Corporate Social Innovation Communication: The Case Study of Secil
Sonia Pedro Sebastiao1, Andreia Melchiades Soares2
1Universidade Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas, Centro de Administração e Políticas Públicas (CAPP/FCT); 2Universidade de Lisboa, Instituto Superior de Ciências Sociais e Políticas Centro de Administração e Políticas Públicas (CAPP/FCT)
Considering The Rutgers Institute Corporate Social Innovation Model – RICSI (Wirtenberg, 2021), this paper presents a case study of the communication of the international cement industry Secil. This paper aims to understand how Secil's sustainability and innovation priorities, set in 2022, have been communicated to the community and other stakeholders in Portugal, where the headquarters are located. This article maps the communication of current sustainable practices to highlight how they match the RICSI pillars. A deductive approach to framing theory and thematic analysis is used to verify how the Secil Group emphasizes its sustainability priority in various communication tools. The sustainability frame intended by the Secil Group will be considered a category in the analysis grid. The pillars of the RICSI - giving back to society, profit & purpose, responsible business practices (ESG), and advocacy are the themes to be identified in five communication tools. Preliminary results stress that the SDG drive innovative solutions initiated, shaped, and coordinated by the company and its partners (government, local municipalities, and cultural associations) that require stakeholder involvement in problem identification and solution. Therefore, it is possible to state the commitment of Secil with CSI and the institutionalization of this business practice, which may ultimately leverage competitive advantage.
This article is intended to contribute to the knowledge of possible narratives about sustainability adopted by multinational companies with a traditionally polluting activity, in addition to showing how sustainability, innovation, and communication are combined in theoretical terms and in the communicational practice of such companies.
How Are Art Places Used for Communication? Multiple Case Studies of Corporate Support in Japan
Makiko Kawakita1, Yasushi Sonobe2
1Nanzan University, Japan; 2Toyo University, Japan
The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of the types of art support provided by companies and to clarify which characteristics bring what communication effects to which stakeholders. Four research questions were raised based on two axes: ownership forms consisting of paid and owned, and interaction types consisting of appreciation and exchange. To explore the answers, eight successful cases of art support by companies in Japan were selected, and a total of 33 individuals, including executives promoting art support in five companies and three art organizations, were subjected to in-depth interviews.
As a result, it was suggested, firstly, that the characteristics of content control and relationship with stakeholders differ depending on the ownership form. That is, owned art place is more controllable and has a longer implementation period, indicating a positive correlation. Moreover, a lower level of interaction leads to wider reach, while a higher level of interaction increases the intensity of communication, indicating a trade-off between reach and communication intensity. Secondly, it was suggested that these characteristics may have different impacts on both the internal and external stakeholders of companies.
Raising the Bar: Exploring Stakeholder Engagement through Award-Winning Campaigns for Sustainable Development Goals
Nilüfer Geysi
Bahçeşehir University, Turkiye
Purpose: The study aims to examine the trends and engagement strategies used by companies in their award-winning campaigns related to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity. The findings are expected to provide guidance and recommendations for corporations seeking to enhance their SDG-themed communication efforts with insightful and creative interactions.
Design/methodology/approach: This study undertakes a thematic content analysis of the SDGs category in the Cannes Lions Festival of Creativity, focusing on award-winning campaigns. The analysis includes an examination of the campaigns that received recognition in this category since its inception in 2018, comprising a total of 91 campaigns that have been awarded silver, bronze, gold, or grand prix awards. The materials under analysis will comprise campaign elements such as videos, photographs, and related information, including background details, creative concepts, strategies, implementation methods, and outcomes.
Findings: The study’s results will uncover various aspects of the awarded campaigns including their primary target audience, the stakeholders involved, the type of the media used (earned, owned, paid), the message strategy’s appeals (rational or emotional), the social value offered, the campaign’s goals (awareness, attitude, behavior), the traditional and digital media tools employed, as well as social listening tools used before, during and after the campaign.
Originality: The study will address the gap in the literature with extending the application of stakeholder perspective to sustainability communication. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first academic study to explore the Cannes Lions Sustainable Development Goals Awards in this particular context.
Privacy Washing in Surveillance Capitalism: A Case Study on Strategically Concealing Data Capture to Gain Legitimacy for Surveillance-Driven Business Models
Nils S. Borchers
University of Tübingen, Germany
Purpose: This study examines the strategy of privacy washing in surveillance capitalism. Privacy washing includes making claims about the processing of personal data that obscure the scope of the actual processing. Despite having received no attention from strategic communication research so far, privacy washing is an important corporate strategy for gaining legitimacy when companies operate on surveillance-driven business models.
Design/methodology/approach: The study offers a case study of an analog-born company rushing into surveillance capitalism, the German technology company Bosch. The centerpiece is a qualitative content analysis of the #LikeABosch campaign with roughly 140 million YouTube views. Additional data is used to contextualize the findings from the content analysis.
Findings: The campaign evolves around five central themes as benefits of using smart Bosch technology (convenience, sustainability, security, efficiency, status), while data is a non-theme. Privacy statements, however, imply that consumers will not profit from these benefits if they disable the sharing of their data.
Research limitations: This study investigates only one case, Bosch.
Originality/value: This study deepens the understanding of how strategic communication attempts to gain legitimacy for data capture. Furthermore, it provides a first of examination of privacy washing from a strategic communication perspective.
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