Persistent-effort vs intensive-effort: how power distance belief shapes consumer responses to corporate donation strategies

Purpose This research aimed to examine how consumers' power distance belief (PDB) influences their responses to two distinct corporate donation strategies: intensive-effort versus persistent-effort strategies, and to investigate the mediating effect of value-driven motive attribution as the underlying psychological mechanism. Design/methodology/approach This research conducted three scenario-based experiments with a total of 845 participants recruited via Credamo and Prolific. Study 1 employed a 2 (donation strategy: intensive-effort vs persistent-effort) × 2 (PDB: high vs low) between-subjects design to examine the role of PDB in consumer evaluations of corporate donation strategies. Studies 2 and 3 further investigated the role of value-driven motive attribution as the underlying psychological mechanism. Specifically, Study 3 validated the generalizability of the findings at the country level through a cross-national comparative experiment between China (a high-PDB country) and the United Kingdom (a low-PDB country). Findings This research established a significant moderating effect of PDB on consumer responses to corporate donation strategies. Consumers with high PDB responded more favorably to intensive-effort donation strategies, while those with low PDB responded more favorably to persistent-effort donation strategies. This effect was mediated by value-driven motives attributed to the company. Practical implications Our research provides actionable guidance for managers on tailoring corporate donation strategies to align with the cultural values of their target markets. These findings also offer useful insights for non-profit organizations seeking to optimize corporate partnerships and for policymakers designing culturally informed CSR regulations. Originality/value This research contributes to the literature by introducing PDB into studies of corporate donation evaluation. It extends prior work that has focused primarily on situational factors by revealing how PDB shapes consumers' moral judgments of corporate giving. Moreover, the study deepens our understanding of the role of PDB in moral attribution processes. The findings offer practical guidance for managers seeking to tailor and effectively communicate donation strategies across diverse cultural contexts and consumer segments, as well as valuable insights for non-profit organizations and policymakers.