How perceived corporate social responsibility and public knowledge affect public participation intention: evidence from Chinese waste incineration power projects

Purpose: Public participation is essential for mitigating local resistance faced by the environmentally stigmatized facilities. The purpose of this study is to investigate public participation intention in the decision-making of waste incineration power (WIP) projects by examining the role of perceived corporate social responsibility (PCSR) and public knowledge (PK) based on the theory of planned behavior (TPB). 

Design/methodology/approach: A theoretical model correlating PCSR with public participation intention was developed by using the constructs of TPB as the mediators and PK as the moderator. Drawing on structural equation modeling (SEM), the data collected from 485 local residents of the WIP projects in Jiangsu, China were analyzed to test the model. 

Findings: Companies' CSR practice went through public attitude, subjective norm and personal norm as mediating steps towards promoting participation intention. PK positively moderated the indirect relationships between PCSR and participation intention. Moreover, attitude, subjective norm and personal norm were found to have a positive effect on participation intention. 

Originality/value: This study advances the understanding of public participation intention and enriches the literature relating to CSR and TPB involved in infrastructure development. In order to improve public participation intention, companies should take strategic social responsibility actions and present the benefits and moral values of the activities to the public, and as well make effort to diffuse WIP-related knowledge through interactive activities with the public. Authorities should establish social and personal value systems that praise public participation and improve their expectations of participation outcomes.