Corporate social responsibility and hypocrisy: A stereotype content model perspective
(A2019-2755)

AUTHORS

Haiming Hang, University of Bath, U.K.; Zhifeng Chen, University of Bedfordshire

KEYWORDS

CSR; CSI; hypocrisy

ABSTRACT

When firms have both corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social irresponsibility (CSI), it can lead to perceived corporate hypocrisy. This study argues the essence of corporate hypocrisy is the behavioral inconsistency performed in bad faith (an ulterior motive). Guided by Stereotype content model (SCM), our two experiments demonstrate firms with superior CSR performance can lead to higher perception of warmth after a CSI event, mitigating a perception of an ulterior motive. This, in turn, leads to a reduced likelihood of perceived corporate hypocrisy and greater consumer shopping intention. However, our results also suggest this is only evident among consumers who hold strong CSR beliefs, and when CSR and CSI are in different domains.