Although most consumers are positive about socially responsible companies, in order to benefit from CSR efforts, effective and clear CSR communication is important. However, due to the constantly ...rising profusion of eco-labels, based on either own claims from the organization or claims made by an external third party, consumers may encounter difficulties in identifying truly responsible firms, which could result in less effective CSR initiatives, even for those responsible firms. Therefore, building on attribution theory, this study seeks to identify how uncertified internal CSR claims and external third-party CSR labels should be used in order to deter green-washing and increase positive consumer evaluations. Within a 3 (external third-party CSR label: positive vs. negative vs. no label) × 2 (uncertified internal CSR claim: present vs. absent) design, respondents are exposed to different coffee product packages measuring their attitude toward the brand, corporate credibility, purchase intention, and scent perception, as well as perceived attributional CSR motives. Overall, findings indicate that especially an external CSR label affects consumer responses toward the firm. Moreover, perceived CSR motives serve as a mediator between an external CSR label and corporate credibility and brand attitude, respectively. These findings warrant further consideration of introducing an external multilevel rating systems by governmental law.
•The relationship between internal CSR fit and contents and tone of media coverage is being explored.•Data retrieved from an expert review that addressed CSR fit of CSR initiatives and a quantitative ...content analysis of news articles were compared.•Most news articles had a positive tone and internal CSR fit is found to be predictive of a neutral tone.•When internal CSR fit is high, the likelihood increases that the most positive frame possible is applied in the news articles.•However, the absence of internal CSR fit does not necessarily lead to a negative framing of the organization and its activities.
This research provides a basis for understanding how the contents of media coverage about CSR activities relates to the fit between these CSR activities and the organizations’ core activities. In two steps, 513 news articles about organizations’ CSR activities were analyzed. First, an expert review determined the fit between the CSR initiatives presented in the news articles and the core business of the organizations pursuing these initiatives. Second, a quantitative content analysis measured tone and framing of the news articles. The results reveal that while CSR fit does not influence tone, it does partly impact the framing of the media coverage, as CSR fit leads to a positive framing of organizations and their CSR activities. However, vice versa, CSR misfit does not necessarily lead to a negative representation of organizations and their CSR in the media coverage. In order to maximally benefit from their CSR activities and achieve optimal media coverage, organizations are advised to not only engage in CSR, but seek to implement initiatives that are well integrated into their core business.
Twitter is widely used by companies to reach various stakeholders, but how they use this social media platform is still unclear. To investigate how companies use Twitter, this study analyzes the ...content of the Twitter accounts of four large information technology companies, focusing on the arrangement of different Twitter accounts and on message characteristics (content, message elements, and communication strategies). The results show that companies used architectures of different Twitter accounts to serve various stakeholder groups. The companies’ tweets covered diverse topics within the corporate, marketing, and technical communication domains. The tweets focused more on providing information and promoting action than on facilitating dialogue.
•The relation between an organization's crisis response and the contents of media coverage is investigated regarding five news frames and tone.•It appeared that an organization's crisis response is ...constantly being reframed by the news media.•The average number of news frames per article is higher in media coverage than in corporate communication coverage.•The media frame a crisis significantly more often in terms of conflict, responsibility and economic consequences compared to communications issued by the organization.•Mainly framing the crisis in terms of human interest is not enough to positively affect media coverage.
Managing corporate communication through a crisis response strategy may limit negative media coverage, thereby affecting public perceptions during crisis situations. However, because different stakeholders are being informed via multiple channels, different messages may reach the public, creating competing frames. This study examines how an organization's crisis response affects media coverage. Using content analysis, media coverage messages (N=128) and corporate communication messages (N=24) were compared regarding an organization in crisis. All messages were analyzed considering five news frames and tone (ranging from very negative to very positive) toward internal and external stakeholders. Findings indicate that the media reframed corporate communication messages, using more and different news frames than the organization in crisis. Furthermore, media coverage messages and corporate communication messages differed in the mentioned aspects within various news frames. All stakeholders are covered significantly more negatively in media coverage.
Abstract Purpose Measuring vendors' compliance and possible change in compliance with the legal age limits on alcohol sales in 2011 and 2013. Methods In 2011 and 2013, representative mystery shopping ...studies were conducted. In total, 2,737 underage mystery shopping alcohol purchase attempts were conducted both in off-premise (supermarkets, liquor stores, and take away restaurants) and on-premise (bars and sports bars) outlets as well as from alcohol home delivery services. Results Average compliance increased significantly from 28.2% in 2011 to 46.5% in 2013, and asking proof of age (ID) also increased significantly from 43.9% in 2011 to 54.1% in 2013. Conclusions Both asking proof of age and, ultimately, compliance with the legal age limits increased significantly. Nevertheless, still 53.5% of the adolescents could purchase alcohol themselves, which makes alcohol largely available through the various premises.
To drastically reduce CO2 emissions and to combat seismic activities, the Dutch government has started down the path towards sustainable heat. This is a major challenge, as 90% of all households must ...be disconnected from the gas grid. The responsibilities and roles of homeowners and tenants in this transition may differ, which makes it interesting to compare their perceptions. Using a mixed-methods approach, we conducted four focus groups (n = 24) and a survey (n = 1245) in a subsidized and an unsubsidized neighbourhood to explore differences in perceptions of the transition between homeowners and tenants, and the influence of the local context in this regard. Our research shows that homeowners and tenants consider similar themes to be important in the transition towards sustainable heat (focus groups) and that their acceptance of the transition is related to similar predictors, including environmental concerns and trust in the municipality and the civil neighbourhood council (survey). However, the perceptions of these variables differ between homeowners and tenants (survey). Homeowners are less positive about becoming natural gas free, have a stronger wish to be engaged in the transition, are more interested in its various aspects, and have more knowledge about the transition than tenants. Although both groups regard the municipality as the primarily responsible actor in the transition, tenants see the housing corporation as the responsible actor for adjusting their homes and homeowners feel responsible themselves, but doubt whether they have the ability to do so.
Companies' social networking platforms can contribute to engaged stakeholder relationships, but many companies struggle to actually make that happen. An online experiment with IT companies' ...microblogs investigated effects of communication strategy, emoji use, and prior company involvement on the appreciation and online engagement of Western and Chinese users. The exogenous variables had strong effects. Chinese users showed more appreciation and online engagement than Western users. Prior company involvement contributed to appreciation and online engagement. The message characteristics did not have the expected effects. Action- or community-focused microblogs resulted in lower appreciation. Emojis did not affect appreciation and online engagement.
Understanding the complexities of public opinion is crucial for a green-energy transition. This present study examines the sentiment of public opinion towards various energy technologies on Twitter ...during the Dutch 2021 general elections. A dataset comprising 186,822 tweets and profile descriptions was analyzed using two automated text classifiers to explore how individuals with different self-proclaimed identities perceive green-energy technologies. The analysis involved the application of the sentiment and social identity classifier models, followed by a frequency and co-occurrence analysis. The findings revealed a negative overall sentiment towards green-energy technologies in the Twitter discourse. It further showed that perceptions may differ depending on a technology’s development stage, with emerging technologies generally receiving more favorable views compared to established ones. Furthermore, it was found that, although there is a general trend of negative sentiment based on political identity, and positive sentiment based on occupational identity, this trend did not consistently apply to specific energy technologies. This discrepancy can likely be attributed to varying implementation effects and contextual situations associated with the technologies. The findings suggest that personalized communication strategies for specific social groups may be beneficial for understanding and addressing public opinions, needs, and concerns within the energy transition. The complexity of understanding public opinion in the context of green-energy highlights the need for a nuanced approach in future research.
The public sphere, reflected by the public discourse, is an important domain for the legitimation of technology. In the institutional literature, four pillars of legitimacy are distinguished: ...normative, cognitive, regulative, and pragmatic. The aim of this study was to investigate to what extent these pillars can be used as a framework for analysing the legitimation of technological innovations in the public discourse. We conducted a qualitative media analysis of the case of GM food in the Netherlands, analysing 287 articles from nine Dutch newspapers in the period of 1996-2016. The results show that the pillars provide insight into legitimacy in a multi-dimensional way and serve as a structure for the dynamics of legitimation processes. Regarding GM food, the public debate was pre-dominantly negative, with a strong focus on the normative pillar. Emotional rhetoric exceeded knowledge and understanding (cognitive pillar) of GM food. The regulative and pragmatic pillars were hardly addressed.
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