From Legal Compliance to Competitive Differentiation: A Motivational Model for CSR Engagement
(A2025-130373)

AUTHORS

Ekaterina Nazarenko, GSOM SPBU; Mahmoud Saleh, saint Petersburg state university

ABSTRACT

This study addresses a significant research gap in understanding how different corporate social responsibility (CSR) motivations and dimensions influence consumer purchase intentions. Using a within-subjects experimental design with 300 participants to assess how motivation-driven CSR scenarios influence purchase intentions. The research examined how varying motivations (proactive, active, intrinsic, extrinsic) across multiple CSR dimensions (economic, legal, ethical, philanthropic, environmental, workplace) affect consumer responses. The study presented participants with hypothetical scenarios manipulating these variables. Results demonstrated that intrinsic and proactive CSR motivations generated significantly higher purchase intentions compared to extrinsic and active approaches, with workplace and environmental dimensions showing the most pronounced effects. The findings reveal that perceived authenticity of CSR initiatives substantially influences consumer responses, challenging the notion that CSR dimensions alone drive consumer behavior. This research contributes to CSR literature by establishing a clear relationship between motivation types and purchase intent, while providing practical implications for firms to develop genuine, mission-aligned CSR strategies rather than reactive or reputation-driven programs.