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We’re All in This Together: Legitimacy and Coronavirus-Oriented CSR Messaging

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  • Nicholas Browning

    (The Media School, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA)

  • Ejae Lee

    (The Media School, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA)

  • Sung Hyun Lee

    (The Media School, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA)

  • Sung-Un Yang

    (The Media School, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405, USA)

Abstract

This study investigates how legitimization strategies embedded in CSR messages related to the COVID-19 pandemic influenced multidimensional stakeholder assessments of reputation. The results of this 3 × 2 × 2 experimental survey, which manipulated pragmatic and moral legitimacy using three conditions (self- vs. other- vs. both-oriented messaging); substantive and symbolic management (informative vs. uninformative content); and popularization and standardization approaches (leadership vs. followership), indicate that popularization strategies communicated substantively and standardization strategies communicated symbolically generally yield the greatest reputational gains. More nuanced findings from three-way interaction effects are further discussed, with an emphasis on the role of double-sided messages seeking to simultaneously establish pragmatic and moral legitimacy.

Suggested Citation

  • Nicholas Browning & Ejae Lee & Sung Hyun Lee & Sung-Un Yang, 2022. "We’re All in This Together: Legitimacy and Coronavirus-Oriented CSR Messaging," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(5), pages 1-38, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:14:y:2022:i:5:p:2534-:d:755877
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