What’s the ‘Right’ Thing to Do? How Ethical Expectations for CSR Influence Company Support
Abstract
This study investigated a new concept in corporate social responsibility (CSR) research – publics’ perceived ethical obligation of companies to address CSR, as based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Low- and high-fit CSR programmes are compared, particularly when companies contribute negatively to social issues through their products or processes. Through a mixed-design experiment, findings revealed that participants placed higher expectations for ethical obligation on corporations in high-fit CSR scenarios. Additionally, ethical expectations – when met – influenced participants’ attitudes about and supportive intentions towards the company, supporting prior Theory of Planned Behaviour research at the individual level.
Fields of Study & Subjects
Hermeneutics and Narrative Identity
Aging
Elder Care
and Social Issues
Health
Medicine and Society
Publication details
- Journal / source
- Food and Sustainability
- Publisher
- Emerald Publishing Limited
- Pages
- 165–186
- Publication date
- 10 January 2026
- Language
- EN
- Document type
- Book chapter