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Dimensions of effective CSR communication based on public expectations
Journal of Marketing Communications
Abstract
Through surveying a representative sample of the general public about what they expect from companies’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication, this study empirically examines predictors to evaluate CSR communication. An initial measurement was identified through an exploratory factor analysis, and the initial measurement model was refined via a confirmatory factor analyses. The study identified six essential CSR communication dimensions: (1) informativeness, (2) third-party endorsement, (3) personal relevance, (4) message tone, (5) consistency, and (6) transparency. These six constructs revealed satisfactory reliability, discriminant validity, and convergent validity. The findings offer an integrated theoretical and methodological basis for evaluating effective CSR communication practice, filling an important missing link between CSR activities and their outcomes.
... RQ2: How transparently do the companies from the food retail and banking sectors communicate about their offering of halal products and services? Moreover, transparency can promote a sense of accountability and responsibility in companies (Kim & Ferguson, 2016). Accountability can be defined as the quality or state of being held to account for one's actions and an obligation or willingness to accept responsibility for one's actions (Merriam Webster Dictionary, n.d.). ...
... The examples of Rewe and Edeka also indicate the relationship between transparency and accountability (Kim & Ferguson, 2016). Both companies demonstrate a rather high level of transparency on halal offerings as well as accountability towards ethnic-religious minorities. ...
... Additionally, transparent CSR disclosure can encourage dialogue between an organization and its stakeholders. Such transparency has the potential to enhance trust, alleviate consumer scepticism (Kim & Ferguson, 2016), mitigate controversy, and consequently enhance moral legitimacy (Vollero et al., 2018). ...
... In the context of CSR communication, the tone used might impact a consumer's perception of a company's honesty. The study conducted by (Kim & Ferguson, 2018) focuses on public expectations of CSR communication. It reveals that message tone plays a crucial role in effectively communicating CSR activities, as indicated by consumer reactions. ...
... Based on their research, a messaging tone that mainly depends on facts is seen more acceptable than one that serves a promotional goal. The findings of (Kim & Ferguson, 2018) research align with previous studies indicating that self-promotional messages frequently lead consumers to question the motives underlying such ads (Ellen et al., 2006;Ma & Bentley, 2022). When firms communicate CSR messaging that claim motives solely based on their goodness, customers tend to question whether the CSR project serves anyone other than the company itself (Forehand & Grier, 2003). ...
... When firms communicate CSR messaging that claim motives solely based on their goodness, customers tend to question whether the CSR project serves anyone other than the company itself (Forehand & Grier, 2003). Additional evidence indicates that consumers anticipate corporations to refrain from using a celebratory or self-aggrandizing tone when communicating their corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives (Kim & Ferguson, 2018). ...
Over the past few years, there has been an apparent surge in the application of
corporate social responsibility (CSR) advertising by companies to convey their
dedication to social and environmental causes. However, this trend has also
sparked increasing doubt among consumers about the credibility and impact of
CSR advertisements. This study seeks to explore the impact of content and delivery
on consumer skepticism towards CSR advertisements. This study identifies key
components of CSR communication (content and delivery) and specific variables
within each (company-CSR fit, consumer-CSR fit for content, self-promotional tone,
inauthentic information for delivery). It confirms the significant impact of these
variables on consumer skepticism towards CSR communications, suggesting that aligning company-CSR fit can mitigate skepticism. Consumers are skeptical of CSR
motives when there's a gap between company claims and actions. By focusing on
content and delivery, practitioners can mitigate skepticism and shape perceptions
of corporate responsibility.
... So, sincere intentions or not, communicating about social cause can come across as opportunism with a risk of being perceived exploitative if they are believed to be capitalizing on a pressing societal issue in the pursuit of profit (Bloom et al., 2006). Hence, there seems to be a paradox when brands get involved in cause-related communication, characterized by a demand for change on one hand and consumer skepticism on the other hand (Kim & Ferguson, 2018;Loureiro and Jones, 2019). ...
... As a result, brands communicating about cause could positively impact consumer engagement (Chae, 2020). On the other hand, with examples of false claims about a brand's commitment to social cause and misleading communication like 'greenwashing' and 'wokewashing', cause-related brand posts might appear to consumers as a marketing trick (De Jong and Meer, 2017;Saxton et al., 2019) and therefore might not spur the engagement that brands desire (Kim & Du et al., 2010;Ferguson, 2018). Hence, since it is unclear whether consumers engage more or less with brands taking a stand on social media, we propose the following research question: RQ1. ...
... Besides prominence, we argue that alignment also plays a pivotal role in social media engagement with cause-related brand posts. Alignment refers to how consistent the brand is in communicating about social cause on social media (Kim & Ferguson, 2018;Loureiro & Jones, 2019), which could become manifest in two ways: alignment with the brand's purpose (Kim & Ferguson, 2018;Verlegh, 2023) and alignment across cause-related brand posts. First, alignment with the brand's purpose refers to the thematic consistency between the brand's purpose and cause-related posts (e.g., Coombs et al., 2011). ...
Brands are increasingly incorporating social causes into their campaigns to address significant matters. In this context, social media is seen as a pivotal platform, as it has been a driving force behind public engagement and action, and hence the broader recognition of societal issues. For brands that aim to make a change, it is therefore important to know what types of messages are most likely to evoke consumer engagement. Yet, less is known about which message characteristics spur consumer engagement of cause-related brand posts. The aim of this paper is to investigate two characteristics that seem to play central role: prominence and thematic alignment. Based on a content analysis of 1,236 social media messages (Instagram and Facebook), the results indicate that consumers engage more with cause-related brand posts when these posts are aligned with the brand’s purpose. Importantly, product prominence is not appreciated in this context. Implications are discussed.
... El foco pues estaría en cómo comunicar eficazmente las prácticas de RSC (Cunningham, 2022;Lindgreen y Swaen, 2010), y específicamente en si es más adecuado fomentar la proactividad a la hora de difundirlas o si es preferible optar por una comunicación más sutil (Bachmann e Ingenhoff, 2017;Kim y Ferguson, 2018). ...
... En este sentido, el compromiso real y la motivación intrínseca se han identificado como factores clave a la hora de lograr credibilidad y confianza y poder convencer a los públicos (Du et al., 2010;Viererbl y Koch, 2022). Es decir, mostrar claramente que existe una vinculación entre el propósito de la organización (su misión, visión y valores) y las prácticas de RSC, implicando a todos los miembros de la propia organización (Casado y Cuadrado, 2014) y demostrando consistencia en los compromisos RSC (Coombs y Holladay, 2011;Kim y Ferguson, 2018). Otro de los pilares de la comunicación de la RSC es la transparencia (Coombs y Holladay, 2011;Kim y Ferguson, 2018;Kim y Lee, 2018), la cual requiere de una comunicación cuidadosamente planificada para evitar riesgos reputacionales (Morsing et al., 2008). ...
... Es decir, mostrar claramente que existe una vinculación entre el propósito de la organización (su misión, visión y valores) y las prácticas de RSC, implicando a todos los miembros de la propia organización (Casado y Cuadrado, 2014) y demostrando consistencia en los compromisos RSC (Coombs y Holladay, 2011;Kim y Ferguson, 2018). Otro de los pilares de la comunicación de la RSC es la transparencia (Coombs y Holladay, 2011;Kim y Ferguson, 2018;Kim y Lee, 2018), la cual requiere de una comunicación cuidadosamente planificada para evitar riesgos reputacionales (Morsing et al., 2008). ...
Introducción: Desde la introducción de los Objetivos de Desarrollo Sostenible (ODS), el desarrollo sostenible y la Resposnabilidad Social Corporativa (RSC) son una de las principales tendencias estratégicas en relaciones públicas (RRPP). La presente investigación tiene como objetivo identificar si las agencias visibilizan su oferta de servicios especializados en RSC, y comprobar su propio compromiso en la materia. Metodología: Se han analizado las webs de 50 agencias de comunicación y RRPP que operan en España, a partir del ranking de referencia de El Publicista (edición 2022) y un total de 66 campañas de RSC. Se ha aplicado el análisis de contenido cuantitativo y cualitativo, siendo las variables analizadas: tipo de consultora, servicios de RSC ofertados, casos de éxito de RSC mostrados, acciones de RSC propias implementadas, y profesionales especializados en RSC. Resultados: Todavía existe una gran cantidad de agencias que no ofrecen servicios específicos en el ámbito de la RSC (58%) ni cuentan con profesionales especializados en el ámbito (sólo un 12%). Sin embargo, los 43 casos de éxito en RSC desarrollados para sus clientes evidencian su creciente capacidad para convencer a los sujetos promotores (clientes actuales y potenciales) sobre el impacto positivo de la RSC en la reputación organizacional. Discusión: El propio sector de las RRPP no demuestra el mismo nivel de compromiso, dado que la implementación en la industria de acciones propias de RSC es un fenómeno aún minoritario (34% y 23 campañas propias de RSC identificadas), si bien es cierto que puede servir de acicate para que otras agencias sigan esta vía.Conclusiones: Se ha comprobado que en muchas de las campañas se aplica una de las estrategias recomendadas desde la disciplina de las RRPP referente a la comunicación de la RSC: la vinculación de la acción de RSC con la propia actividad del sujeto promotor, ya sea éste la empresa cliente o la propia agencia adoptando estrategias de colaboración pro-bono con entidades sin ánimo de lucro.
... Program outputs refer to what an organization puts out to target the public, such as news releases, email blasts, social media posts, and sponsored events [60,61]. These are easy metrics to collect (e.g., how many [48,49]. ...
... By working with nonprofits, opinion leaders, and social media influencers, organizations can effectively reach out to stakeholders and build relationships. Also, working with third-party partners can lower stakeholder skepticism of a company's CSR communication [48]. ...
Stakeholder engagement has been an important research topic across many disciplines. In this study, we examined the concept of stakeholder engagement in corporate social responsibility (CSR) and identified how organizations engage stakeholders in their CSR communication by analyzing successful CSR programs. Two coders conducted a content analysis of 146 Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Silver Anvil Award-winning CSR campaigns implemented during the past ten years. The results show that many organizations have engaged stakeholders in their CSR programs in various ways to increase awareness about social issues, change stakeholder behavior, and create favorable attitudes toward the organizations. As for CSR communication strategies, stakeholder response strategies were frequently observed, which is relevant to the two-way asymmetric communication model. Many organizations receive feedback from their stakeholders and demonstrate how they integrate their stakeholders' concerns. The result also shows that social media is widely used for digital engagement. However, despite its potential to become an interactive, dialogic space, response strategy is used more often than involvement strategy. Although co-creating a CSR strategy with stakeholders and making a shared decision (i.e., stakeholder involvement strategy) is ideal for building a mutually beneficial relationship between an organization and its stakeholders, few organizations have employed this strategy. This study also found that partnership is a common stakeholder engagement strategy in CSR communication. Many organizations have used third-party endorsement and engaged nonprofits, opinion leaders, and social media influencers in their CSR communication.
... In terms of message content and style, research in global and China, identifies several factors affecting stakeholder reception informativeness, tone (factual/objective or emotional; humble or self-promotional), source (the company, CEO, third-party, or media), and frame is CSR presented as core to business strategy or as altruistic philanthropy. Kim and Ferguson [25] found that stakeholders generally expect CSR communication to be transparent and factual. Chinese audiences, in particular, appreciate concrete details and evidence of impact, given some public wariness of empty slogans. ...
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communication has become a strategic tool for reputation management. This research presents a systematic literature review of research (2015–2024) between CSR communication and corporate reputation in the Chinese context. We followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines to identify 20 relevant peer-reviewed studies. The review addresses three key questions (1) the state of this research in terms of scope and trends, (2) the theoretical frameworks applied and the influence of Chinese cultural factors, and (3) the main findings on how CSR communication practices impact corporate reputation in China. Across studies, effective CSR communication – characterized by authenticity, transparency, and alignment with cultural values – is generally found to enhance corporate reputation by building stakeholder trust and identification. However, perceived motive hypocrisy or misalignment between talk and action can damage reputation. Notably, Chinese cultural norms and the media environment shape both communication strategies and stakeholder responses. Discuss how classic theories are affirmed or extended in the Chinese context, and provide an integrative framework linking CSR communication to reputation outcomes.
... Kim et al., 2017;Pomering & Dolnicar, 2009). Yet, some studies report that consumers' perceptions of organizations' CSR practices can be marred by consumer scepticism (Ramasamy et al., 2021) more so due to organizations' failure in communicating the resulting tangible and measurable benefits, affecting consumers trust and impacting corporate reputation (S. Kim & Ferguson, 2018). As such, organizations should communicate their CSR practices and its positive impact to enhance stakeholders' knowledge, foster greater consumer trust (V. ...
... A nivel estratégico, la comunicación de la RSC debe mostrar coherencia entre el propósito de la empresa y sus acciones de RSC(Coombs y Holladay, 2011;Kim y Ferguson, 2018). Además, se subraya su necesidad de transversalidad, adquiriendo la comunicación interna una importancia crucial, pues permite a todos los miembros de la organización conocer y adoptar los criterios ESG.En referencia específicamente al tono de los mensajes sobre RSC, desde la literatura se ha debatido sobre la elección entre mensajes optimistas y aquellos que resaltan los problemas actuales en materia social y ambiental(Elving et al., 2015). ...
En la era de la desinformación, los stakeholders se muestran cada vez más escépticos
con las afirmaciones de compromiso social y medioambiental de
las empresas. La expansión del greenwashing, entre otras técnicas de comunicación
engañosa, ha hecho caer la confianza del consumidor y de otros
públicos clave. Este estudio examina cómo desarrollan la comunicación de
la responsabilidad social corporativa (RSC) y de los criterios ESG (environmental,
social and governance) las agencias de relaciones públicas (RR. PP.)que operan en España. Su principal objetivo es conocer cuál ha sido la evolución
de la RSC en los últimos años, identificar las características específicas
de la comunicación de la RSC y descubrir cuáles son los servicios especializados
en RSC que ofrecen las agencias de RR. PP. Se ha aplicado metodología
cualitativa basada en entrevistas en profundidad semiestructuradas
a especialistas en RSC que trabajan en agencias de RR. PP. que operan en
España (n = 9). Los resultados muestran que la comunicación de la RSC
ayuda a fomentar la credibilidad de la organización entre sus stakeholders,
mejorando su imagen y reputación, si es honesta y coherente con las acciones
desarrolladas por la compañía, y si se aplica de forma transversal en la
organización, sin limitarse a acciones puntuales y usando una comunicación
bidireccional. Más allá de elaborar informes de sostenibilidad y aplicar
técnicas concretas, las agencias de RR. PP. se postulan como asesoras a
la hora de crear narrativas en torno a las estrategias de ESG.
... Furthermore, effective and efficient CSR communication is not just about addressing customers' concerns and disseminating information about the company's CSR activities (Kim, 2019), but also about meeting and even exceeding stakeholders' expectations (Kim and Ferguson, 2018;Morsing, 2006). For this study, which is also about opportunistic recalls indicating the possibility of customer protests, customer loyalty is at risk, and dialogical CSR communication can mitigate the likelihood of protests by addressing customers' concerns sincerely and promptly. ...
Product recalls, particularly when perceived as opportunistic, can trigger severe consumer backlash, undermining brand loyalty and escalating protest behaviors that threaten long-term consumer-brand relationships. This study integrates expectancy violation theory and situational crisis communication theory to understand the implications of opportunistic recalls for brand loyalty and repurchase intention. A survey with 425 responses from car owners in the United States was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). It found that opportunistic recalls significantly exacerbate negative brand personality and directly influence protest behavior and brand loyalty. A counterintuitive finding emerges with protest behavior positively impacting brand loyalty, an insight that expectancy violation theory may help elucidate, indicating that protest actions may sometimes strengthen loyalty. The study also highlights the moderating role of perceived dialogical corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication in attenuating the negative impact of opportunistic recalls on negative brand personality, aligning with the precepts of crisis communication theory. However, its influence on protest behavior is found to be minimal. This interplay highlights the significance of adept perceived dia-logical CSR communication in mitigating the adverse effects of product recalls on brand perception. By integrating these theoretical lenses, the research contributes to crisis management, CSR, and consumer-brand relationships literature, providing practical implications for effectively employing CSR strategies in managing product recall crises, thereby sustaining brand loyalty and influencing future buying behavior.
... Responsive CSR involves conforming to governmental directives, laws, and regulations, reflecting a firm's commitment to meeting external obligations and expectations. This dimension of CSR emphasizes the importance of compliance as a foundational element of corporate responsibility [50,51]. ...
Corporate social responsibility (CSR) has been widely discussed. However, the existing literature does not delve into the theoretical mechanism to show how companies adjust their CSR in the face of minimum wage increases. This may be due to the lack of a theoretical framework that clarifies the relationship between minimum wage increases and CSR adjustments. The objectives of this study is to fill this gap by investigating the impact of minimum wage increases on CSR, employing both cost stickiness and optimal distinctiveness theories. We use the data from the CSMAR database, the Human Resources and Social Security Administration, and Hexun rating system. The subject of this study is China’s A-share listed companies during 2010–2020. This study employs fixed-effects models for a panel data. The findings reveal that minimum wage increases are significantly associated with a reduction in both strategic CSR and responsive CSR. Notably, the decrease in responsive CSR outweighs that of strategic CSR. Furthermore, our results indicate that customer concentration or CSR sensitivity significantly moderates this relationship. More particularly, firms with higher customer concentration are less responsive to minimum wage increases in their CSR activities. Firms with higher sensitivity in CSR are more likely to mitigate the reducing effect of the minimum wage on CSR. By revealing how minimum wage increases affect CSR and its economic consequences, our study provides scientific recommendations for policymakers to measure the impact of minimum wage policies at the firm level.
... In this regard, the effectiveness of CSR programs is influenced by how those individuals perceive and evaluate CSR practices. For instance, a low consistency between expectations and information may lead to customers' unfavorable evaluations of CSR which, as a result, can intensify their negative behavioral intentions (Kim & Ferguson, 2018). To increase the positive impacts of CSR practices on consumers' behavior, business organizations must take into consideration their consumers' scepticism and address the issue accordingly (Goh & Balaji, 2016). ...
Public scepticism is becoming more prevalent surrounding organizations' corporate social responsibility (CSR) implementation and communication. Management research has tended to over-fixate on the strategic paybacks of CSR, and less attention has been devoted to examining why CSR is under siege due to the pervasive issue of scepticism coming from a plethora of stakeholders. This study provides a scoping review to appraise the status quo of CSR vis-à-vis scepticism scholarship and examine how the two concepts have been contextualized in relation to one another in the extant literature in question. The findings illustrate that the process nature of CSR scepticism is complex, given that CSR can yield both a buffering and boomerang effect on CSR practitioners. The qualitative content analysis performed on 58 studies, published from 2007 to 2022, elaborates on CSR scepticism as a multidi-mensional construct with three distinctive typologies of research approaches identified, explicating how the CSR and scepticism topicalities have been cross-examined in relation to one another: "Typology 1: Dispositional Scepticism and the Buffering Effect of CSR on Scepticism"; "Typology 2: Situ-ational Scepticism and the Boomerang Effect of CSR on Scepticism"; "Typology 3: Centrality of CSR Scepticism and CSR Scepticism Mitigation." This study offers a conceptual insight into the prevalent issue of scepticism in the CSR context, while also informing marketing, communication, and public relations professionals about the necessity of mitigating CSR scepticism, which poses a barrier to effective CSR implementation and communication processes.
... Additionally, the firm's use of such social media platforms like Twitter, Instagram and Facebook has made it easy for the public to see and access the firm's CSR initiatives (Park & Kim, 2022). This openness has allowed stakeholders to scrutinize corporate behavior closely and create an impression of transparency and set the expectation of ethical behavior (Kim & Ferguson, 2018). Lee (2021) argued that digital media has compounded the role Pakistan Journal of Law, Analysis and Wisdom Vol 3, No.10 of CSR in the context of brand image since consumers become more critical of companies and demand that the latter show actual concern towards social and environmental causes. ...
This study explores the impact of digital media on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and public perception of brands. With digital platforms becoming integral to corporate communications, brands increasingly rely on these channels to promote CSR initiatives. The research aims to assess how digital media influences consumer perceptions of CSR transparency, accountability, and brand trustworthiness. Data were collected from 200 social media users who engage with brands online and involve in purchasing also. A structured questionnaire using a 5-point Likert scale measured respondents' views on digital media's role in CSR and brand perception. Reliability and validity tests confirmed high internal consistency and construct accuracy. Correlation and regression analyses revealed a significant positive relationship between digital media's influence on CSR and its effect on brand perception, supporting both hypotheses. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) further validated the measurement model's fit. Findings indicate that brands with active CSR engagement on digital platforms are perceived more favorably, aligning with prior studies that link digital presence with enhanced brand credibility. Limitations include the study's cross-sectional design and convenience sampling, suggesting future research could utilize longitudinal methods and examine specific digital channels. The study provides practical implications for marketers, highlighting digital media's role in building trust and loyalty through CSR communication.
... Also, with the rise of digital and social media, companies may now communicate their CSR efforts to a much larger audience. More and more individuals are taking to social media to voice their complaints, which may be good for businesses whose CSR programs are transparent and proactive (Kim & Ferguson, 2018). ...
Contemporary businesses cannot survive in today's cutthroat marketplace without engaging in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. Examining how CSR initiatives cultivate consumer loyalty within the framework of environmentally conscious advertising campaigns, this study probes the link between CSR initiatives and public perception of brands. Community involvement, ethical work practices, and environmental stewardship are some of the CSR programs examined in this research, which seeks to understand how these initiatives influence brand image and consumer behaviour. Case studies and consumer surveys were the basis of this study, which found that CSR-active companies' reputations, as well as the trust and loyalty of their target audience, were positively impacted. Customers are more loyal than ever before to brands that reflect their values, and the research highlights the importance of companies that demonstrate genuine commitment to sustainability. Based on the findings, businesses may boost their image, get more customers involved in the long run, and differentiate themselves from rivals by making CSR a central part of their strategy. This study contributes to the growing body of literature on corporate social responsibility and sustainable marketing. It offers valuable insights for organizations that want to build a reputation that is both responsible and customer-centric.
... Several studies have explored the role of perceived CSR fit (whether high or low on consumer behavioral intentions (e.g. Elving, 2013;Kim & Ferguson, 2018;Rim & Ferguson, 2020). High-fit CSR activities, which closely align with a company's core business, tend to enhance consumer attitudes and reduce skepticism (Elving, 2013;Menon & Kahn, 2003). ...
This study investigates how three types of emotions (anger, affective empathy, and cognitive empathy) mediate the relationship between crisis type and corporate social responsibility (CSR) fit and organizational outcomes such as purchase intentions, negative word‐of‐mouth (nwom), organizational reputation, as well as forgiveness. An online 2 (crisis type: product‐harm vs. moral‐harm) x 2 (CSR fit: high fit vs. low fit) between‐subjects design (N = 412) was conducted with the participants recruited via CloudResearch, a crowdsourcing platform. The findings indicate that anger significantly mediates the relationship between crisis \type and crisis outcomes, with product‐harm crises increasing anger and leading to more negative outcomes. Conversely, high CSR fit reduces anger and enhances positive organizational outcomes. Affective empathy also mediates these relationships, with product‐harm crises lowering affective empathy and CSR fit improving it, subsequently influencing purchase intentions, reputation, forgiveness, and negative word‐of‐mouth. Cognitive empathy partially mediates these effects, particularly affecting negative word‐of‐mouth, reputation, and forgiveness. These results suggest that managing stakeholder emotions through CSR alignment can effectively mitigate negative impacts during crises. Both theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
... | NOT PEER-REVIEWED | Posted: 2 August 2024 doi:10.20944/preprints202408.0107.v1 2 support all employees [16,17]. This focus on DEI aligns with broader societal expectations and Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, reinforcing the importance of ethical business practices [18]. Sustainability is another critical focus of the EFQM Model [19], reflecting the growing importance of aligning business strategies with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) [20,21]. ...
The EFQM Model, established in 1991, serves as a framework for organizational excellence, helping achieve sustainable success through an integrated management system. The model's evo-lution is driven by the need to adapt to global trends, threats, and technological innovations such as: digital transformation, employee engagement and well-being, remote work, agile performance management, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), sustainability, AI, and big data. The new EFQM Model 2025, presented in Istanbul in June 2024, introduces significant changes, emphasiz-ing sustainability, innovation, and technology. These changes are analyzed based on the logic of three questions: Why, How, and What. Why: There is a necessity for better alignment of organizations with contemporary challenges through flexibility, risk resilience, and innovation capabilities in a dynamic business environ-ment, including alignment with the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). How: The model introduces an integrated approach to performance management and transfor-mation, incorporating advanced technologies such as AI and data analytics. What: Implementing the EFQM Model 2025 enhances organizational adaptability, innovation, and flexibility, improving financial, operational, and strategic outcomes. Better alignment with sustainability goals leads to long-term value and social responsibility. Improved stakeholder engagement methods enhance understanding and satisfaction. The use of advanced technologies supports innovation and operational efficiency, while better strategic and operational performance and risk management ensures greater stability and the ability to anticipate future challenges.
... CSR disclosure refers to the practice of organizations sharing information about their environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance and initiatives [26], it involves communicating details about the company's efforts to mitigate its environmental impact, promoting social well-being, and uphold ethical business practices [27]. Big data can play a significant role in CSR disclosure by enabling organizations to collect, analyse, and report on relevant ESG data. ...
Background-Cooperate Social Responsibility (CSR) in supply chain management requires understanding customer psychological anxiety attributes. A data-driven approach, such as using a Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) model, can provide insights. By recognizing and addressing customer psychological anxiety, CSR can provide better support, which leads to higher customer satisfaction. When customers feel understood and supported, they are more likely to have a positive perception of the company and its supply chain services. Subjects and methods- The study aims to use the LDA method to explore consumer psychology anxiety and its attributes for CSR in supply chain management. The corpus is collected from the Web of Science core collection with keywords “CSR” and “supply chain management”, and 965 articles related to the field from1990-2022. LDA is a natural language processing technique that uncovers thematic structures in textual data. By applying LDA to customer feedback, businesses can identify anxiety attributes. Steps include data collection, preprocessing, LDA model training, topic interpretation, and deriving business insights. Results- The study used the Python program to run LDA, after putting in the text data, the study identify number of 11 topics according to the value of topic coherence, then identified topics based on the most representative words or phrases within each topic combined CSR and supply chain related knowledge and fit the service quality model to find the customer psychological anxiety attributes, the results reveal that customer tend to be anxiety about the aspects of reliability and assurance for CSR in supply chain management, more concern about the environmental and social aspects responsibility. Conclusions- The study revealed customer psychological anxiety about CSR initiatives and strategies within their supply chain management. The results show that consumers feel most anxiety about the aspects of reliability and assurance of supply chain management. They are concerned about the environment and social responsibility that the supply chain enterprise is taking, especially in the food supply chain field. By addressing these concerns, organizations can enhance customer satisfaction, build stronger relationships, and improve their overall CSR performance. The findings of this study also contribute to the field by providing valuable guidance, further research can add other text mining methods like structural topic modelling, or add deeper quantitative research in the field and develop of a new customer-CSR service quality model in the service industry.
... Personal involvement in the environmental issue and general social consciousness were considered as potential confounding variables, since both were found to impact publics' evaluation of CSR (Martínez et al., 2020;S. Kim & Ferguson, 2018). The personal involvement measure was adapted from Kim and Grunig (2011) and Y. Lee and Tao (2020). The items included "I am closely connected with environmental issues;" "Environmental issues affect me substantially;" and "Environmental issues have (will have) substantial consequences on me and people I care about" (1 = strongly disagr ...
he current study examines the effects of a bottom-up CSR approach, as compared to a top-down CSR approach, on consumer publics’ evaluation of CSR practices. By applying dialogic communication as a theoretical lens, this study also investigates the mediating effects of perceived dialogic organiza- tional – employee communication in such relationships. Through a between- subject online experiment, the results showed that when a CSR program was implemented with a bottom-up approach (vs. a top-down approach), con- sumer publics perceived a higher level of organization – employee dialogic communication. Such perception, in turn, results in consumer publics’ favor- able attitude toward the company, purchase intentions, and supportive behavioral intentions of CSR practices. In addition, the positive effects of the bottom-up CSR approach on consumer publics’ corporate evaluations via the mediation of perceived dialogic organization – employee communica- tion were greater for individuals with higher levels of corporate distrust than those with lower levels of corporate distrust. The study extends our under- standing of the value of dialogic communication in public relations and CSR communication.
... We draw attention to the role of various attributes of trustworthiness in corporate communication with stakeholders, and we document how companies use reputation, appearance, and performance as signals to engender trustworthiness in their CSR communication. Prior work has underlined how carefully crafted communication improves stakeholders' CSR knowledge, trust, and positive emotions (Kim, 2019;Kim & Ferguson, 2016;Kumar et al., 2019;Nikolaeva & Bicho, 2011;Pansari & Kumar, 2017;Peloza & Shang, 2011;Saxton et al., 2019;Tsai et al., 2012). However, studies on the strategies used by companies to build or signal their engendering trustworthiness of CSR communication remain limited. ...
A growing body of research is exploring corporate communication in relation to corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities on social media (SM). Nonetheless, while these studies have shown that SM communication may be an effective tool for reaching and engaging various stakeholders, how the design of corporate CSR communication engenders trustworthiness has yet to be examined. To address this gap, we suggest that SM communication may include important signals related to trust; thus, we investigate whether companies use sources of trustworthiness (reputation, performance, and appearance) while communicating with stakeholders and the response of the latter to such communication. Our empirical analysis is based on a database containing over 66,000 CSR‐related messages from eight companies focusing on communication extracted from Twitter. These data are coded according to three sources of trustworthiness and two dimensions of CSR communication (social and environmental). Our findings indicate that all three attributes of trustworthiness are used by companies in their CSR social media communication. We also document how corporate efforts to use CSR communication that engenders trustworthiness influence stakeholder engagement. Our study therefore contributes to the literature on trust in relation to CSR by illustrating the importance of signaling that includes different sources of trustworthiness or their combination in corporate communication. By analyzing how the various trust attributes included in CSR communication affect SM reactions, we also identify which attributes lead to greater stakeholder engagement overall, particularly for the two analyzed dimensions of CSR communication.
... Therefore, the company's CSR eco-initiatives attract consumers who are healthconscious since the company's CSR is congruent with the consumers' health concern (Schmeltz 2017). Furthermore, the CSR literature shows that a consumer-company CSR fit makes consumers believe the company's CSR initiatives and generate a positive brand attitude (Kim and Ferguson 2018;Lee et al. 2012). Thus, we argue that health consciousness strengthens the relationship between CSR belief and an organic cosmetic product company-CSR eco-initiatives fit, and health consciousness strengthens the effect of CSR belief buffer on consumers' brand attitude against negative impacts from a service failure. ...
Predictors of organic cosmetic product purchase intention have been widely investigated. However, a company-CSR fit triggered from this business area has not been examined in purchase intention. In addition, company-CSR fit-driven positive CSR perception in several business areas such as tourism, banking, and pharmacy has been found to serve a buffer in a service failure. Whether CSR belief derived from a company-CSR fit in the organic cosmetic product business still generates the buffering effect. This study examines the buffering effect of CSR belief driven by the company-CSR fit in the context of service failure on brand attitude and purchase intention for organic cosmetic products. In addition, this study proposes a moderating role of health consciousness that could influence the buffering effect of CSR belief on brand attitude after a service failure. Using data from a sample of 257 respondents on Amazon Mechanical Turk, the study uses SmartPLS 3 to perform the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The results indicate that a company-CSR fit driven-CSR belief generates a buffering effect on brand attitude, resulting in the maintenance of purchase intention after a service failure. Results further show that health consciousness moderates this buffering effect on brand attitude. Particularly, consumers with high levels of health consciousness strengthen this buffering effect, while the buffer of CSR belief does not have an effect on consumers with low levels of health consciousness. These findings bring theoretical contributions and practical implications for the organic cosmetic product business. ARTICLE HISTORY
Digital food-ordering apps make it simple to buy indulgent drinks yet hard to judge their health risks. We conducted five online experiments (N = 1048) to compare two messages for sugary beverages: self-promotion that stresses taste and self-disclosure that plainly warns “high sugar/high calories”. Brands that chose self-disclosure were seen as more socially responsible and transparent, which in turn raised trust and lifted purchase intent. These gains were strongest for users who care deeply about the category or the brand and remained robust even among highly health-conscious shoppers. The results show that, for “vice” foods, honest warnings can outperform glossy claims. Our study extends signaling and attribution theories to digital food markets and offers managers a straightforward playbook for complying with new labeling rules while still driving sales.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) messaging on social media has become a key strategy for companies to engage the public. However, limited research has investigated how specific CSR communication strategies influence public online engagement, particularly in the Chinese context. This study analyzed the effects of three dependent variables: (1) CSR message themes (aligned with ISO 26000 standards), (2) relationship cultivation strategies (Openness, Information Dissemination, Interactivity and Involvement, and Sharing Tasks), and (3) multimodal message types (text with emoticons, picutures, and videos) on social media users’ engagement behaviors (likes, shares, and comments). A quantitative content analysis was conducted on 421 CSR-related posts from the Weibo accounts of the top ten automotive brands in China, using Negative Binomial Regression (NB2) to examine the associations between CSR factors and user engagement. The findings revealed that consumer-related CSR themes significantly increased likes, shares, and comments. Relationship cultivation strategies, particularly Interactivity and Involvement, positively impacted engagement, especially in posts that encouraged commenting or sharing. Additionally, posts incorporating text with emoticons were found to significantly boost comments. Theoretically, this study integrates Stimuli-Response Theory’s focus on external stimuli with Uses and Gratifications Theory’s emphasis on users’ active motivations, offering a more comprehensive framework for understanding user engagement. Practically, it provides clear, actionable recommendations for automotive companies: prioritize consumer-focused CSR topics, adopt interactive strategies, simplify technical content, and utilize.
With the growing social concern for corporate sustainability, organizations are under increasing pressure to communicate their sustainability efforts transparently and effectively. Websites, driven by their participatory nature, have emerged as pivotal platforms for such communication and a key relational tool. This study explores the role of website communication in fostering dialogic potential to facilitate two-way communication on sustainability issues. This research delves into the level of two-way communication of websites, which is determined by a suitable management of sustainability content and the presence of interactive features. Specifically, this study aims to identify boundaries in website design features that influence the effectiveness of sustainability communication. To this end, a novel measurement instrument, the Two-Step Index, has been designed to provide a comprehensive and in-depth assessment of the dialogic potential of websites. Few studies have explored the dialogic potential of websites for sustainability communication highlighting the need to uncover limitations and gaps in current practices. The findings reveal a low level of dialogic potential in corporate sustainability communication on the sampled websites, with a stronger emphasis on content management than on interactivity. Based on these results, practical insights are provided, along with specific actions to facilitate the implementation of dialogic strategies on websites.
The message is clear: people want to work for organizations where they feel they are engaged and learning. Recently, Benevity in Canada stated, "Today’s employees are expecting a greater sense of purpose in the workplace. In fact, 83% of Millennials say they would be more loyal to their employer when they feel they can make a difference on social and environmental issues at work." Companies that engage in social and environmental stewardship also benefit from employees who are more aware and involved. Once the Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) strategy and programs have been defined, how do you ensure your communications strategy, plan, and actions are aligned and will help deliver the desired results to get employees interested and engaged? An online survey with 100 respondents in Canada demonstrated a clear shift from years ago where current applicants now research a company’s CSR information when applying there. And once working inside the organization, employees notice CSR initiatives and want to get involved.
Purpose
This study explored communication regarding corporate social responsibility (CSR), with a focus on how message specificity influences the images of corporations as well as the attitudes and behavioral intentions of sport consumers. A research model was developed based on the elaboration likelihood model and construal level theory to examine the moderating effect of perceived CSR fit on the relationship between a company’s image and its chosen social cause.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through an online survey ( N = 338) and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling.
Findings
The findings revealed that CSR message specificity positively impacts corporate image, which in turn enhances consumer attitudes and behavioral intentions. Perceived CSR fit negatively moderates the relationship between CSR message specificity and corporate image, indicating that detailed CSR messaging more effectively improves corporate image when consumers perceive a low fit between a company’s core business activities and the social causes that they advocate.
Originality/value
The findings deepen the understanding of CSR communication and offer valuable insights for companies on crafting messages that maximize favorable consumer responses.
Objective: Philip Morris International’s Smoke-Free Future (SFF) campaign pledged to replace conventional cigarettes with smoke-free alternatives, promoting smokers’ health and combating smoking-related misinformation.
Method: We interviewed 25 college students to assess their perceived credibility of SFF messages and interest in smoke-free products.
Results: Nearly half couldn’t identify a tobacco company as the message source, speculating it came from public health entities. Many overlooked profit motives, instead seeing SFF as genuinely supportive of smoking cessation and being aligned with public health. About a third found the message credible, citing factors like lay narrators and language/images signifying science. Most expressed interest in smoke-free products, driven by curiosity and misunderstanding of their health implications.
Conclusion: Our study underscores concern that recent tobacco corporate communications may influence young people’s interest in these products, even without explicit promotion, necessitating better education about industry tactics to disguise their identity with health and science initiatives, while undermining tobacco control efforts.
Purpose
CSR authenticity reflects the perceived trustworthiness of CSR activities. Despite its importance, research on CSR authenticity in virtual contexts remains limited. This study investigates how specific dimensions of CSR authenticity influence consumer engagement in virtual CSR initiatives by focusing on the mediating role of cognitive cause proximity (i.e. cause salience and cause relevance).
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected through a structured online survey on Chinese social media, which yielded 389 valid responses. Structural equation modelling using AMOS 24 was employed to test the proposed hypotheses.
Findings
The results show that perceived benevolence and the broad impact of CSR authenticity positively affect consumer engagement in virtual CSR. Significantly, cause relevance mediates the relationship between the broad impact of CSR and CSR engagement. However, cause salience unexpectedly reduces consumer engagement in virtual CSR initiatives.
Originality/value
This study extends construal level theory (CLT) and social exchange theory (SET) to virtual corporate social responsibility, offering fresh insights into how consumers respond to authentic CSR efforts. Practitioners can enhance CSR authenticity by highlighting its broad impact and benevolence to drive engagement while being cautious about overemphasising cause salience, which may risk alienating consumers.
What happens when already sceptical customers start questioning company communication? Encouraged by the vague answers to this question, our study extends existing knowledge about the effects of customers' environmental concern, scepticism and communication on green purchasing intention (GPI) and green purchasing behaviour (GPB) across environmentally controversial industries—namely, textile and clothing and food industries. Using our own primary data collected in November 2023 and covering 1001 customers in the Czech Republic, where the issue of sustainability is generally on the back burner, we show that customers' increased environmental concern can completely change the relationship between environmental scepticism and GPI, thereby leading to positive effects. What is interesting and new is the finding that trust and distrust can act as significant mediators of the relationships investigated thus far. Moreover, as soon as customers start to examine companies' practices and their credibility in more detail, the previously positive relationship between environmental communication and GPI can become negative.
The EFQM Model (European Foundation for Quality Management), established in 1991, serves as a framework for organizational excellence, helping achieve sustainable success through an integrated management system. The Model’s evolution is driven by the need to adapt to global trends, threats, and technological innovations such as digital transformation, employee engagement and well-being, remote work, agile performance management, diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI), sustainability, AI (Artificial Intelligence), and big data. The new EFQM Model 2025, presented in Istanbul in June 2024, introduces significant changes, emphasizing sustainability, innovation, and technology. These changes are analyzed based on the logic of three questions: Why, How, and What. Why: There is a necessity for better alignment of organizations with contemporary challenges through flexibility, risk resilience, and innovation capabilities in a dynamic business environment, including alignment with the Unated Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). How: The Model introduces an integrated approach to performance management and transformation, incorporating advanced technologies such as AI and data analytics. What: Implementing the EFQM Model 2025 enhances organizational adaptability, innovation, and flexibility, improving financial, operational, and strategic outcomes. Better alignment with sustainability goals leads to long-term value and social responsibility. Improved stakeholder engagement methods enhance understanding and satisfaction. The use of advanced technologies supports innovation and operational efficiency, while better strategic and operational performance and risk management ensure greater stability and the ability to anticipate future challenges.
This study uses online surveys administered in the US ( N = 491), the UAE ( N = 538), and South Korea ( N = 548) to examine the associations between transparency strategies in CSR communication (i.e., participation, substantial information, and accountability) and the public’s evaluation of corporate trust. Additionally, it investigates the mediating roles of perceived altruism and skepticism toward CSR, while also exploring how these associations differ across the three selected countries. When testing a proposed model using the combined data from three countries ( N = 1,577), our findings suggest that transparency strategies do not directly contribute to corporate trust. However, the participation aspect leads to corporate trust only through the influence of perceived altruism, while substantial information predicts a reduced level of CSR skepticism. Notably, results derived from country-specific data reveal intriguing patterns concerning accountability. In the US, accountability leads to altruism and fosters corporate trust, while in the UAE, it contributes to fostering corporate trust. However, in South Korea, it leads to increased skepticism. Conversely, in South Korea, substantial information contributes to building corporate trust. We discuss the implications of these findings from the unique institutional, social, and cultural perspectives of the countries studied.
Purpose
This study aims to develop an understanding of strategies used by two major banks in Australia to manage reputation risk after court proceedings were initiated by the government for serious breaches of the Anti-Money Laundering and Counter-Terrorism Financing Act 2006 .
Design/methodology/approach
The study is grounded in the corporate social responsibility (CSR) and image restoration literature. Thematic analysis of court proceedings, banks’ annual report suites (which include sustainability reports) and media reports was undertaken using the conceptual framework of reputation risk management (RRM).
Findings
A major new strategy of image restoration – defiance – emerged. It is contended that the existing RRM framework needs to be refined. Similarly, in the reducing effectiveness strategy, two new sub-strategies need to be included: refusal to acknowledge an incident as reputational damage and acceptance of the statutory penalty without legally challenging it. The banks also used traditional strategies of the RRM framework, such as reducing effectiveness by minimisation, bolstering, corrective action and mortification.
Originality/value
Trustworthiness and confidence are at the core of modern banking. Banks use CSR disclosures as the principal means for image restoration. The present paper explores the link between extant CSR literature and RRM.
Purpose
This research analyses how dialogical communication on social media enhances the effectiveness of sustainability messages in terms of brand engagement and purchase intention. Dialogical messages generate social media engagement, which helps improve consumer responses.
Design/methodology/approach
Two experimental studies (2 × 2) were conducted, in which two factors were manipulated: the dialogical potential of the message (dialogical versus monological) and message orientation (sustainability versus commercial).
Findings
The dialogical potential of the message moderates the effect of sustainability messages on brand engagement and purchase intention. Results indicate that sustainability messages featuring dialogical elements generate greater brand engagement and purchase intention than commercial messages. Furthermore, social media engagement mediates these effects.
Practical implications
This study offers valuable insights into applying dialogical principles to sustainability communication on social media. Marketers should design dialogical messages to foster dialogue with customers and enhance engagement.
Originality/value
Few studies have focused on analysing the effects of applying dialogical strategies on social media to communicate sustainability. Thus, this study highlights the importance of dialogical communication beyond the inclusion of interactive elements when communicating sustainability on social media. The inclusion of dialogical features specifically benefits sustainability messages, given the transparency and honesty they demand.
As the economic and social environment continues to change, the format and content of CSR will also change. Most of companies may adopt different types of CSR strategies at different stages of their life cycle. In order to clarify the evolutionary process of CSR, this chapter will introduce the concept of dynamic trajectory and try to build a dynamic evolutionary model of CSR by combining the evolutionary theory. The dynamic evolution process usually includes early emergence, mid-term selection and retention, and eventually some CSR activities will be further refined while others will be eliminated by the competitive market. This dynamic evolution model can help enterprises identify CSR strategies that are more suitable for the current development stage and intervene for different manifestations of CSR in different stages.
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) adoption derives mainly from consumers’ demand for companies to be responsible for the impacts of their actions. This chapter aims to identify the most current CSR practices in the Portuguese agri-food sector and identify how companies communicate their behaviour to their stakeholders. To this end, the two largest clusters of Portugal, InovCluster and PortugalFoods, were subjected to an exploratory investigation seeking to find trends in the publication of CSR/equivalent reports or information. The research offers essential findings that policymakers and researchers can use to guide possible paths to improve CSR communication practices in the agri-food sector in line with the needs and demands of today’s consumers.
Although the importance of sustainability in the beverage industry for consumers rises, environmentally-friendly attitudes often do not result in sustainable buying behavior. Ineffective communication strategies or implemented sustainability measures of producers that do not deliver value from the consumer’s perspective could be the reasons. Therefore, within three environmentally-aware focus groups, grocery choice motives are discussed and, by using a qualitative Kano-model approach, consumer requirements on sustainability measures within the beverage industry are categorized. Furthermore, expectations regarding the communication of sustainability-linked information are outlined. The results reveal that the participants pay particular attention to healthy diets, prices, and discounts when buying groceries and sustainability measures within the beverage industry can mainly be classified as must-be requirements. For communicating sustainability measures, the test subjects especially demand a stronger connection between online and offline communication channels. Based on the findings, implications for beverage manufacturers and future research directions are elaborated.
Cette recherche se propose d’étudier l’effet du message RSE sur trois dimensions de la valeur perçue de la marque (valeur sociale perçue, valeur éthique perçue et valeur utilitaire perçue) par les consommateurs jeunes Béninois et de mettre en évidence le rôle modérateur de la congruence de soi avec la marque entreprise. Pour ce faire 610 d’étudiants ont été exposés à une affiche publicitaire portant un message RSE basé sur les réalisations d’une marque locale et un questionnaire leur a été administré. Les résultats ont mis en évidence un effet positif et significatif du message RSE sur les trois dimensions de la valeur perçue de la marque. Enfin, ils montrent que la congruence de soi avec la marque ne modère positivement et significativement que l’effet du message RSE sur la valeur sociale perçue. L’effet modérateur n’est pas significatif pour les autres relations. Ces résultats fournissent aux praticiens, des éléments importants d’affinement du discours publicitaire pour mieux communiquer leur engagement responsable aux consommateurs et aux autres parties prenantes.
Purpose
Based on Lasswell’s communication model, this study investigates how four categories of factors (i.e. the source, content, medium and receiver) conjointly affect the relational, financial and social outcomes (i.e. what effect) of CSA communication.
Design/methodology/approach
With a survey (N = 366), this study found configurations of core CSA communication factors leading to three different CSA communication outcomes.
Findings
While this study found multiways to yield three different CSA outcomes, combinational logic indicated the combined effects from source, content, medium and receiver. With content and medium, individuals’ connectedness (receiver) to a CSA issue is a core factor leading to a high level of purchase intention and issue advocacy. This study also found that message strategies (i.e. informativeness, factual tone, no promotional tone) are core factors leading to a high level of trust and issue advocacy.
Practical implications
With the theoretical guidance, this research contributes to strategic communication practice for various entities involved in advocacy communication by enabling an improved understanding of advocacy communication factors and triggering different communication outcomes.
Originality/value
As CSA communication involves multiple strategies, conventional research agenda focusing on correlational and path analysis approaches provide limited understanding of communication practice. To fill this void, this study adopts a configurational approach to understand current CSA communication practices holistically.
Prior research has overlooked the significance of two distinct communication strategies used by hotels over social media platforms to foster environmental sustainability (ES), namely informative communication strategy (ICS) and engaging communication strategy (ECS). Understanding the role of these communication strategies in cultivating social media engagement (SME) with sustainability content, and deciphering the conditions that govern these relationships have yet to be addressed. The current study endeavors to fill these research voids. First, it investigates the effects of ICS and ECS on SME with sustainability content. Second, it examines the moderating effects of two key communication characteristics (perceived intensity and perceived transparency) and two customers’ personality traits (conscientiousness and extraversion) in the investigated relationships. Finally, it establishes the potential role of sustainability-oriented SME in generating online brand advocacy. Data from Japan-based online panelists were analyzed using AMOS 28. The results generally lend support to the study's hypothesized relationships. ICS and ECS are equally important in driving SME. Their effects are positively moderated by the intensity and transparency of the ES communication as well as by customers’ conscientiousness and extraversion. SME is positively associated with online brand advocacy. The article discusses the implications of the findings, and closes with the study's limitations and directions for future research.
Objective: This study scrutinizes the communication processes between the Lake Toba Authority Agency (BPODT) and the Sigapiton indigenous community concerning land conflict amid Toba Caldera Resort's (TCR) development. Method: Employing qualitative methodology involving observations, interviews, and data triangulation, the research evaluates the communication strategies and their impact on stakeholders. Result: Findings reveal significant communication gaps between BPODT and the Sigapiton community. BPODT's communication lacks informativeness, relevance to the community's interests, consistency in conveying benefits, and transparency about TCR development's positive and negative impacts. This deficiency in communication leads to conflicts arising from differing message interpretations, especially regarding land acquisition. Conclusion: This study concludes that BPODT's need to enhance corporate social responsibility communication, ensuring informativeness, relevance, consistency, and transparency. It highlights the importance of objective, fact-based messaging and the need for alignment with community interests for sustainable conflict resolution and improved stakeholder engagement.
The food industry has made substantial investments in the promotion of healthy eating as part of an active lifestyle. These actions are usually part of companies’ corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies that have a dual purpose: social and business. CSR is built on a network of mutually beneficial relationships between a company and its stakeholders. Therefore, the positive perception of CSR initiatives has an influence on the trust and loyalty of stakeholders. Based on evidence about the effects of the perception of CSR on stakeholder behaviour and on company evaluation, this study proposes and tests a conceptual model of the relationship between CSR perception and customer loyalty in the context of a very important and specific topic and group: healthy eating and millennial consumers. The study employs a quantitative method and structural equation modelling (SEM) with data collected from 500 online surveys. The study also evaluates the influence of other variables: consumers’ interest in fast food companies’ CSR initiatives related to healthy eating (INTEREST) and CSR communication on healthy eating via social media (COMMUNICATION), but unlike previous research, it focuses on variables that can be conditioned by companies. The results confirm the relationship with respect to CSR in general terms, but do not do so in relation to healthy eating. In this case, influence is conditioned by moderating variables, which suggests that COMMUNICATION influences company evaluation only when customers have a prior interest in such initiatives and when correct CSR communication exists on social media, which also affects this relationship, although in a negative direction. This research supports the academic current that promotes CSR as an investment that benefits both the company and society.
In the wake of unethical practices by some nonprofit organizations (NPOs), donors have called for better monitoring, to which some NPOs have responded by adjusting their donor-based transparency practices. Yet despite momentum for such efforts, a comprehensive conceptualization and operationalization of NPOs’ transparency remains missing, partly because knowledge about donors’ information requirements is limited. Accordingly, the present research proposes conceptualizing NPOs’ transparency, as perceived by donors, as a three-dimensional construct, composed of information accessibility, completeness, and accuracy. With a scale development procedure and three distinct empirical studies, this article establishes a reliable, valid measure of NPOs’ perceived transparency. Combined, the conceptualization and operationalization offer a comprehensive overview of donors’ information needs that can enhance the study of organizational transparency.
Considering that limited research has been conducted to explore corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in the local brand context, compared to the global brand context, this study is to bridge the gap by comparing CSR initiatives in local independent restaurants with those of international chain restaurants. Two studies were performed to examine the impact of CSR type and construal level in CSR messages using experimental designs. In addition, the mediating effects of perceived warmth and competence were examined as potential psychological mechanisms explaining consumers’ reactions. Findings show that consumers are more likely to donate to CSR initiatives of chain restaurants and revisit them when the initiatives lean toward local community CSR rather than global environmental CSR. Also, consumers prefer local community CSR initiatives that are presented in detail in local independent restaurants. This study also reveals different mediating effects of perceived warmth and competence in relation to CSR type, restaurant type, and consumer behaviors.
By focusing on the Turkey-Syria 2023 earthquake, this study explores how humanitarian aid organizations visually communicate natural disasters. Guided by Rodrigues and Dimitrova’s (2011) visual framing model, we examine the visual frames and the tweet features employed by 16 local and global humanitarian aid organizations during a month period. The results indicate an emphasis on relief efforts and disaster damage. Theoretical and practical implications of visual framing and strategic organizational communication are further discussed.
This is a classic textbook in public relations, which emphasizes a theoretical, managerial approach to public relations.
Interactivity is an often mentioned but seldom operationalized concept associated with the World Wide Web. Interactivity has been positioned conceptually as a process, a function, and a perception, but most operational definitions have focused on the process or function. This study develops scales to operationalize the perception-based approach to interactivity, because consumer perceptions are central to advertising research. Three overlapping constructs that are central to interactivity are explored: direction of communication, user control, and time. A multistage method is used to identify and refine measures of perceived interactivity (MPI). The 18 items included in the MPI offer researchers a tool for measuring a consumer perception central to advertising on the Web.
This study examined what consumer-publics expect from companies' CSR communications through surveying a representative sample of the general public. Our findings suggested that publics wanted to know " who is benefiting " from the companies' CSR more than any other CSR information. CSR beneficiaries were identified as the most preferred communication sources, whereas CEOs and public relations spokespersons were listed as the least preferred sources. In general, non-corporate sources were preferred significantly more than corporate sources. However, the company itself was also preferred as a communication source significantly more than activists, other stakeholders, employees, CEOs, and PR spokespersons. Finally, as CSR communication channels, consumer publics tended to prefer company-controlled media such as companies' local stores, websites, and promotion events to uncontrolled media such as news media, experts' blogs and microblogs.
Although companies are devoting significant resources to corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives, insights into the optimal formulation, implementation, and effectiveness estimation of CSR strategies are currently scarce. This article takes an indepth look at when, why, and how CSR works from a consumer's perspective. In contrast to the simple, monotonie relationships between CSR and consumer purchase behavior evident in marketplace polls, this article proposes a more complex, contingent model of consumer responses to CSR. It articulates both the internal outcomes (e.g., awareness, attitudes, attachment) and external outcomes (e.g., word of mouth, purchase, loyalty) of CSR initiatives for not just the company, but also the consumer and the CSR issue/cause. This article delineates the key factors that are likely to moderate the extent to which the inputs lead to the internal outcomes and the internal outcomes lead to the external ones. This framework can help guide companies in not only formulating and implementing their CSR initiatives, but also measuring the effectiveness of these initiatives.
Interactivity is an often mentioned but seldom operationalized concept associated with the World Wide Web. Interactivity has been positioned conceptually as a process, a function, and a perception, but most operational definitions have focused on the process or function. This study develops scales to operationalize the perception-based approach to interactivity, because consumer perceptions are central to advertising research. Three overlapping constructs that are central to interactivity are explored: direction of communication, user control, and time. A multistage method is used to identify and refine measures of perceived interactivity (MPI). The 18 items included in the MPI offer researchers a tool for measuring a consumer perception central to advertising on the Web.
Corporations sponsoring causes may hope to create the appearance of "good citizenship." Using attribution theory, the authors develop and test a cognitive explanation of sponsorship effects. Results of the experiment suggest that a good fit between a company and the cause it sponsors generates consumer attributions of altruistic sponsor motives and enhances sponsor credibility and attitude toward the sponsor. Mediation analysis results indicate that congruence effects on sponsor attitudes were mediated by sponsor credibility.
Through a controlled experiment, this study demonstrates that an ad with an embedded cause-related marketing (CRM) message, compared with a similar one without a CRM message, elicits more favorable consumer attitude toward the company. This is so regardless of the level of fit between the sponsoring brand and the social cause. Furthermore, when the embedded CRM message involves high versus low brand/cause fit, consumer attitudes toward the ad and the brand are more favorable. Such positive effect of brand/cause fit, however, only emerges for consumers who are high in brand consciousness; for those who are low in brand consciousness, brand/cause fit has no impact on ad or brand evaluations. Theoretical and practical implications of the findings are discussed.
Organizations require legitimacy to attract constituents' support Legitimacy, however, is always problematic Thus, organizations frequently pursue legitimacy through a variety of substantive and symbolic practices But legitimacy is a social Judgment that is ultimately accorded the organization by its constituents Organizations that pursue this judgment run the risk of "protesting too much" of being perceived as precistly the opposite, manipulative and illegitimate Such organizations include (1) the clumsy actor, perceived as unethical, heavy-handed, or insensitive, (2) the nervous actor, perceived as dogmatic, intolerant, or evasive, and (3) the overacting actor, perceived to overstate claims to legitimacy or overreact to faults The analysis suggests that attempts to increase legitimacy may trigger a series of vicious circles which ultimately decrease legitimacy.
This paper examines critical success factors for ethics-related corporate communication with a view to helping companies communicate their ethical stance more effectively. We analyze this communication process from the company's point of view and discuss the implications of source credibility, attitude formation, audience involvement and media choice for image management. We argue that the ideal relationship between corporate ethics, corporate communication, and corporate image is a sequence of activities, with companies adjusting their messages as they change their business conduct. In this way, public perceptions are a fair reflection of corporate behaviour. This process should be a continuous, upward moving cycle that stops when the company's public image matches its desired image. We also point out the dangers inherent in communicating corporate ethics, including public cynicism and elevated stakeholder expectations.
Purpose
This study, conducted in Norway, aims to investigate whether increasing consumers' familiarity by repeating cause related marketing (CRM) claims helps in reducing their skepticism towards CRM campaigns. It also seeks to test whether the relationship between familiarity and skepticism may be moderated by skepticism towards advertising in general.
Design/methodology/approach
A single factor experimental design with four levels of claim repetition was utilized to test the hypothesized effects between claim repetition, familiarity, skepticism towards advertising and skepticism towards CRM claim.
Findings
The findings support the hypothesized effects. Repeating claims helps in overcoming skepticism towards CRM claims and also reduces the adverse effects of skepticism towards advertising.
Research limitations/implications
The paper does not measure the kind of thoughts that result from the repetitions nor does it account for the effect of using a variety of sources for providing the information instead of just one.
Practical implications
The study demonstrates that marketers can overcome skepticism towards CRM with repetitions of claims, that awareness and credibility can be created by familiarizing the market with the campaign. This is especially beneficial for a lesser known company that can use repeated CRM claims to gain familiarity and create positive attitudes.
Originality/value
This paper draws a parallel between general advertising and CRM communications to show that important findings from advertising are not only applicable to CRM campaigns but also critical to its success.
This research explored the apparent ‘Catch 22’ of communicating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Although companies are regularly encouraged to engage in CSR, they are simultaneously discouraged to communicate about this engagement. We contribute with two models that may help to explain how companies can best communicate about their CSR initiatives. Based on a reputation survey and two case studies of Danish corporate CSR frontrunners, first we develop an ‘inside‐out approach’ to suggest how managers can manage their CSR activities to achieve favourable CSR reputation in a ‘Catch 22’ context. Employees appear as a key component in building trustworthiness as CSR communication is shown to evolve when taking an ‘inside‐out approach’. Second, we develop a CSR communication model with two CSR communication processes targeting different stakeholder groups: ‘the expert CSR communication process’ and ‘the endorsed CSR communication process’. Integrating these models and processes may help companies strategically capture reputational advantage from their CSR initiatives.
Organizational identification is defined as a perceived oneness with an organization and the experience of the organization's successes and failures as one's own. While identification is considered important to the organization, it has not been clearly operationalized. The current study tests a proposed model of organizational identification. Self-report data from 297 alumni of an all-male religious college indicate that identification with the alma mater was associated with: (1) the hypothesized organizational antecedents of organizational distinctiveness, organizational prestige, and (absence of) intraorganizational competition, but not with interorganizational competition, (2) the hypothesized individual antecedents of satisfaction with the organization, tenure as students, and sentimentality, but not with recency of attendance, number of schools attended, or the existence of a mentor, and (3) the hypothesized outcomes of making financial contributions, willingness to advise one's offspring and others to attend the college, and participating in various school functions. The findings provide direction for academic administrators seeking to increase alumni support, as well as for corporate managers concerned about the loyalty of workers in an era of mergers and takeovers.
This study assessed the impact of knowledge of a company's corporate social responsibility efforts on both attitude and purchase intent. Until now, research studies have assumed knowledge was created via message exposure without measuring it. Results indicate that participants exposed to information about a company's CSR activities are more knowledgeable about those activities and that increased knowledge positively impacts attitudes and purchase intentions.
By engaging in corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities, companies can not only generate favorable stakeholder attitudes and better support behaviors (e.g. purchase, seeking employment, investing in the company), but also, over the long run, build corporate image, strengthen stakeholder–company relationships, and enhance stakeholders' advocacy behaviors. However, stakeholders' low awareness of and unfavorable attributions towards companies' CSR activities remain critical impediments in companies' attempts to maximize business benefits from their CSR activities, highlighting a need for companies to communicate CSR more effectively to stakeholders. In light of these challenges, a conceptual framework of CSR communication is presented and its different aspects are analyzed, from message content and communication channels to company- and stakeholder-specific factors that influence the effectiveness of CSR communication.
As a reflection of the values and ethics of firms, corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received a large amount of research
attention over the last decade. A growing area of this research is the CSR–consumer relationship. Results of experimental
studies indicate that consumer attitudes and purchase intentions are influenced by CSR initiatives – if consumers are aware
of them. In order to create this awareness, business is increasingly turning to ‹pro-social’ marketing communications, but
such campaigns is met with scepticism and their effectiveness are therefore uncertain. Consequently, researchers in the field
(for example, Maignan, 2001; Mohr et al., 2001) have called for empirical studies to determine the level of actual consumer
awareness of CSR initiatives. This study examines the Australian banking sector, which engages in and promotes its CSR activities,
to help fill this gap. Results from our qualitative study with bank managers, and our quantitative study with consumers, indicate
low consumer CSR awareness levels. Consumer understanding of many of the social issues banks engage with is also low. While
CSR is effective in eliciting favourable consumer attitudes and behaviour in theory, CSR has not proven its general effectiveness
in the marketplace. The low consumer awareness of the various social issues in which firms engage with their CSR programs
suggests that firms may need to educate consumers, so they may better contextualise CSR initiatives communicated. However,
better context may amount to little if claimed CSR initiatives are perceived as inconsistent with other facets of the business
that reflect its values and ethics.
Several issues relating to goodness of fit in structural equations are examined. The convergence and differentiation criteria, as applied by Bagozzi, are shown not to stand up under mathematical or statistical analysis. The authors argue that the choice of interpretative statistic must be based on the research objective. They demonstrate that when this is done the Fornell-Larcker testing system is internally consistent and that it conforms to the rules of correspondence for relating data to abstract variables.
The statistical tests used in the analysis of structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error are examined. A drawback of the commonly applied chi square test, in addition to the known problems related to sample size and power, is that it may indicate an increasing correspondence between the hypothesized model and the observed data as both the measurement properties and the relationship between constructs decline. Further, and contrary to common assertion, the risk of making a Type II error can be substantial even when the sample size is large. Moreover, the present testing methods are unable to assess a model's explanatory power. To overcome these problems, the authors develop and apply a testing system based on measures of shared variance within the structural model, measurement model, and overall model.
Although cause-related marketing has become increasingly popular, academic researchers have only begun to examine how consumers respond ro it. In this study, the authors explore in depth how consumers think and feel about cause-related marketing. They develop a framework of consumer responses that includes a typology of consumers. The authors also discuss implications for research, business find nonprofit marketing, and public policy.
Companies are facing increasing pressure to both maintain profitability and behave in socially responsible ways, yet researchers have provided little information on how corporate social responsibility impacts profitability. This paper reports the findings from in-depth interviews of consumers to determine their views concerning the social responsibilities of companies. A typology of consumers whose purchasing behavior ranges from unresponsive to highly responsive to corporate social responsibility was developed from the analysis.
Managing Corporate Social Responsibility offers a strategic, communication-centred approach to integrating CSR into organizations. Drawing from a variety of disciplines and written in a highly accessible style, the book guides readers in a focused progression providing the key points they need to successfully navigate the benefits and implications of managing CSR. Chapters are organized around a process model for CSR that outlines steps for researching, developing, implementing, and evaluating CSR initiatives Emphasizes stakeholder engagement as a foundation throughout the CSR Process Model Discusses ways to maximize the use of social media and traditional media throughout the process Offers international examples drawn from a variety of industries including: The Forest Stewardship Council, Starbucks Coffee, and IKEA. Draws upon theories grounded in various disciplines, including public relations, marketing, media, communication, and business.
The authors examine the effects of brand strategy (i.e., brand extensions vs. individual brands) on new product market share and advertising efficiency, and the degree to which these effects are moderated by characteristics of the brand, the product to which it is extended, and the market in which that product competes. The findings indicate that brand extensions capture greater market share and realize greater advertising efficiency than individual brands. The strength of the parent brand is related positively to the market share of brand extensions but has no effect on advertising efficiency. Neither the market share nor the advertising efficiency of extensions is affected by the number of products affiliated with the parent brand. The relative effect of brand extensions on market share is not moderated by the degree of similarity between the extension and other products affiliated with the brand. Advertising efficiency effects, however, are elevated when similarity is high, but only when it is based on intrinsic attributes. Market share and advertising efficiency effects are elevated when the extension is composed primarily of experience attributes and competes in markets where consumers have limited knowledge of the product class. Competitive intensity does not moderate advertising efficiency effects; however, market share effects are elevated when the extension competes in markets comprising few competitors. Finally, both market share and efficiency effects diminish as the extension becomes established in the market.
‘This is an excellent book which introduces the underlying concepts and practical issues related to psychosocial measurement and scale development’ - Statistics in Medicine. Effective measurement is a cornerstone of scientific research. Yet many social science researchers lack the tools to develop appropriate assessment instruments for the measurement of latent social-psychological constructs. Scaling Procedures: Issues and Applications examines the issues involved in developing and validating multi-item self-report scales of latent constructs. Distinguished researchers and award-winning educators Richard G Netemeyer, William O Bearden, and Subhash Sharma present a four-step approach for multi-indicator scale development. With these steps, the authors include relevant empirical examples and a review of the concepts of dimensionality, reliability, and validity. Scaling Procedures: Issues and Applications supplies cutting-edge strategies for developing and refining measures. Providing concise chapter introductions and summaries, as well as numerous tables, figures, and exhibits, the authors present recommended steps and overlapping activities in a logical, sequential progression. Designed for graduate students in measurement//psychometrics, structural equation modeling, and survey research seminars across the social science disciplines, this book also addresses the needs of researchers and academics in all business, psychology, and sociology-related disciplines.
1. Exercise of personal and collective efficacy in changing societies Albert Bandura 2. Life trajectories in changing societies Glen Elder 3. Developmental analysis of control beliefs August Flammer 4. Impact of family processes on self-efficacy Klaus A. Schneewind 5. Cross-cultural perspectives on self-efficacy beliefs Gabriele Oettingen 6. Self-efficacy in educational development Barry Zimmerman 7. Self-efficacy in career choice and development Gail Hackett 8. Self efficacy and health Ralf Schwarzer and Reinhard Fuchs 9. Self-efficacy and alcohol and drug abuse Alan Marlatt, John S. Baer and Lori A. Quigley.
This study examines how consumers reconcile two possibly contradictory motives (public-serving and firm-serving) to the corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives of companies in socially stigmatized industries. Our results indicate that consumers are willing to accept and give reputational credit for firm-serving motives behind the companies’ CSR initiatives, as long as they also perceive that the companies are sincere in serving public interests (i.e., high public-serving motives). Consumers highly engaged in social causes are also willing to accept firm-serving motives when they also perceive sincere public-serving motives behind the companies’ CSR activities.
Companies that contribute to charitable organizations rightly hope that their philanthropic work will also be good for the bottom line. Marketers of good corporate conduct must be especially careful, however, to market such conduct in a morally acceptable fashion. Although marketers typically engage in mild deception or take artistic license when marketing goods and services, these sorts of practices are far more morally troublesome when used to market good corporate conduct. I argue that although mild deception is not substantially worrisome with respect to the marketing of most goods and services, it is a far greater moral blunder to use such methods in the marketing of good corporate character. These erode trust and demonstrate alack of adequate respect for the moral good. In light of these concerns, I suggest that such practices must be re-examined when applied to the marketing of corporate character and good conduct. Finally, I develop a revised set of ethical guidelines that are needed in order to address the problems peculiar to the marketing of morally praiseworthy behavior.
In this, the 1983 Farley Manning Fellowship Address, Daniel J. Edelman reports on his own view of the future and those of others he surveyed in preparation for composing this Address.
“Upward mobility”—of individuals in public relations and of the profession as a whole—will be a key emphasis among those with management oversight in public relations firms, he predicts. Upgrading training with formal programs, making employee and client recruitment more effective by making it more sophisticated, and staying abreast of state-of-the-art communications technology—all of these will be important factors in managing the next century's public relations organization.
The author is the president of Daniel J. Edelman, Inc., with offices in Chicago, New York, Washington, Los Angeles, Miami, St. Louis, London and Frankfurt.
Two experiments demonstrated that a subjective feeling of familiarity determined whether participants processed persuasive information analytically (systematically) or non-analytically (heuristically). In the first experiment, individuals unfamiliar with message content showed differential attitude change when strong versus weak arguments were presented, whereas individuals made familiar with the message through unrelated repetition failed to do so. These results were confirmed in a second study that manipulated familiarity through subtle repetition and eliminated procedural priming explanations of the effect. Implications of these findings for familiarity as a regulator of persuasive processing are discussed.
Based on theories of attribution and suspicion, three experiments highlight the mediating role of perceived sincerity of motives in determining the effectiveness of CSR activities. CSR activities improve a company's image when consumers attribute sincere motives, are ineffective when sincerity of motives is ambiguous, and hurt the company's image when motives are perceived as insincere. Variables affecting perceived sincerity include the benefit salience of the cause, the source through which consumers learn about CSR, and the ratio of CSR contributions and CSR-related advertising. High benefit salience of the cause hurts the company, in particular when consumers learn about it from a company source. This backfire effect can be overcome by spending more on CSR activities than on advertising that features CSR.
This study explored the organization–public relationship (OPR) within the context of the Sundre Petroleum Operators Group (SPOG) and the local community in Sundre, Alberta, Canada. A qualitative orientation was adopted because of the case study's focus on the individual experience of the relationship and the interest was to explore how the relationship was perceived by the people involved. Key relational elements such as trust, transparency, dialogue, control mutuality, commitment and satisfaction were examined in relation to the importance for relationship building and maintenance. In-depth interviews were conducted with both SPOG industry and community members (N=18). The results indicated that after a crisis transparency was critical for rebuilding trust which was the foundation for the development of the industry–community relationship. Other relational elements were also considered important for maintaining healthy OPRs, but were considered secondary in relation to trust.
The need for and benefits of proactive and transparent communication about corporate social responsibility (CSR) are widely acknowledged. This study examines CSR communication undertaken by the top 100 information technology (IT) companies in India on their corporate Web sites, with an analytical focus on the dimensions of prominence of communication, extent of information, and style of presentation. The findings indicate that the number of companies with CSR information on their Web sites is strikingly low and that these leading companies do not leverage the Web sites to their advantage in terms of the quantity and style of CSR communication. Although the findings do not necessarily imply absence of CSR action on the part of IT companies in India, they attest to a general lack of proactive CSR communication. The article concludes with managerial implications for CSR communication on corporate Web sites.
This study proposes a synergistic model of corporate communication strategy (corporate ability strategy, corporate social responsibility strategy, and hybrid strategy) on consumer responses and tests the model using 2 Fortune 500 companies (Kellogg and Motorola). The study found that when a company is well-known to consumers as Motorola and Kellogg used in this study, a CSR strategy is more effective in influencing both consumer corporate ability (CAb) and CSR associations and in turn, company/product evaluations. Additionally, consumers tend to automatically assume a company is good at making reliable products when they associate the company with strong CSR, indicating transferring effects of CSR associations onto CAb associations, and onto company/product evaluations. The study results also suggest that the direct influences of CSR associations differ based on industry type. A company that produces high risk involved products such as Motorola, might not experience as strong CSR associations' effects on consumer responses as a company in other industry type like Kellogg.
The statistical tests used in the analysis of structural equation models with unobservable variables and measurement error are examined. A drawback of the commonly applied chi square test, in addition to the known problems related to sample size and power, is that it may indicate an increasing correspondence between the hypothesized model and the observed data as both the measurement properties and the relationship between constructs decline. Further, and contrary to common assertion, the risk of making a Type II error can be substantial even when the sample size is large. Moreover, the present testing methods are unable to assess a model's explanatory power. To overcome these problems, the authors develop and apply a testing system based on measures of shared variance within the structural model, measurement model, and overall model.
Confronted with increasing pressures to limit government spending on social welfare, more and more public policy makers welcome the growing social involvement of corporations. Yet, inasmuch as corporate citizenship may be desirable for society as a whole, it is unlikely to be embraced by a large number of organizations unless it is associated with concrete business benefits. This paper presents past findings and proposes future research directions useful for understanding the potential value of corporate citizenship as a marketing tool. Specifically, after examining the nature of corporate citizenship, the paper discusses its potential impact, first on consumers, then on employees. Two conceptual frameworks are introduced to guide research on the value of corporate citizenship in terms of external and internal marketing respectively.
Purpose
– The purpose of this study is to explore the organization‐stakeholder relationship between oil and gas operators and community members involved in the Sundre Petroleum Operators Group (SPOG) in Alberta, Canada. After a crisis of trust, the SPOG was established to increase transparency, and attempt to rebuild trust and healthy community stakeholder relationships.
Design/methodology/approach
– This research paper is a result of interviews with both SPOG industry and community members (n=18). A qualitative phenomenological orientation was adopted because of its focus on the individual experience of the relationship. Key relational elements such as trust and transparency were examined in relation to the importance for relationship building. The research is limited by the number of interviews that were obtained during the time allotted for data collection.
Findings
– The results indicated that after a crisis, transparency is crucial for rebuilding trust and maintaining healthy community stakeholder relationships. An interesting finding in the research was the apparent influence of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People on the development and maintenance of shared values within the relationship. Further research is recommended into the impact of Covey's leadership and management style and on organization‐stakeholder relationships.
Originality/value
– Shell provides an excellent example of an organization that experienced a loss of trust with key stakeholders and used transparency to begin to rebuild important stakeholder relationships.
An ever-increasing number of companies are recognising the reputational risks and opportunities that corporate responsibility brings, and for these companies aligning corporate behaviour with stakeholder expectations is an ongoing business priority. Communication, however, often remains the missing link in the practice of corporate responsibility. The information requirements of a range of opinion leader and mass stakeholder audiences are not currently being satisfied by many companies, so they are not getting full credit for their responsible corporate behaviour. Of course, there are specific challenges in communicating corporate responsibility – including scepticism towards company messages and potentially hostile reactions from the media, campaign groups and others. The diverse information requirements of different stakeholder groups also present special communication challenges, and these requirements are examined in turn. Using MORI’s British opinion research to illustrate the case, this paper first examines communication to opinion leader audiences (such as legislators, business press, investors and non-governmental organisations), and in particular the opportunities and limitations of the social report. It then goes on to address communication of corporate responsibility to the general public and the need to trigger wider consumer engagement in this topic. Lastly, it covers the communication opportunity presented by companies’ own employees and the internal communication challenges surrounding corporate responsibility. The paper suggests, in conclusion, that effective communication of corporate responsibility depends on a clear strategy which evaluates both the opportunities and the risks to the brand, and which tailors messages to different stakeholder groups. It calls for a coordinated approach, which ideally embeds corporate responsibility messages into mainstream communications. The paper also identifies internal communication as an under-utilised and potentially powerful channel for enhancing a company’s reputation for responsibility among its key stakeholders.
This essay proposes a theory of human communication based on a conception of persons as homo narrans. It compares and contrasts this view with the traditional rational perspective on symbolic interaction. The viability of the narrative paradigm and its attendant notions of reason and rationality are demonstrated through an extended analysis of key aspects of the current nuclear war controversy and a brief application to The Epic of Gilgamesh. The narrative paradigm synthesizes two strands in rhetorical theory: the argumentative, persuasive theme and the literary, aesthetic theme.
Companies are facing increasing pressure to both maintain profitability and behave in socially responsible ways, yet researchers have provided little information on how corporate social responsibility impacts profitability. This paper reports the findings from in-depth interviews of consumers to determine their views concerning the social responsibilities of companies. A typology of consumers whose purchasing behavior ranges from unresponsive to highly responsive to corporate social responsibility was developed from the analysis.
Consumers respond more positively to marketing efforts, like celebrity endorsements and sponsorships, when the image of the sponsoring company or brand is compatible with the celebrity or sponsored event.
The authors explore the concept of compatibility within a cause-related marketing context. The results of an experiment confirm the role of sponsor/cause compatibility for the creation of positive consumer perceptions of the donor, and highlight the importance of individual characteristics that affect perceptions of the cause and its compatibility with a donor. Theoretical and strategic implications and future research directions are discussed.
Copyright
In contrast to prevalent models of CSR that are content based, we propose a process model of organizational sense-making that explains how managers think, discuss and act with respect to their key stakeholders and the world at large. A set of cognitive, linguistic, and conative dimensions are proposed to identify such an intrinsic orientation that guides CSR-related activities. Recognizing patterns of interrelationships among these dimensions might lead to a better understanding of a firm's CSR impact, as well as generate a rich research agenda that links key organizational features to CSR character.
While it is generally agreed that companies need to manage their relationships with their stakeholders, the way in which they choose to do so varies considerably. In this paper, it is argued that when companies want to communicate with stakeholders about their CSR initiatives, they need to involve those stakeholders in a two-way communication process, defined as an ongoing iterative sense-giving and sense-making process. The paper also argues that companies need to communicate through carefully crafted and increasingly sophisticated processes. Three CSR communication strategies are developed. Based on empirical illustrations and prior research, the authors argue that managers need to move from ‘informing’ and ‘responding’ to ‘involving’ stakeholders in CSR communication itself. They conclude that managers need to expand the role of stakeholders in corporate CSR communication processes if they want to improve their efforts to build legitimacy, a positive reputation and lasting stakeholder relationships.
In recent years the concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has gained unprecedented momentum in Europe. Even the
sceptical Martin Wolff, Chief Economics Correspondent of the Financial Times commented that “CSR is an idea whose time has come” (Wolff, 2002: 62). CSR is a cluster concept which overlaps with such
concepts as business ethics, corporate philanthropy, corporate citizenship, sustainability and environmental responsibility.
It is a dynamic and contestable concept that is embedded in each social, political, economic and institutional context.
Acknowledging the increasing attention in the literature devoted to the incorporation of ethical considerations into consumers'' purchase decisions, this paper explores the notion of an ethical product. It is argued that ethical issues have long been involved in consumers'' product evaluations, but that there has been little academic investigation of ethics in terms of product concepts and theories. Ethics are thus examined in the context of the augmented product concept, and two dimensions of ethical augmentation are identified: direction and content. These dimensions are set out and discussed at some length, and then they are used to construct an ethical product matrix. It is shown how this could be used to provide structure and coherence to examinations of the perceived ethics of any given product offering. The implications of the analysis offered in the paper are discussed, and a number of limitations of the ethical product notion are identified. Finally some conclusions and directions for future research are suggested.