Are we all in the same boat? Appropriate response strategies to collective CSR crises

As supply chain complexity increases the firm’s risk of being involved in a collective corporate social responsibility (CSR) crisis, it is critical for managers to know how to respond to such a crisis. To explore whether firms involved in collective CSR crises act like they are in the same boat or seek betterment for themselves, this study uses situational crisis communication theory (SCCT; Coombs, 2007a) as a theoretical framework to examine firms’ response strategies and consumer reactions toward CSR crises. Consumer data were collected (n = 371) using a 2 (CSR contexts) × 6 (degrees of responsibility) experimental design. Manager data were also collected (n = 104) using an experimental design (CSR context). Findings indicate that inconsistency in the attribution of responsibility between firms and consumers leads firms to use inappropriate response strategies. While consumers consider firms involved in CSR crises to all be in the same boat and prefer a rebuild strategy, firms try to better themselves and tend to adopt diminish and deny strategies. These findings contribute to the CSR and crisis communication literature by revisiting the SCCT framework to examine CSR events. In practical terms, guidance for managers is put forward pursuant of developing appropriate response strategies.