CSR and its communication in multinational companies - dimensions and relationships: a comparative study of Tata Steel and Royal Dutch Shell in India and the UK.

Abstract

The title of this thesis is CSR and its Communication in Multinational Companies. It is a comparative study of Tata Steel and Royal Dutch Shell in India and the UK that explores the dimensions of CSR and its communication in these different contexts. It seeks to contribute to the examination of CSR and its communication and the relationship between the two. It takes an exploratory approach to proving unique empirical evidence of company approaches and is designed to acknowledge the relevance of the context-specific on CSR as a social construct (Burr 2003), and the ever-changing, nature of its communication. This thesis investigates how company’s define and decide on their approach to CSR and whether, in today’s business environment, a company’s CSR-related activities can be extrapolated from their communication. It also explores how CSR and its communication has evolved to accommodate a changing business environment; the benefits of designing a CSR approach that is synonymous with its communication; and the implications of separating CSR from its communication. In order to do this qualitative research methods are used, combined with discourse analysis to obtain rich insights into the perceptions of the individuals involved in the CSR communication process and company stakeholders. A total of in-depth 25 interviews took place over more than 25 hours, split between India and the UK. This included interviews with 10 managers and 15 stakeholders. Coombs and Holladay’s (2012) motivation matrix is used as a basis for the analysis of the results. The main academic contributions of the research reveal a move away from the use of the term CSR towards sustainability; the specific reference to ‘involvement’ as a fundamental element of the CSR definition; the use of psychotherapeutic language as a motivation for CSR; and the imbedded nature of communication within the CSR concept, making the two concept inextricably linked. The findings reveal how the concept of CSR and its communication has evolved and is being developed by companies as a means of inspiring and giving meaning to stakeholders. They indicate the need for research to keep abreast of this changing environment as a means of informing both academics and practitioners in the fields of both CSR and communications.