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The Role of Company-Cause Fit and Company Involvement in Consumer Responses to CSR Initiatives: A Meta-Analytic Review

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  • Grzegorz Zasuwa

    (Department of Economics and Management, Faculty of Social Sciences, The John Paul II Catholic University of Lublin, al. Racławickie 14, 20-950 Lublin, Poland)

Abstract

The marketing literature suggests that company-cause fit is of key importance to developing a successful socially responsible initiative. However, controversy exists regarding the level of this fit. While some studies report that high fit between a company and a cause has beneficial effects on consumer responses to such efforts, other research identifies negative impacts. This paper aims to obtain a deeper insight into this issue by examining the moderating role of company involvement in a cause. A meta-analysis of 51 experimental studies, yielding a total sample size of 11,335 subjects, shows that company-cause fit influences consumer responses to CSR initiatives most positively when a company with a positive reputation is highly involved in a cause, that is, when the company donates at least products. If such a company provides its beneficiary with only monetary contributions (i.e., low involvement), the effects of fit are significantly less influential.

Suggested Citation

  • Grzegorz Zasuwa, 2017. "The Role of Company-Cause Fit and Company Involvement in Consumer Responses to CSR Initiatives: A Meta-Analytic Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-16, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:9:y:2017:i:6:p:1016-:d:101320
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    References listed on IDEAS

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