Does company size matter in corporate social responsibility? An examination of the impact of company size and cause proximity fit on consumer response

Abstract

Two experimental studies were carried out to investigate the effect of company size and cause proximity on consumer response to CSR initiatives. Findings from Study 1 demonstrated that, for a large company, the national cause led to more favourable attitudes toward the ad and the company, and a more socially responsible corporate image than the local cause. By comparison, for a small company, the local cause produced more positive attitudes toward the ad and the company, and a more socially conscious corporate image than the national cause. Further delving into the cognitive mechanism of this fit effect, Study 2 investigated the mediating role of message credibility and explored how the mediation varied with consumers’ level of cause involvement. A series of moderated mediation analyses showed that when company size and cause proximity were congruent, participants displayed higher message credibility, which led to more favourable attitudes toward the ad and the company and a better corporate image than in an incongruent condition. This research suggests that company size does matter in consumer response to CSR engagement and offers initial explanations for it. Implications and suggestions for future research are provided.

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