Recruiting With Ethics in An Online Era Integrating Corporate Social

Journal of Vocational Behavior 109 (2018) 101–117
Contents lists available at ScienceDirect
Journal of Vocational Behavior

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jvb
Recruiting with ethics in an online era: Integrating corporate social

T
responsibility with social media to predict organizational
attractiveness
Casher D. Belindaa, , James W. Westermanb, Shawn M. Bergmanc
⁎
a
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Kenan-Flagler Business School, Campus Box 3490, McColl Building, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3490, USA
b
Appalachian State University, Department of Management, ASU Box 32089, Boone, NC 28608-2089, USA
c
Appalachian State University, Department of Psychology, Boone, NC 28608, USA
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Keywords: Job seekers are beginning to place greater emphasis on the contributions organizations make to
Organizational attractiveness society before deciding where to work (Nielsen, 2014). In the present research, role theory,
Corporate social responsibility media richness theory, and theories employed in the organizational attractiveness literature were
Social networking sites integrated to examine the impact of employers' online advertisement of different types of cor-
Personality
porate social responsibility (CSR) on organizational attractiveness. Mock corporate websites and
Recruitment
Facebook profiles were created and presented to a sample of 850 United States business pro-
fessionals. Organizations advertising philanthropic or environmental CSR were perceived to be
more socially responsible than organizations advertising economic or legal CSR. With the ex-
ception of environmental CSR, the advertisement of all types of CSR resulted in more positive
global CSR perceptions when presented on a Facebook profile in addition to a corporate website.
In turn, global CSR perceptions were positively related to organizational attractiveness, and the
joint effects of CSR information and presentation medium on organizational attractiveness op-
erated through individuals' global CSR perceptions. Conscientiousness was also positively related
to organizational attractiveness, in part due to individuals' global CSR perceptions.
1. Introduction
In order to attract high-quality applicants with pro-social values, organizations committed to improving society need to know how
to effectively communicate their social responsibility initiatives. Initiatives of this type fall under the umbrella of corporate social
responsibility (CSR), which refers to “context-specific organizational actions and policies that take into account stakeholders' ex-
pectations and the triple bottom line of economic, social, and environmental performance” (Aguinis, 2011, p. 855). Due to the
growing rate at which web-based sources are being used to communicate CSR (Basil & Erlandson, 2008), there is a need to understand
how online displays of CSR impact corporate image and recruitment outcomes.
Recent consulting and communications reports highlight the need for research inspecting the link between CSR, the web and
social media, and recruitment. For instance, Nielson's (2014) Doing Well by Doing Good Study found that 67% of consumers would
prefer to work for a socially responsible organization. Cone Communications' (2017) CSR Study further illustrates that 74% of
Corresponding author.
⁎
E-mail addresses: Casher_Belinda@kenan-flagler.unc.edu (C.D. Belinda), westermanjw@appstate.edu (J.W. Westerman),

bergmans@appstate.edu (S.M. Bergman).
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jvb.2018.10.001
Received 11 November 2017; Received in revised form 23 September 2018; Accepted 1 October 2018
Available online 04 October 2018
0001-8791/ © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
C.D. Belinda et al. Journal of Vocational Behavior 109 (2018) 101–117
Figure 1. Conceptual model.
Americans remain skeptical about whether organizations are striving to be socially responsible until they “hear information about
positive efforts,” with 79% of the individuals in this sample indicating that they are “more likely to believe a company's CSR
commitments” if the company “shares their efforts along multiple channels” (p. 29). Moreover, Jobvite's (2016) Job Seeker Nation
Study found that 48% of job seekers used social media in their most recent job search, 59% of whom used social media to learn about
prospective employers' company culture. These findings imply that job seekers frequently evaluate organizations based on the in-
formation they present online, particularly with respect to their CSR initiatives.
Yet, consulting reports also show that many employers treat CSR as a peripheral concern. Deloitte (2018) found that whereas 77%
of 11,000 business leaders believe CSR is important, only 18% of the individuals in this sample consider CSR a core part of their
corporate strategy. Thus, despite empirical research noting the pervasiveness with which online recruitment sources are being used to
generate human capital (e.g., Frasca & Edwards, 2017), a substantial number of organizations, including genuine corporate citizens,
may fail to advertise CSR in a manner that attracts applicants who (a) share their pro-social values and (b) are intrinsically motivated
to help them improve on multiple dimensions of organizational performance (i.e., the triple bottom line).
The present research aims to shed light on when and how the online advertisement of CSR helps organizations attract a high-
performance workforce – a core objective of employers who embrace the web as a mechanism for building sustainability into their
business strategy and, in particular, their human resource management (HRM) strategy (Ehnert, 2009). Specifically, we empirically
examine whether global CSR perceptions serve as a mechanism through which the advertisement of CSR on corporate websites and
social networking sites (SNSs) is related to organizational attractiveness. Further, we utilize Carroll's (1991) four-pillar con-
ceptualization of CSR (i.e., philanthropic, environmental, economic, or legal) to examine whether global CSR perceptions and or-
ganizational attractiveness vary as a function of CSR type. Figure 1 illustrates our conceptual model, which addresses three main
areas of inquiry:
1. What type of CSR content, when presented online, has the most positive impact on an organization's image and attractiveness?
2. Is there a benefit to communicating CSR via SNSs, beyond the traditional website?
3. Do individuals who are attracted to socially responsible organizations possess the attributes necessary to contribute to a high-
performance workforce?
By providing a theoretical and empirical foundation for the relationships in Figure 1, the present research makes the following
contributions. First, we apply role theory to explain why individuals' perceptions of CSR initiatives may vary as a function of CSR
type, providing a novel account of how individual-level expectations may impact the fidelity of organization-level recruitment
practices. Second, we employ media richness theory to illustrate how SNSs might enhance the effects of viewing CSR information on
global CSR perceptions, in turn leading to higher levels of organizational attractiveness. Third, we contribute to the organizational
attractiveness literature by illustrating how signaling theory and social and organizational identity theory can be integrated to
explain the link between global CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness. Fourth, we examine whether global CSR per-
ceptions are one reason why conscientious individuals, who tend to be high performers (Dudley, Orvis, Lebiecki, & Cortina, 2006),
are attracted to organizations. Finally, our research makes an important empirical contribution by using a between-subjects design to
test the relationships in Figure 1. Specifically, we created mock corporate websites and Facebook profiles for a pseudo security
company, Guardsend Security, and assigned individuals to conditions in which they viewed philanthropic, environmental, economic,
legal, or no CSR information on either (a) a corporate website or (b) a corporate website and Facebook profile. Below, we provide a
brief review of the literature on CSR in an online context prior to detailing our theory and hypotheses.
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1.1. Online CSR: A review of the empirical literature
As web-based social networking and recruiting are relatively recent phenomena, research addressing the effects of online displays
of CSR is sparse. Most studies investigating online displays of CSR are based on content analysis (Moreno & Capriotti, 2009), and
provide insight with regard to (a) commonly advertised CSR content and (b) the manner in which CSR content is typically conveyed.
For example, Moreno and Capriotti (2009) assessed the degree of online CSR content organizations often present, how CSR content is
typically formatted, and where CSR content is commonly located on corporate websites. The authors found that employers frequently
utilize the web to advertise CSR, but that online CSR content has a narrow focus and is rarely supported by external criteria. Similarly,
Ott, Wang, and Bortree (2016) found that, although a majority of for-profit organizations have sustainability-oriented landing pages,
fewer than 40% of organizations quantify the online sustainability information they report.
Research on the association between organizations' online presence and recruitment outcomes has also remained relatively broad,
with most studies centering on which features of recruitment websites influence organizational image perceptions (e.g., Walker,
Feild, Giles, Bernerth, & Short, 2011) and organizational attractiveness (e.g., Allen, Biggane, Pitts, Otondo, & Van Scotter, 2013;
Cober, Brown, Levy, Cober, & Keeping, 2003; Williamson, Lepak, & King, 2003). Allen et al. (2013) compared the effects of website
content (e.g., amount of information, information specificity), design (e.g., ease of use, reading difficulty), and communication
features (e.g., cue variety, personal focus), and found that communication features explained the most variance in individuals'
organization-directed attitudes and job pursuit intentions. Similarly, Cober et al. (2003) compared the effects of different types of
website content (i.e., information pertaining to compensation, culture, and development) and stylistic features (i.e., aesthetics and
usability), and found that website usability and information pertaining to organizational culture explained the most variance in job
pursuit intentions. Williamson et al. (2003) manipulated whether corporate websites had a recruitment or selection focus and found
that recruitment-oriented websites were more attractive than websites geared toward pre-screening applicants.
A more germane and recent attempt to examine the relationship between online CSR content and organizational attractiveness is
an exploratory study by Jones, Willness, and Madey (2014) that used three mock corporate websites, each advertising a pro-com-
munity initiative, pro-environment initiative, or neither. The authors found that organizational attractiveness perceptions were
highest among potential applicants who viewed websites containing CSR information, and that individual factors mediated this
relationship. Specifically, Jones et al. (2014) found that online displays of CSR influenced individuals' perceptions of organizational
attractiveness through (a) their perceived value fit with the organization and (b) the pride they anticipated experiencing if they were
to work for the organization. Although Jones, Willness, and Heller (2016) conducted a follow-up study that largely confirmed the
results of Jones et al. (2014), research has yet to illustrate how different mediums (e.g., corporate websites versus SNSs) or types of
CSR information influence the recruitment outcomes associated with online displays of CSR. This is a prevalent issue, as many
organizations that communicate CSR through online sources, including Fortune 500 companies, do so in a manner that is ineffective
and that fails to enhance employer-stakeholder relationships (Gomez & Chalmeta, 2011).
1.2. CSR type and global CSR perceptions
Role theory is particularly insightful with respect to why organizations that perform some social responsibilities, rather than
others, might be perceived as more socially responsible. Specifically, role theory contends that a role is “a set of standards, de-
scriptions, norms, or concepts held (by anyone) for the behaviors of a person or position” (Biddle & Thomas, 1966, pp. 11–12).
Organizations, as with any person or position, are subject to sets of standards and norms for their behavior (i.e., role expectations;
Biddle, 1986; Biddle & Thomas, 1966). Thus, although role theory is predominantly applied at a micro level – to explain individual
roles, such as teacher (Merton, 1957) or police officer (Linton, 1936; Turner, 2001) – or a macro level – to explain the roles of states
and nations, such as in research on international relations (Backman, 1970; Walker, 2017) and foreign policy (Cantir & Kaarbo, 2012;
Holsti, 1970) – it can also be applied at a meso level – to explain organizational roles, such as corporate citizen, employer, or lobbyist.
For instance, whereas attending to consumer preferences is a common role expectation of service employees (Solomon,
Surprenant, Czepiel, & Gutman, 1985) and providing job opportunities is a common role expectation of employers, fulfilling various
social responsibilities is a core role expectation of corporate citizens. Although employer and corporate citizen are roles commonly
played by organizations, role expectations differ in strength (Biddle, 1986; Biddle & Thomas, 1966). Thus, service employees may
have a stronger role expectation to attend to consumer preferences rather than to consistently display positive affect. Likewise, the
fulfillment of some social responsibilities (e.g., philanthropic responsibilities), rather than others (e.g., economic responsibilities),
might lead to a greater increase in the degree to which an organization is perceived to be upholding its role as a corporate citizen.
Although discrepancies may exist between individuals' beliefs regarding what it means for an organization to be a corporate
citizen, turning a profit (and thus gaining the capacity to make a positive contribution to the economy) and upholding the law are
fundamental expectations of socially responsible organizations (Carroll, 1979, 1991; Carroll & Shabana, 2010). In turn, generating
financial capital and abiding by various forms of legislation form a baseline that organizations must meet to be corporate citizens, and
failing to fulfill these social responsibilities can prevent organizations from maintaining a positive image. However, consistently
achieving a net gain and obeying the law are widespread expectations of organizations (Carroll, 1979, 1991; Carroll & Shabana,
2010). Exceeding these responsibilities (by generating surplus capital or maintaining a clean legal record for an extended period of
time) is unlikely to lead to a substantial increase in individuals' perceptions of the degree to which an organization is socially
responsible. Philanthropic and environmental initiatives, on the other hand, are discretionary forms of CSR (Carroll, 1979, 1991;
Carroll & Shabana, 2010; Jones et al., 2014; Jones et al., 2016). When an organization engages in discretionary forms of CSR, the
organization will appear to be exceeding social expectations (i.e., to be excelling at its role as a corporate citizen [Carroll, 1991;
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Carroll & Shabana, 2010]). Thus, absent bankruptcy and legal transgressions, knowledge of an organization's discretionary CSR
initiatives (e.g., charitable fundraisers, community waste cleanup) should contribute more positively to organizational image per-
ceptions than knowledge of an organization's history of fulfilling more basic social responsibilities, such as bolstering the wellbeing of
the economy or obeying the law.
Hypothesis 1. The advertisement of philanthropic or environmental CSR is associated with a greater increase in global CSR
perceptions than the advertisement of economic or legal CSR.
1.3. Presentation medium: A salient boundary condition
Perceptions of the degree to which an organization is socially responsible are also likely to depend on how an organization
communicates CSR information. Specifically, information is processed differently depending on the amount of information available
and the richness of that information (i.e., the capacity for information to carry a particular message; Daft & Lengel, 1984). In-
formation richness is a function of (a) the type of medium (e.g., face-to-face, written) and number of mediums through which
information is presented, (b) the channels (e.g., audio, visual) and number of cues through which information is presented, (c)
whether or not information is personal or impersonal, and (d) whether or not information is associated with opportunities to attain
immediate feedback (Daft & Lengel, 1984, 1986; Daft, Lengel, & Trevino, 1987). Information presented through multiple, personal
mediums and channels, and which provides opportunities for timely feedback, is richer than information that does not.
Because rich information has a greater capacity for shared understanding – due to its ability to decrease message uncertainty and
equivocality (Daft & Lengel, 1984, 1986) – it is important for organizations to consider how they communicate their CSR initiatives.
Otherwise, CSR information might be misinterpreted, and may reduce individuals' perceptions of the extent to which an organization
is socially responsible. For example, Jones et al. (2016) found that some potential job candidates perceived organizations that
advertised CSR initiatives on their corporate website to be less attractive than those that did not. The authors attributed this finding to
applicants' skepticism regarding whether or not the CSR-advertising organizations in their study were indeed socially responsible.
Similarly, Donia and Tetrault Sirsly (2016) theorized that CSR initiatives perceived as peripheral (i.e., symbolic or self-serving) are
likely to dampen positive employee attitudes. These examples depict how an organization that is sincerely devoted to being a good
corporate citizen, but which ineffectively communicates its CSR initiatives, might undeservedly be interpreted as self-serving and
socially irresponsible.
A recent study by Frasca and Edwards (2017) suggests that organizations might be able to reduce the equivocality associated with
the advertisement of their CSR initiatives by communicating CSR via Facebook in addition to a corporate website. Namely, Frasca and
Edwards (2017) found that individuals perceived Facebook to be of significantly higher information richness, and to be a significantly
more credible source of information, relative to corporate websites. The authors attributed these findings to Facebook's ability to
provide more information, more personalized information, and more opportunities for two-way communication (i.e., feedback) than
corporate websites (Frasca & Edwards, 2017). Further, Frasca and Edwards found that information richness increased organizational
attractiveness by bolstering perceptions of credibility. These findings suggest that CSR information that might be perceived as
equivocal or superficial when only presented on a corporate website might become clearer, appear more credible, and carry a more
positive message when also communicated via richer information channels (e.g., SNSs). However, this effect should only occur for
organizations that do, in fact, use the web to advertise CSR. Simply having a Facebook profile in addition to a corporate website, but
with no CSR information, is unlikely to make an organization appear more socially responsible. Thus, we argue that presentation
medium should moderate the effect of online CSR information on global CSR perceptions such that global CSR perceptions are more
positive when individuals view CSR information on a social networking site in addition to a corporate website.
Hypothesis 2. CSR information will have a more positive association with global CSR perceptions when advertised via a social
networking site in addition to a corporate website.
1.4. Global CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness
In addition to research which suggests that individuals' perceptions of CSR are likely to vary depending on the type of CSR an
organization conveys and how it is presented, several studies support the notion that CSR perceptions should be positively related to
organizational attractiveness (Albinger & Freeman, 2000; Jones et al., 2014; Jones et al., 2016; Turban & Greening, 1997). Fur-
thermore, the relationship between CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness should be stronger than the relationship be-
tween an organization's engagement in CSR-related activities and organizational attractiveness, the latter of which has been the sole
focus of empirical research. That is, individuals must process CSR information before judging whether it makes an organization
attractive, implying that CSR perceptions are more proximal to organizational attractiveness than an organization's engagement in
CSR-related activities.
Research has primarily relied on signaling theory (Rynes, Bretz, & Gerhart, 1991; Rynes & Miller, 1983; Spence, 1973), social
identity theory (Ashforth & Mael, 1989; Tajfel & Turner, 1985), and organizational identity theory (Mael & Ashforth, 1992) to argue
in favor of a positive relationship between an organization's engagement in CSR-related activities and organizational attractiveness.
Signaling theory was developed to explain (a) how applicants' signal their value to employers in order to increase their employment
opportunities (e.g., by attaining a college degree) and (b) how employers interpret applicants' signals, in the absence of complete
information about applicants, to determine whether or not hiring an applicant would be a worthy investment (Spence, 1973).
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However, signaling theory has frequently been applied in the opposite direction (i.e., to explain how applicants interpret organi-
zational signals, such as when determining whether or not an organization would be an attractive place to work; Connelly, Certo,
Ireland, & Reutzel, 2011; Rynes et al., 1991; Turban, 2001). CSR initiatives are additional signals that job seekers consider, and may
interpret favorably, when making organizational attractiveness judgments (Albinger & Freeman, 2000; Jones et al., 2014; Jones et al.,
2016; Turban & Greening, 1997).
Similar to signaling theory, social identity theory contends that individuals seek to create and maintain a positive self-concept by
associating themselves with groups or categories they believe hold positive value (Ashforth & Mael, 1989; Tajfel & Turner, 1985).
Whether or not an individual achieves a positive social identity, then, is a function of the value they associate with being an in-group
member of certain groups or categories. Organizational identity theory is an extension of social identity theory, where organizational
identification is defined as the “perception of oneness with or belongingness to an organization” (Mael & Ashforth, 1992, p. 104). In
the context of CSR research, both social and organizational identity theory have been used to explain why potential job applicants
desire to identify with, and in turn are more likely to be more attracted to, socially responsible organizations (Albinger & Freeman,
2000; Jones et al., 2014; Jones et al., 2016; Turban & Greening, 1997). Based on signaling theory and social and organizational
identity theory, we argue that global CSR perceptions should bear a strong, positive relationship with organizational attractiveness
because (a) socially responsible organizations signal to potential applicants that organizational membership will enhance their ability
to make a positive contribution to society and (b) potential applicants believe that making a positive contribution to society will
enhance their self-concept.
Hypothesis 3. Global CSR perceptions are positively related to organizational attractiveness.
Thus far we have argued that different types of CSR initiatives should enhance individuals' global CSR perceptions to the extent
that they signal that an organization is meeting or exceeding the role expectations associated with being a corporate citizen. We have
also argued that richer media strengthen the connection between the advertisement of CSR and global CSR perceptions because rich
information facilitates unequivocal communication (Daft & Lengel, 1984, 1986) and the perceived credibility of the message being
communicated (Frasca & Edwards, 2017). Third, we have argued that an increase in global CSR perceptions should be mirrored by an
increase in organizational attractiveness because working for a socially responsible organization provides an opportunity for in-
dividuals to enhance their self-concept.
Putting these pieces together, we argue that individuals must process CSR information (i.e., develop global CSR perceptions)
before making judgments about the extent to which CSR-related activities make an organization more or less attractive. This implies
that global CSR perceptions may be a more proximal mechanism through which organizations' CSR initiatives impact organizational
attractiveness than the other psychological mechanisms examined in past research, such as person-organization fit (Kim & Park,
2011), justice perceptions (Joo, Moon, & Choi, 2016), and the anticipated pride associated with working for the organization of
interest (Jones et al., 2014). For instance, individuals are likely to assess the validity of a message (e.g., whether they believe an
organization's advertisement of CSR truly reflects its CSR activities) before considering what the message means for them (e.g.,
whether they would be proud to work for a socially responsible organization). Building on this line of reasoning and integrating our
previous hypotheses, we argue that global CSR perceptions transmit the differential effects of CSR type and presentation medium on
organizational attractiveness.
Hypothesis 4. The advertisement of philanthropic or environmental CSR is associated with a greater increase in organizational
attractiveness than the advertisement of economic or legal CSR, due to increased global CSR perceptions.
Hypothesis 5. The indirect association between CSR advertisement and organizational attractiveness becomes more positive when
CSR is advertised via a social networking site in addition to a corporate website, due to increased global CSR perceptions.
1.5. The role of individual attributes
Finally, little is known about the attributes of individuals who are attracted to socially responsible organizations. Attraction-
selection-attrition (ASA) theory (Schneider, 1987; Schneider, Goldstein, & Smith, 1995) and research investigating the link between
personality and organizational attractiveness point to conscientiousness as a quality of individuals who are drawn to CSR. For
instance, the notion of person-organization fit, conceived in the development of ASA theory, holds that people tend to work for
organizations with environments that match their own attributes (Schneider, 1987). Not only have conscientious individuals been
found to abide by social, civic, and moral values (Collins & Schmidt, 1993), but they have also been found to be more attracted to
organizations that have qualities that align with their values (Resick, Baltes, & Schantz, 2007) – particularly those of duty, re-
sponsibility, and integrity (Slaughter & Greguras, 2009). The fact that dutifulness, or one's “propensity to honor and uphold com-
mitments to social justice and social obligations” (Roberts, Chernyshenko, Stark, & Goldberg, 2005, p. 110), is a facet of con-
scientiousness lends strong support to the claim that conscientious individuals are more attracted to socially responsible
organizations than others.
Also supporting a link between conscientiousness, CSR, and organizational attractiveness is research showing that con-
scientiousness and moral reflectiveness are positively related to environmentally friendly employee behavior (Kim, Kim, Han,
Jackson, & Ployhart, 2017). Arguing that environmentally friendly behavior is reflective of employees' personal attributes, Kim et al.
(2017) suggested that moral reflectiveness (a) stems from conscientiousness and (b) is “an inner process that explicates the individual
striving for achievement in moral or prosocial performance” (p. 1340). Not only does this line of reasoning support the notion that
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conscientious individuals are driven to seek employment at prosocial organizations, but it also suggests that conscientious individuals
may be more likely to assess organizations' engagement in CSR-related activities in terms of the absolute value of those activities (i.e.,
regardless of their perceptions of organizational motives). To conscientious individuals, the simple fact that an organization has an
online presence may be seen as socially responsible because it reflects an organization's attempt to communicate its purpose to
external parties. Thus, we suggest that individuals high in conscientiousness should be more likely to perceive organizations that have
an online presence as socially responsible, and that conscientious individuals' heightened levels of global CSR perceptions should
result in increased organizational attractiveness.
Hypothesis 6. There is a positive association between conscientiousness and organizational attractiveness, due to increased global
CSR perceptions.
2. Method
2.1. Participants
Participants were 850 United States (US) business professionals recruited through Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk). This
sample size is based on a statistical power analysis (Faul, Erdfelder, Buchner, & Lang, 2009), which was performed using effect sizes
from previous research (e.g., ηp2 = 0.15; Jones et al., 2014) and indicated that 830 respondents would be needed to detect the current
study's hypothesized relationships (i.e., f = 0.17, α = 0.05, β = 0.10). We defined our target population as current and potential job
seekers ages 18 and older who reside in the US; we set the age and location qualifications for our sample in MTurk. Participant
demographics were relatively balanced, with a slightly larger proportion of participants being male (57.9%) and a majority of
participants being Caucasian (61.5%). Participants' median age was 31 (M = 33.84, SD = 10.53), and 30.2% of participants were
actively seeking employment. A majority of participants were members of either two (33.9%) or three (26.7%) SNSs and reported
being active on their SNSs either once (30.8%) or multiple times (35.9%) per day. On average, participants were more liberal
(M = 3.84, SD = 1.25) than conservative (M = 2.74, SD = 1.27).
2.2. Materials
Five mock corporate websites were created for a pseudo security company, Guardsend Security. Each website was live and
interactive, had its own domain name, and was comprised of a Home, About, Products and Services, and Contact page. The text and
images on each webpage were the same across websites except for the About page, which contained the study manipulation. Each
About page contained the same “Our Story” and “Our Mission” sections, and different conditions were created by including additional
information on each About page regarding the company's CSR initiatives. The CSR information presented on each website was
modeled after several real corporations' representations of their CSR initiatives, and was presented in the form of a short paragraph
and a related image. The number of CSR-related goals and successes, and amount of text, was kept consistent across the About page
manipulations.
The CSR information on the About pages for the experimental conditions varied by type (economic, legal, environmental, phi-
lanthropic) and was the only CSR information on any of the websites. Participants in the philanthropic CSR condition were presented
with a “Community Safety” initiative that discussed how Guardsend is encouraging employees to take 40 hours of paid time off to
help universities around the US install and update BlueLight Emergency Phones and Call Boxes and host free community-safety
seminars. Participants in the environmental CSR condition were presented with a “Going Green” initiative that discussed how
Guardsend recently installed solar panels at all office locations, enabling the company to reduce its reliance on contaminated energy
by 15% and progress toward its goal of becoming carbon-neutral by 2020. Participants in the economic CSR condition were presented
with a “Market Expansion” initiative that discussed Guardsend's recent financial success, expanded headquarters with the capacity to
serve over 100,000 individuals in the local community, and intentions to cut their production costs in half and enter the automotive-
security industry over the next 5 years. Participants in the legal CSR condition were presented with a “Sustained Compliance”
initiative that discussed how Guardsend has been liability-free since its founding in 2010 and is committed to providing equal
opportunities for employment, maintaining a discrimination-free workplace, and conducting sexual harassment training at the be-
ginning of each year. Sample materials are presented in Appendix A, which contains the About page of the website created for the
control conditions and the additional About page material viewed by participants in the philanthropic CSR conditions.
Five mock corporate Facebook profiles were designed to mirror the CSR information presented on the corporate websites. Each
Facebook profile was populated with the same number of posts showing the pseudo security company engaging in a variety of CSR-
related activities (e.g., charity fund-raising efforts, employees volunteering in the community) that matched the type of CSR depicted
on one of the corporate websites. All Facebook profiles contained posts of similar length and the same number of images, and the
material on each profile was modeled after Facebook profiles held by real corporations. Finalized Facebook profiles were saved as
rolling screenshots which captured all of the information presented on a given profile. Sample materials are presented in Appendix B,
which contains a portion of the material from the neutral Facebook profile and the Facebook profile containing philanthropic CSR
information.
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2.3. Design and procedure
Participants were randomly assigned to view philanthropic, environmental, economic, legal, or no CSR information on either (a) a
corporate website or (b) a corporate website and Facebook profile, resulting in a 2 × 5 between-subjects design (n per condi-
tion = 80–89). Participants were given a link to the About page of the website to which they were assigned and were instructed to
read all information thereon. Participants who were assigned a corresponding Facebook profile were also asked to read all in-
formation captured in that profile. Participants were then asked to respond to an online survey, for which they were paid $1.00.
2.4. Measures
2.4.1. Global CSR perceptions

Alcañiz, Cáceres, and Pérez' (2010) four-item measure of CSR Image was adapted to assess the level of CSR that participants
associated with the pseudo-organization depicted in the current study's manipulation. The items, rated on a five-point Likert scale,
read as follows: “Guardsend fulfills its social responsibilities;” “Guardsend puts something back into society;” “Guardsend acts in a
socially responsible way;” “Guardsend acts with society's interest in mind.” A confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) was conducted in
Mplus 7.0 (Muthén & Muthén, 1998–2013) to assess the factor structure of the adapted measure of global CSR perceptions.1 The
global CSR perception items loaded onto a single factor, and provided a good absolute fit to the data, χ2(2) = 3.12, p = .210, root
mean square error of approximation (RMSEA) = 0.035, comparative fit index (CFI) = 1.00, Tucker-Lewis index (TLI) = 1.00.
Cronbah's alpha for the scale was calculated at 0.92.
2.4.2. Organizational attractiveness

Highhouse, Lievens, and Sinar's (2003) Organizational Attractiveness Scale was adapted to assess organizational attractiveness in the
present research. The original and adapted scales each consist of three, five-item subscales that assess the extent to which individuals are
generally attracted to an organization, perceive an organization to be prestigious, and intend to pursue employment at an organization. A
sample item from the adapted General Attractiveness subscale is, “Guardsend is attractive to me as a place for employment;” a sample item
from the adapted Intentions to Pursue subscale is, “I would exert a great deal of effort to work for Guardsend;” a sample item from the
adapted Prestige subscale is, “Guardsend is a reputable company to work for.” Items were rated on a five-point Likert scale.
Consistent with Highhouse et al. (2003), a CFA model with one second-order factor (i.e., organizational attractiveness) and three first-
order factors (i.e., general attractiveness, intentions to pursue, and prestige) was specified to test the fit of the current study's organizational
attractiveness measure. This hierarchical model was compared to a non-hierarchical model with 3 first-order factors (but no second-order
factor), and to a unidimensional model in which all 15 organizational attractiveness items were set to load onto a single factor. Inter-factor
correlations for the three-factor, non-hierarchical model were constrained to zero. The hierarchical model demonstrated a good absolute fit
to the data, χ2(87) = 151.47, p < .001, RMSEA = 0.041, CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.97, and a superior fit to the data relative to the non-
hierarchical, three-factor model, χ2(89) = 485.16, p < .001, RMSEA = 0.100, CFI = 0.85, TLI = 0.83, Δχ2(2) = 373.78, p < .001. The
hierarchical model also demonstrated a superior fit to the data relative to the unidimensional model, χ2(90) = 257.25, p < .001,
RMSEA = 0.064, CFI = 0.94, TLI = 0.93, Δχ2(3) = 64.88, p < .001. Because both the hierarchical and unidimensional models provided a
reasonable fit to the data, we aggregated all 15 organizational attractiveness items to create a comprehensive measure of organizational
attractiveness. This approach aligns with the level of our theorizing, which pertains to global CSR perceptions and overall organizational
attractiveness. Cronbach's alpha for the comprehensive measure was calculated at 0.93.
2.4.3. Conscientiousness
The ten-item conscientiousness subscale of the Big Five Personality Trait Short Questionnaire (BFPTSQ; Morizot, 2014) was used
to assess participants' conscientiousness in the current study. All items were rated on a five-point Likert scale. A traditionally-scored
sample item from the subscale is, “I see myself as someone who does things efficiently, works well and quickly;” a reverse-scored
sample item from the subscale is, “I see myself as someone who has a tendency to be disorganized, messy.”
The ten-item measure was subject to a CFA in which all items were set to load onto a single factor. Two models were specified – one in
which the error terms for the reverse-scored items were allowed to correlate, and a second in which the correlations between all error terms
were constrained to zero. The model in which the error terms for the reverse-scored items were allowed to correlate provided a good
absolute fit to the data, χ2(25) = 49.92, p = .002, RMSEA = 0.048, CFI = 0.98, TLI = 0.97, as well as a superior fit to the data relative to
the model in which the correlations between error terms were constrained to zero, χ2(35) = 612.36, p < .001, RMSEA = 0.196,
CFI = 0.64, TLI = 0.53, Δχ2(10) = 595.88, p < .001. Thus, after accounting for the structure of the BFPTSQ conscientiousness subscale,
the scale was deemed adequate for use in the current study. Cronbach's alpha for the scale was calculated at 0.92.
2.4.4. Control variables

Gender (male—female), race (Caucasian—other), and job-seeking status (seeking—not) were modeled as binary control variables.
1
We conducted a comprehensive test of our measurement model in addition to examining each measure individually. The comprehensive model
included the unidimensional measures of global CSR perceptions, organizational attractiveness, and conscientiousness, with correlated error terms
for the reverse-scored items in the conscientiousness scale. Overall, the analysis included 29 items that were set to load onto 3 factors. The model
provided a reasonable fit to the data, χ2(364) = 835.80, p < .001, RMSEA = 0.055, CFI = 0.93, TLI = 0.92.
107
Age, the number of SNSs participants were members of, the frequency with which participants reported using SNSs, and political
affiliation (i.e., liberal, conservative) were modeled as continuous control variables. Participants rated each political affiliation on a
5-point scale ranging from 1 (Strongly oppose) to 5 (Strongly favor). SNS membership was rated on a 7-point scale such that
participants could be a member of 0–5 or > 5 SNSs. SNS usage was scored as follows: 1 = less than once a week; 2 = once a week;
3 = multiple times weekly; 4 = every day; 5 = multiple times daily.2
3. Analytic strategy
Preliminary analyses were conducted to examine mean differences in global CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness as
a function of CSR type and presentation medium. We then tested our comprehensive model using path analysis. This approach
enabled us to examine the validity of our overarching claim that individuals must process CSR information (i.e., develop global CSR
perceptions) before making judgments about whether an organization's CSR-related activities make it more or less attractive. CSR
type was dummy coded with no CSR as the reference group; presentation medium was coded as a binary variable for which the
website-only condition was the reference group. CSR type—presentation medium interaction terms were created by multiplying the
dummy-coded CSR-type variables by the binary presentation-medium variable. All control variables were included in each path3;
indirect effects were obtained using a percentile-based bootstrap estimation approach with 10,000 samples.
4. Results
4.1. Preliminary analyses
Table 1 contains descriptive statistics for all study variables; Table 2 displays the means and standard deviations for global CSR
perceptions and organizational attractiveness for the experimental and control conditions. Notably, there was a significant, positive
correlation between global CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness (r = 0.62, p < .001). There were also significant,
positive correlations between (a) conscientiousness and (b) global CSR perceptions (r = 0.24, p < .001) and organizational at-
tractiveness (r = 0.37, p < .001).
4.1.1. Global CSR perceptions

Average global CSR perceptions were significantly more positive among individuals who viewed one of the pseudo organization's
corporate websites and Facebook profiles (M = 4.11, SD = 0.81) as opposed to one of the organization's corporate websites alone
(M = 3.92, SD = 0.81), t(805) = −3.32, p < .001, d = 0.23. Global CSR perceptions also varied as a function of CSR type,4
F(4, 802) = 27.50, p < .001, ω2 = 0.12.
Average global CSR perceptions were significantly more positive among participants who viewed philanthropic CSR information
(M = 4.38, SD = 0.69) compared to participants who viewed economic (M = 3.66, SD = 0.93, d = 0.88), legal (M = 3.95,
SD = 0.76, d = 0.59), or no (M = 3.76, SD = 0.71, d = 0.89) CSR information. Participants who viewed environmental CSR in-
formation (M = 4.29, SD = 0.70) likewise perceived the pseudo organization to be significantly more socially responsible than
participants who viewed economic (d = 0.77), legal (d = 0.47), or no (d = 0.75) CSR information. However, average global CSR
perceptions did not significantly vary between participants who viewed philanthropic versus environmental CSR information
(d = 0.13). Moreover, although average global CSR perceptions were significantly more positive for participants who viewed legal
versus economic CSR information (d = 0.34), average global CSR perceptions did not significantly vary between participants who
viewed legal versus no CSR information (d = 0.26) or economic versus no CSR information (d = 0.12).
4.1.2. Organizational attractiveness

Average levels of organizational attractiveness did not significantly vary between individuals who viewed a corporate website and
Facebook profile (M = 4.01, SD = 0.79) as opposed to a corporate website alone (M = 3.91, SD = 0.81), t(805) = −1.78, p = .078.
However, there were significant differences in average levels of organizational attractiveness as a function of CSR type,5
F(4, 797) = 6.37, p < .001, ω2 = 0.03.
Specifically, higher average levels of organizational attractiveness were reported by individuals who viewed philanthropic
2
SNS use and membership were modeled as controls because channel expansion theory, an extension of media richness theory, suggests that
experience with a given channel (e.g., SNSs) influences perceptions of media (Carlson & Zmud, 1999). We also controlled for age, race, and gender
because young individuals, Caucasian individuals, and women have been found to be more frequent SNSs users (Hargittai, 2008). We controlled for
political affiliation because it has been found to influence CSR perceptions (Borghesi, 2018); we controlled for job-seeking status because individuals
who currently hold a job may put less effort into organizational attractiveness evaluations.
3
The results remain unchanged when the control variables are removed from the model.
4
When CSR was coded as a binary variable (viewed CSR information—did not view CSR information), the average level of global CSR perceptions
among participants who viewed CSR information (M = 4.07, SD = 0.71) was significantly greater than the average level of global CSR perceptions
reported by participants who did not view CSR information (M = 3.76, SD = 0.83), t(805) = −4.39, p < .001.
5
When CSR was coded as a binary variable (viewed CSR information—did not view CSR information), the average level of organizational
attractiveness among participants who viewed CSR information (M = 3.97, SD = 0.82) did not significantly differ from the average level of or-
ganizational attractiveness reported by participants who did not view CSR information (M = 3.91, SD = 0.71), t(800) = −0.89, p = .373.
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Table 1
Means, standard deviations, reliabilities, and correlations among study variables.
Variable M SD 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
1. Age 33.84 10.53 (na)

2. Race 0.61 0.49 0.14⁎⁎ (na)
3. Gender 0.42 0.49 0.17⁎⁎ 0.04 (na)
4. Job-seeking status 0.70 0.46 0.14⁎⁎ 0.04 0.05 (na)
5. SNS membership 3.61 1.42 −0.09⁎ −0.12⁎⁎ 0.10⁎⁎ −0.08⁎ (na)
6. SNS usage 3.76 1.27 −0.07⁎ −0.02 0.11⁎⁎ −0.01 0.43⁎⁎ (na)
7. Liberal 3.48 1.25 −0.09⁎ −0.07 0.10⁎ −0.02 0.06 0.07⁎ (na)
8. Conservative 2.74 1.27 0.06 0.02 −0.05 −0.01 −0.05 −0.07 −0.76⁎⁎ (na)
9. Global CSR perceptions 4.01 0.81 0.03 0.02 0.06 −0.01 0.03 0.12⁎⁎ −0.09⁎⁎ 0.15⁎⁎ (0.92)
10. Organizational attractiveness 3.96 0.80 0.11⁎⁎ −0.04 0.11⁎⁎ 0.00 0.12⁎⁎ 0.21⁎⁎ −0.04 0.11⁎⁎ 0.62⁎⁎ (0.93)
11. Conscientiousness 3.95 0.75 0.27⁎⁎ 0.03 0.18⁎⁎ 0.15⁎⁎ 0.01 0.06 −0.10⁎⁎ 0.06 0.24⁎⁎ 0.36⁎⁎ (0.92)
Note. n ranged from 798 to 802. Coding is 0–1 for gender (male–female), race (white–other), and job–seeking status (seeking–not); SNS = social
networking site; CSR = corporate social responsibility. Alpha coefficients are in parentheses along the diagonal.
⁎
p < .05.
⁎⁎
p < .01.
Table 2
Means and standard deviations of global CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness as a function of CSR type and presentation medium.
CSR type Presentation medium
Website only Website and Facebook
M SD M SD
Global CSR perceptions

No CSR 3.84 0.68 3.68 0.73
Philanthropic 4.15 0.73 4.62 0.56
Environmental 4.29 0.64 4.28 0.77
Economic 3.54 0.50 3.79 0.96
Legal 3.75 0.82 4.15 0.63
Organizational attractiveness
No CSR 3.92 0.76 3.90 0.66
Philanthropic 3.98 0.76 4.29 0.68
Environmental 4.08 0.72 4.03 0.83
Economic 3.64 0.80 3.80 0.94
Legal 3.93 0.94 4.04 0.76
Note. CSR = corporate social responsibility.
(M = 4.14, SD = 0.73), environmental (M = 4.05, SD = 0.78), or legal (M = 3.98, SD = 0.85) CSR information relative to in-
dividuals who viewed economic CSR information (M = 3.72, SD = 0.87, d = 0.52, 0.40, and 0.32, respectively). There were no
significant differences in average levels of organizational attractiveness between individuals who viewed philanthropic CSR in-
formation and individuals who viewed environmental (d = 0.12) or legal (d = 0.20) CSR information. Likewise, there was not a
significant difference in average levels of organizational attractiveness between individuals who viewed environmental versus legal
CSR information (d = 0.09). Moreover, there were no significant differences in average levels of organizational attractiveness for
individuals who viewed any CSR information relative to individuals who viewed no CSR information (M = 3.91, SD = 0.71,
d = 0.32, 0.19, 0.09, and 0.24 for philanthropic, environmental, legal, and economic CSR information, respectively).
4.2. Tests of hypotheses
Hypotheses 1 addressed the effects of different types of CSR information on global CSR perceptions. Specifically, viewing phi-
lanthropic or environmental CSR information was expected to lead to a greater increase in global CSR perceptions than viewing
economic or legal CSR information. Column 2 of Table 3 shows that, averaging over the other variables in the model, the most
positive global CSR perceptions resulted from viewing philanthropic (B = 0.58, p < .001) or environmental (B = 0.54, p ≤ 0.001)
CSR information. Viewing economic CSR information was not significantly related to global CSR perceptions (B = −0.08, p = .351),
and the relationship between viewing legal CSR information and global CSR perceptions (B = 0.18, p = .015) was significantly
weaker than the relationships between viewing philanthropic or environmental CSR information and global CSR perceptions. The
differences between the path coefficients for (a) philanthropic and environmental CSR information and (b) economic and legal CSR
109
Table 3
Results from path analysis.
Variable Global CSR perceptions Organizational attractiveness
Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Model 1 Model 2 Model 3
Control variables
Age 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.01⁎⁎⁎ 0.00 0.01⁎
Race 0.01 −0.02 −0.02 −0.09 −0.10 −0.09
Gender 0.10 0.04 0.04 0.11 0.03 0.01
Job-seeking status −0.03 −0.04 −0.04 −0.02 −0.07 −0.04
SNS membership −0.02 −0.02 −0.02 0.01 0.01 0.02
SNS usage 0.09⁎⁎⁎ 0.08⁎⁎⁎ 0.08⁎⁎⁎ 0.13⁎⁎⁎ 0.11⁎⁎⁎ 0.07⁎⁎⁎
Liberal 0.04 0.06 0.06 0.05 0.07⁎ 0.03
Conservative 0.14⁎⁎⁎ 0.15⁎⁎⁎ 0.14⁎⁎⁎ 0.11⁎⁎⁎ 0.12⁎⁎⁎ 0.04
Independent variables
Conscientiousness 0.24⁎⁎⁎ 0.23⁎⁎⁎ 0.35⁎⁎⁎ 0.21⁎⁎⁎
WS or FBWS 0.16⁎⁎ −0.18 0.08 0.07
Philanthropic CSR 0.58⁎⁎⁎ 0.27⁎ 0.21⁎ −0.10
Environmental CSR 0.54⁎⁎⁎ 0.44⁎⁎⁎ 0.16⁎ −0.10
Legal CSR 0.20⁎ −0.09 0.10 0.09
Economic CSR −0.08 −0.24⁎ −0.16⁎ −0.08
Interaction terms
Philanthropic CSR × WS or FBWS 0.62⁎⁎⁎ −0.04
Environmental CSR × WS or FBWS 0.20 −0.09
Legal CSR × WS or FBWS 0.56⁎⁎⁎ −0.20
Economic CSR × WS or FBWS 0.32⁎ −0.07
Mediator variable
Global CSR perceptions 0.57⁎⁎⁎
R2 0.05⁎⁎⁎ 0.22⁎⁎⁎ 0.24⁎⁎⁎ 0.08⁎⁎⁎ 0.21⁎⁎⁎ 0.46⁎⁎⁎
ΔR2 0.17⁎⁎⁎ 0.02⁎⁎⁎ 0.13⁎⁎⁎ 0.25⁎⁎⁎
Note. Unstandardized path coefficients are presented above (n = 784). Coefficients for global CSR perceptions, Model 3, and organizational at-
tractiveness, Model 3, correspond to the comprehensive path model with all study variables. Coding is 0–1 for gender (male-female), race (white-
other), and job-seeking status (seeking-not). CSR = corporate social responsibility; SNS = social networking site; WS = website; FBWS = Facebook
and website.
⁎⁎⁎
p < .001.
⁎⁎
p < .01.
⁎
p < .05.
information all reached significance (p < .001), supporting Hypothesis 1.6

Hypothesis 2 posited that the medium through which CSR information is presented moderates the effects of viewing a given type
of CSR information on global CSR perceptions. Specifically, each type of CSR information was expected to result in more positive
global CSR perceptions when viewed on a Facebook profile in addition to a corporate website. Upon modeling the CSR type—-
presentation medium interaction terms (Column 3 of Table 3), the interpretation of the coefficients is such that (a) the presentation
medium variable depicts the effect of viewing a Facebook profile in addition to a website when neither medium contains CSR
information, (b) each CSR-type variable depicts the effect of a given type of CSR in the website-only condition, and (c) each in-
teraction term depicts the change in the effect of a given type of CSR due to viewing CSR information on both a website and Facebook
profile rather than a website alone. Summing the coefficients for a given CSR-type variable and its corresponding interaction term
depicts the effect of that type of CSR viewed on a website and Facebook profile.
When only presented on a corporate website, the effects of viewing CSR information on global CSR perceptions were significant
and positive for philanthropic (B = 0.27, p = .019) and environmental (B = 0.44, p < .001) CSR, significant and negative for
economic CSR (B = −0.24, p = .039), and did not reach significance for legal CSR (B = −0.09, p = .429). Viewing a Facebook
profile in addition to a corporate website did not affect global CSR perceptions when neither presentation medium contained CSR
information (B = −0.18, p = .113). However, when CSR information was presented, there was a significant increase in global CSR
perceptions for individuals who viewed philanthropic (B = 0.62, p < .001), economic (B = 0.12, p = .050), or legal (B = 0.45,
p < .001) CSR information on a Facebook profile in addition to a corporate website. Environmental CSR information was also
associated with more positive global CSR perceptions when CSR information was viewed on a Facebook profile in addition to a
corporate website (B = 0.20, p = .201), but this increase was not statistically significant. Overall, results reflect that, when presented
via a corporate website and Facebook profile, the effects of viewing CSR information on global CSR perceptions more than tripled in
magnitude for philanthropic CSR (B = 0.90, p < .001), became insignificant rather than negative for economic CSR (B = 0.09,
6
Although not hypothesized, Column 2 of Table 3 also shows that global CSR perceptions were significantly more positive among participants
who viewed a Facebook profile in addition to a corporate website (b = 0.16, p = .002).
110
Table 4
Indirect effects of experimental conditions on organizational attractiveness.
Indirect effect Estimate 95% CI
Website-only condition
Philanthropic CSR → global CSR perceptions → OA 0.15 [0.034, 0.273]
Environmental CSR → global CSR perceptions → OA 0.25 [0.137, 0.366]
Legal CSR → global CSR perceptions → OA −0.05 [−0.181, 0.071]
Economic CSR → global CSR perceptions → OA −0.13 [−0.273, 0.003]
Website and Facebook condition

Philanthropic CSR → global CSR perceptions → OA 0.50 [0.383, 0.626]
Environmental CSR → global CSR perceptions → OA 0.36 [0.233, 0.494]
Legal CSR → global CSR perceptions → OA 0.27 [0.148, 0.392]
Economic CSR → global CSR perceptions → OA 0.05 [−0.100, 0.195]
Note. Unstandardized path coefficients are presented above (n = 784). Age, gender (male-female), race (white-other), job-
seeking status (seeking-not), SNS membership, SNS usage, and political affiliation (liberal; conservative) were included as
covariates. 95% CI = percentile-based 95% confidence intervals resulting from 10,000 bootstrapped samples; CSR = corporate
social responsibility; OA = organizational attractiveness.
p = .450), became significant and positive for legal CSR (B = 0.46, p < .001), and remained significant and positive for environ-
mental CSR (B = 0.64, p < .001). Thus, Hypothesis 2 received partial support.
Hypothesis 3 addressed the link between global CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness. Column 6 of Table 3 shows
that global CSR perceptions were a significant, positive predictor of organizational attractiveness (B = 0.59, p < .001), supporting
Hypothesis 3.
Hypotheses 4 posited that global CSR perceptions mediate the effects of viewing different types of CSR information on organizational
attractiveness. Specifically, the indirect effects of viewing philanthropic or environmental CSR on organizational attractiveness were ex-
pected to be more positive than the indirect effects of viewing economic or legal CSR. The top half of Table 4 depicts the indirect effects of
each type of CSR on organizational attractiveness when only viewed on a corporate website; the bottom half of Table 4 depicts the indirect
effects of each type of CSR on organizational attractiveness when viewed on both a corporate website and Facebook profile. Averaging the
indirect effects for a given type of CSR across the presentation mediums provides the unconditional indirect effect for that type of CSR.
The unconditional indirect effects of viewing CSR information on organizational attractiveness were more positive for philanthropic
(estimate = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.239, 0.413) and environmental (estimate = 0.31, 95% CI = 0.216, 0.396) CSR information than economic
(estimate = −0.04, 95% CI = −0.145, 0.058) or legal (estimate = 0.11, 95% CI = 0.023, 0.195) CSR information. The differences in the
indirect effects for (a) philanthropic and environmental CSR information and (b) economic and legal CSR information all had confidence
intervals excluding zero (95% CI Lower Limit = 0.13 to 0.31; Upper Limit = 0.58 to 0.75), supporting Hypothesis 4.7
Hypothesis 5 posited that the indirect effects for each type of CSR information on organizational attractiveness would be more
positive among participants who viewed both a corporate website and Facebook profile. When only presented on a corporate website,
the indirect effects of viewing CSR information on organizational attractiveness were significant and positive for philanthropic
(estimate = 0.15, 95% CI = 0.034, 0.273) and environmental (estimate = 0.25, 95% CI = 0.137, 0.366) CSR information but not
economic (estimate = −0.13, 95% CI = −0.273, 0.003) or legal (estimate = −0.05, 95% CI = −0.181, 0.071) CSR information.
There was a significant increase in the indirect effect of CSR information on organizational attractiveness for individuals who viewed
philanthropic (estimate = 0.35, 95% CI = 0.190, 0.524) or legal (estimate = 0.32, 95% CI = 0.147, 0.508) CSR information on a
Facebook profile in addition to a corporate website. The indirect effects for environmental (estimate = 0.12, 95% CI = −0.053,
0.285) and economic (estimate = 0.18, 95% CI = −0.019, 0.383) CSR information also became more positive, but these increases
were not statistically significant. Overall, results reflect that, when presented via a corporate website and Facebook profile, the
indirect effects of viewing CSR information on organizational attractiveness more than tripled in magnitude for philanthropic CSR
(estimate = 0.50, 95% CI = 0.383, 0.626), became insignificant rather than negative for economic CSR (estimate = 0.05, 95%
CI = −0.100, 0.195), became significant and positive for legal CSR (estimate = 0.27, 95% CI = 0.148, 0.392), and remained sig-
nificant and positive for environmental CSR (estimate = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.233, 0.494). Thus, Hypothesis 5 received partial support.
Hypothesis 6 posited that global CSR perceptions mediate the relationship between conscientiousness and organizational at-
tractiveness. Column 5 of Table 3 shows that, prior to entering global CSR perceptions into the model, conscientiousness was a
significant, positive predictor of organizational attractiveness (B = 0.35, p < .001). After entering global CSR perceptions into the
model (Column 6 of Table 3), the positive effect of conscientiousness on organizational attractiveness was reduced (B = 0.21,
p < .001), and there was a significant indirect effect of conscientiousness on organizational attractiveness through global CSR
perceptions (estimate = 0.13, 95% CI = 0.088, 0.181). This indirect effect remained significant when estimated only among in-
dividuals who viewed CSR information (i.e., among the individuals in the experimental conditions; estimate = 0.16, 95% CI = 0.107,
0.218), providing additional support for the that notion conscientious individuals are more likely than others to recognize and
7
Although not hypothesized, there was also a significant, unconditional indirect effect for presentation medium (estimate = 0.09, CI = 0.034,
0.152), showing that organizational attractiveness was higher among individuals who viewed a website and Facebook profile rather than a website
alone, due to increased global CSR perceptions.
111
appreciate organizations' online CSR information and, in turn, to be more attracted to employers they perceive as socially responsible.
Thus, Hypothesis 6 was supported.
5. Discussion
When navigating employers' virtual personas, contributions to societal wellbeing are a key source of information that individuals
seek and evaluate (Cone Communications, 2017). To capitalize on this behavior and the values of the global labor force, organi-
zations must shift from strategic human resource management (SHRM) – which centers on the relationship between HRM and
organizational financial performance – to sustainable HRM – which holds that investing in social and environmental wellbeing is
essential to organizations' long-term survival (Kramar, 2014). In making this shift, online CSR information has the potential to be a
core driver of organizational image perceptions, stakeholder investments, talent acquisition, and ultimately competitive advantage.
The present research shows that perceptions of organizations vary in response to viewing different types of CSR information through
online mediums, provides support for the notion that sustainable HRM is an advantageous business strategy, and gives human
resource professionals a roadmap for attracting high-quality, value-aligned employees.
5.1. CSR type and global CSR perceptions
The present study is the first to examine whether the type of CSR an organization advertises is associated with individuals' perceptions of
the extent to which an organization is socially responsible. Supporting role theory contentions, results illustrate that employers who exceed
individuals' expectations for contributing to society (by engaging in discretionary forms of CSR) are perceived as more socially responsible
than employers who meet only baseline CSR expectations (by turning a profit and abiding by various forms of legislation). A potential driver
of these findings is that discretionary forms of CSR are believed to be intrinsically motivated (i.e., genuine), whereas more common CSR
activities are not (because they are mandated or have a direct relationship with organizational success). For instance, there are well-
established procedures for bringing organizations to justice for committing legal transgressions, and for-profit organizations will be unable
to operate if they cease to generate revenue. Philanthropic and environmental CSR activities, on the other hand, are rarely required and
often demand human and financial resources. Such sacrifices should make philanthropic and environmental CSR activities appear more
sincere than other types of CSR activities, thereby increasing individuals' confidence that an organization will strive to uphold its social
responsibilities over time. In turn, individuals' beliefs regarding the authenticity and reliability of an organization's CSR activities likely
influence their global CSR perceptions beyond their initial expectations.
5.2. The moderating role of presentation medium
As with CSR type, the current study is the first to investigate how the advertisement of CSR via SNSs influences individuals'
perceptions of the extent to which an organization is socially responsible. Results align with media richness theory and Frasca and
Edwards (2017), which collectively hold that SNSs in general and Facebook in particular are capable of providing richer information
than websites. This does not imply that websites are obsolete mediums for communicating CSR. However, it does suggest that CSR
information may be processed more effectively (i.e., interpreted as intended with minimal perceptions of ambiguity or imprecision) if
it is simultaneously communicated via a corporate website, Facebook, and other SNSs. The only finding in the current study that does
not support the notion that SNSs enhance organizational image perceptions is the null effect of Facebook on the relationship between
environmental CSR and global CSR perceptions. A potential explanation for this finding is that environmentally friendly organiza-
tional behavior is straightforward and has a common interpretation, reducing the need for additional, richer information from
Facebook. Specifically, corporate websites alone may be sufficient for communicating environmental CSR, as most individuals re-
cognize the link between environmentally friendly organizational behavior and corporate citizenship. Ultimately, however, the
present research indicates that SNSs facilitate the effective communication of CSR.
5.3. Global CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness
Contrary to the effects of CSR type and presentation medium on global CSR perceptions, the relationship between CSR and
organizational attractiveness has been well researched. However, our results show that the relationship between global CSR per-
ceptions and organizational attractiveness (r = 0.62; B = 0.59) is more positive than previous reports of the relationship between CSR
activities and organizational attractiveness. This implies that how CSR is advertised – over which organizations' have a substantial
degree of control – might have a greater impact on organizational attractiveness than socially responsible organizational behavior.
The strong, positive relationship between global CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness is likely due to the psycho-
logical process through which job seekers progress when evaluating potential employers. This process can be assimilated to a no-
mological network where role theory informs signaling theory, signaling theory informs social and organizational identity theory and
ASA theory, and social and organizational identity theory and ASA theory reinforce one another and serve as the foundation for the
development of organizational attractiveness perceptions. Specifically, online displays of CSR likely signal to job seekers that an
organization is upholding its role as a corporate citizen, which should subsequently influence individuals' perceptions of person-
organization fit and the degree to which working for an organization will enhance their self-concept. In turn, perceptions of person-
organization fit and the potential to achieve an enhanced self-concept should interactively influence organizational attractiveness.
112
5.4. The mediating role of global CSR perceptions
Although our results show significant effects of CSR type and presentation medium on global CSR perceptions – and of global CSR
perceptions on organizational attractiveness – we argue that CSR information, as with all organizational signals, must be processed
before it can serve as an input to organizational attractiveness evaluations. This implies that the effects of (a) CSR type and pre-
sentation medium on (b) organizational attractiveness should be primarily indirect, through (c) global CSR perceptions. Longitudinal
research and the manipulation of global CSR perceptions are necessary to further understand whether the temporal ordering of the
presentation of CSR information, perceptions of CSR, and organizational attractiveness operates as our theory implies. However, the
indirect effects examined in the present research suggest that job seekers may need to accurately interpret and accept the message(s)
embedded in CSR communication in order for CSR information to facilitate organizational attractiveness.
Although global CSR perceptions and the attractiveness of organizations that advertise CSR likely depend on individual factors,
any organization can take measures to ensure that its CSR initiatives are interpreted as intended. For instance, the results of the
current study suggest that philanthropic CSR advertised via a corporate website and Facebook profile may be particularly likely to
enhance organizational attractiveness. In turn, organizations that advertise content that carries an unequivocal message of their
engagement in philanthropic activities may experience greater success in attracting individuals who are concerned with societal
wellbeing. Individuals who are attracted to socially responsible organizations may experience greater value fit with socially re-
sponsible organizations than those who are not, suggesting that employers who advertise CSR in a manner that facilitates effective
information processing may further benefit from a value-aligned workforce that identifies with their mission and strategy.
Finally, our results show that global CSR perceptions partially enable the relationship between conscientiousness and organi-
zational attractiveness, which suggests that socially responsible organizations that effectively communicate their positive con-
tributions to society are likely to benefit from more than a sizable applicant pool. Specifically, the current study provides the first
empirical support illustrating that individuals who possess an attribute that has demonstrated a positive relationship with organi-
zational financial performance (Schneider & Bartram, 2017) are more likely than others to develop heightened global CSR percep-
tions (and in turn organizational attractiveness perceptions) after viewing CSR information. While conscientious individuals may be
better equipped than others to recognize when CSR information is inauthentic, they are also more likely to view CSR in terms of its
absolute value and, given their personal values (e.g., duty, responsibility, integrity; Slaughter & Greguras, 2009), they are likely to
experience increased value fit when working for a socially responsible organization. Indeed, the current research implies that socially
responsible employers may be more likely than others to attract value-aligned employees who possess the potential to help them
succeed – both fiscally and by enhancing their image as socially responsible organizations.
6. Limitations and directions for future research
Multiple limitations should be noted with respect to the present research. Regarding the study manipulations, the degree of text and
number of images presented on the mock websites and Facebook profiles were kept consistent. However, data were not collected on how
long participants spent viewing each webpage and Facebook profile. We employed a between-subjects design with two control conditions –
one in which individuals were assigned to view a website without CSR information and one in which individuals were assigned to view a
website and Facebook profile, both without CSR information – which enabled us to partially account for dose effects by parsing the effects of
viewing an additional presentation medium versus viewing additional CSR information. The time that participants spent viewing materials
may nonetheless have influenced our results, which is a concern that should be addressed in future research.
A second limitation of the current study is the absence of conditions in which CSR information was presented solely via Facebook. This
would have resulted in a 15-cell design rather than a 10-cell design and was deemed to exceed the primary focus of the present research (i.e.,
to estimate the incremental benefit of advertising different types of CSR via Facebook in addition to a corporate website). Given that a
majority of organizations are more likely to have a corporate website than a Facebook profile (or a presence on SNSs in general), this
approach was thought to comprise a more meaningful assessment than the reverse. However, few empirical studies have examined how
organizations' SNS use influences recruitment outcomes. Future research could complement the current study and Frasca and Edwards
(2017) by examining how and when organizations benefit from SNS use – for the advertisement of CSR and otherwise.
Lastly, we presented person-organization fit and self-concept evaluations as potential mechanisms linking global CSR perceptions to
organizational attractiveness, but did not empirically examine these relationships. While Jones et al. (2014) and Kim and Park (2011) have
previously demonstrated that perceptions of person-organization mediate the relationship between CSR activities and organizational at-
tractiveness, future research could explore competing mechanisms and boundary conditions of this relationship to better understand how
socially responsible organizational behavior translates into downstream recruitment outcomes. Such research would aid the integration of
theories used to explain the relationship between CSR and organizational attractiveness, many of which demonstrate a great degree of
overlap and, as illustrated by the present research, are unlikely to operate independently of one another.
7. Conclusion
In the present research, role theory, media richness theory, and theories from the organizational attractiveness literature were
integrated to examine (a) how different types of CSR influence organizational image perceptions and (b) whether or not these effects
depend on presentation medium. Philanthropic and environmental CSR were found to promote higher levels of organizational at-
tractiveness than economic or legal CSR, due to more positive global CSR perceptions. However, both the direct effects of CSR type on
global CSR perceptions and the indirect effects of CSR type on organizational attractiveness varied as a function of online
113
presentation medium. Collectively, our findings highlight how advertising CSR via rich media, such as social networking sites, can be
an invaluable recruitment practice for organizations.
Conflicts of interest
None.
Appendix A. Website about-page (sample material)
Note. Information above the dividing line was presented on the About page viewed by participants in the control condition; information
above and below the dividing line was presented on the About page viewed by participants in the philanthropic CSR condition.
114
Appendix B. Facebook (sample material)
Control Condition Philanthropic CSR Condition
Note. The above images contain a portion of the material presented to participants in the Facebook and website control condition (left)
and philanthropic CSR condition (right).
115
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Journal of Vocational Behavior 109 (2018) 101–117

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Journal of Vocational Behavior

Recruiting with ethics in an online era: Integrating corporate social

ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT

E-mail addresses: Casher_Belinda@kenan-flagler.unc.edu (C.D. Belinda), westermanjw@appstate.edu (J.W. Westerman),

Figure 1. Conceptual model.

1.1. Online CSR: A review of the empirical literature

1.2. CSR type and global CSR perceptions

1.3. Presentation medium: A salient boundary condition

1.4. Global CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness

1.5. The role of individual attributes

2.3. Design and procedure

2.4.1. Global CSR perceptions

2.4.2. Organizational attractiveness

2.4.4. Control variables

4.1. Preliminary analyses

4.1.1. Global CSR perceptions

4.1.2. Organizational attractiveness

1. Age 33.84 10.53 (na)

Website only Website and Facebook

Global CSR perceptions

Note. CSR = corporate social responsibility.

4.2. Tests of hypotheses

Model 1 Model 2 Model 3 Model 1 Model 2 Model 3

information all reached significance (p < .001), supporting Hypothesis 1.6

Website and Facebook condition

5.1. CSR type and global CSR perceptions

5.2. The moderating role of presentation medium

5.3. Global CSR perceptions and organizational attractiveness

5.4. The mediating role of global CSR perceptions

6. Limitations and directions for future research

Appendix A. Website about-page (sample material)

Appendix B. Facebook (sample material)

Control Condition Philanthropic CSR Condition

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