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The Triple Pathway to Loyalty: Understanding How Banks’ Corporate Social Responsibility Influences Customers via Moral Identity, Service Quality, and Relationship Quality

Author

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  • Yun-Chan Yen

    (Institute of China and Asia-Pacific Studies, National Sun Yat-sen University, Kaohsiung 804201, Taiwan)

  • Shih-Chih Chen

    (Department of Information Management, National Kaohsiung University of Science and Technology, Kaohsiung 824005, Taiwan)

Abstract

This study aims to explore the mechanisms through which corporate social responsibility (CSR) impacts customer loyalty in the banking sector, focusing on the mediating effects of consumer moral identity (CMI), perceived service quality (PSQ), and relationship quality (RQ). Based on Social Identity Theory and Stakeholder Theory, a theoretical model integrating CSR, CMI, PSQ, RQ, and customer loyalty was constructed and empirically tested using the PLS-SEM method. Data were collected through an online survey, yielding 338 valid samples. Analysis of the data revealed that CSR significantly positively affected CMI, PSQ, and RQ, indicating that the fulfillment of social responsibilities by banks enhances consumers’ moral identity, perceived service quality, and relationship quality. Additionally, CMI, PSQ, and RQ significantly positively influenced customer loyalty, with RQ showing the most prominent effect. Furthermore, CSR also had a significant indirect effect on customer loyalty through CMI, PSQ, and RQ. In terms of practical implications, this study suggests that the banking industry should regard CSR as a crucial strategy for winning customer loyalty, actively engage in CSR activities, and integrate CSR concepts into branding, service, and customer relationship management. Moreover, banks should also focus on enhancing CMI, PSQ, and RQ as critical pathways through which CSR influences customer loyalty. The theoretical significance of this research lies in: (1) expanding the theoretical perspectives on how CSR affects customer responses, addressing the limitations of previous studies that focused predominantly on direct effects or a single mediator; (2) examining the role of CMI in the banking context, enriching the research on CSR and consumer moral identity; and (3) revealing the mechanisms of CSR’s effect in the unique service context of the banking industry.

Suggested Citation

  • Yun-Chan Yen & Shih-Chih Chen, 2025. "The Triple Pathway to Loyalty: Understanding How Banks’ Corporate Social Responsibility Influences Customers via Moral Identity, Service Quality, and Relationship Quality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-28, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:17:y:2025:i:7:p:3220-:d:1628193
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