Service beyond the status quo: the ripple effect of corporate social responsibility and internal marketing on employee's customer-oriented behavior

Abstract

Purpose This paper proposes a research model in which work engagement (WE) mediates the effects of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and internal marketing (IM) simultaneously on customer-oriented boundary-spanning behavior (COBSB). Design/methodology/approach The study deploys structural equation modeling (SEM) to examine data acquired from 355 frontline bank employees (FBE) of private banks. Findings The findings of this study demonstrate that both FBE's perceptions of CSR and IM are positively related to their WE, proposing that adding CSR practices to existing IM programs is likely to boost anticipated employee work attitudes such as WE, which consecutively increase positive employee job outcomes such as COBSB. This research contributes to the body of knowledge by conceptually and empirically gauging CSR and IM practices simultaneously in the banking sector. Originality/value This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge by investigating the relationship between CSR and IM to COBSB via WE in frontline service roles in the retail banking sector.