate brand focused strategy creates a greater change in consumers' attitudes than does an individual brand focused strategy in the case of a particular brand. This finding is meaningful because it indicates that a hierarchy of brands may relatively reduce the impact of the role of fit, unlike general arguments from previous related research. Second, the spillover effects from the CSR activities of individual sub-brands belonging to the same corporate brand were confirmed. Therefore, we clearly verified the role of the hierarchy of brands. Although both strategies cause changes in consumer attitude toward brands engaged in CSR activity, overall, a corporate brand focused strategy turned out to be more effective than an individual brand focused strategy because of the spillover effects of brands. Third, this study verified the effect of a corporate brand focused strategy through a moderating effect analysis of the degree of association between individual brands and corporate brand. Given these results, we identified a moderating role in the degree of association and the changes in consumer attitudes toward both main brands engaged in CSR activities and other different individual brands, which were caused by the spillover effects of brands. Finally, this study addresses implications and limitations.

• Journal of Global Scholars of Marketing Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2010

Corporate social responsibility has become a very important issue for researchers (Greenfield, 2004; Maignan & Ralston, 2002; McWilliams et al., 2006; Pearce & Doh 2005), and many consider it necessary for businesses to define their role in society and apply social and ethical standards to their businesses (Lichtenstein et al., 2004). As a result, a significant number of retailers have adopted CSR as a strategic tool to promote their businesses. To this end, this study sought to discover U.S. consumers' attitudes and behavior in ethical purchasing and consumption based on their subjective perception and evaluation of a retailer. The objectives of this study include: 1) determine the participants awareness of retailers corporate social responsibility; 2) assess how participants evaluate retailers corporate social responsibility; 3) examine whether participants evaluation process of retailers CSR influence their attitude toward the retailer; and 4) assess if participants attitude toward the retailers CSR influence their purchase behavior. This study does not focus on actual retailers' CSR performance because a consumer's decision making process is based on an individual assessment not an actual fact. This study examines US college students' awareness and evaluations of retailers' corporate social responsibility (CSR). Fifty six college students at a major Southeastern university participated in the study. The age of the participants ranged from 18 to 26 years old. Content analysis was conducted with open coding and focused coding. Over 100 single-spaced pages of written responses were collected and analyzed. Two steps of coding (i.e., open coding and focused coding) were conducted (Esterberg, 2002). Coding results and analytic memos were used to understand participants' awareness of CSR and their ethical purchasing behavior supported through the selection and inclusion of direct quotes that were extracted from the written responses. Names used here are pseudonyms to protect confidentiality of participants. Participants were asked to write about retailers, their aware-ness of CSR issues, and to evaluate a retailer's CSR performance. A majority (n = 28) of respondents indicated their awareness of CSR but have not felt the need to act on this issue. Few (n=8) indicated that they are aware of this issue but not greatly concerned. Findings suggest that when college students evaluate retailers' CSR performance, they use three dimensions of CSR: employee support, community support, and environmental support. Employee treatment and support were found as an important criterion in evaluation of retailers' CSR. Respondents indicated that their good experience with a retailer as an employee made them have a positive perception and attitude toward the retailer. Regarding employee support four themes emerged: employee rewards and incentives based on performance, working environment, employee education and training program, and employee and family discounts. Well organized rewards and incentives were mentioned as an important attribute. The factors related to the working environment included: how well retailers follow the rules related to working hours, lunch time and breaks was also one of the most mentioned attributes. Regarding community support, three themes emerged: contributing a percentage of sales to the local community, financial contribution to charity organizations, and events for community support. Regarding environments, two themes emerged: recycling and selling organic or green products. It was mentioned in the responses that retailers are trying to do what they can to be environmentally friendly. One respondent mentioned that the company is creating stores that have an environmentally friendly design. Information about what the company does to help the environment can easily be found on the company’s website as well. Respondents have also noticed that the stores are starting to offer products that are organic and environmentally friendly. A retailer was also mentioned by a respondent in this category in reference to how the company uses eco-friendly cups and how they are helping to rebuild homes in New Orleans. The respondents noticed that a retailer offers reusable bags for their consumers to purchase. One respondent stated that a retailer uses its products to help the environment, through offering organic cotton. After thorough analysis of responses, we found that a participant's evaluation of a retailers' CSR influenced their attitudes towards retailers. However, there was a significant gap between attitudes and purchasing behavior. Although the participants had positive attitudes toward retailers CSR, the lack of funds and time influenced their purchase behavior. Overall, half (n=28) of the respondents mentioned that CSR performance affects their purchasing decisions making when shopping. Findings from this study provide support for retailers to consider their corporate social responsibility when developing their image with the consumer. This study implied that consumers evaluate retailers based on employee, community and environmental support. The evaluation, attitude and purchase behavior of consumers seem to be intertwined. That is, evaluation is based on the knowledge the consumer has of the retailers CSR. That knowledge may influence their attitude toward the retailer and thus influence their purchase behavior. Participants also indicated that having CSR makes them think highly of the retailer, but it does not influence their purchase behavior. Price and convenience seem to surpass the importance of CSR among the participants. Implications, recommendations for future research, and limitations of the study are also discussed.

• Fashion & Textile Research Journal
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.888-899
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• 2011

Fashion companies make use of diverse strategies to have a competitive edge as there is a growing fierce competition. According to earlier studies, consumers prefer the products and services of companies that direct their energy into CSR activities if there's little disparity in quality of products and services among the companies. The way consumers look at the CSR activities of businesses is very important for the companies since it is linked to their evaluation and image of the companies and indulgencies on their word-of-mouth, purchase and loyalty. It's not quite advisable for fashion companies to make an investment in CSR activities without any specific plans or conviction of the effectiveness of the activities. Actually, lots of domestic companies fail to success their CSR activities, despite of their hard efforts. This study was to examine the appropriateness of corporate CSR activities, the attitude of customers to companies and their intention of recommendation and purchase in detail, and to provide some information on strategy setting for the CSR activities of fashion businesses.

• The Research Journal of the Costume Culture
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.1076-1089
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• 2010

Nowadays, business environment changes with higher consumer demands for corporate social responsibility than before. However, many fashion companies are unaware of such a wave of changing business environment. And they are not so much interested in making any investment or policy for CSR activities. Besides, despite changing environment and consumer demands, there are very few studies dealing with this matter. Thus, this study aimed to find out the proper types of CSR activities for fashion companies. In addition, it also intended to determine potential effects of CSR activities on consumer attitudes and purchase behaviors. The findings are as follows. First, it is found that there are differences in consumers' perceived suitability depending on types of CSR activities of fashion company. Secondly, it is found that the suitability of CSR activities of fashion companies has positive effects on consumer attitudes to fashion companies. Thirdly, the more favorable consumer attitudes to fashion companies owing to their CSR activities are correlated with the higher consumer satisfaction. Fourthly, the more favorable consumer attitudes to fashion companies are also correlated with the higher consumer intention for purchase. Hence, it is required that fashion companies recognize the importance of their CSR activities, and also plan and implement appropriate CSR activities for consumers.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.45-54
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• 2016

Purpose - There have been numerous studies investigating the effects of corporate social responsibility initiatives on corporate associations or corporate images. In line of this research stream, current research examined the potential impact of customer participation in the process of corporate social responsibility initiatives on attitude toward the company. This research differentiates from previous studies that it is the first to connect corporate social responsibility and customer participation. Specifically, we suggest a structural model on corporate associations which was classified into corporate ability associations and corporate social responsibility associations that the more the customers participate in initiating corporate social responsibility, corporate associations were formed more positively. And this leads to the increase of revisit intentions through customer satisfaction. Research design, data, and methodology - To test our research model, we collected data of real consumers of a large discount store in Korea. At the large discount store, customers were given an opportunity to participate the discount store's CSR activity program. We performed field survey and collected data of 146 respondents. We analyzed the data using PASW statistics 21.0 and AMOS 16.0 in order to test our structural model. Results - The results showed that consumers who participated more in initiating corporate social responsibility revealed higher score for corporate ability associations and corporate social responsibility associations. These corporate associations had a positive effect on customer satisfaction, which leads to higher attitude toward revisit intentions. Specifically, hypothesis 1.1 "As Customer participation in CSR process increases, the evaluation of CA associations will be positive,"was supported. Hypothesis 1.2 "As Customer participation in CSR process increases, the evaluation of CSR associations will be positive," was supported. Hypothesis 2.1 "As the evaluation of CA associations is positive, satisfaction with the firm will increase," was supported. Hypothesis 2.1 "As the evaluation of CSR associations is positive, satisfaction with the firm will increase," was supported. Hypothesis 3 "As satisfaction with the firm increases, revisit intentions with the firm will increase," was supported. Conclusions - This research is the first to study the relationship between customer participation in CSR process, CSR, and consumer reactions. This research also contributes to customer participation and corporate social responsibility literature by suggesting customer participation as an antecedent and empirically demonstrating the positive relationships between the constructs. The findings of this research may offer managerial implications for marketing practitioners. When performing corporate social initiatives, it is better to let the customer participate in the process which leads to higher corporate ability associations and corporate social responsibility associations, also higher satisfaction and revisit intentions. Our results provide useful information to practioners that spontaneous participation of consumers makes CSR initiatives effective and successful. Limitations and ideas for further research remain in this research. For example, our focus on the logic was cognitive evaluations(e.g. corporate associations) but affective dimensions might be considered since recent researches are investigating the relationship between customer participation and affective reaction as a response. Despite the limitations, this research have unique and applicable implications for academics and practitioners.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.35-44
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• 2015

Purpose - In this study, corporate social responsibility activities as perceived by customers visiting super-centers and the influence of the authenticity of such social responsibility activities on trust have been examined while attempting to verify how trust would influence consumers' attitude and purchase intention. Research design, data, and methodology - For data collection, a questionnaire survey has been conducted on 200 consumers who would visit super-centers, and 161 effective samples have been used for the final analysis. Methodologies such as Cronbach's α, factor analysis, correlation analysis, and structural equation modeling were used. Results - Among corporate social responsibility activities, legal responsibility in particular has turned out to influence consumers rather greatly. Thus, law observance has turned out to be a necessity rather than merely an economic or ethical responsibility; as for trust, trust in the product has turned out to exert more influence on consumers than trust in the enterprise. Conclusions - Corporate social responsibility activities can mean that the complete fulfillment of natural and proper corporate responsibility will secure consumer trust, thus influencing consumer attitude and purchase intention positively.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.247-254
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• 2014

The purse of this article is to analyze the effect of CSR(Corporate Social Responsibility) on organizational trust and job-esteem in the Hotel. Based on theoretical backgrounds, 3 hypotheses were derived and a regression model and AMOS was proposed. Analysis results are as follows: first, the higher degree of ethical responsibility and contributional responsibility have on active organizational trust positively. second, the relationship between CSR and job-esteem, only contributional responsibility affected intrinsic value and economic responsibility affected social reputation. third, the relationship between organizational trust and job-esteem, organizational trust had positive influence on intrinsic value and social reputation. In summary, the contributional responsibility among CSR was the key factors that affected employee's organizational trust and job-esteem directly or indirectly. We could lead employee's positive attitude as active charity and a portion of sale by returning to society. Therefore, Hotel should be improved employee's organizational trust with CSR consistantly and implemented policy that increase job-esteem as well.

• Management & Information Systems Review
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.189-220
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• 2013

This article sheds light on how corporate social responsibility (CSR) perception influences organizational commitment through compassion, a mediator based on empirical data. In other words, we expect that CSR is related to team members' sense-making and then triggers changes affecting team members' attitude and behavior. Compassion plays a pivotal role in organizational life by attenuating others' pains at work. Scholars widely agree that compassion involves sympathetic consciousness of others' distress and sufferings, and caring for those others often in communicative or behavioral ways. Kornfield (1993) defines compassion as "the heart's response to the sorrow". We also define compassion as a response to other's suffering that an individual sees with the eyes of others, hears with the ears of others, feels with the heart of others, and takes actions that demonstrate his or her own compassionate acts. We also assume that CSR increases organizational commitment. According to our empirical data based on employees of 400 Korean companies, CSR perception is likely to positively influence compassion, which itself is likely to influence another dependent variable, organizational commitment. Our findings reveal a partially mediated effect, which causes CSR perception to influence organizational commitment through compassion. Finally, interpersonal justice serves as moderating elements in the relation of CSR perception and compassion whereas perceived organizational behavior has a moderating effect on both compassion and organizational commitment.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.91-101
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• 2021

As many CSR activities grow steadily, how charitable giving messages affect donation attitude is received attention. In the current research, temporal orientation and donation recipients is presented an effective variables to judge a organization activities. This article based on CLT theory, we establish the experimental condition focused on interaction effects between two variables: time orientation in charitable activities outcomes(near future: a week vs. far future: a year); and based on the recognizability of recipients(a individual child vs. collective group). Result from study, charitable activities outcomes generated in near future orientation(far future orientation) increase donation attitude and affective when messages are used in a specific(general group) context. Furthermore, empathy of CSR organization is a mediator on donation attitude and affective. We expect that these findings have important implication for charitable giving strategy.