Buffer or Backfire? Effects of Corporate Social Responsibility Activities in Organizational Crises

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities can help an organization to build a favorable reputation; such thereby serve as buffer in times of crisis. However, research also suggests that these backfire and reinforce the reputational damage caused by crisis because they lead elevated expectations among stakeholders. Drawing on prior buffering effects, this study examines possible moderating effects type severity. Two experiments show CSR positively affect perceptions company’s affective image. In crisis, image boost indeed serves victim preventable (contrary our expectations). case very severe company engages matching field corporate is perceived more negatively.