Shadows of Corporate Social Responsibility: An Experimental Study on Intensity, Motives, and Legitimacy in Organizational Reputation

The study examines when and how corporate social responsibility (CSR) intensity (high vs. low) leads to higher perceived organizational reputation. Drawing on stakeholder theory, the study also theorizes the mediating role of perceived organizational legitimacy and the moderating role of CSR motives (strategic vs. altruistic). Two studies, using a 2 × 2 between-subject experimental design, are empirically tested using analysis of variance and Process macro moderated mediation analysis. Findings affirm that high CSR intensity leads to higher perceived organizational reputation via perceived organizational legitimacy. Additionally, the study demonstrates that altruistic CSR motives significantly strengthen the relationship between CSR intensity and positive stakeholder perceptions, compared with strategically driven motives. This finding offers essential empirical evidence regarding the impact of CSR implementation, shedding light on the psychological processes that stakeholders engage in when evaluating an organization's legitimacy and reputation. By focusing on how these cognitive assessments are formed, the research deepens our understanding of the nuanced role CSR motives play in shaping stakeholder perceptions.