The impact of four CSR dimensions on a gaming company’s image and customers’ revisit intentions

• Published in: International journal of hospitality management Vol. 61; pp. 73 - 81
• Main Authors: Kim, Jungsun (Sunny), Song, HakJun, Lee, Choong-Ki, Lee, Jin Young
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.02.2017
• Subjects: Casino; Corporate image; Corporate social responsibility; Legitimacy theory; Revisit intentions; Social performance model; Stakeholder theory; Social performance model; Corporate social responsibility; Revisit intentions; Casino; Corporate image; Stakeholder theory; Legitimacy theory
• ISSN: 0278-4319; 1873-4693
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhm.2016.11.005

•This study investigated the effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on corporate image (CI) and customers’ behavioral intentions (i.e., revisit intentions) (BI) in the gaming industry.•Ethical CSR had the strongest direct impact on CI, followed by economic and philanthropic CSR.•Only philanthropic CSR had a significant and direct effect on BI.•CI mediated the relationship between three types of CSR (i.e., ethical, economic, and philanthropic) and BI.•This study contributes to the literature by empirically examining the role of CSR in a controversial industry. The purpose of this study is to investigate whether perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives affect casino customers’ corporate image as well as the customers’ behavioral intentions (i.e., revisit intentions), through the lens of Carroll’s corporate social performance model, stakeholder theory, and legitimacy theory. This study also examines the mediating effect of corporate image on the relationship between perceived CSR and behavioral intentions. An onsite survey was conducted with 596 casino customers in South Korea. The results revealed that ethical CSR had the strongest impact on corporate image, followed by economic and philanthropic CSR. Only philanthropic CSR had a significant and direct effect on behavioral intentions. Corporate image mediated the relationship between three types of CSR (ethical, economic, and philanthropic) and behavioral intentions. Companies can benefit from these findings by understanding how specific CSR initiatives can enhance corporate image and increase customer retention. This study advances the emerging field of CSR in the gaming industry.