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Justified by ideology: Why conservatives care less about corporate social irresponsibility
Journal
Journal of Business Research
ISSN
0148-2963
Type
journal article
Date Issued
2020-06
Author(s)
Abstract (De)
We examine the cognitive and motivational process underlying the effect of consumers’ conservatism on their corporate social responsibility (CSR) perceptions of irresponsible versus responsible companies. Building on political psychology and system justification theory, we identify and test market system justification (MSJ) as a motivated social cognition underlying ideological differences in CSR perceptions and reactions. Using four empirical studies, we find that the relatively high MSJ of conservatives (compared to that of liberals) results in less critical CSR perceptions of irresponsible companies and, thus, in less penalizing reactions. Moreover, we find that conservatism influences CSR perceptions of irresponsible companies more strongly than of responsible companies because MSJ affects only perceptions of market behaviors that threaten notions of fair markets (i.e., low CSR). The results improve predictions of consumers’ perceptions and reactions to responsible and irresponsible companies.
Language
English
HSG Classification
contribution to scientific community
HSG Profile Area
None
Refereed
Yes
Publisher
Elsevier
Number
114
Start page
290
End page
303
Pages
14
Subject(s)
Division(s)
Eprints ID
260123