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This study extends previous research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) by including the mediating role of corporate brand pride and self-brand connection from a relationship quality perspective. Based on the theoretical foundation of social identity theory, four hypotheses were established and tested using structural equation modeling. Data from 609 banking customers in Korea were collected via online questionnaire surveys. The results revealed the following: (1) Customers' perceptions of CSR are significant in enhancing customer citizenship behaviors. (2) Corporate brand pride mediates the positive relationship between customers' perceptions of CSR and customer citizenship behaviors. (3) Self-brand connection mediates the positive relationship between customers' perceptions of CSR and customer citizenship behaviors.(4) Serial multiple mediation of corporate brand pride and self-brand connection exist between customers' perceptions of CSR and customer citizenship behaviors. These results identified the mediating process related to the relationship quality between customers' perceptions of CSR and customer citizenship behavior.

The present study examines the effect of the emotional exhaustion associated with salespersons’ job insecurity on their sleep (i.e., insomnia symptoms). We identified two types of formal organizational control systems (i.e., outcome-based and behavior-based controls) as boundary conditions that strengthen/weaken the positive relationship between job insecurity and emotional exhaustion. To test this moderating effect, we collected online panel surveys from 187 Korean salespersons at two time points, which were separated by three months. Like our predictions, the positive relationship between job insecurity and negative sleep quality (i.e., insomnia symptoms) was found to be mediated by emotional exhaustion. We further found a significant three-way interaction between job insecurity, outcome-based control, and behavior-based control, which is mediated by emotional exhaustion, indicating that the positive relationship between job insecurity and emotional exhaustion was strongest when the outcome-based control and behavior-based control of salespersons were high and low, respectively. The indirect effect of the emotional exhaustion associated with job insecurity on sleep quality was also weakest when the outcome-based control and behavior-based control were both high. These results provide theoretical and practical implications for managing employees in job insecurity contexts.

COVID-19 is bringing changes in B2B sales and marketing strategies. Digital interaction with potential customers has become more critical. Business-reference content (BRC) is the most shared content, mainly using narrative format, available to potential customers through digital touchpoints. Reducing perceived purchasing risk has been recognized as the primary benefit of using BRC, but empirical research on this has been insufficient. Therefore, this research investigated the underlying mechanisms of BRC and related processes that lower risk perception based on narrative transportation theory. For empirical analysis, a serial-parallel mediating model was established in which BRC type (narrative versus non-narrative) influences purchase intention through the mediation of narrative transportation and perceived purchase risks – functional risk and financial risk. In this experimental study, an online survey was conducted in which 233 purchasing managers in Korean companies participated. The analysis confirmed that the BRC type had a significant effect on the level of receivers’ narrative transportation. In addition, serial-parallel mediating effects through narrative transportation (primary mediator) and perceived functional risk and perceived financial risk (secondary mediators) were all significant. This research provides meaningful implications in that it broadens the theoretical understanding of BRC by presenting the integrated BRC effect model. Also, it clarifies the importance of narrative BRC in B2B marketing practices.

PurposeCustomer co-creation behaviors significantly affect a firm's performance and sustainable growth. This study tested the mediating role of corporate reputation in the relationship between corporate hypocrisy and two types of customer co-creation behaviors: customer citizenship behavior and customer participation behavior. The study also investigated the moderating effect of self-corporate brand connection on the corporate hypocrisy–corporate reputation relationship and the indirect relationship between corporate hypocrisy and customer co-creation behavior through corporate reputation.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conducted a two-wave research survey with 346 Korean bank customers and tested our hypotheses using PROCESS Macro.FindingsCorporate reputation mediated the relationship between corporate hypocrisy and customer citizenship/participant behavior. The negative effect of corporate hypocrisy on corporate reputation was more pronounced when self-corporate brand connection was high. Self-corporate brand connection further moderated the indirect effect of corporate hypocrisy on customer citizenship/participant behavior through corporate reputation.Originality/valueThe results clearly explain how corporate hypocrisy affects customer co-creation behavior. This study advances corporate hypocrisy and corporate reputation research by proposing and verifying a moderated mediation model.