Socially Irresponsible Corporations and Choices of Consumers: Altruism, Retaliation, or Demand for Reparation?

In this study we investigate consumersi¯ perceptions regarding corporate social irresponsibility (CSiR), perceived betrayal, and punishment behaviors (altruistic, retaliatory and demand for reparation behavior). This article examined empirically the relationship between CSiR and punishment behaviors with perceived betrayal as a moderator via PLS-SEM and PROCESS. The results supported three main hypotheses (a) consumersi¯ CSiR perception positively predicted their altruistic, retaliatory and demand for reparation behaviors as well as feelings of perceived betrayal; (b) Consumersi¯ feelings of perceived betrayal positively influenced their altruistic, retaliatory and demand for reparations behaviors; (c) Consumersi¯ feelings of perceived betrayal mediated the relationship between CSiR and punishment behaviors. Findings suggest that once consumers perceived CSiR events, they tend to perform punishment behaviors to penalize socially irresponsible corporations.