Purpose: This study aims to empirically examine how different types of corporate mecenat activities (value oriented, stakeholder oriented, performance oriented) influence relationship quality and corporate legitimacy. It also seeks to identify the mediating roles of relationship quality and legitimacy within these relationships.Methods: The study categorizes corporate mecenat activities into three types and statistically tests their direct and mediating effects on relationship quality and corporate legitimacy using empirical analysis based on survey data.Results: Value oriented and stakeholder oriented mecenat activities were found to have significant positive effects on both relationship quality and corporate legitimacy. Performance oriented activities positively affected corporate legitimacy but did not show a significant effect on relationship quality. Similar patterns appeared in the mediating pathways among CMA types, relationship quality, and corporate legitimacy.Conclusion: Corporate mecenat activities function as adaptive strategies for firms responding to evolving societal expectations and can contribute to relationship stability and corporate legitimacy. However, due to sample characteristics, the findings may not generalize to all types of CMA. The study emphasizes the need for broader models applicable across diverse organizational and cultural contexts and offers implications for stakeholder relationship building, CRM, and CEM strategies.
Hwang et al. (Wed,) studied this question.