A THEORY OF COLLECTIVE EMPATHY IN CORPORATE PHILANTHROPY DECISIONS

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Muller, Alan R.; Pfarrer, Michael D.; Little, Laura M.
• 署名单位: University of Amsterdam; University System of Georgia; University of Georgia
• 刊物名称: ACADEMY OF MANAGEMENT REVIEW
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0363-7425
• DOI: 10.5465/amr.2012.0031
• 发表日期: 2014
• 页码: 1-21
• 关键词: SOCIAL-RESPONSIBILITY; EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE; EMPLOYEE PARTICIPATION; DISASTER-RESPONSE; MORAL IDENTITY; work; compassion; MODEL; ORGANIZATIONS; performance

摘要

Prevailing perspectives on corporate philanthropy are predominantly rational and limit decision making to the executive suite. Recently, however, recognition has grown that employees are also important drivers of corporate philanthropy efforts and that their motives may be more empathic in nature. Integrating arguments from affective events theory, intergroup emotions theory, and affect infusion theory, we develop a framework in which organization members' collective empathy in response to the needs of unknown others infuses executives' decisions, thereby affecting the likelihood, scale, and form of corporate philanthropy. Our theory has implications for research on emotions in organizations, as well as for our understanding of the role of organizations in society.