Publics' Expectation Toward Ethical Leadership and Ethical Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR): Evidence From the U.S. and South Korea

ABSTRACT Despite continuous academic attempts to investigate the relationship between public expectations of ethical leadership and corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts, little research has demonstrated the subliminal process of the relationship. This study focuses on the publics' power distance perceptions as a key driver to lead individuals to prioritize CSR, mediated by the expectations of corporate ethical leadership. To further understand the mechanism and the way power distance perception influences public attitudes toward CSR operations, this study suggests a theoretical model illustrating the relationships among power distance perception, expectancy of ethical leadership, expectancy of ethical CSR, and willingness to support socially responsible companies. A cross‐national survey was conducted to provide empirical evidence from the United States (U.S.) and South Korea. Given that strategic approaches of CSR prioritize meeting public expectations toward corporate social roles, this study provides meaningful implications on public relations practice and CSR scholarship by demonstrating how public expectations of corporate ethical operations are shaped and how these expectations influence the public evaluation of corporate behaviors.