Internal Corporate Social Responsibility and Organizational Identification: Evidence from a Malaysian Public University

This study aims to examine the relationship between internal corporate social responsibility (ICSR) and organizational identity (OI) among academic staff at a Malaysian public university. Internal corporate social responsibility (ICSR) is referred to as an organization’s self-regulation efforts that reflect its responsibilities to internal stakeholders. ICSR is conceptualized as having two major components: (1) responsible job design (RJD) and, (2) communication and team building (CTB). OI is a self-defined mental and emotional engagement with the organization as a social being. As organizations prioritize ICSR, employees will be more likely to go above and beyond their obligations for the organization due to a continuous sense of satisfaction and assurance in their jobs. This study employed a quantitative cross-sectional survey approach, using online self-administered survey items, and disseminated to respondents using systematic random sampling. The study has been participated by a total of 245 academic personnel. The findings indicate a significant positive relationship between RJD and OI, but the relationship between CTB and OI was weak and insignificant. This study adds to the empirical data supporting the relationship between ICSR and OI. University ICSR initiatives may employed these findings to improve staff retention, cohesion, and a sense of belonging. The study’s generalizability is limited by the bias in self-reported data in a single university case study. It is suggested that future research could include the impacts of communication channels, with diverse factors to suggest a multidimensional approach, as well as expanding the study to other public universities and professional positions to examine the relationship between ICSR and OI.