The current study aims to suggest a modified pyramid of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in the airline industry and find the moderating effects of consumer’s CSR experience (CSRE). Although previous studies proved the positive effects of CSR, there are surprisingly few research studies that incorporate Carroll’s fundamental CSR and specific issues of environmental responsibility in the airline industry as the integrated model. Thus, we suggest an alternative perspective of CSR, which can apply exclusively in the airline industry. Second, the moderating role of CSRE is demonstrated in a critical manner. To be specific, we hypothesize that sharing the same experience of altruistic motives may increase intimacy between the company and consumers, which affects a positive CSR evaluation. Therefore, consumers sharing the CSRE may perceive the CSR initiative more positively when compared to those who were not involved in the CSR programs before. By using the structural equation model (SEM) and ordinary least square (OLS) regression, we examined the effects of the modified pyramid of CSR on the corporate image (CI) and the moderating role of CSRE on customer loyalty (CL). The findings suggest that airline managers should consider environmental responsibility in CSR activities and design a variety of programs that should be designed to enhance consumers’ CSRE.

This study aims to take another look at corporate social responsibility (CSR) dimensions in airline industries and identify the moderating effects of socio-economic characteristics on customer loyalty. We applied Carroll’s four CSR dimensions and reorganized economic and legal responsibilities under ‘required CSR’ and philanthropic and environmental responsibilities under ‘desired CSR’. The current study reveals that customer loyalty increased when customers perceived airlines to be practicing desired CSR, but not for required CSR. However, this effect varies depending on the expected moderator of socio-economic variables. Regarding required CSR, customers with higher levels of either income or formal education showed increased customer loyalty. However, for desired CSR, only customers with higher levels of education showed significantly increased customer loyalty. Thus, the research findings imply that in order to effectively deliver CSR strategies, airline CSR initiatives also need to take into consideration the socio-economic levels of targeted consumers.

In this research, we explore the role of social identity and threats to social identity on consumers’ judgment and behavioural intention about electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) on Facebook. Study 1 shows that sharing social identity with a Facebook friend increases perceptions of usefulness and behavioural intention to adopt eWOM. However, when a threat to social identity is posed, these positive effects are eliminated. Study 2 reveals an opposite condition wherein a threat to social identity results in associative responses to eWOM. When the social identity is perceived as impermeable (vs. permeable), threats that are posed toward the social identity increase perceived eWOM usefulness and adoption intention. eWOM source identification is revealed as an underlying mechanism explaining this relationship. Theoretical and managerial implications of these findings are discussed.