THE IMPACT OF CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY ON CUSTOMER LOYALTY AND THE MODERATING ROLE OF CUSTOMER INCOME: A CASE STUDY OF THE HOSPITALITY INDUSTRY IN PHU QUOC CITY, VIETNAM

This study explores the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on tourists’ satisfaction and loyalty, focusing on factors related to corporate social and economic outcomes. It also examines how consumer income moderates the relationship of CSR on customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, and corporate reputation. A mixed-methods approach was employed, starting with expert interviews and followed by a questionnaire survey targeting Vietnamese tourists aged 18 and above staying at 4- and 5-star hotels in Phu Quoc City, Vietnam. A random sampling technique yielded 271 valid questionnaires for analysis, and partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed to evaluate the model and test hypotheses. The results show that CSR positively influences customer loyalty, customer satisfaction, service quality, and corporate reputation. Both service quality and corporate reputation were found to positively affect customer satisfaction and loyalty, with customer satisfaction having the strongest influence on customer loyalty. Importantly, consumer income was shown to positively moderate the impact of CSR on perceived corporate reputation. These results provide valuable insights for identifying CSR factors that can improve customer satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, they highlight service quality and corporate reputation as key areas for enhancing customer satisfaction and loyalty. The study also sheds light on the moderating role of income, a topic that has been relatively underexplored in hospitality management research. The managerial implications discussed offer practical guidance for hotel businesses seeking to develop strategies to attract and retain customers.