Determinants of CSR and green purchase intention: Mediating role of customer green psychology during COVID-19 pandemic

COVID-19 is a viral disease also comprehended as a coronavirus pandemic that has compelled the world to revisit business strategies to encounter COVID-19 challenges. Over the last decade, ample research has been accomplished on corporate social responsibility (CSR) and circular economy. Nevertheless, a key research gap requires to be filled that how CSR can perform a foremost role in engaging stakeholders like consumers during the COVID-19 era. Drawing from the stakeholder theory, this research endeavors to probe CSR's impact on green purchase intention (GPI) with mediating role of green psychology (GP). Data for the study were gathered from mainland China employing convenience sampling and examined by utilizing SEM (Structural Equation Model). First, the study indicated a direct relationship between CSR and GPI as well as between CSR and GP within three streams, i.e., green trust (GT), green satisfaction (GS), and green perceived value (GPV). It is found that GT, GS, and GPV positively influence GPI whereas the positive mediating relationships of each GP factor were autonomously observed between CSR and GPI, respectively. This research can improve the understanding of the enterprises about consumers and how incorporating green activities may enhance consumers' GPI and GP during the COVID-19 pandemic. This study addresses numerous interesting and insightful implications for strategic management together with certain possibilities for prospective researchers.