When an organization violates public expectations: A comparative analysis of sustainability communication for corporate and nonprofit organizations

Abstract Applying the expectancy violation theory (EVT) to the sustainability communication context, the main purpose of the study was to explore how publics respond to an organization whose sustainable development diverges from public expectation. Specifically, this study investigated how the violating behaviors of both for-profit and nonprofit organizations influence public evaluations toward the organizations. A 2 (organization: corporation vs. nonprofit) X 2 (sustainability activity: positive vs. negative) X 2 (altruistic motive: high vs. low) between-subjects randomized experimental study was employed to address the role of publics’ attribution of organization motives in generating the expectancy violation. The results reveal that positive and negative expectancy violation, rather than positive and negative expectancy conformity, leads to more significant effects on evaluations about organizations (i.e., credibility, attitude, and supportive behavioral intention), while expectancy violation effects vary by the organization type.