International Journal of Sport Management

Employee Expectations of CSR: A Psychological Contracts Perspective

Christopher R. Barnhill, Lauren Brown

Abstract: This study sought to determine if corporate social responsibility (CSR) is part of the psychological contract for employees of sport organizations. A questionnaire was emailed to 5,672 employees at NCAA Division I institutions with 540 responses deemed usable. The results indicated that CSR is indeed part of the psychological contract of sport organization employees. The results also indicated that sport organizations are generally fulfilling employees’ expectations with regard for their CSR initiatives. Additionally, awareness of CSR initiatives was shown to have a small, but positive influence on both CSR expectations, as well as fulfillment of those expectations. This study offers scholars and practitioners an important step in understanding how CSR impacts employees in sport organizations.

Citation: Barnhill, C. R., & Brown, L. (2017). Employee expectations of CSR: A psychological contracts perspective. International Journal of Sport Management, 18(2), 165-182.

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