Impacts of CSR autonomy, self-expressiveness and hedonic value of CSR activity on guest citizenship and hotel brand preference

Abstract

Recruiting guests to participate in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities during a vacation presents a dilemma for hotel managers – will such requests spoil a holiday? The study is significant because of increased investment by hotels in CSR activities and greater inclusion of hotel guests in CSR activities. We extend psychological wellbeing theory to evaluate the relative importance of CSR autonomy in enhancing guest engagement. A scenario based on a guest’s return to an actual hotel recently visited was designed and a convenience sample of 249 survey respondents analyzed using structural equation modeling. While hedonic value of the CSR activity provided the greatest effect on brand preference, both self-expressiveness and CSR autonomy significantly impacted brand preference. Effects for all constructs were mediated through cocreated citizenship behavior. The study has substantial theoretical implications for scholars and practical implications for CSR marketing communication campaigns to guests conducted by hotel managers and non-governmental organizations.