Lim, J., & Greenwood, C. (2017). Communicating corporate social responsibility (CSR):
Stakeholder responsiveness and engagement strategy to achieve CSR goals. Public
Relations Review, 43(4), 768-776.
While Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has been documented as evolving over time, from enhancing corporate image to managing reputation due to the increasing relevance of stakeholders, the impact of stakeholder communication engagement on a company’s CSR goals. For the purpose of this paper, CSR goals are broken into two categories: economic (tangible) and non-economic (intangible). Executives from companies in the Wilshire 5000 Total Market Index were surveyed on the efficacy of various communication strategies as they relate to CSR goals. They were also asked questions to determine whether or not CSR engagement and CRS responsiveness were separate strategies employed by the organization. They study demonstrated that there are three factors related to CSR goals: economic, community, and employee, not just economic and non-economic. Both engagement and responsiveness strategies were positively associated with CSR goal achievement. CSR engagement and responsiveness were positively correlated with community goal achievement, but there was no correlation between communication channel and goal achievement. CSR responsiveness strategy did predict goal achievement in the employee goal category.
This study translated the way organizations put their CSR communication into practice; it illustrates the various stakeholders that CSR practitioners value. In my own work, I can better identify successful avenues for communication with non-profits, and articulate the value of pursuing a strategy of engagement versus responsiveness.
LO4: apply communication-centered scholarship to strengthen communication effectiveness.
LO6: create and deliver elegant messages appropriate to audience, purpose, and context.
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