The cultural gatekeeper: a three-level multilevel meta-analysis of the CSR attitude-behavior gap
Jungwon Lee, Yunhye LeePurpose
Despite the global ubiquity of corporate social responsibility, the translation of favorable consumer attitudes into behavioral intentions remains erratic across international markets. While prior meta-analyses have examined cultural moderators, they have largely ignored the hierarchical dependency of effect sizes, leading to inconclusive findings and potential Type I errors. This study aims to resolve these inconsistencies by proposing and testing the “Gatekeeper Hypothesis,” which posits that national culture acts as a filter that selectively moderates the transition from low-threshold attitudinal responses to high-threshold behavioral commitments.
Design/methodology/approach
To address the methodological limitations of traditional two-level models, this study employs a three-level multilevel meta-analysis. The dataset comprises 604 effect sizes derived from 258 independent studies across 38 countries. By partitioning the total variance into sampling (Level 1), study (Level 2), and country (Level 3) components, we provide a precise estimation of cross-cultural heterogeneity.
Findings
The analysis reveals a significant overall effect of CSR on consumer responses (r = 0.494), yet a substantial 8.5% of the variance resides at the country level, confirming the critical role of institutional context. Supporting the Gatekeeper Hypothesis, the results demonstrate that culture exerts a minimal impact on attitudinal outcomes (universal appeal) but significantly moderates behavioral outcomes. Specifically, Uncertainty Avoidance facilitates the transition to behavioral intention by valuing risk mitigation, whereas long-term orientation, indulgence, masculinity and individualism act as significant behavioral barriers, widening the attitude-behavior gap due to economic pragmatism, hedonic prioritization, competence tradeoffs and self-interest, respectively.
Research limitations/implications
The findings challenge the assumption of global CSR standardization. The study suggests that while the “warm glow” of CSR is relatively universal, the “wallet vote” is culturally gated. Future research should explore the micro-foundations of these cultural thresholds using longitudinal designs.
Originality/value
This is the first study to utilize a 3-level meta-analytic framework to decompose the CSR attitude-behavior gap. By integrating Signaling Theory with Institutional Theory, it offers a robust explanation for why CSR builds global brand equity but requires localized strategies to convert favorable attitudes into purchase intentions.