https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1853-249X
Figures
Abstract
In today’s digitally interconnected world, social media emerges as a powerful tool, offering different opportunities for modern businesses. Not only do organizations use social media for marketing purposes, but they also endeavor to influence consumer psychology and behavior. Although prior studies indicate social media’s efficacy in disseminating corporate social responsibility (CSR) communications, there remains a dearth of research addressing the impact of CSR-related messaging from banks on consumers’ brand advocacy behavior (CBAB). Our study seeks to bridge this gap, exploring the CSR-CBAB relationship within the banking sector of an emerging economy. Additionally, we investigate the roles of consumers’ emotions and values in mediating and moderating their CBAB, introducing two mediating factors, consumer happiness (HP) and admiration (BRAD), and moderating variable altruistic values (ATVL). Data collection involved an adapted questionnaire targeting banking consumers. The structural analysis revealed a positive correlation between a bank’s CSR-related social media communications and CBAB. HP and BRAD were identified as mediators in this relationship, while ATVL emerged as a moderator. These findings hold significant theoretical and practical implications. For instance, our research highlights the indispensable role of social media in effectively conveying CSR-related information to banking consumers, subsequently enhancing their advocacy intentions.
Citation: Liu Y, Naveed RT, Kanwal S, Tahir Khan M, Dalain AF, Lan W (2023) Psychology in action: Social media communication, CSR, and consumer behavior management in banking. PLoS ONE 18(8): e0289281. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0289281
Editor: Kittisak Jermsittiparsert, University of City Island, CYPRUS
Received: June 14, 2023; Accepted: July 14, 2023; Published: August 17, 2023
Copyright: © 2023 Liu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Data Availability: All relevant data are within the paper and its Supporting Information files.
Funding: The author(s) received no specific funding for this work.
Competing interests: The authors have declared that no competing interests exist.
1. Introduction
Establishing consumer relationships has been vital for enduring business success. The present global economic turmoil, waning traditional media efficacy, and consumer brand skepticism necessitate further emphasis on nurturing consumer-brand relationships [1]. Research highlights that consumer-focused cultures yield superior organizational outcomes [2, 3], enriching marketing literature and illuminating how loyal consumers bolster a company’s achievements [4, 5]. Consequently, fostering meaningful, long-term consumer relationships is paramount in today’s digital age [6, 7]. Recent literature accentuates the significance of various communicative behaviors, such as positive word-of-mouth [8, 9], product and service referrals [10, 11], and brand endorsements [12, 13], in shaping consumer-brand relationships. Consumers prefer peer recommendations over marketing advertisements during purchasing decisions. Nielsen’s data illustrates that approximately 90% of consumers rely on recommendations from their social circles [14], indicating greater trust in peers than in company-originated messages [15]. While the literature acknowledges the role of consumers’ communicative behavior, companies face challenges in promoting specific behaviors, as capturing consumers’ attention remains elusive [16, 17]. Thus, businesses must carefully strategize to influence consumer communicative behavioral intentions, impacting brand reputation and satisfaction.
The digital era has rendered consumers increasingly informed, empowered, and connected [18, 19], necessitating brands to prioritize transparency, authenticity, and trustworthiness to maintain loyalty and satisfaction [20, 21]. Utilizing digital strategies, such as social media, can enhance consumer engagement and relationship-building [22]. The advent of the internet and digital technologies, particularly social media, has heightened consumer connectivity, interactivity, and awareness [23], pressuring companies to adopt transparent and responsible practices [24, 25].
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has become an essential business strategy in recent years [26–28], holding companies accountable for social and environmental performance [29, 30]. CSR initiatives, including sustainability efforts like reducing carbon emissions and utilizing renewable energy, are now integral to business strategy [31]. CSR-based actions contribute to building positive public opinion and trust, strengthening a brand’s image. Brands’ interest groups, including consumers, are keen to learn about their CSR strategies to preserve the biosphere and communities [32]. Companies like Starbucks and Patagonia exemplify a commitment to CSR initiatives [33, 34]. In this vein, contemporary consumers consider environmental impact when evaluating products or services [35], leading to a focus on sustainable offerings and companies striving to reduce their carbon footprint. This has spurred the growth of carbon offset services, enabling consumers to counterbalance emissions through sustainable project investments [36]. Consequently, a brand’s CSR engagement holds increased importance for modern consumers [37].
Social media has transformed businesses, enabling direct consumer connections and data-driven insights for product refinement and targeted marketing. Platforms like Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter facilitate personalized experiences, increasing consumer engagement and sales [38]. Brands can use social media to inform consumers and other stake holders about CSR initiatives [39, 40]. However, academic literature highlights consumers’ preference for peer recommendations over company marketing [41]. Consumers trust peers more due to perceived honesty, relatability, and shared experiences [42].
This study examines how CSR-related information by a particular brand on different social media platforms influences consumers’ advocacy behavior (CBAB). Indeed, CBAB occurs when consumers promote or defend a brand for specific reasons [43]. Although research suggests CSR influences consumer behavior, some critical gaps in the existing body of knowledge remain [44, 45], which this study aims to address. Firstly, CSR scholars often study how a company’s CSR actions influence consumer behavior, including loyalty intentions [46, 47] and brand preferences [48]. Consumers tend to prefer socially responsible companies and show more loyalty toward them. While these studies provide valuable insights into consumer psychology, we propose that the CSR- CBAB relationship deserves more attention due to consumer recommendations and endorsements’ significance in decision-making. Secondly, emotions play a crucial role in human psychology [49], with the average person experiencing over 400 emotional events daily [50]. Emotions greatly influence consumers’ purchasing decisions, as they associate feelings with specific brands. Despite this, many CSR studies have adopted rational approaches [51, 52], with critiques arguing for the importance of emotions in decision-making [53, 54]. We aim to fill this gap by incorporating consumers’ happiness (HP) and brand admiration (BRAD) as mediators in the CSR- CBAB relationship. The inclusion of these variables as mediators in this study lies with logic provided by various scholars who emphasized the importance of different mediators in a CSR framework to influence individual behavior [55, 56]. Servera-Francés and Piqueras-Tomás [57] also mentioned that CSR influences consumer behavior via different variables as mediator(s). Therefore, this study proposes HP and BRAD as mediators to explain the underlying mechanism of the CSR and CBAB relationship.
Similarly, human values guide behavior and serve as motivation, with individuals more likely to act on values [58–61]. Nonetheless, human values need specific contexts to manifest a particular behavior [62, 63]. It has recently been debated how human values can moderate a particular attitude or behavior [64, 65]. To this end, we propose altruistic values (ATVL) in a CSR context that can moderate the CSR- CBAB mechanism via HP and BRAD. Thirdly, this study contributes to CSR-consumer behavior research in developing countries like Pakistan, as CSR is culturally and contextually specific [66], making direct comparisons with developed countries difficult. Lastly, the traditional consumer relationship model (CRM) faces criticism for being inefficient in establishing long-term consumer-company relationships [67, 68]. Actually, the conventional CRM model often relies on short-term economic transactions and lacks personalization. Companies should leverage technology, for example, social media, for more meaningful engagements and two-way communication strategies. Still, social media’s role in CSR communication and consumer relationship management remains underexplored.
Promoting CBAB offers numerous advantages for organizations across industries and sizes. However, having consumers as brand advocates becomes even more critical in the service industry context. This is because, in service settings, prior experience and testing are not likely [69–71]. Consequently, CBAB holds particular significance for the services sector. Consumer advocacy is crucial for the banking sector, as it can enhance trust and reputation. With limited differentiation opportunities, banks rely on consumer experiences and word-of-mouth to attract new clients. Positive CBAB can lead to increased consumer loyalty and retention, further impacting a bank’s market position. In the context of the banking industry, banks that aptly articulate and fulfill their CSR obligations receive positive customer evaluations. Initiatives such as backing renewable energy projects, aiding local enterprises, or introducing financial literacy programs gain considerable favor with consumers. Successful examples of such practices include banks like Bank of America, which pledged $300 billion towards low-carbon business efforts, and Standard Chartered, renowned for its numerous community engagement initiatives. Highlighting a specific example from Pakistan, Habib Bank Limited (HBL) has demonstrated exceptional success with its comprehensive CSR programs. HBL has made significant inroads in endorsing education, public health, and environmental sustainability, thereby positively influencing its client base. In a similar vein, United Bank Limited (UBL) has put forth considerable CSR contributions, with an emphasis on community development and disaster relief. These CSR endeavors solidify the banks’ image and motivate customers to champion these brands, leading to enhanced loyalty and customer retention. Hence, by fostering CBAB through CSR initiatives, banks can secure a competitive advantage and drive long-term success. In addition to trust and reputation, strong CAB in the banking sector can reduce consumer acquisition costs, as satisfied clients become brand ambassadors. Furthermore, CBAB can help banks navigate crises, as loyal advocates provide a supportive base during turbulent times. Moreover, emphasizing CBAB through CSR initiatives also aligns banks with societal expectations, potentially influencing regulatory environments in their favor. Thus, investing in CBAB is of paramount importance for banks’ overall performance and sustainability.
Specifically, our study tends to highlight the profound influence of CSR activities on consumer advocacy because the past literature suggests that CSR can influence consumer behavior significantly [72, 73]. When brands not only engage in, but also effectively communicate their CSR initiatives through social media, it stimulates consumers to advocate and defend the brand online, thereby enhancing the brand’s reputation and trustworthiness. Furthermore, our research tends to demonstrate the crucial mediating role of HP and BRAD in the relationship between CSR and CBAB. CSR initiatives that promote HP and BRAD subsequently amplify CBAB. This suggests that by strategically aligning CSR activities to generate positive emotions among consumers, brands can substantially enhance the advocacy intentions of consumers.
Similarly, the proposed findings of this research will be helpful for brands in acknowledging the role of ATVL as a significant moderating factor in the CSR-CBAB mechanism. We believe that individuals with strong altruism are more likely to express CBAB when brands actively participate in meaningful CSR activities. Consequently, brands can design their CSR strategies and communications to cater to consumers’ altruistic tendencies, fostering stronger consumer-brand relationships and ultimately fostering their advocacy intentions. More specifically, in the context of the banking sector, our research tends to indicate that CSR-induced CBAB significantly reinforces trust and reputation. In an industry with limited differentiating opportunities, CSR initiatives, by enhancing CBAB, appear to have substantial implications for client acquisition and retention. Furthermore, we propose that a strong CBAB can provide a supportive base during turbulent times, aiding banks in crisis management. Moreover, using social media platforms to disseminate information about CSR initiatives greatly enhances bank perceptions and advocacy. Hence, the proposed findings of this research will be helpful for brands to recognize the value of these platforms as they provide a perfect medium for two-way dialogue with consumers, thereby facilitating the building of stronger relationships.
1.1 Research objectives
The study aims to understand how CSR activities by a brand influence consumers’ advocacy behavior.
The study seeks to investigate the role of HP and BRAD as mediators in the relationship between CSR and consumer advocacy.
The study aims to determine whether ATVL can moderate the influence of CSR on consumer advocacy through the mediating variables of HP and BRAD.
The study plans to contribute to CSR-consumer behavior research in developing countries like Pakistan, acknowledging that CSR can be culturally and contextually specific.
The study intends to look specifically at the banking industry and how CSR-induced consumer advocacy can reinforce trust, reputation, and customer retention in this sector.
The study aims to recognize the role of social media platforms in disseminating information about CSR initiatives and enhancing consumer-brand relationships.
The study aim to fill gaps in the current body of knowledge related to how CSR impacts consumer behavior and the need for emotional considerations in these studies.
This research comprises four sections: literature review, methodology, results, and discussion. The literature review presents relevant studies and hypotheses, while the methodology details data collection processes. The results section covers statistical tests and hypothesis testing. Finally, the discussion compares findings to prior research, discusses implications and limitations, and concludes the study.
2. Literature
Using social identity theory (SIT), we explore the relationship between CSR and CBAB. SIT suggests that social groups, such as banking organizations, can influence individuals’ self-concept [74]. People develop strong associations with groups that share their values, leading them to adopt group beliefs and attitudes for approval and acceptance [75, 76]. CSR activities can prompt consumers to identify with organizations due to their ethical commitments. SIT has been widely used to study human behaviors in response to CSR activities [77, 78] and marketing outcomes [79, 80]. We propose that SIT can explain consumer advocacy intentions for a particular banking organization practicing CSR.
CSR positively influences consumer attitudes, impacting loyalty, purchase likelihood, citizenship behavior, and satisfaction [81, 82]. It encourages extra-role behaviors [83–85], including communicative behavior, where consumers recommend ethical companies to others [86, 87]. The digital age has enhanced company-consumer interactions through social media [88], enabling feedback, product research, and information sharing [89]. Ahmad, Naveed [40] and Chu and Chen [90] emphasize social media’s role in improving CSR communication, consumer loyalty, and positive word-of-mouth. Well-planned CSR activities influence CBAB, as consumers share positive experiences and trust socially responsible organizations, leading to loyalty, repeat purchases, and ethical context sharing on social media. Therefore,
H1: Using social media for CSR communication can positively predict CBAB
Happiness has historically been considered the “highest good” [91], and marketers increasingly focus on consumer happiness for successful brand management [92, 93]. Consumers prefer brands offering emotional experiences [94], and brands connecting emotionally with consumers are more successful [95]. Understanding consumers’ emotions toward brands helps marketers create targeted campaigns [96].
HP, an emotional response toward brands [97], warrants attention. Companies incorporating CSR into their communication strategies adapt better [98]. Socially responsible acts of a business and product/service provenance are increasingly important to consumers [99]. Brands’ CSR communication with stakeholders can connect with diverse audiences [100]. Hamid, Riaz [101] found CSR strategies led to positive social construction and brand development. Happiness Management introduced CSR to foster positive consumer feelings [100, 102]. Adib, Zhang [103] found CSR can increase brand identification and positive emotions. While CSR and product price may have an in-direct correlation [104], emotions can mediate the relationship. Previous studies have discussed the mediating role of emotions [105, 106]. Gupta, Nawaz [39] showed that CSR communication enhances purchase intentions while emotions mediate this relationship. Thus, we propose:
H2: CSR communication on social media by a particular bank positively predicts HP
H3: HP mediates between CSR-related communication on social media and CBABCBAB
CSR-oriented organizations gain relational advantages as consumers feel prestige from purchasing ethical organization [107]. Such organizations engage consumers emotionally [108] and develop positive emotions like admiration. Emotions’ role in shaping consumer behavior is well-documented [109, 110], and CSR fosters positive emotions [87, 111]. Fortune 500’s report shows admired brands are socially responsible [112]. Companies like Google, Disney, and Microsoft are renowned for quality and ethical practices. CSR’s positive link to consumer emotions, for example BRAD, is established in academic literature [39, 113].
Strong consumer emotions resulting from CSR drive CBAB [108]. Emotional attachment to a brand creates strong bonds, and emotions influence advocacy [114]. A Harvard Business Review report highlights the benefits of emotional connections with consumers [115]. From SIT standpoint, a bank’s CSR activities establish admiration and foster a positive image, attracting responsible consumers. CSR creates consumer pride and loyalty, leading to increased advocacy. Given emotions’ potential to drive advocacy, we propose:
H4: A positive association exists between CSR and BRAD
H5: BRAD mediates between CSR and CBAB
Emotions and values are intrinsically linked, influencing each other [116]. They are essential for decision-making and guiding behavior [117]. Appraisal theories of emotion suggest value concerns cause emotions [118]. Emotions intensify when related to individuals’ values [119], leading to increased emotional investment [135]. Personal values shape individual choices, decisions, responses, and actions. The “empathy-altruism hypothesis” [120] posits that those valuing compassion, including benevolence and universalism, exhibit altruism, empathy, and happiness [121]. The moderating role of personal values, like ATVL, in influencing extra-role behavior has been emphasized [122]. Guan, Ahmad [26] validated ATVL’s conditional indirect role in shaping extra-role behavior within a CSR framework. Bigné‐Alcañiz, Currás‐Pérez [123] and Romani, Grappi [106] confirmed AV’s moderating function in consumer-brand relationships and buffering consumer emotions influencing extra-role behavior. As CBAB is an extra-role behavior and personal values buffer the relationship between emotions and extra-role behaviors, we propose the following:
H6: ATVL moderates the path between CSR and CBAB mediated by HP
H7: ATVL moderates the path between CSR and CBAB mediated by BRAD
3. Methods
3.1 Study sector and data collection
The banking services industry in Pakistan was chosen as the focus of this study for two key reasons. Firstly, relative to developed nations, CSR is an evolving concept in Pakistan, where many economic sectors lack a mature CSR framework [79]. Despite this, the banking industry stands out as one of the most significant and innovative sectors, boasting an established CSR structure [124]. Pakistani banks engage in a range of CSR initiatives, such as philanthropy, supporting the disadvantaged, community education, sustainability, and more. Given its mature CSR framework, large customer base, and standardized operations, this sector presents a valuable focus for our research. Secondly, despite possessing a well-defined CSR structure, Pakistani banks actively leverage social media to engage with customers and showcase their CSR efforts [39]. Many banks utilize digital platforms for organizational communication with external communities, including customers. This communication often involves sharing the bank’s CSR efforts for societal and community benefit. Major banks maintain a presence on social media platforms where they engage in dialogue with customers, using these spaces not only for promotional activities but also to foster CSR-related discussions [40].
For our data collection, we selected six leading banks in Pakistan (four conventional and two Islamic). Data were gathered from banking customers in Lahore, the provincial capital of Punjab. We used a purpose-built data collection strategy, focusing on customers as they left bank branches or used ATM services. This approach offered two main advantages: direct interaction with actual banking customers and no disruption to the delivery of banking services. Similar data collection methods have been employed by CSR researchers like Ahmed, Zehou [125] and Sun, Rabbani [124] in the context of banking services. We approached customers at various times of the day, asking them to fill out questionnaires. Screening questions ensured respondents had a basic understanding of CSR, and informed consent forms were provided to assure voluntary participation [126, 127]. With regard to ethical considerations, we adhered to the key principles of the Helsinki Declaration, as recommended by other authors [128–131]. Data collection was carried out from banking customers during November 2022 and January 2023.
3.2 Instrument
Utilizing a paper-pencil approach, we presented banking consumers with a 5-point Likert scale questionnaire, adapting items from reliable sources. Five CSR items were derived from Fatma, Ruiz [132], modifying Brown and Dacin [133] and Klein and Dawar [134] scales for social media. A sample item read, “When I see CSR-related communication of my bank on a social networking website, I feel that this bank is socially responsible.” For HP, we used five items from Fei, Zeng [135], with a sample item being “buying the services of a socially responsible bank (like this) makes me happy.” BRAD was gauged using Sweetman, Spears [136] five-item scale; a sample item being, “I feel admiration when I think about this banking organization.” Melancon, Noble [137] provided the scale for CBAB (four items), with a sample statement being, “I would defend this bank on social media to others if I heard someone speaking poorly about it.” Eight ATVL items were adapted from Schwartz [138] scale, with one item reading, “As a guiding principle in my life, I consider working for the welfare of others.”
The questionnaire’s statements were evaluated by academic and banking experts, and the final version was distributed to consumers upon their endorsement. Anticipating a low response rate, we initially distributed 600 questionnaires. Ultimately, we collected 409 filled questionnaires. After removing 19 invalid cases due to missing information, we identified 390 responses as valid. We distributed the questionnaires directly to customers, engaging them as they exited bank branches or made use of ATM services in densely populated areas of Lahore. This hands-on approach allowed us to instantly address any questions participants might have had, thereby enhancing the credibility of the data collected. Moreover, it ensured that our data collection process did not intrude upon regular banking services. In terms of the ATM locations, we pinpointed areas with high customer traffic in the vicinity of the chosen banks. This strategy was adopted to maximize our chances of interfacing with a diverse customer population that regularly interacts with the banks’ services.
3.3 Social desirability and common method bias
Various theoretical steps were taken to minimize social desirability and common method bias (CMB), such as anonymous surveys and randomized response techniques. With these approaches, participants remained unaware of their specific survey involvement or response. Consequently, they had no motivation to provide answers that portrayed them favorably, as their input could not be traced back to them. Moreover, we clarified to respondents that only sincere responses, without right or wrong, were needed. Additionally, the questionnaire avoided vague statements and minimized respondent fatigue by using short-scale versions. These shorter scales demanded less time and effort, ensuring meaningful responses.
Empirical CMB detection was checked by using Harman’s single-factor test [139], revealing a single factor responsible for about 30% of the variance, which is less than the 50% threshold. This finding implies that the variance stems from diverse factors within the data, rather than one dominant aspect. Thus, no CMB issue was present. Out of the total participants, males accounted for a majority share of 67.18% (262 individuals), whereas females constituted 32.82% (128 individuals). In terms of age demographics, the respondents were divided into five different age groups. The age group with the highest representation was the 26–35 years old bracket, comprising 36.92% of the total respondents. Following this, the age groups of 36–45 and 46–50 years represented 20.51% and 17.70%, respectively. The younger age group of 18–25 years represented a lesser portion, contributing to 11.79%, while the respondents aged above 50 years accounted for the remaining 13.08%. Regarding the educational background of respondents, those holding a graduate degree made up 37.95% (148 individuals), and 35.13% (137 individuals) possessed a master’s degree. Respondents with an intermediate level of education constituted a smaller segment of 12.56% (49 individuals). Those who had an education beyond the master’s degree represented 14.36% (56 individuals) of the total respondents.
4. Results
The study’s data were analyzed through factor analysis on outer items, a method proficient in distinguishing variable structures and their inter-relationships. By examining factor loadings, or the impact of each item on the variable, we confirmed that 24 outer items out of a total of 27 significantly influenced their respective variables, with loadings above the 0.5 threshold. In this respect, we removed two items of ATVL and one item of CBAB due to their week factor loadings. Convergent validity was evaluated by examining the average variance extracted (AVE), providing insight into each variable’s explanatory power. The AVE ranged between 0.556 and 0.730 for ATVL and CBAB, as detailed in Table 1 and Fig 1.
Reliability testing of each variable used Cronbach alpha, Rho_A, and composite reliability values, assessing internal consistency and overall reliability, respectively. All values surpassed the significant 0.7 threshold, exemplified by ATVL’s results of 0.839, 0.842, and 0.882 for Cronbach alpha, Rho_A, and composite reliability, respectively (Table 2).
Correlation analysis showed significant, positive inter-variable relationships, suggesting potential causal connections. ATVL and BRAD had a correlation of 0.547, while ATVL and CBAB showed a value of 0.331. Discriminant validity tests ensured that a variable’s items were unique from all other variables (Table 3). Additionally, Hetrorait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT) results also confirmed that the discriminant validity was significant in all cases (Table 4).
By using structural equation modeling in SMART-PLS software, we tested our hypothesized relationships. This advanced tool, designed for complex data analysis [140–142], confirmed all direct relationships were significant. It validated hypotheses H1, H2, and H4, establishing direct, significant relationships between CSR and CBAB, CSR and HP, and CSR and BRAD. Significant indirect effects were also discovered, with partial mediation between CSR and CBAB via HP and BRAD, implying these mediating factors play a significant role in CSR’s impact on CBAB. This validated that H3 and H5 were statistically significant. Furthermore, the interaction term (CSR x ATVL) held a statistically significant moderating effect on the mediated relationship between CSR and CBAB via HP and BRAD. This confirmed that there is a significant conditional indirect effect of ATVL on the above relationship. Hence H6 and H7 were also significant. Table 5 and Fig 2 summarize these results.
5. Discussion
Empirical analysis reveals that the CSR communication of banking organizations on social networking websites substantially predicts banking consumers’ advocacy intentions. This is in line with previous researchers [90, 143, 144]. This implies that organizations can elevate consumers’ psychology and behavior intentions by sharing CSR activities on social media, fostering support for socially responsible banking organizations. Consumers appreciate and widely share CSR-related information on social media, transforming into advocates and positively impacting the organization’s reputation. In the digital age, consumers increasingly consider the environmental and social impacts of their purchase decisions. Social media platforms enable banking organizations to interact effectively with consumers and facilitate dialogical communication. CSR communications have been emphasized as a way to influence consumers’ extra-role behaviors in the social media era. Transparent and public CSR messages on social media can evoke emotional connections with consumers, leading to loyalty and recommendations. From a social identity perspective, ethical banks’ socially responsible behavior can encourage strong consumer identification. This can result in increased loyalty and long-term success. Our study verifies that CSR-related communication positively affects CBAB.
Our findings also highlight the significance of consumer emotion in shaping CBAB. Higher levels of positive emotions correspond to increased engagement in CBAB. Consequently, emotional states should be considered when designing CSR strategies. HP and BRAD significantly mediate the CSR-CBAB relationship, emphasizing the importance of generating positive consumer experiences on social media, particularly regarding CSR [105, 106, 145]. This can lead to increased consumer advocacy intentions, ultimately benefiting socially responsible organizations. To this end, results indicate that CSR positively influences HP and BRAD of consumers. These findings hold considerable importance for consumer relationship management strategies. Developing long-term emotional relationships is crucial in the digital age. Consumers develop emotional attachments with the banks that prioritize CSR strategies encompassing societal and ecosystem betterment. CSR enhances consumer emotional engagement, resulting in higher HP and BRAD levels for sustainable banking organizations and increasing trust and emotional engagement.
Lastly, AVTL served as a conditionally indirect moderator of CSR-CBAB through HP and BRAD. Altruism-driven personal values positively influence consumers’ emotional state. ATVL conditionally moderates the effect, depending on the CSR-CBAB relationship strength through HP and BRAD. Indeed, emotions intensify when related to an individual’s needs, goals, motives, values, norms, and attachments. These core elements guide behavior and response to external stimuli. CSR actions by banks and consumers’ ATVL create value congruence, buffering consumers’ emotions (such as HP and BRAD). We confirm the conditional indirect effect of AV in this study. Moreover, our analysis identified several key factors within each variable that contribute significantly to CBAB. For instance, within CSR, specific aspects such as environmental responsibility and community outreach seem to have a more potent influence on CBAB. For HP, positive experiences related to personalized interaction and prompt service resolutions are particularly impactful. As for BRAD, aspects like trustworthiness, authenticity, and responsiveness of the brand may be critical in shaping CBAB. Lastly, within AVTL, consumers who value altruistic acts and ethical conduct are more likely to engage in CBAB. Table 6 represents a summary of the key findings.
5.1 Implications for theory
The current research contributes distinct theoretical insights to the existing literature, significantly enriching the knowledge base. First, previous CSR studies in consumers’ psychology and behavior management primarily explored how CSR predicts behavioral intentions like loyalty [46, 47] or brand purchase intentions [48, 146]. However, research on CSR’s influence CBAB remains scarce. CSR-CBAB relationships hold more importance than loyalty or brand preferences, as consumers trust peer recommendations and often purchase recommended products and services. These relationships foster trust between consumers and brands, with consumers more likely to recommend the brand. Despite recent academic debates on CBAB [147, 148], scholars have yet to explore the mechanism how CSR impacts CBAB. We propose that CSR is a crucial factor in influencing consumer behaviors, including CBAB, as it can create positive organizational perceptions, increasing the likelihood of consumers expressing positive opinions through communicative activities, resulting in increased positive word-of-mouth due to CSR orientation of a particular banking organization.
Our second theoretical contribution emphasizes human emotions’ critical role in influencing consumer behavior and psychology. Our research examines human emotions’ mediating role (e.g., HP and BRAD) in explaining how and why CSR influences CBAB in consumers. Though human emotions’ importance in consumers’ psychology and behavior management has been discussed, most CSR-consumer behavior studies are evaluative (cognitive) [149, 150], neglecting emotions. We introduced HP and BRAD to address this knowledge gap and better understand the complex CSR-CBAB relationships among banking consumers.
Third, our research addresses the traditional CRM model’s limitations, criticized for its ineffectiveness in establishing long-term, meaningful relationships with consumers [67, 68]. Traditional CRM focuses on transactional relationships and fails to establish long-term consumer relationships or consider consumer experiences and brand relationships. It also lacks efficiency due to its one-sided communication strategy. We bridge this gap by highlighting social media’s potential role as an effective, interactive communication medium to replace the conventional CRM model. By considering social media (a two-way interactive communication forum), we eliminate the issue of one-sided communication in the conventional CRM model. CSR-related communication on social media helps organizations build effective, long-term relationships with consumers.
Lastly, our research emphasizes CBAB’s importance in the services industry. CBAB benefits organizations of all sizes and industries. However, in the service industry, having consumer brand ambassadors is crucial, as services often don not provide prior experiences or testing, making personal recommendations even more critical [69–71]. Thus, CBAB is particularly relevant to the services industry. Our study highlights CBAB’s crucial role in Pakistan’s banking industry, which faces similar competitive convergence challenges as other countries. Consequently, banking organizations can differentiate themselves from competitors by promoting advocacy behavior among consumers. Despite the widespread belief that consumer brand advocates create various benefits for service providers, literature has not adequately focused on its importance. For banking organizations, understanding these detailed insights can guide their CSR strategy. Prioritizing environmental responsibility and community outreach in their CSR initiatives, providing personalized interactions and prompt service resolution, and building a brand image of trustworthiness and authenticity can significantly elevate CBAB. Also, recognizing the consumer group that values altruism and ethical conduct can further optimize their CSR communication and engagement strategy.
5.2 Implications for practice
Our research imparts valuable insights into the banking sector, yielding three practical findings. Firstly, it is crucial that banks leverage digital platforms to effectively communicate their CSR initiatives, as this significantly influences consumer advocacy intentions. In the competitive landscape of the banking industry, an effective CSR communication strategy can foster positive consumer associations, amplify brand visibility and recognition, and drive consumers to recommend the bank. More so, transparency and social responsibility are highly valued by today’s consumers and stakeholders, translating into increased consumer loyalty and a healthy bottom line for banking organizations. Hence, an effective social media strategy for CSR activities is instrumental in converting consumers into brand advocates, which is far more influential than traditional marketing messages.
Secondly, banks should consider enhancing their Customer Relationship Management (CRM) model by integrating strategies focusing on eliciting positive emotional responses from consumers, such as happiness and brand admiration. An emotional bond can be far more enduring and impactful than transactional relationships. Social media platforms enable direct, two-way communication, allowing for relationship-building and personalized experiences, leading to stronger emotional connections and, thus, customer loyalty. Therefore, a shift towards an emotion-based perspective could yield substantial benefits for banks.
Lastly, our research highlights the importance of understanding consumers as not just loyal customers but also as potential brand advocates who can defend the brand against criticism. Banks should, therefore, strive to make their customers feel valued and appreciated, which can generate positive word-of-mouth and help the brand stand out among competitors. Engaging consumers emotionally through CSR activities is particularly crucial in the service industry, where human dependencies on service delivery surpass those of physical goods.
5.3 Limitations and suggestions for future
Although our research significantly enriches the existing theoretical debate in a unique way and, at the same time, offers different practical insights, it is still not without limitations. Our first potential limitation lies with geographical concentration. We collected data from consumers residing in Lahore. Though important, we feel this geographical concentration may not present the whole country’s consumers’ perspective. We, therefore, suggest including more cities in future studies. Our second limitation lies with the study design. We used a cross-sectional data collection strategy due to time and other constraints. Though this data collection strategy has been employed by many researchers previously, we feel for causal relations, a better strategy would be to opt for a longitudinal study design. Another limitation lies with single industry interventions. In this study, we only considered the banking sector. Other service segments, like hospitality, also face the issue of competitive convergence. Therefore, extending our framework to other industries or producing some comparative analysis will be helpful in the future. Moreover, while our study highlights the effectiveness of social media in promoting CSR initiatives, it does not directly compare this approach with traditional, offline methods of CSR communication. The relative impact of these two communication channels might differ, and a comprehensive comparison might yield significant insights into CSR strategy. We recognize this as a limitation of our study. Future studies might aim to establish a comparative analysis between social media CSR and offline CSR communication methods, thereby expanding upon our findings and providing a further understanding of CSR communication effectiveness in various channels.
6. Conclusion
In summary, social media has transformed the business landscape by offering different benefits, including the ability to engage in dialogic communication with consumers. Social media grants businesses unparalleled access to consumer feedback, fostering agility in product and service development. Furthermore, it provides an opportunity to build relationships with consumers, significantly affecting consumer loyalty. In the digital era, consumers extensively utilize social networking platforms for information, awareness, knowledge, and entertainment. A social media presence allows businesses to interact with consumers in real-time. As sustainability issues gain prominence, consumers increasingly favor socially responsible organizations. Banking organizations can leverage CSR programs by engaging with their consumers. By communicating their CSR initiatives, banking organizations can establish a positive reputation and demonstrate commitment to positively impacting society and ecosystems, attracting more consumers and enhancing loyalty.
Modern businesses need to acknowledge the potential of social media as an interactive communication medium capable of supplanting the conventional one-way CRM communication model. Social media enables direct and prompt interaction with consumers, offering a more personalized experience and facilitating a better understanding of consumer expectations. This fosters stronger relationships with consumers. Social media’s customizable, dialogic, and interactive features empower businesses to emotionally connect with their consumers, leading to a more profound, meaningful bond. Ultimately, a banking organization that converts consumers into brand advocates through CSR strategies and communicates these initiatives via social media can secure a stable competitive edge over competitors.
7. Key recommendations
- ➢ Utilize social media for CSR outreach: The banking industry should harness the power of social media platforms to disseminate CSR efforts, as this strategy has proven to bolster consumer advocacy intentions. These digital platforms offer real-time, interactive communication, helping foster trust and a sense of community around the brand.
- ➢ Emphasize emotional connections: Banks should transition towards an upgraded CRM model that underscores building emotion-centric relationships with consumers, moving away from solely transaction-based ones. This could be realized by comprehending and catering to consumers’ emotional requirements, crafting personalized experiences, and evoking positive emotions via swift service solutions and meaningful exchanges.
- ➢ Involve consumers in CSR endeavors: Banks should strive to engage consumers in their CSR endeavors, as this engagement can amplify consumer emotional involvement and yield higher happiness and brand admiration levels. Such engagement could be made possible through social media platforms, where consumers can actively participate in the bank’s CSR initiatives.
- ➢ Encourage altruism: The banking sector should recognize and value consumers who exhibit altruistic values and ethical behavior. These consumers are more likely to partake in advocacy behaviors, and hence, could be the focus of specific CSR endeavors that resonate with their values.
- ➢ Prioritize environmental responsibility and community engagement: In executing their CSR plans, banks should particularly focus on environmental responsibility and community outreach. These facets of CSR have shown to leave a significant impact on consumer advocacy behavior.
- ➢ Promote transparency: Open and public CSR communications on social media can trigger emotional ties with consumers, paving the way for loyalty and recommendations. As such, banks should prioritize transparency in their CSR disclosures.
- ➢ Foster consumer brand ambassadors: Banks should strive not only for consumer loyalty but also to transform satisfied customers into brand ambassadors. These brand ambassadors can serve as influential marketing assets, promoting and shielding the brand against criticism, thereby bolstering the bank’s reputation. This can be achieved by ensuring consumers feel acknowledged and cherished.
References
- 1. Erkmen E, Hancer M. Building brand relationship for restaurants. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 2019;31(3):1469–87.
- 2. Ro H, Chen P-J. Empowerment in hospitality organizations: Customer orientation and organizational support. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 2011;30(2):422–8.
- 3. Soltani Z, Zareie B, Milani FS, Navimipour NJ. The impact of the customer relationship management on the organization performance. The Journal of High Technology Management Research. 2018;29(2):237–46.
- 4. Yang F, Zhang H. The impact of customer orientation on new product development performance. International Journal of Productivity and Performance Management. 2018;67(3):590–607.
- 5. Prentice C, Dominique-Ferreira S, Ferreira A, Wang XA. The role of memorable experience and emotional intelligence in senior customer loyalty to geriatric hotels. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2022;64:102788.
- 6. Anshari M, Almunawar MN, Lim SA, Al-Mudimigh A. Customer relationship management and big data enabled: Personalization & customization of services. Applied Computing and Informatics. 2019;15(2):94–101.
- 7. Gil-Gomez H, Guerola-Navarro V, Oltra-Badenes R, Lozano-Quilis JA. Customer relationship management: digital transformation and sustainable business model innovation. Economic research-Ekonomska istraživanja. 2020;33(1):2733–50.
- 8. Issock Issock PB, Mpinganjira M, Roberts-Lombard M. Modelling green customer loyalty and positive word of mouth. International Journal of Emerging Markets. 2020;15(3):405–26.
- 9. Sun X, Foscht T, Eisingerich AB. Does educating customers create positive word of mouth? Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2021;62:102638.
- 10. Viswanathan V, Tillmanns S, Krafft M, Asselmann D. Understanding the quality–quantity conundrum of customer referral programs: effects of contribution margin, extraversion, and opinion leadership. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 2018;46(6):1108–32.
- 11. Itani OS, El Haddad R, Kalra A. Exploring the role of extrovert-introvert customers’ personality prototype as a driver of customer engagement: does relationship duration matter? Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2020;53:101980.
- 12. Fang Y-H, Li C-Y, Bhatti ZA. Building brand loyalty and endorsement with brand pages: integration of the lens of affordance and customer-dominant logic. Information Technology & People. 2021;34(2):731–69.
- 13. Jin SV, Ryu E. “I’ll buy what she’s# wearing”: The roles of envy toward and parasocial interaction with influencers in Instagram celebrity-based brand endorsement and social commerce. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2020;55:102121.
- 14.
McCaskill A. Recommendations from friends remain most credible form of advertising among consumers; branded websites are the second-highest-rated form: The Nielsen Group; 2015 [August 01, 2021]. Available from: URL: https://www. nielsen. com/eu/en/press-room/2015/recommendations-from-friends-remain-most-credible-form-of-advertising. html.
- 15. Dunn K, Harness D. Communicating corporate social responsibility in a social world: The effects of company-generated and user-generated social media content on CSR attributions and scepticism. Journal of marketing management. 2018;34(17–18):1503–29.
- 16. Katsikeas C, Leonidou L, Zeriti A. Revisiting international marketing strategy in a digital era. International Marketing Review. 2020;37(3):405–24.
- 17. Terblanche NS. Revisiting the supermarket in-store customer shopping experience. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2018;40:48–59.
- 18. Zhang D, Mahmood A, Ariza-Montes A, Vega-Muñoz A, Ahmad N, Han H, et al. Exploring the impact of corporate social responsibility communication through social media on banking customer e-wom and loyalty in times of crisis. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(9):4739. pmid:33946787
- 19. Gupta S, Nawaz N, Tripathi A, Muneer S, Ahmad N. Using social media as a medium for CSR communication, to induce consumer–brand relationship in the banking sector of a developing economy. Sustainability. 2021;13(7):3700.
- 20. Rasool A, Shah FA, Islam JU. Customer engagement in the digital age: A review and research agenda. Current Opinion in Psychology. 2020;36:96–100. pmid:32599394
- 21. Lin J, Lobo A, Leckie C. The role of benefits and transparency in shaping consumers’ green perceived value, self-brand connection and brand loyalty. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2017;35:133–41.
- 22. Agnihotri R. Social media, customer engagement, and sales organizations: A research agenda. Industrial Marketing Management. 2020;90:291–9.
- 23. Gutierrez A, Punjaisri K, Desai B, Alwi SFS, O’Leary S, Chaiyasoonthorn W, et al. Retailers, don’t ignore me on social media! The importance of consumer-brand interactions in raising purchase intention-Privacy the Achilles heel. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2023;72:103272.
- 24. Cheung ML, Leung WK, Aw EC-X, Koay KY. “I follow what you post!”: The role of social media influencers’ content characteristics in consumers’ online brand-related activities (COBRAs). Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2022;66:102940.
- 25. Honora A, Chih W-H, Wang K-Y. Managing social media recovery: The important role of service recovery transparency in retaining customers. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2022;64:102814.
- 26. Guan X, Ahmad N, Sial MS, Cherian J, Han H. CSR and organizational performance: The role of pro‐environmental behavior and personal values. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. 2022;ahead of print.
- 27. Ahmad N, Ullah Z, Ryu HB, Ariza-Montes A, Han H. From Corporate Social Responsibility to Employee Well-Being: Navigating the Pathway to Sustainable Healthcare. Psychology Research and Behavior Management. 2023:1079–95. pmid:37041962
- 28. Liu Y, Cherian J, Ahmad N, Han H, de Vicente-Lama M, Ariza-Montes A. Internal corporate social responsibility and employee burnout: an employee management perspective from the healthcare sector. Psychology Research and Behavior Management. 2023:283–302. pmid:36761414
- 29. Xu L, Mohammad SJ, Nawaz N, Samad S, Ahmad N, Comite U. The role of CSR for de-carbonization of hospitality sector through employees: A leadership perspective. Sustainability. 2022;14(9):5365.
- 30. Deng Y, Cherian J, Ahmad N, Scholz M, Samad S. Conceptualizing the role of target-specific environmental transformational leadership between corporate social responsibility and pro-environmental behaviors of hospital employees. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(6):3565. pmid:35329253
- 31. Ahmad N, Ullah Z, AlDhaen E, Han H, Scholz M. A CSR perspective to foster employee creativity in the banking sector: The role of work engagement and psychological safety. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2022;67:102968.
- 32. Madanaguli A, Srivastava S, Ferraris A, Dhir A. Corporate social responsibility and sustainability in the tourism sector: A systematic literature review and future outlook. Sustainable Development. 2022;30(3):447–61.
- 33. Kumar S, Baag PK. Impact of size, future earning, and growth to the sustainability performance of US sustainable corporate bonds. International Journal of Business and Economics. 2022;7(1):24.
- 34. Dezi L, Hysa X, Calabrese M, Mercuri F. Open Total Quality Management in the Circular Economy age: a social enterprise perspective through the case of Patagonia. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence. 2022:1–15.
- 35. Chuah SH-W, El-Manstrly D, Tseng M-L, Ramayah T. Sustaining customer engagement behavior through corporate social responsibility: The roles of environmental concern and green trust. Journal of Cleaner Production. 2020;262:121348.
- 36. Blaise H. Top 10: companies committed to reducing carbon footprint Norfolk, UK: Sustainability Magazine,; 2022 [November 13, 2022].
- 37. Kumar V, Kaushal V. Role of customer perceived brand ethicality in inducing engagement in online brand communities. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2023;71:103184.
- 38. Appel G, Grewal L, Hadi R, Stephen AT. The future of social media in marketing. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 2020;48(1):79–95. pmid:32431463
- 39. Gupta S, Nawaz N, Alfalah AA, Naveed RT, Muneer S, Ahmad N. The relationship of CSR communication on social media with consumer purchase intention and brand admiration. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research. 2021;16(5):1217–30.
- 40. Ahmad N, Naveed RT, Scholz M, Irfan M, Usman M, Ahmad I. CSR communication through social media: A litmus test for banking consumers’ loyalty. Sustainability. 2021;13(4):2319.
- 41. Kim M, Lee SM, Choi S, Kim SY. Impact of visual information on online consumer review behavior: Evidence from a hotel booking website. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2021;60:102494.
- 42. Bu Y, Parkinson J, Thaichon P. Influencer marketing: Homophily, customer value co-creation behaviour and purchase intention. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2022;66:102904.
- 43. Cross R, Smith J. Customer bonding: Pathway to lasting customer loyalty: NTC Business Books; 1995.
- 44. Jeon MM, Lee S, Jeong M. Perceived corporate social responsibility and customers’ behaviors in the ridesharing service industry. International Journal of Hospitality Management. 2020;84:102341.
- 45. Chang J-I, Lee C-Y. The effect of service innovation on customer behavioral intention in the Taiwanese insurance sector: the role of word of mouth and corporate social responsibility. Journal of Asia Business Studies. 2020;14(3):341–60.
- 46. Han H, Yu J, Kim W. Environmental corporate social responsibility and the strategy to boost the airline’s image and customer loyalty intentions. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing. 2019;36(3):371–83.
- 47. Ahmad N, Mahmood A, Ariza-Montes A, Han H, Hernández-Perlines F, Araya-Castillo L, et al. Sustainable businesses speak to the heart of consumers: Looking at sustainability with a marketing lens to reap banking consumers’ loyalty. Sustainability. 2021;13(7):3828.
- 48. Achabou MA. The effect of perceived CSR effort on consumer brand preference in the clothing and footwear sector. European Business Review. 2020;32(2):317–47.
- 49. Schreiner M, Fischer T, Riedl R. Impact of content characteristics and emotion on behavioral engagement in social media: literature review and research agenda. Electronic Commerce Research. 2021;21(2):329–45.
- 50.
Travis B. Emotions are the primary driver of our behavior Calafornia, USA: SHRM.org; 2015 [November 16, 2022]. Available from: https://www.shrm.org/hr-today/news/hr-magazine/pages/1115-emotional-intelligence.aspx#:∼:text=The%20average%20person%20has%20more,over%20logic%20and%20rational%20thought.
- 51. Skawińska E. Innovative and socially responsible consumer behaviour in paradigm of Circular economy–a research model. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum Oeconomia. 2019;18(3):83–90.
- 52. Boccia F, Malgeri Manzo R, Covino D. Consumer behavior and corporate social responsibility: An evaluation by a choice experiment. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. 2019;26(1):97–105.
- 53. Kraus S, Cane M, Ribeiro-Soriano D. Does doing good do well? An investigation into the relationship between consumer buying behavior and CSR. Economic Research-Ekonomska Istraživanja. 2022;35(1):584–601.
- 54. Xie C, Bagozzi RP, Grønhaug K. The impact of corporate social responsibility on consumer brand advocacy: The role of moral emotions, attitudes, and individual differences. Journal of Business Research. 2019;95:514–30.
- 55. Glavas A. Corporate social responsibility and organizational psychology: An integrative review. Frontiers in psychology. 2016;7:144. pmid:26909055
- 56. Aguinis H, Glavas A. What we know and don’t know about corporate social responsibility: A review and research agenda. Journal of management. 2012;38(4):932–68.
- 57. Servera-Francés D, Piqueras-Tomás L. The effects of corporate social responsibility on consumer loyalty through consumer perceived value. Economic research-Ekonomska istraživanja. 2019;32(1):66–84.
- 58. Torres CV, Allen MW. Human values and consumer choice in Australia and Brazil. Psicologia: Teoria e Pesquisa. 2009;25:489–97.
- 59. Nikolinakou A, Phua J. Do human values matter for promoting brands on social media? How social media users’ values influence valuable brand‐related activities such as sharing, content creation, and reviews. Journal of Consumer Behaviour. 2020;19(1):13–23.
- 60. Lee J, Cho M. New insights into socially responsible consumers: The role of personal values. International Journal of Consumer Studies. 2019;43(2):123–33.
- 61. Mishra R, Singh RK, Koles B. Consumer decision‐making in Omnichannel retailing: Literature review and future research agenda. International Journal of Consumer Studies. 2021;45(2):147–74.
- 62. Zasuwa G. Do the ends justify the means? How altruistic values moderate consumer responses to corporate social initiatives. Journal of Business Research. 2016;69(9):3714–9.
- 63. Marbach J, Lages C, Nunan D, Ekinci Y. Consumer engagement in online brand communities: the moderating role of personal values. European Journal of Marketing. 2019;53(9):1671–700.
- 64. Chaudhary R. Green human resource management and employee green behavior: an empirical analysis. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. 2020;27(2):630–41.
- 65. Barni D, Danioni F, Benevene P. Teachers’ self-efficacy: The role of personal values and motivations for teaching. Frontiers in psychology. 2019;10:1645. pmid:31354604
- 66. Zou Z, Liu Y, Ahmad N, Sial MS, Badulescu A, Zia-Ud-Din M, et al. What prompts small and medium enterprises to implement CSR? A qualitative insight from an emerging economy. Sustainability. 2021;13(2):952.
- 67. Maklan S, Knox S, Peppard J. Why CRM Failsand How to Fix It. MIT Sloan Management Review. 2011;52(4):77.
- 68. Roy SK. Consequences of customer advocacy. Journal of Strategic Marketing. 2013;21(3):260–76.
- 69. Casaló LV, Flavián C, Guinalíu M. The role of satisfaction and website usability in developing customer loyalty and positive word‐of‐mouth in the e‐banking services. International Journal of Bank Marketing. 2008;26(6):399–417.
- 70. Rajaobelina L, Prom Tep S, Arcand M, Ricard L. The relationship of brand attachment and mobile banking service quality with positive word-of-mouth. Journal of Product & Brand Management. 2021;30(8):1162–75.
- 71. Woodside AG, Bernal PM, Kang B. How Advertising E-Atmospherics Impact Consumer Behaviour: Evidence from True Field Experiments in Hospitality and Tourism. In: Volgger M, Pfister D, editors. Atmospheric Turn in Culture and Tourism: Place, Design and Process Impacts on Customer Behaviour, Marketing and Branding. Advances in Culture, Tourism and Hospitality Research. 16: Emerald Publishing Limited; 2019. p. 319–32.
- 72. Ahmad N, Ahmad A, Siddique I. Responsible Tourism and Hospitality: The Intersection of Altruistic Values, Human Emotions, and Corporate Social Responsibility. Administrative Sciences. 2023;13(4):105.
- 73. Ahmad N, Ullah Z, AlDhaen E, Siddique I. Promoting the advocacy behavior of customers through corporate social responsibility: The role of brand admiration. Business and Society Review. 2023.
- 74. Tajfel H. Social categorization, social identity and social comparison. Differentiation between social group. 1978:61–76.
- 75. Ahmad N, Scholz M, Arshad MZ, Jafri SKA, Sabir RI, Khan WA, et al. The inter-relation of corporate social responsibility at employee level, servant leadership, and innovative work behavior in the time of crisis from the healthcare sector of pakistan. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2021;18(9):4608. pmid:33925322
- 76. Ahmad N, Ullah Z, AlDhaen E, Han H, Ariza-Montes A, Vega-Muñoz A. Fostering advocacy behavior of employees: A corporate social responsibility perspective from the hospitality sector. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022;13:865021. pmid:35572254
- 77. Raza A, Farrukh M, Iqbal MK, Farhan M, Wu Y. Corporate social responsibility and employees’ voluntary pro‐environmental behavior: The role of organizational pride and employee engagement. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. 2021;28(3):1104–16.
- 78. Ahmad N, Ullah Z, AlDhaen E, Han H, Araya-Castillo L, Ariza-Montes A. Fostering Hotel-Employee Creativity Through Micro-Level Corporate Social Responsibility: A Social Identity Theory Perspective. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022;13. pmid:35572307
- 79. Ahmad N, Scholz M, Ullah Z, Arshad MZ, Sabir RI, Khan WA. The nexus of CSR and co-creation: A roadmap towards consumer loyalty. Sustainability. 2021;13(2):523.
- 80. Fatma M, Khan I, Kumar V, Shrivastava AK. Corporate social responsibility and customer-citizenship behaviors: the role of customer–company identification. European Business Review. 2022;34(6):858–75.
- 81. Garcia de Leaniz PM, Rodríguez Del Bosque Rodríguez I. Exploring the antecedents of hotel customer loyalty: A social identity perspective. Journal of Hospitality Marketing & Management. 2015;24(1):1–23.
- 82. Osakwe CN, Yusuf TO. CSR: A roadmap towards customer loyalty. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence. 2021;32(13–14):1424–40.
- 83. Ahmad N, Ullah Z, Arshad MZ, waqas Kamran H, Scholz M, Han H. Relationship between corporate social responsibility at the micro-level and environmental performance: The mediating role of employee pro-environmental behavior and the moderating role of gender. Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2021;27:1138–48.
- 84. Yu H, Shabbir MS, Ahmad N, Ariza-Montes A, Vega-Muñoz A, Han H, et al. A contemporary issue of micro-foundation of CSR, employee pro-environmental behavior, and environmental performance toward energy saving, carbon emission reduction, and recycling. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(10):5380. pmid:34070088
- 85. Molnár E, Mahmood A, Ahmad N, Ikram A, Murtaza SA. The interplay between corporate social responsibility at employee level, ethical leadership, quality of work life and employee pro-environmental behavior: the case of healthcare organizations. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(9):4521. pmid:33923201
- 86. Karaosmanoglu E, Altinigne N, Isiksal DG. CSR motivation and customer extra-role behavior: Moderation of ethical corporate identity. Journal of Business Research. 2016;69(10):4161–7.
- 87. Hur W-M, Moon T-W, Kim H. When does customer CSR perception lead to customer extra-role behaviors? The roles of customer spirituality and emotional brand attachment. Journal of Brand Management. 2020;27(4):421–37.
- 88. Baumöl U, Hollebeek L, Jung R. Dynamics of customer interaction on social media platforms. Electronic Markets. 2016;26(3):199–202.
- 89. Cheng G, Cherian J, Sial MS, Mentel G, Wan P, Álvarez-Otero S, et al. The relationship between csr communication on social media, purchase intention, and e-wom in the banking sector of an emerging economy. Journal of Theoretical and Applied Electronic Commerce Research. 2021;16(4):1025–41.
- 90. Chu SC, Chen HT. Impact of consumers’ corporate social responsibility‐related activities in social media on brand attitude, electronic word‐of‐mouth intention, and purchase intention: A study of Chinese consumer behavior. Journal of Consumer Behaviour. 2019;18(6):453–62.
- 91.
Schnebelen S, Bruhn M. Brands Can Make Consumers Happy! Developement of a Scale to Measure Brand Happiness. Let’s get engaged! Crossing the threshold of marketing’s engagement era: Springer; 2016. p. 341–2.
- 92. Yoshida M, Gordon BS, James JD. Social capital and consumer happiness: toward an alternative explanation of consumer-brand identification. Journal of Brand Management. 2021;28(5):481–94.
- 93. Bruhn M, Schnebelen S. Brand happiness: the searching and finding of the “holy grail” of marketing. Unternehmung: Swiss Journal of Business Research and Practice. 2017;71(4):464.
- 94. Junaid M, Hou F, Hussain K, Kirmani AA. Brand love: the emotional bridge between experience and engagement, generation-M perspective. Journal of Product & Brand Management. 2019;28(2):200–15.
- 95. Akgün AE, Koçoğlu İ, İmamoğlu SZ. An emerging consumer experience: Emotional branding. Procedia-Social and Behavioral Sciences. 2013;99:503–8.
- 96. Tuškej U, Golob U, Podnar K. The role of consumer–brand identification in building brand relationships. Journal of business research. 2013;66(1):53–9.
- 97.
Soscia I. Gratitude, delight, or guilt: The role of consumers’ emotions in predicting postconsumption behaviors. Psychology & Marketing. 2007;24(10):871–94.
- 98. Dutot V, Lacalle Galvez E, Versailles DW. CSR communications strategies through social media and influence on e-reputation. Management Decision. 2016;54(2):363–89.
- 99. Lee C, Lim S-Y. Impact of environmental concern on Image of Internal GSCM practices and consumer purchasing behavior. The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business. 2020;7(6):241–54.
- 100. Castillo-Abdul B, Pérez-Escoda A, Civila S. Social media fostering happiness management: three luxury brands case study on Instagram. Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society. 2022;22(3):491–505.
- 101. Hamid S, Riaz Z, Azeem SMW. Carroll’s dimensions and CSR disclosure: empirical evidence from Pakistan. Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society. 2020;20(3):365–81.
- 102.
United Nations. Happiness should have greater role in development policy–UN Member States USA,: United Nations; 2011 [November 22, 2022]. Available from: https://news.un.org/en/story/2011/07/382052.
- 103. Adib M, Zhang X, A.A.Zaid M, Sahyouni A. Management control system for corporate social responsibility implementation–a stakeholder perspective. Corporate Governance: The International Journal of Business in Society. 2021;21(3):410–32.
- 104. Shao J, Zhang T, Wang H, Tian Y. Corporate Social Responsibility and Consumer Emotional Marketing in Big Data Era: A Mini Literature Review. Frontiers in Psychology. 2022:2483.
- 105. Guzzo RF, Wang X, Abbott J. Corporate social responsibility and individual outcomes: the mediating role of gratitude and compassion at work. Cornell Hospitality Quarterly. 2022;63(3):350–68.
- 106. Romani S, Grappi S, Bagozzi RP. Explaining consumer reactions to corporate social responsibility: The role of gratitude and altruistic values. Journal of business ethics. 2013;114(2):193–206.
- 107. Aljarah A, Emeagwali L, Ibrahim B, Ababneh B. Does corporate social responsibility really increase customer relationship quality? A meta-analytic review. Social Responsibility Journal. 2020;16(1):28–49.
- 108. Castro-González S, Bande B, Fernández-Ferrín P, Kimura T. Corporate social responsibility and consumer advocacy behaviors: The importance of emotions and moral virtues. Journal of cleaner production. 2019;231:846–55.
- 109. Felbermayr A, Nanopoulos A. The role of emotions for the perceived usefulness in online customer reviews. Journal of Interactive Marketing. 2016;36:60–76.
- 110. Ladhari R, Souiden N, Dufour B. The role of emotions in utilitarian service settings: The effects of emotional satisfaction on product perception and behavioral intentions. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2017;34:10–8.
- 111. Pérez A, Rodríguez del Bosque I. An integrative framework to understand how CSR affects customer loyalty through identification, emotions and satisfaction. Journal of Business Ethics. 2015;129(3):571–84.
- 112.
Fortune. World’s Most Admired Companies: Fortune Magazine; 2021 [September 20, 2021]. Available from: https://fortune.com/worlds-most-admired-companies/.
- 113. Park H, Kim S-Y. Consumer empowerment in corporate social responsibility: the effect of participatory CSR on company admiration and word-of-mouth communications. Corporate Communications: An International Journal. 2022;27(2):346–67.
- 114. Franzak F, Makarem S, Jae H. Design benefits, emotional responses, and brand engagement. Journal of Product & Brand Management. 2014;23(1):16–23.
- 115. Lever MW, Elliot S, Joppe M. Exploring destination advocacy behavior in a virtual travel community. Journal of Travel & Tourism Marketing. 2021;38(5):431–43.
- 116. Conte B, Hahnel UJ, Brosch T. From values to emotions: Cognitive appraisal mediates the impact of core values on emotional experience. Emotion. 2022. pmid:35389734
- 117. Kemp EA, Borders AL, Anaza NA, Johnston WJ. The heart in organizational buying: marketers’ understanding of emotions and decision-making of buyers. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing. 2018;33(1):19–28.
- 118. Nelissen RM, Dijker AJ, de Vries NK. Emotions and goals: Assessing relations between values and emotions. Cognition and Emotion. 2007;21(4):902–11.
- 119. Petersen E, Fiske AP, Schubert TW. The role of social relational emotions for human-nature connectedness. Frontiers in psychology. 2019;10:2759. pmid:31920812
- 120. Persson BN, Kajonius PJ. Empathy and universal values explicated by the empathy-altruism hypothesis. The Journal of social psychology. 2016;156(6):610–9. pmid:26885864
- 121. Ardenghi S, Rampoldi G, Bani M, Strepparava MG. Personal values as early predictors of emotional and cognitive empathy among medical students. Current Psychology. 2021:1–9.
- 122. Barbarossa C, De Pelsmacker P, Moons I. Personal values, green self-identity and electric car adoption. Ecological Economics. 2017;140:190–200.
- 123. Bigné‐Alcañiz E, Currás‐Pérez R, Sánchez‐García I. Brand credibility in cause‐related marketing: the moderating role of consumer values. Journal of Product & Brand Management. 2009;18(6):437–47.
- 124. Sun H, Rabbani MR, Ahmad N, Sial MS, Cheng G, Zia-Ud-Din M, et al. CSR, co-creation and green consumer loyalty: Are green banking initiatives important? A moderated mediation approach from an emerging economy. Sustainability. 2020;12(24):10688.
- 125. Ahmed M, Zehou S, Raza SA, Qureshi MA, Yousufi SQ. Impact of CSR and environmental triggers on employee green behavior: The mediating effect of employee well‐being. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management. 2020;27(5):2225–39.
- 126. Adnan M, Ahmad N, Scholz M, Khalique M, Naveed RT, Han H. Impact of substantive staging and communicative staging of sustainable servicescape on behavioral intentions of hotel customers through overall perceived image: A case of boutique hotels. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2021;18(17):9123. pmid:34501713
- 127. Awan K, Ahmad N, Naveed RT, Scholz M, Adnan M, Han H. The impact of work–family enrichment on subjective career success through job engagement: A case of banking sector. Sustainability. 2021;13(16):8872.
- 128. Ullah Z, Shah NA, Khan SS, Ahmad N, Scholz M. Mapping institutional interventions to mitigate suicides: a study of causes and prevention. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2021;18(20):10880. pmid:34682627
- 129. Alam T, Ullah Z, AlDhaen FS, AlDhaen E, Ahmad N, Scholz M. Towards explaining knowledge hiding through relationship conflict, frustration, and irritability: the case of public sector teaching hospitals. Sustainability. 2021;13(22):12598.
- 130. Chen J, Ghardallou W, Comite U, Ahmad N, Ryu HB, Ariza-Montes A, et al. Managing Hospital Employees’ Burnout through Transformational Leadership: The Role of Resilience, Role Clarity, and Intrinsic Motivation. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(17):10941. pmid:36078657
- 131. Peng J, Samad S, Comite U, Ahmad N, Han H, Ariza-Montes A, et al. Environmentally specific servant leadership and employees’ Energy-specific pro-environmental behavior: Evidence from healthcare sector of a developing economy. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. 2022;19(13):7641. pmid:35805297
- 132. Fatma M, Ruiz AP, Khan I, Rahman Z. The effect of CSR engagement on eWOM on social media. International Journal of Organizational Analysis. 2020;28(4):941–56.
- 133. Brown TJ, Dacin PA. The company and the product: Corporate associations and consumer product responses. Journal of marketing. 1997;61(1):68–84.
- 134. Klein J, Dawar N. Corporate social responsibility and consumers’ attributions and brand evaluations in a product–harm crisis. International Journal of research in Marketing. 2004;21(3):203–17.
- 135. Fei S, Zeng J-Y, Jin C-H. The Role of Consumer’Social Capital on Ethical Consumption and Consumer Happiness. SAGE Open. 2022;12(2):21582440221095026.
- 136. Sweetman J, Spears R, Livingstone AG, Manstead AS. Admiration regulates social hierarchy: Antecedents, dispositions, and effects on intergroup behavior. Journal of experimental social psychology. 2013;49(3):534–42. pmid:23690651
- 137. Melancon JP, Noble SM, Noble CH. Managing rewards to enhance relational worth. Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science. 2011;39(3):341–62.
- 138. Schwartz SH. Universals in the content and structure of values: Theoretical advances and empirical tests in 20 countries. Advances in experimental social psychology. 25: Elsevier; 1992. p. 1–65.
- 139. Harman HH. Modern factor analysis: University of Chicago press; 1976.
- 140. Fu Q, Cherian J, Ahmad N, Scholz M, Samad S, Comite U. An inclusive leadership framework to foster employee creativity in the healthcare sector: the role of psychological safety and polychronicity. International journal of environmental research and public health. 2022;19(8):4519. pmid:35457388
- 141. Guo M, Ahmad N, Adnan M, Scholz M, Naveed RT. The relationship of CSR and employee creativity in the hotel sector: The mediating role of job autonomy. Sustainability. 2021;13(18):10032.
- 142. Murtaza SA, Mahmood A, Saleem S, Ahmad N, Sharif MS, Molnár E. Proposing stewardship theory as an alternate to explain the relationship between CSR and Employees’ pro-environmental behavior. Sustainability. 2021;13(15):8558.
- 143. Saldivar R, Zolfagharian M. An empirical examination of consumer CSR expectations: attribution, satisfaction, referral, and willingness to pay a premium. Journal of Marketing Management. 2022;38(7–8):800–29.
- 144. Badenes‐Rocha A, Bigne E, Ruiz C. Impact of cause‐related marketing on consumer advocacy and cause participation: A causal model based on self‐reports and eye‐tracking measures. Psychology & Marketing. 2022;39(1):214–26.
- 145. Kim J, Park T. How corporate social responsibility (CSR) saves a company: The role of gratitude in buffering vindictive consumer behavior from product failures. Journal of Business Research. 2020;117:461–72.
- 146. Kumar A, Prakash G, Kumar G. Does environmentally responsible purchase intention matter for consumers? A predictive sustainable model developed through an empirical study. Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services. 2021;58:102270.
- 147. Moliner MÁ, Monferrer-Tirado D, Estrada-Guillén M. Consequences of customer engagement and customer self-brand connection. Journal of Services Marketing. 2018.
- 148. Hollebeek L, Rather RA. Service innovativeness and tourism customer outcomes. International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management. 2019;31(11):4227–46.
- 149. Islam T, Islam R, Pitafi AH, Xiaobei L, Rehmani M, Irfan M, et al. The impact of corporate social responsibility on customer loyalty: The mediating role of corporate reputation, customer satisfaction, and trust. Sustainable Production and Consumption. 2021;25:123–35.
- 150. Kataria S, Saini VK, Sharma AK, Yadav R, Kohli H. An integrative approach to the nexus of brand loyalty and corporate social responsibility. International Review on Public and Nonprofit Marketing. 2021;18(3):361–85.