Aysar Yahya

Aysar Yahya

Ph.D. Student in Comm. & Info. (Advertising) | University of Tennessee, Knoxville & Ph.D. Candidate in Public Relations and Advertising | Anadolu University

Corporate Social Advocacy on Visible Service Automation: The Impact of Advocacy Stance, Reactance, and Consumer Perceptions of Corporate Reputation

Published in Research Square, 2026

As artificial intelligence reshapes labor markets, companies increasingly face pressure to take public stances on automation and its societal implications. This study examines visible service automation, focusing on cases where robots replace human labor in consumer-facing contexts. Using an experimental design with 187 Instagram users in Türkiye, the study investigates how advocacy stance influences consumer reactions and corporate reputation. The findings highlight the role of psychological reactance, issue involvement, and service visibility in shaping consumer evaluations of corporate social advocacy related to automation.

Recommended citation: Yahya, A., & Bayçu, S. (2026). Corporate Social Advocacy on Visible Service Automation: The Impact of Advocacy Stance, Reactance, and Consumer Perceptions of Corporate Reputation. Manuscript under review. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-8682596/v1
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