Leveraging Corporate Social Responsibility for Viability and Sustainability of Minority-Owned Businesses

Despite the extensive literature on corporate social responsibility (CSR), the relevance to minority-owned business enterprises (MBEs) has received limited attention. This research examines how CSR practiced by MBEs affects employee response. Two studies were undertaken to address this relationship. Study 1 employed a mixed-methods approach to modify the traditional CSR scale for MBEs, referred to as CSR-MBE in the current study. This scale encompasses two dimensions: General CSR (GCSR) and minority-specific CSR (MSCSR). Study 2 utilized the CSR-MBE scale to examine their respective effects on employees through a serial mediation model. The findings demonstrate that MSCSR exerts a stronger influence on employee outcomes, including loyalty, mediated by work meaningfulness, mindfulness, and organizational pride, underscoring the pivotal role of cultural alignment. This study introduces a novel framework for understanding CSR in culturally specific contexts and provides actionable insights for MBEs to leverage culturally resonant CSR strategies, enhancing employee loyalty and achieving a sustainable competitive advantage.