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Corporate Social Responsibility and Brand Community Engagement: Dual Mediating Role of Brand and Community Identifications in the Chinese Decor Industry

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Abstract

Despite a plethora of studies on how corporate social responsibility (CSR) generates favorable consumer outcomes, the existing literature provides limited insights about how CSR may affect inter-consumer connection and brand community engagement. Enhancing consumer engagement in the brand community is one of the key marketing objectives for strengthening the brand-consumer relationship. This study aims to explore the role of corporate social responsibility in enhancing brand community engagement and examines the dual mediating role of brand identification and community identification. Quantitative research was conducted and an adapted questionnaire was used. Survey data were collected from 405 Chinese consumers, and structural equational modeling was used to test the hypothesis. Results demonstrated that CSR motivates consumers to engage with the brand community. Further, brand identification and community identification perform the role of partial mediators.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Management, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China

    Moazzam Abbas

  2. Leadership and Management Studies, National Defence University, Islamabad, Pakistan

    Zubair Nawaz

  3. School of Applied Psychology, Social Work and Policy, Universiti Utara Malaysia, Kedah, Malaysia

    Andeela Sahar Fatima

Authors
  1. Moazzam Abbas
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  2. Zubair Nawaz
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  3. Andeela Sahar Fatima
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Contributions

Moazzam Abbas: Writing, Conceptualization, Data Curation, Software, Validation and Methodology. Zubair Nawaz: Writing, Review and Editing, Analysis and Interpretation, Supervision. Andeela Sahar Fatima: Writing, Review and Editing, Data collection, Analysis and Interpretation.

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Correspondence to Zubair Nawaz.

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Appendix: Questionnaire

Appendix: Questionnaire

Items

Source

Corporate social responsibility 企业社会责任

The brand is committed to well-defined ethics principles

该品牌具备明确的道德原则。

Stanaland et al. (2011)

The brand ensures that its employees act in a legal manner

该品牌确保其员工以合法的方式行事。

The brand plans for its long-term success as well as society’s

该品牌为其长期成果和社会成功做了规划。

The brand plays a role in our society that goes beyond the mere generation of profits

该品牌在社会中扮演的角色不仅仅是创造利润。

Brand identification 品牌识别

I will tell others that I am proud to be a customer of this brand

我会告诉其他人, 我很自豪能成为这个品牌的客户。

Kang et al. (2015)

I feel good to be a customer of this brand

作为这个品牌的客户, 我感觉很好。

This brand fits me well

这个品牌很适合我。

Brand community identification品牌社区认同

 

I will tell others that I am proud to be a customer of this brand

我认为自己是品牌社区的一部分。

Algesheimer et al. (2005)

I feel good to be a customer of this brand

我非常喜欢这个社区。

This brand fits me well

我与品牌社区成员之间的友谊对我来说意义重大。

Brand community engagement品牌社区参与

I am motivated to participate in the brand community’s activities because I feel better afterwards

我有参与品牌社区活动的动力, 因为事后感觉良好。

Algesheimer et al. (2005), Baldus et al. (2015)

I am motivated to participate in the brand community’s activities because I am able to support other members

我有参与品牌社区活动的动力, 因为能支持其他成员。

I am motivated to participate in the brand community’s activities because I am able to reach personal goals

我有参与品牌社区活动的动力, 因为能实现个人目标。

Being part of this brand community makes me feel more connected to the brand

成为这个品牌社区的一员, 让我觉得自己与这个品牌的联系更加紧密。

I feel that I can freely share my interests in the brand community

我觉得我可以在品牌社区里自由分享我的兴趣。

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Abbas, M., Nawaz, Z. & Fatima, A.S. Corporate Social Responsibility and Brand Community Engagement: Dual Mediating Role of Brand and Community Identifications in the Chinese Decor Industry. Fudan J. Hum. Soc. Sci. 17, 51–72 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40647-023-00390-0

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