Consumers become increasingly concerned about the impact of business on the society and social media platforms facilitate the spread of their concern worldwide. This research investigates how consumers react (i.e. Electronic Word-of-Mouth) when brands initiate good or bad practices in the context of social and environmental corporate responsibility. Three experiments provide a multifaceted representation of the phenomenon. We examine the role of consumers’ self-conscious moral emotions (i.e. guilt and pride), in combination with brand engagement in self-concept (BESC) and brand loyalty, in explaining consumers’ reaction. The results will help scholars and managers to better understand and address the spread of consumers’ e-WOM relating to what they perceive as responsible or irresponsible brand behaviors.

ABSTRACT
Introduction
Theoretical background
    CSR and consumer reactions
    CSR and moral emotions
Hypotheses development
    Self-conscious moral emotions and e-WOM
    Moderating effect of BESC and brand loyalty on consumer e-WOM
Methodology
    Research design overview
Main results
    Study 1
    Study 2
    General discussion
    Limitations and further research
References

• Diletta Acuti(University of Portsmouth)
• Valentina Mazzoli(University of Florence)
• Andrea Vocino(Deakin University)
• Raffaele Donvito(University of Florence)