Social CRM Capability and Institutional Pressures: Analyzing Their Combined Effect on Social Enterprise Performance

Purpose: Drawing on dynamic capabilities theory and institutional theory, this study examines how social CRM capabilities influence social enterprise performance. It further explores how institutional forces—coercive, normative, and mimetic pressures—moderate this relationship, shaping the extent to which social CRM capabilities contribute to performance enhancement.Methods: This study adopts a quantitative research design, collecting survey data from 161 social enterprises operating in Korea. A structured questionnaire was used to measure social CRM capabilities, institutional pressures, and performance outcomes. The data were analyzed using SPSS 23.0, employing hierarchical regression and moderation analysis to assess the direct and moderating effects.Results: The findings offer two significant insights. First, social CRM capabilities serve as a key driver of social enterprise performance, primarily by enhancing innovation and operational efficiency. Second, among the three institutional pressures, mimetic pressures act as an enabler, amplifying the positive influence of social CRM capabilities, whereas coercive and normative pressures do not show a significant moderating effect.Conclusion: By integrating the dynamic capabilities view and institutional theory, this study demonstrates how social CRM capabilities drive social enterprise performance. Unlike prior research, it highlights the enabling role of mimetic pressures while showing that coercive and normative pressures do not enhance performance. Furthermore, by distinguishing between internal adaptability and external legitimacy, it provides a more comprehensive framework for understanding social CRM capabilities, offering fresh theoretical and practical perspectives that advance knowledge in both social enterprise management and CRM strategy.