This moderating effect of csr support is implicit in

low CSR support)."* This moderating effect of CSR support
is implicit in prior research into the role of "cause affinity
among key constituents" (Drumwright 1996), "importance
of issue lo self (Haley 1996). and "personal relevance"
(Creyer and Ross 1997) in consumers' reactions to CSR.
More generally, because organizational identification is
motivated at least in part hy people's need to maintain a con-
sistent, positive self image (Dutton, Dukerich. and Harquail
1994). consumers arc more likely to identify with a com-
pany when the domain of its CSR efforts is one that they
themselves support. In summary.
gh [hcse terms hiivc been used inicrchangeably in prior research,
lor the purpose of consistency we u.sc the tertn "character" to denote the
CSR-reluted dimension of a company's iiientity.
H|: A company's CSR initiatives will increase consumers' per-
ceptions of C-C congruence.
Hi: The relationship between a company's CSR initiatives and
consumers' C-C congruence perceptions will be moderated
by the consumers' support of the CSR dotTiain. The CSR-
induced changes in C-C congruence perceptions will be
greater for consumers who are more .supportive of tbe CSR
domain.
Effect of CSR on Company Evaluations
Much research attests to the positive effects of people's
P-O congruence perceptions on their organization-relaled
beliefs and actions. For example. Kristof (1996) presents
evidence from a range of organizational settings and among
different organizational stakeholders of the positive ellects
of P-O congruence on organizational preferences (e.g., job
cboice decisions), job satisfaction, organizational commit-
ment, and turnover intentions. Tbe consequences of organi-
zational identification are similarly positive. Stronger iden-
tification with an organization not only strengthens people's
desire to seek contact witb and support that organization
(i.e., organizational commitment) but also enbances organi-
zation-relevant citizensbip bebaviors (Bergami and Bagozzi
2000; Dutton, Dukerich. and Harquail 1994; Mad and
Ashforth 1992).
In the consumption context, we can expect CSR-induced
C-C congruence to have a similarly positive eftect on con-
sumers' evaluations of a company (Brown and Dacin 1997)
because of consumers' greater commitment lo it and tbe
self-enbancing effects of identification. In other words, tbe
effect of CSR on consumers' company evaluations is likely
to be mediated by consumers' C-C congruence perceptions.
Moreover, tbis mediation is likely to be mtxleratcd by con-
sumers' CSR support. That is, given the moderaling effect of
CSR support on C-C congruence perceptions, the CSR-
induced changes in the company evaluations of high-CSR
•"Given the consensual support of most CSR domains, we expect most
consuiiitirs not lo be actively opposed to most CSR actions. Therefore, we
conceplualixe tow CSR suppon as hierally weaker suppod of a CSR
dotnain rather ihan negative support (i e.. opposition) and accompanying
displeasure, per se.

Corporate Social Responsibility
229
support consumers are not only likely to be more acute tban
evaluations of low-CSR support consumers but also more