Consumer perspective on CSR literature review and future research agenda

Purpose The purpose of this study is to present a taxonomical classification of literature on consumer perspectives toward corporate social responsibility (CSR) along with a comprehensive bibliography and future research agenda. Design/methodology/approach A range of online database was searched to collect research papers from various journals. Hundred articles were identified from the source of 61 journals that have been reviewed thoroughly. The papers were classified under different categories. Findings The results show that most of the studies in this context have been conducted in developed countries, and there is a dearth of studies that have been done in a developing economy. This study reveals a growth pattern of research during the time studied and has identified major gaps in the existing literature, and they may be exploited for further research. Research limitations/implications This study is limited to full-text articles in English that are available in the selected database. The findings are generalized only to the specific population of selected databases for a given time period. This paper will be useful for academicians to analyze the current nature of academic research in this area and will provide an added advantage to managers for understanding the impact of CSR activities on consumer behavior. Originality/value This is the first academic literature review on consumer perspectives toward CSR, and it provides a bibliography of academic literature from 1997 to 2013, covering 61 journals.