Traditional media or social media? Corporate green media communication and consumer intention to cocreate green value in post-COVID-19 China

Purpose This study investigated whether there are differences in the effects of green traditional media communication (GTMC) and green social media communication on consumers' intention to cocreate green value (ICGV) in post-COVID-19 China. The authors further tested the chain mediating role of cocreation efficacy and cocreation outcome expectation and the moderating role of perceived CSR image. Design/methodology/approach Using a survey, we collected a dataset of 683 consumers through stratified random sampling in main shopping malls in four Chinese cities. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to test the conceptual framework and hypotheses, and bootstrapping was used to estimate the mediated standardized regression coefficients. Multiple linear regression analysis was used to test the moderating effect. Findings GTMC, firm-created content (FCC), and user-generated content (UGC) all had positive effects on ICGV. Cocreation efficacy and cocreation outcome expectation had a chain mediation effect in GTMC and ICGV, UGC, and ICGV. Perceived CSR image positively moderated the effects of both GTMC and FCC on ICGV. However, perceived CSR image did not significantly moderate the relationship between UGC and ICGV. Originality/value This study contributes to our understanding of the effect of green media communication on consumers' ICGV in post-COVID-19 China. It also develops the concepts of cocreation efficacy and cocreation outcome expectation. Moreover, analyzing the chain mediating role of cocreation efficacy and cocreation outcome expectation in green media communication and ICGV extends social cognitive theory to the context of green value cocreation. Finally, examining the moderating role of perceived CSR image provides a basis for understanding the boundary conditions of green media communication's effect on ICGV.