Delivering warmth and expediting love: just-in-time CSR in the midst of COVID-19 mega disruption

Abstract

Purpose This study aims to move beyond the current understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR) to propose the concept of just-in-time (JIT) CSR as a metaphor that reflects hospitality operators’ endeavors to expedite socially responsible measures to both internal and external organizational stakeholders during times when functional and emotional supports are urgently needed. Design/methodology/approach This research used a qualitative approach in two studies. Study 1 engaged a media analysis to better grasp the knowledge of the research problem at hand. Study 2 involved interviews from stakeholders to assess their emotions and perceptions of meanings of major contents discerned from the first study. Findings This research highlights a process in which operators’ CSR practices (e.g. for business practices, for organizational strategy and for stakeholder well-being) during the COVID-19 crisis are imbued with connotative meanings (e.g. place-as-safety, place-as-partnership and place-as-warmth) that ultimately give shape to three core outcomes (e.g. individual rejoinder, brand resonance and societal resilience). Research limitations/implications While JIT CSR is not an antidote for all devastations caused by COVID-19, it is posited as a needed mechanism that operators could use to ameliorate the situation and to go beyond their own stake to bring a broader array of societal benefits to humanity. Originality/value This research underscores how hospitality operators expedite crisis responses to the pandemic, and how their societal objectives transform the image of a place from a commercial venue into a place imbued with meaning associated with safety, partnership and warmth.

COVID-19 two years on: a review of COVID-19-related empirical research in major tourism and hospitality journals

“…learning, resilience) (Bhaskara and Filimonau, 2021; Schwaiger et al , 2022) and entrepreneurs’ and managers’ reactions (Bonfanti et al , 2021; Heredia-Colaco and Rodrigues, 2021) were explored. CSR strategies were studied as COVID-19 reaction actions by some researchers (Lin et al , 2021; Ou et al , 2021).…”

From teamwork to psychological well-being and job performance: the role of CSR in the workplace

“…Thus, from a practical perspective, hospitality organizations should develop and implement employee-oriented CSR policies by considering employees as internal customers who receive benefits from the CSR policies. Practically, hospitality organizations can hold regular virtual meetings and events that let frontline employees know how each frontline employee can care about other colleagues with direct interactions with customers along with how CSR policies can give frontline employees assurance about protecting all frontline employees from COVID-19 and supporting their frontline employees and family members who are exposed to COVID-19 (Lin et al , 2021). Comfortable and supportive working environments lead employees to feel happy and satisfied with their jobs even in the era of COVID-19, which in turn enhances their task performance and business performance in the long-term (Lin et al , 2021).…”

The role of knowledge sharing in hotel newcomer socialization: a formal intervention program

“…Newcomer orientation refers to “formal and informal processes through which new employees acquire critical information about the job environment in the early stages of their tenure on the job” (Raub et al , 2021, p. 2). It is the first and most important place for managers to convey organizational culture and key principles to employees (O'Neill and Adya, 2007; Lin et al , 2021).…”