Does Ethical Ideology Really Matter in Consumer Responses to Corporate Wrongdoing? The Effects on Trust and Word-of-Mouth Recommendations

Authors

Grzegorz Zasuwa, The John Paul II Catholic University of LublinFollow
Alicja Węgierak, The John Paul II Catholic University of LublinFollow

ORCID

Grzegorz Zasuwa: 0000-0003-4131-5079

Alicja Węgierak: 0009-0000-4567-4701

Keywords

corporate social irresponsibility, word-of-mouth, trust, ethical ideology

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to better understand how the ethical ideologies of consumers influence their responses to perceived corporate social irresponsibility (CSI), focusing on trust and word-of-mouth (WOM) recommendations. Data were collected through a survey involving 627 car owners in Poland, using a real-life case of CSI concerning a major car manufacturer fined for misleading consumers about diesel emissions. The analysis employed partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that moral idealism amplifies the negative effects of CSI on WOM, while moral relativism produces neutrality towards CSI. Specifically, it appears that highly idealistic individuals are more reluctant to make positive comments about a firm accused of irresponsible behaviour. However, individuals who are more relativistic do not appear to be more sympathetic towards or tolerant of firms that act irresponsibly. The study contributes to the literature by highlighting the role of individual ethical ideologies in shaping consumer reactions to corporate misconduct and offers insights for firms and organizations addressing CSI-related challenges.

Acknowledgments

Funding

This study was supported by a grant from National Science Centre, Poland, no. 2018/31/B/HS4/00385.

Declaration of Conflicting Interests

The author declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and publication of the article.

Declaration about the scope of AI utilization

The authors did not use an AI tool in the preparation of the article.

Recommended Citation

Zasuwa, G., & Węgierak, A. (2025). Does Ethical Ideology Really Matter in Consumer Responses to Corporate Wrongdoing? The Effects on Trust and Word-of-Mouth Recommendations. Journal of Marketing and Consumer Behaviour in Emerging Markets, 2025(2), 14-25. https://doi.org/10.7172/2449-6634.jmcbem.2025.2.2

First Page

14

Last Page

25

Page Count

12

Received Date

23.04.2025

Revised Date

26.08.2025

Accepted Date

02.09.2025

Online Available Date

22.09.2025

DOI

10.7172/2449-6634.jmcbem.2025.2.2

JEL Code

D19, M30, M14

Publisher

University of Warsaw