From university social responsibility to students’ value co-creation: the emotional bridge of pride and affective commitment

Purpose This study aims to examine how students' perceptions of university social responsibility (USR) affect their value co-creation behaviors. Specifically, it focuses on the mediating roles of university pride and affective commitment, guided by the appraisal theory of emotion. Design/methodology/approach Data were collected from 856 university students in Vietnam. The proposed structural model was tested using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to analyze the relationships among USR, university pride, affective commitment and students' value co-creation behaviors. Findings The results demonstrate that perceived USR has a significant positive impact on both university pride and affective commitment. These factors sequentially mediate the relationship between USR and students' value co-creation behaviors. The study highlights the key emotional and attitudinal pathways through which USR enhances student engagement and their collaborative contributions to the university. Research limitations/implications The findings suggest that fostering strong emotional connections through USR can facilitate greater student involvement and active participation. This offers practical implications for university management boards and policymakers seeking to foster social responsibility and sustainable development within higher education. Originality/value By examining USR as an important antecedent of value co-creation, this research extends understanding of how emotionally driven student-university relationships can foster sustainable and participatory higher education environments.