DOING GOOD, INSPIRING GOOD: THE ROLE OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN SHAPING CUSTOMER CITIZENSHIP BEHAVIOR THROUGH PERCEIVED SERVICE QUALITY

Abstract

In the context of sustainable business and responsible commerce, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been increasingly recognized as a strategic mechanism for aligning organizational objectives with societal expectations. While CSR has been widely acknowledged as a driver of favorable customer outcomes, limited research has examined how CSR stimulates customer citizenship behavior (CCB) through service-related mechanisms, particularly in emerging banking markets. Drawing on social exchange theory (SET) and cognitive consistency theory (CCT), this study investigates the direct and indirect effects of CSR on four dimensions of CCB, namely advocacy, feedback, helping, and tolerance, through the mediating role of perceived service quality (PSQ). A quantitative methodology was adopted, involving a structured survey of 202 bank customers in Vietnam to gather primary data. Data were analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) to validate the proposed conceptual framework. The findings reveal that CSR exerts a significantly positive influence on all four dimensions of CCB. In addition, PSQ positively affects advocacy, feedback, helping, and tolerance behaviors. The results also highlight PSQ as a vital mediating mechanism. Theoretically, this research contributes to the literature by clarifying the psychological pathways linking corporate ethics to proactive customer contributions in service-based institutions. It further advances prior research by examining CCB as a multidimensional construct rather than a single aggregated outcome. Furthermore, it introduces PSQ as a key explanatory mechanism linking CSR to CCB. By focusing on the Vietnamese banking sector, the study provides evidence from an emerging service economy. Practically, the study suggests leveraging CSR as a tool for sustainable growth and operational resilience in a competitive emerging market. By fostering advocacy, feedback, helping, and tolerance among customers, service firms may strengthen relational stability and enhance long-term performance outcomes. Ultimately, this research underscores the necessity of integrating CSR with core service delivery systems to foster voluntary, cooperative customer behaviors that support long-term value co-creation.