Consumer Perceptions of CSR Priorities: A Cross-National Comparison between South Korea and the U.S.*

Purpose While a considerable amount of research has been done in the corporate social responsibilities (CRS) literature;not many focus on how consumers define CSR and what type of activities are perceived as appropriate CSR activities for firms. To fill this gap in the literature;the current research seeks to explore how consumer perceptions of CSR activities vary at the country level;comparing Korean and the U.S. consumers. Design/Methodology/Approach Following Carroll’s (1979) model;we categorize firm CSR activities into four types: philanthropic;ethical;legal;and economic responsibilities. We compare how Korean and U.S. consumers perceive these four activities differently. Data collection was done simultaneously in Korea (N=89) and the U.S (N=127). Participants were asked to prioritize the four types of CSR activities;as well as indicate their perceptions of specific CSR activities. Findings The results show that Korean consumers consider the economic responsibilities of firms the more important than American consumers;whereas American consumers consider philanthropic and ethical responsibilities more important than economic responsibilities. In addition;legal responsibilities are ranked most important in both countries. Research Implications The findings of this research advance the understanding of CSR activities from the consumer perspective in the U.S. and South Korea. The difference in the consumer perceptions of the four types of CSR activities will provide helpful and practical insights to business managers in tailoring CSR activities for strategic purposes.