Corporate Social Responsibility and Consumer Behavior in Sports: Exploring and Adapting a Participatory Sports Scale

Georgia Lagoudaki, Efi Tsitskari (), Thomas Karagiorgos, Georgia Yfantidou, George Tzetzis and George Tsiotras
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Georgia Lagoudaki: Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, 69100 Komotini, Greece
Efi Tsitskari: Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, 69100 Komotini, Greece
Thomas Karagiorgos: Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
Georgia Yfantidou: Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Democritus University of Thrace, 69100 Komotini, Greece
George Tzetzis: Department of Physical Education and Sport Science, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, 54124 Thessaloniki, Greece
George Tsiotras: Business Excellence Lab, Department of Business Administration, University of Macedonia, 54636 Thessaloniki, Greece

Sustainability, 2024, vol. 16, issue 14, 1-18

Abstract: There has been a noticeable shift towards sustainability in participatory sport, emphasizing practices such as corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives. However, a credible international evaluation tool for assessing the effectiveness of CSR initiatives in sport and recreation services is lacking. This study aimed to adapt and validate a CSR questionnaire for Greek participatory sport, focusing on tennis. The influence of CSR on consumer trust and loyalty was also investigated. A sample of 250 tennis players from a private club in a Greek city participated. A questionnaire assessing CSR in environmental, economic, and social dimensions, was selected after an extensive literature review. Statistical analyses confirmed the questionnaire as a valid and reliable tool for assessing CSR among recreational sports participants. The results indicated that CSR initiatives significantly enhance participants’ trust in the club, which in turn bolsters the club’s credibility. However, CSR initiatives do not directly influence participants’ loyalty; instead, trust mediates the relationship between CSR and loyalty. This underscores the need to strategize on how to convert trust into sustained loyalty. The findings highlight the importance of CSR in building trust, protecting corporate reputation in times of crisis, and supporting long-term sustainability. They provide valuable insights for researchers and sport and recreation managers.

Keywords: participatory sports; corporate social responsibility; loyalty; trust (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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