The Antecedents of Corporate Reputation and Image and Their Impacts on Employee Commitment and Performance: The Moderating Role of CSR

The aim of this investigation is to identify how culture and communication may influence corporate reputation (CR) and corporate image and their impact on workers’ attitudes and behaviour, like organizational commitment and individual performance. The moderating role of the perceptions of corporate social responsibility (CSR) is also analysed. This investigation proposes a theoretical model tested using structural equation modelling. In total, 473 valid questionnaires were collected from a sample of employees of the biggest dairy union of co-operatives in Iberia. The results highlight the relationships between culture, communication and reputation and their influence on image. Furthermore, they show, as well, how corporate reputation impacts on commitment which contributes to improving individual performance. Perception of CSR practices may increase the way CR is perceived and boost the bonds between employees and their organization. This investigation is based on cross-sectional data collected from a union of cooperatives of the dairy milk industry. These results may raise the interest in deepening investigation in this field, showing how CSR practices create a new context to investigate these relationships. They can also help to improve the effectiveness of the human resources management strategies, giving a central role to CSR. This investigation shows how organizations involved in responsible attitudes and practices are challenged to find the right balance between making a profit and serving the community. CR, commitment and productivity may be strengthened when companies develop a bigger engagement with socially responsible practices.