CSR communication and media channel choice in the hospitality and tourism industry

Despite extensive research on corporate engagement in corporate social responsibility (CSR), studies on CSR communication in the hospitality and tourism industry are scarce. Deepening this line of research is necessary to understand properly the real effects of CSR communication on consumers' attitudinal and behavioral responses to companies. In this paper, we test a causal model of CSR communication for this industry based on the hierarchy-of-effects framework. Based on attribution theory, we also explore whether media channel choice affects consumers' perceptions, attitudes, and behavioral intentions in the model. Performing an ANOVA test and multisampling structural equation modeling (SEM), we test our model of CSR communication with two samples that receive the same CSR information about a restaurant chain through a controlled media channel (i.e., corporate website) and a media channel that is uncontrolled by the company (i.e., online newspaper). We collected data from 226 and 240 participants, respectively. The findings suggest that the conceptual model is consistent across the two samples, although the media channel choice significantly affects the strength of several relationships in the model. While consumer?company identification is a stronger mediator in consumers' responses to the CSR message when read in the newspaper, trust is more important for consumers when they evaluate the corporate website. Nevertheless, both media channels report good business returns to the company in terms of consumers' purchase and advocacy intentions. These findings have relevant implications for hospitality and tourism companies, promoting the incorporation of both controlled and uncontrolled media channels into integrated marketing communication strategies

Information specificity, social topic awareness and message authenticity in CSR communication

This paper explores how companies can improve consumer attitudes towards Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) messages and companies by designing the content of the message, which should provide specific information and improve social topic awareness among consumers. The paper also explores the mediating role of message authenticity between the CSR message content and consumer attitudes towards the information and the company

Market reactions to CSR news in different industries

Purpose- Based on the premises of the institutional theory, in this paper we explore the effects that media coverage of positive and negative Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) news have on the stock market value of companies in diverse industries. Design/methodology/approach - Using a sample of 195 online articles published in the most important Spanish business newspaper, we implement an event study and a regression analysis. Findings - The findings show that positive and negative CSR news usually have significant impacts on the stock market value of companies. Specifically, the market reaction is stronger under the announcement of negative news in all industries (i.e., basic, energy, finance and goods and services) although positive news also cause significant positive stock market reactions in the finance and basic industries. Originality/value - Although the media plays an indispensable role in the dialogue around CSR, much of the research focused on the role of the media on the CSR-CFP link does not consider how the industry variable can affect the abnormal stock returns derived from CSR news. This research contributes to this gap in literature by exploring the differences that exist in the stock market reactions to CSR news based on the industry in which the companies operate

CSR communication on Facebook: attitude towards the company and intention to share

This paper aims to analysis the factors that explain the effectiveness of a corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication on Facebook by a hospitality company. Taking the affect transfer hypothesis (ATH) model as a basis, the influence of beliefs about the company (attributions and corporate image) is studied and variables related to the receiver (environmental consciousness and identification with the territory) as direct antecedents of the improvement of the attitude towards the company and attitude towards the post, which influence the intention to share the information

The development of entrepreneurial alertness in undergraduate students

Purpose. The main goal of this work is to argue the theoretical validity of two competitive models that integrate entrepreneurial alertness in the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), and also to propose an explanation for the conceptual approach with a higher explicative ability. Design/Methodology/Approach. A total of 281 undergraduate students participated in the survey, and the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling and competitive models. Findings. The research shows it is possible to defend and test two competing TPB models with entrepreneurial alertness (EA), which alerts other field researchers to consider more than one possibility. The model showing the impact EA has on attitude toward the behavior (ATB) and perceived behavioral control (PBC), as well as the model showing the impact of ATB and PBC on EA are both valid. The shared characteristic of the sample may explain a higher predictive power in the first model. Research limitations/implications. Research limitations/implications. The sample was limited to undergraduate students of one university. Practical implications. For educators and policymakers, these results highlight the need to include content related to EA in entrepreneurship education programs since it could trigger the entrepreneurial process. Originality/value. The paper is the first of its kind to demonstrate competing arguments for the role of EA in TPB

Atribuciones y emociones hacia la publicidad de responsabilidad social corporativa

La comunicación de la Responsabilidad Social Corporativa (RSC) por parte de las empresas sigue siendo un reto, por el escepticismo que puede generar en la audiencia. En esta línea, este estudio analiza los antecedentes y consecuencias de la actitud hacia un anuncio de RSC. Específicamente, diseñamos un modelo causal que incluye la reputación ética previa de las empresas, el conjunto de posibles atribuciones ligadas al anuncio y la mezcla de emociones generadas por el mismo. Encuestamos a 255 adultos que valoraron un anuncio ficticio de entidades financieras con distinta reputación ética relativo a una acción de filantropía corporativa. Como resultado, el anuncio genera un conjunto de atribuciones intrínsecas y extrínsecas, así emociones positivas y negativas, siendo la reputación previa de las empresas un antecedente de la efectividad de la comunicación. Además, una valoración positiva del anuncio tiene recompensas, en términos de mejora de la actitud hacia la marca y comportamiento del consumidor.CSR communication remains a challenge, because of the potential skepcticism that can provoke in audience. This research study tries to contribute to the literature, analysing the antecedents and consequences of attitudes towards a CSR advertisement. Specifically, we designed a causal model which included the prior ethical reputation, the range of possible attributions, and the mix of emotions provoked by the advertisement. We surveyed 225 adults who evaluated a fictitious advertisement for companies of different ethical reputations, conveying a philanthropic cause. As a result, it was observed that the advertisement generates a mix of intrinsic and extrinsic attributions and a mix of positive and negative emotions, and the prior ethical reputation of the company is a key antecedent of the effectiveness of the communication. Furthermore, a good attitude towards the advertisement has rewards, in terms of improvement of attitudes towards the brand and behavioural intentions

La relevancia de las partes interesadas, las noticias positivas de RSC y el valor de mercado de los bancos

ABSTRACT. This research explores the effects that media coverage of corporate social responsibility (CSR) news related to investor, customer, employee and community issues has on the market value of Spanish banks, measured as the impact generated in abnormal returns for these companies. We use an event study with a sample of 190 positive CSR articles published online between 2015 and 2018 in the most important Spanish business newspaper according to its diffusion rate. The findings demonstrate that positive CSR news related to investor, customer, employee and community issues generates positive abnormal returns for listed banks. In the [−1,+1] window, positive investor news has notably larger effects on the abnormal returns for these companies than positive news related to customer, employee and community issues, which have similar effects.RESUMEN. Esta investigación explora los efectos que la coberturamediática de las noticias de responsabilidad social corporativa (RSC), relacionadas con temáticas de inversores, clientes, empleados y sociedad, tiene sobre el valor de mercado de los bancos españoles, medido este indicador como el impacto generado en los retornos anormales de estas empresas en el mercado de valores. Para cumplir con este objetivo, utilizamos un estudio de eventos con una muestra de 190 artículos de RSC publicados entre 2015 y 2018 en la versión online del periódico económico español más importante según su tasa de difusión. Los resultados demuestran que las noticias de RSC relacionadas con temáticas de inversores, clientes, empleados y sociedad generan retornos anormales positivos para los bancos que cotizan en bolsa. En la ventana [–1,+1], las noticias positivas para los inversores tienen efectos notablemente mayores sobre los retornos anormales de estas empresas que las noticias positivas relacionadas con temáticas de clientes, empleados y sociedad, que tienen efectos similares

Smart services and equity of smart tourism destinations: analysis from the perspective of the residents

Los destinos son considerados marcas que deben gestionarse adecuadamente para aumentar, no sólo la llegada de turistas, sino también la calidad de vida de los residentes. El valor de marca juega un papel importante en el logro de tales objetivos. Simultáneamente, la integración de las TIC en el territorio ha llevado al concepto de "destinos inteligentes". En este contexto, el objetivo del trabajo es desarrollar un modelo de valor de los destinos inteligentes desde la perspectiva de los residentes (actor clave de los destinos ya que proyectan su imagen e influyen en la experiencia turística). En particular, nuestro modelo incluye servicios inteligentes relacionados con seguridad, salud, patrimonio, movilidad y medio ambiente. Nuestros resultados confirman que el valor del destino inteligente está formado por el reconocimiento, imagen, calidad percibida y lealtad. Además, los servicios de seguridad, medio ambiente y movilidad son los principales antecedentes del valor del destino inteligente.Tourist destinations are increasingly considered as brands that need to be managed to increase not only the arrivals of tourists, but also the quality-of-life of residents. Thus, brand equity plays an important role in the achievement of those objectives. Simultaneously, the integration of ICT has leaded to the concept of “smart tourist destinations”. With this in mind, the main goal of our paper is to develop a model of smart destination equity from the point of view of residents (i.e. a key stakeholder of tourist destinations since they project the image of their places and influence the tourist experience). In particular, our model includes smart services linked to safety, health, heritage, mobility, and environment. Our results confirm that smart destination equity is formed by awareness, image, perceived quality, and loyalty. In addition, smart services related to safety, the environment and mobility are the main factors influencing smart destination equity