CrossFit in the Crosshairs: A Community-Embedded Theory of Firm Responsiveness to Social Issues.
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| Title: | CrossFit in the Crosshairs: A Community-Embedded Theory of Firm Responsiveness to Social Issues. |
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| Authors: | Forti, Enrico1 (AUTHOR) enrico.forti@shu.edu, Piazza, Alessandro2 (AUTHOR) alessandro.piazza@rice.edu, Rietveld, Joost3 (AUTHOR) j.rietveld@ucl.ac.uk |
| Source: | Administrative Science Quarterly. Mar2026, Vol. 71 Issue 1, p45-79. 35p. |
| Subject Terms: | Brand scandals, Stakeholders, Social structure |
| Company/Entity: | CrossFit Inc. |
| People: | Floyd, George, ca. 1973-2020 |
| Abstract: | How do community characteristics shape organizational responses to social issues? While existing research has focused primarily on firm-level attributes or issue characteristics, we argue that a community's social structure systematically affects how external issues penetrate and resonate locally. We develop a theory of community permeability that links three structural features—network closure, segregation patterns, and issue connectedness—to both the local salience of social issues and subsequent firm responses. Our empirical analysis examines how thousands of locally owned CrossFit gyms in the U.S. responded to their CEO's controversial statements following the death of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of a White police officer in 2020. Results show that issue salience was lower in communities characterized by stronger inward-focused ties and greater ethnic segregation but higher in communities more directly connected to populations affected by Floyd's death. Firms operating in communities where the issue was more salient were more likely to respond, particularly when their dependence on community support was heightened by disruptions unrelated to the focal issue. Our study reveals how community social structure creates systematic variation in both issue salience and organizational responses, advancing understanding of when and why firms act on social issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] |
| Copyright of Administrative Science Quarterly is the property of Administrative Science Quarterly and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) | |
| Database: | Education Research Complete |
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| Header | DbId: ehh DbLabel: Education Research Complete An: 191254643 AccessLevel: 6 PubType: Academic Journal PubTypeId: academicJournal PreciseRelevancyScore: 0 |
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| Items | – Name: Title Label: Title Group: Ti Data: CrossFit in the Crosshairs: A Community-Embedded Theory of Firm Responsiveness to Social Issues. – Name: Author Label: Authors Group: Au Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Forti%2C+Enrico%22">Forti, Enrico</searchLink><relatesTo>1</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> enrico.forti@shu.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Piazza%2C+Alessandro%22">Piazza, Alessandro</searchLink><relatesTo>2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> alessandro.piazza@rice.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rietveld%2C+Joost%22">Rietveld, Joost</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> j.rietveld@ucl.ac.uk</i> – Name: TitleSource Label: Source Group: Src Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Administrative+Science+Quarterly%22">Administrative Science Quarterly</searchLink>. Mar2026, Vol. 71 Issue 1, p45-79. 35p. – Name: Subject Label: Subject Terms Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Brand+scandals%22">Brand scandals</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Stakeholders%22">Stakeholders</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Social+structure%22">Social structure</searchLink> – Name: SubjectCompany Label: Company/Entity Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22CrossFit+Inc%2E%22">CrossFit Inc.</searchLink> – Name: SubjectPerson Label: People Group: Su Data: <searchLink fieldCode="PE" term="%22Floyd%2C+George%2C+ca%2E+1973-2020%22">Floyd, George, ca. 1973-2020</searchLink> – Name: Abstract Label: Abstract Group: Ab Data: How do community characteristics shape organizational responses to social issues? While existing research has focused primarily on firm-level attributes or issue characteristics, we argue that a community's social structure systematically affects how external issues penetrate and resonate locally. We develop a theory of community permeability that links three structural features—network closure, segregation patterns, and issue connectedness—to both the local salience of social issues and subsequent firm responses. Our empirical analysis examines how thousands of locally owned CrossFit gyms in the U.S. responded to their CEO's controversial statements following the death of George Floyd, a Black man, at the hands of a White police officer in 2020. Results show that issue salience was lower in communities characterized by stronger inward-focused ties and greater ethnic segregation but higher in communities more directly connected to populations affected by Floyd's death. Firms operating in communities where the issue was more salient were more likely to respond, particularly when their dependence on community support was heightened by disruptions unrelated to the focal issue. Our study reveals how community social structure creates systematic variation in both issue salience and organizational responses, advancing understanding of when and why firms act on social issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] – Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright Label: Group: Ab Data: <i>Copyright of Administrative Science Quarterly is the property of Administrative Science Quarterly and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.) |
| PLink | https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&site=eds-live&db=ehh&AN=191254643 |
| RecordInfo | BibRecord: BibEntity: Identifiers: – Type: doi Value: 10.1177/00018392251360671 Languages: – Code: eng Text: English PhysicalDescription: Pagination: PageCount: 35 StartPage: 45 Subjects: – SubjectFull: Brand scandals Type: general – SubjectFull: Stakeholders Type: general – SubjectFull: Social structure Type: general – SubjectFull: CrossFit Inc. Type: general – SubjectFull: Floyd, George, ca. 1973-2020 Type: general Titles: – TitleFull: CrossFit in the Crosshairs: A Community-Embedded Theory of Firm Responsiveness to Social Issues. Type: main BibRelationships: HasContributorRelationships: – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Forti, Enrico – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Piazza, Alessandro – PersonEntity: Name: NameFull: Rietveld, Joost IsPartOfRelationships: – BibEntity: Dates: – D: 01 M: 03 Text: Mar2026 Type: published Y: 2026 Identifiers: – Type: issn-print Value: 00018392 Numbering: – Type: volume Value: 71 – Type: issue Value: 1 Titles: – TitleFull: Administrative Science Quarterly Type: main |
| ResultId | 1 |
