Investigating Configurations of Internal Corporate Social Responsibility for Work–Family Spillover: An Asymmetrical Approach in the Airline Industry

Abstract

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) and work–family interface have attracted considerable scientific interest; however, their relationship has not been considered yet. Drawing on the conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study fills this gap by examining the relationship between internal CSR and work to family spillover. While most previous CSR studies widely examined the net effect of a single CSR dimension, this study discovers configurations of five different internal CSR dimensions (internal dissemination, compensation, occupational health and safety, training, and legal employment) in explaining positive and negative work to family spillover. Using fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), this study examines a primary database of 136 flight attendants working for Asian airline companies; results reveal that the combination of internal dissemination and compensation creates the most driving power in leading to positive spillover. The absence of internal dissemination, occupational health and safety, and legal employment leads to high negative spillover regardless of the presence of compensation. This study broadens the literature by linking internal CSR to employees’ perceptions of work–family spillover. FsQCA findings also make a methodological contribution to prior CSR research by indicating three configurations that explain positive and negative work–family spillover. Findings provide airline companies with practical guidelines that are useful to enhance positive spillover and reduce negative spillover from work to family domains among their flight attendants.

Keywords

• internal corporate social responsibility
• conservation of resources theory
• work–family spillover
• positive work to family spillover
• negative work to family spillover
• flight attendant