The Effect of CSR Attributes on CSR Authenticity: Focusing on Mediating Effects of Digital Transformation

Round 1

Reviewer 1 Report

review - Sustainability, Manuscript ID sustainability-1250754

 

submission title:

The Effect of CSR Attributes on CSR Authenticity: Focusing on Mediating Effects of Digital Transformation

authors : Hui-Fang Liu and Jin Sup Jung

 

Please attending to areas of improvement:

• editorial work to ensure readability
• providing general orienting of complex acronyms from the onset - (in title and stating aims) and certainly before the "literature review."

 

This submission evidences a deep grasp of the "Sustainability" significance of connections between the range of issues (for instance - corporate social responsibility and degrees of attention to sustainable development goals) it engages - together with a high degree of critical insight of the probability that the forms that these connections take are likely to vary in relation to contexts (in particular, different industries, differences in corporate cultures in different countries - Korea - China). The research methodology does suit the study's  aims - and, especially, its organising hypotheses (pages 6-8) - are very clearing presented. The later have special advantages for bringing the relevance of the study's statistical for its purposes into sharp relief.

 

Broadly - it seems to me that - the study concerns such important transdisciplinary questions as:

 

• How central have "corporate social responsibility" and "sustainable development goals" figured in the diversity of forms that histories of "digital transformation" and the said "fourth industrial revolution" have taken?
• How important are connections between CSR and SDG to businesses' success - as well as their wider ecological sustainability and quality of life value?
• Why might studying different industries (for instance, electronics) - and different countries (cultures) (for instance, Korea and China) be of special importance for answering the above question.

 

Attending to the above mentioned areas of improvement, in particular, and to making sure complex points are expressed clearly (accessibly) will help insure the article' value as a contribution to Sustainability.

 

Finally the authors might be interested in a number of sections in the very important collection of studies: Hirsch Hadorn, G. (eds.) 2008. Handbook of Transdisciplinary Research. London: Springer.

 

Author Response

Please attending to areas of improvement:

 

editorial work to ensure readability

providing general orienting of complex acronyms from the onset - (in title and stating aims) and certainly before the "literature review."

• I modified it as you said. In addition, we added abbreviations in the last appendix.

This submission evidences a deep grasp of the "Sustainability" significance of connections between the range of issues (for instance - corporate social responsibility and degrees of attention to sustainable development goals) it engages - together with a high degree of critical insight of the probability that the forms that these connections take are likely to vary in relation to contexts (in particular, different industries, differences in corporate cultures in different countries - Korea - China). The research methodology does suit the study's aims - and, especially, its organising hypotheses (pages 6-8) - are very clearing presented. The later have special advantages for bringing the relevance of the study's statistical for its purposes into sharp relief.

• Overall, we revised it by reflecting it like that.

 

Broadly - it seems to me that - the study concerns such important transdisciplinary questions as:

 

How central have "corporate social responsibility" and "sustainable development goals" figured in the diversity of forms that histories of "digital transformation" and the said "fourth industrial revolution" have taken?

How important are connections between CSR and SDG to businesses' success - as well as their wider ecological sustainability and quality of life value?

Why might studying different industries (for instance, electronics) - and different countries (cultures) (for instance, Korea and China) be of special importance for answering the above question.

Attending to the above mentioned areas of improvement, in particular, and to making sure complex points are expressed clearly (accessibly) will help insure the article' value as a contribution to Sustainability.

• We reflected the reviewer's opinion and revised it as a whole. Also, I colored especially important modifications.

 

Finally the authors might be interested in a number of sections in the very important collection of studies: Hirsch Hadorn, G. (eds.) 2008. Handbook of Transdisciplinary Research. London: Springer.

 

• I am grateful. This book was helpful. Therefore, some of them were quoted from the text and included in the last reference.

P15 “Meanwhile, this study can also be seen as an transdisciplinary study. In transdisciplinary research, the order of the phases and the amount of resources dedicated to each phase can be depend on the kind of problem under investigation and on the state of knowledge [Hirsch Hadorn, G. (eds.) 2008]. In the survey of this study, questionaire items related to DT and attributes of CSR were somewhat insufficient. Therefore, the interdisciplinary integration of the two fields may also be somewhat supplemented. Future research will also require consideration on how to integrate the two disciplines well.”

 

Thank you for your sincere comment. It was very helpful to upgrade the thesis.

 

Author Response File: Author Response.docx

Reviewer 2 Report

Thank you for having this opportunity to review this manuscript. In this study, you derive three attributes: CSR fit, sustainability, and impact as detailed attributes to verify the authenticity of CSR. Based on this, you demonstrated the impact of these three attributes on CSR authenticity for the electronics industry in Korea and China. Meanwhile, you tested the digital transformation of the Fourth Industrial Revolution between CSR attributes and CSR authenticity had strong partial mediating effects. The manuscript in its current version has some drawbacks. Following are my comments and suggestions for improvements:

 

1. In developing hypothesis 1, this manuscript borrows a lot from the existing literature to illustrate the relationship between CSR attributes and CSR authenticity, and it is difficult to see the process of its own derivation and analysis. Therefore, it lacks theoretical innovation. Meanwhile, the evidence and analysis of H1-2 and H1-3 are less, resulting in unconvincing proposed hypotheses.

 

2. In developing hypothesis 2, the manuscript only uses the views and cases from the existing literature to illustrate the impact of digital change on CSR, which lacks theoretical analysis. For example, digital transportation alleviates information asymmetry between companies and stakeholders by broadening information channels, thus strengthening the attributes of CSR activities. Furthermore, This part does not highlight the moderating role of digital transportation in the relationship between CSR attributes and CSR authenticity.

 

3. 3. The empirical analysis part may have a common method variance problem. I suggest discussing or explain this separately.

 

4. This manuscript uses questionnaire data from China and South Korea to study the influence of CSR attributes on CSR authenticity. Meanwhile, it examines the moderating role of digital change in the above-mentioned relationship. Due to the existing literature is relatively mature in the research on the relationship between CSR attributes and CSR authenticity, the innovation and contribution of this manuscript are not obvious.

Author Response

In developing hypothesis 1, this manuscript borrows a lot from the existing literature to illustrate the relationship between CSR attributes and CSR authenticity, and it is difficult to see the process of its own derivation and analysis. Therefore, it lacks theoretical innovation. Meanwhile, the evidence and analysis of H1-2 and H1-3 are less, resulting in unconvincing proposed hypotheses.

• The case of H1-1, as the reviewer said, comes from existing literature. However, we pursued innovation that is different from previous research such as comparison between Korea and China and demonstration of electronics industry, etc.
• We would like you to take these into consideration.
• Also, in the case of H1-2 and H1-3 we tried to supplement it a little more.

 

In developing hypothesis 2, the manuscript only uses the views and cases from the existing literature to illustrate the impact of digital change on CSR, which lacks theoretical analysis. For example, digital transportation alleviates information asymmetry between companies and stakeholders by broadening information channels, thus strengthening the attributes of CSR activities. Furthermore, This part does not highlight the mediating role of digital transportation in the relationship between CSR attributes and CSR authenticity.

• Reflecting the reviewer's opinion, we tried to supplement it.

 

3. The empirical analysis part may have a common method variance problem. I suggest discussing or explain this separately.

 è the empirical analysis part may have a common method variance problem. To address this problem, this study performed a principal component analysis (PCA). As a result, the first component that accounts for the most explanatory power was less than 1/2, so we decided that there was no problem with this analysis. Nevertheless, later we try to make up for these points in the future study.

(page 15)

 

This manuscript uses questionnaire data from China and South Korea to study the influence of CSR attributes on CSR authenticity. Meanwhile, it examines the moderating role of digital change in the above-mentioned relationship. Due to the existing literature is relatively mature in the research on the relationship between CSR attributes and CSR authenticity, the innovation and contribution of this manuscript are not obvious.

 We tried our best to make up for it.

Thank you for your sincere comment. It was very helpful to upgrade the thesis.

Reviewer 3 Report

Please rewrite in accurate English and not only

For example

The current research explores the compounded effect of CSR antecedents  (fit, sustainability, and impact) of CSR authenticity  

CSR authenticity reflects a perception. Stakeholder’s perception and not only customers’. In fact actual customers and future prospects need guidance to perceive the CSR value added . Digital environment helps them to check for CSR authenticity with the remaining stakeholders opinion , and therefore their  purchase preferences may be altered.  

It is expected from researchers to seek for serious gaps on corporate strategy  ( vision, mission, culture open to sustainability) and therefore embedded CSR  practices ( or not ) and the learning gain over this behaviour.Marketing decision seeks for image consolidation with CSR practices, while strategic decision seeks improving competitiveness score while alert to financial performance.

As authors mention ; various cases supports the argument; Digital transformation lies with CSR capability to simultaneously enhance firms sustainable behaviour and  firm financial performance.

In case of measured and reported vulnerabilities regarding CSR authenticity one can address digital transformation as an opportunity to overcome low score in competitiveness. Therefore the mediating effect of digital transformation will enhance firms’ competitiveness only if the business model within empirical samples prove commitment  to digital transformation.

 

 

 

Please reformulate “ Considering the promotional and actual performance costs caused by CSR”

 

Therefore, this study aims to achieve the followings.???

 First, this study explores the attributes of CSR activities were rearranged based on the relevant existing research, which was divided into three main categories: CSR fit, sustainability, and impact. We also want to examine the impact of these attributes on the authenticity of CSR. Second, we would like to consider the ‘mediating effect of digital transformation’ between these attributes and CSR authenticity. It is believed that this research model will not only provide an important direction for future CSR strategies, but also contribute to the theoretical foundation of CSR activities in response to the era of the FIR.

 

Figure 1 pag 8 the research model I suppose …please change the title  and redesign

Please reformulate 4.1 4.2 title of subsections . Analysis of Korea , China is not appropriate

 

Reformulate this interpretation

“In other words, contact with information that continuously carries out CSR activities regardless of the situation in the Korean electronics industry basically attributes the propensity to activities based on corporate authenticity, so there is no significant difference in perception of authenticity regardless of the way of activities”.

Author Response

Please rewrite in accurate English and not only

• We've modified it as much as we can so far. We will continue to upgrade.

For example

 

The current research explores the compounded effect of CSR antecedents  (fit, sustainability, and impact) of CSR authenticity 

 

CSR authenticity reflects a perception. Stakeholder’s perception and not only customers’. In fact actual customers and future prospects need guidance to perceive the CSR value added . Digital environment helps them to check for CSR authenticity with the remaining stakeholders opinion , and therefore their  purchase preferences may be altered. 

• In the middle of page 14, I explained by adding these contents. Thank you.

It is expected from researchers to seek for serious gaps on corporate strategy  ( vision, mission, culture open to sustainability) and therefore embedded CSR  practices ( or not ) and the learning gain over this behaviour. Marketing decision seeks for image consolidation with CSR practices, while strategic decision seeks improving competitiveness score while alert to financial performance.

 

• 14~15page
• a clear mid- to long-term strategy for ’CSR‘ and ’DT‘ is now needed. CSR activities on the basis of the FIR are not just donations, job creation or environmental protection as they were in the past, but smart CSR through DT using new technologies is a future trend. And it is time for a mid- to long-term plan for these goals. These efforts will eventually increase the performance of the company and lead to greater corporate competitiveness. A brief representation of this logic summarizes "DT ⇒ (corporate) social responsibility ⇒ strengthening company’s competitiveness." Or “DT ⇒ strengthening company’s competitiveness ⇒ enhancing (corporate) social responsibility.” Or “DT ⇒ reducing the asymmetry of information ⇒ enhancing (corporate) social responsibility” Finally, this is consistent with the ideology of CSV (creating shared value) and SDGs, which seek to strengthen CSR and company’s competitiveness at the same time, and is a desirable direction for the future [6,7].

As authors mention ; various cases supports the argument; Digital transformation lies with CSR capability to simultaneously enhance firms sustainable behaviour and firm financial performance.

 

In case of measured and reported vulnerabilities regarding CSR authenticity one can address digital transformation as an opportunity to overcome low score in competitiveness. Therefore the mediating effect of digital transformation will enhance firms’ competitiveness only if the business model within empirical samples prove commitment to digital transformation.

• We think it's a valid logic. However, digital transformation can be distinguished in many ways. Table 1 enables a variety of factors, including digital operations, digital talent and skills, and digital traction metrics, while there are digital transitions through business models. These efforts will eventually improve the competitiveness of the entire enterprise and at the same time enhance the authenticity of CSR.

Please reformulate “ Considering the promotional and actual performance costs caused by CSR”

 

 Therefore, this study aims to achieve the followings.???

 

 First, this study explores the attributes of CSR activities were rearranged based on the relevant existing research, which was divided into three main categories: CSR fit, sustainability, and impact. We also want to examine the impact of these attributes on the authenticity of CSR. Second, we would like to consider the ‘mediating effect of digital transformation’ between these attributes and CSR authenticity. It is believed that this research model will not only provide an important direction for future CSR strategies, but also contribute to the theoretical foundation of CSR activities in response to the era of the FIR.

 

• Of course, 'cost' is included in CSR activities. Despite such cost, Porter & Kramer (2006, 2011) emphasized that the positive effect is greater through CSV, and we hope you understand this paper in that context. Overall, we tried to supplement this direction a little more.

 

Figure 1 pag 8 the research model I suppose …please change the title  and redesign

• We revised it to reflect the reviewer's opinion.

Please reformulate 4.1 4.2 title of subsections . Analysis of Korea , China is not appropriate

 

• We revised it to reflect the reviewer's opinion.

 

 

Reformulate this interpretation

 

“In other words, contact with information that continuously carries out CSR activities regardless of the situation in the Korean electronics industry basically attributes the propensity to activities based on corporate authenticity, so there is no significant difference in perception of authenticity regardless of the way of activities”.

• We revised it to reflect the reviewer's opinion. (p13)

“According to Kelly [28], consumers’ contact with persistent or consistent stimuli causes “dispositional attribution (性向歸因).” In other words, in the case of the electronics industry in South Korea, it is recognized that CSR activities are continuously carried out regardless of the situation. In such cases, the effect of CS on CA is relatively unrecognised.”

 

Thank you for your sincere comment. It was very helpful to upgrade the thesis.

 

Round 2

Reviewer 2 Report

After a round of R&R, this manuscript has not got a predictable substantial improvement and revision. Good luck for the furture submission.