Journal of Public Relations Research

Kim, Katie Haejung; Xu, Hao; Rim, Hyejoon

2023 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2023.2215886

The current study examines the effects of a bottom-up CSR approach, as compared to a top-down CSR approach, on consumer publics’ evaluation of CSR practices. By applying dialogic communication as a theoretical lens, this study also investigates the mediating effects of perceived dialogic organizational – employee communication in such relationships. Through a between-subject online experiment, the results showed that when a CSR program was implemented with a bottom-up approach (vs. a top-down approach), consumer publics perceived a higher level of organization – employee dialogic communication. Such perception, in turn, results in consumer publics’ favorable attitude toward the company, purchase intentions, and supportive behavioral intentions of CSR practices. In addition, the positive effects of the bottom-up CSR approach on consumer publics’ corporate evaluations via the mediation of perceived dialogic organization – employee communication were greater for individuals with higher levels of corporate distrust than those with lower levels of corporate distrust. The study extends our understanding of the value of dialogic communication in public relations and CSR communication.

Yao, Hui-Chung; Ling, I-Ling; Liu, Chihyi; Liao, Jun-Fang

2023 Journal of Public Relations Research

doi: 10.1080/1062726X.2023.2215989

This study investigates how disclosure type and disclosure time have impacts on organizational reputation when medical negligence occurs and whether the mechanism of concealment intention and offensiveness attribution serially mediates the relationship between stealing thunder and organizational reputation. The study also explores the moderating effects of an organizational/industrial history of crisis concealment. Based on three scenario-based experiments, the results demonstrate that, compared to a media disclosure, the self-disclosure effect elicits lower concealment intention and higher organizational reputation. The longer the disclosure time, the higher the concealment intention and the lower the organizational reputation. The findings also show that the effect of disclosure type on organizational reputation is mediated serially by concealment intention and offensiveness attribution. In addition, for hospitals with an organizational history of crisis concealment, the effect of stealing thunder on concealment intention and organizational reputation was weaker. Further, under an industrial history of crisis concealment, the public perceived lower concealment intention and higher organizational reputation when the media disclosed the current crisis case.