The effect of bad reputation: The occurrence of crisis, corporate social responsibility, and perceptions of hypocrisy and attitudes toward a company

• Main Authors: KyuJin SHIM, YANG, Sung-Un
• Format: text
• Language: English
• Published: Institutional Knowledge at Singapore Management University 2016
• Subjects: corporate hypocrisy; corporate social responsibility; corporate citizenship; corporate reputation; corporate crisis; CSR history; CSR motives; Business and Corporate Communications; Business Law, Public Responsibility, and Ethics
• Online Access: https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/lkcsb_research/4930; https://ink.library.smu.edu.sg/context/lkcsb_research/article/5929/viewcontent/P_ID_51370_EffectBadReputation_2016_afv.pdf
• Institution: Singapore Management University

Based on attribution theory, this study examines how corporate social responsibility (CSR) and media coverage of corporate reputation, crisis, and CSR history affect the attribution of corporate hypocrisy and subsequently shape attitudes toward a company. The study found that perceptions of corporate hypocrisy mediated corporate reputation and attitudes toward a company during a crisis. The study suggested that CSR might be utilized best when a company has a good reputation with no crisis, whereas corporate hypocrisy is perceived most when a bad reputation and/or a company crisis lead the public to infer ulterior motives in CSR. Theoretical and practical implications for corporate communication and effective CSR communication strategies are discussed.