A multi-level analysis of CSRs prosocial consequences: an integrative model

Drawing upon social exchange theory we developed a multi-level model examining how a strategic proactive investment in CSR trickled down to enhance employee prosocial behavior. A complete measurement replication was conducted using multi-level multi-source data from 35, 52, 190 Taiwan and 60, 157, 458 India divisions, teams and employees respectively. Based on the data supervisor ethical leadership mediated the positive relationship between proactive CSR engagement and employee organizational identification in both samples. Team prosocial motivation mediated the association between proactive CSR engagement and employee prosocial behavior in the Taiwan dataset only. Supervisor ethical leadership mediated the positive relationship between proactive CSR engagement and team prosocial motivation in both samples. Our final hypothesis (individual-level) that employee organizational identification mediated the association between employee prosocial value and prosocial behavior was supported in the Indian dataset only. This provides new insights into the micro-foundations of strategic firm investments in CSR and how they are interpreted by leaders and teams ultimately influencing employee behavior.