Abstract
This work tries to highlight the determinant role of CSR during periods characterized by non-linearity and to produce insights for further research on a dual perspective: 1) companies’ decision-making on CSR implementation and promotional tool preference; 2) consumers’ purchasing/consuming decision-making. So, the interrelated perspective, under the influencing contextual variable of the recent COVID-19 pandemic, would show a crucial role of CSR as an anti-crisis solution. The domain-based review, the direct observation mixed with field analysis survey-based on a sample of 208 respondents made possible the hermeneutical and inference activity on results according to the Situational Crisis Communication Theory and Goffman’s view on the art of impression management, mixed with a persuasive approach characterizing advertising. The perception analysis, not directly operated ethnographically with companies, allowed to investigate CSR from different angles, permits the researchers to observe the exponential rise of advertising campaigns with a social scope and CSR promotional activities in accordance with the emergence of the two intrinsic concepts of accountability from an external point of view.
Highlights
This research work aims to consider the concept of corporate social responsibility as a relatively recent perspective that has emerged in the last two decades according to a renewed awareness and consciousness linked to globalized society, which for its intrinsic connotations constantly increases speed and the number of connections between places and people (Elbe, 2018)
This would frame a change in the methods and channels of communication, as well as the publicity of corporate social responsibility (CSR) data, in different cases, alternating the spirit and the real objective of promoting responsible activism, shifting the range of action from the real responsibility plan to the plan of the structuring of an impression engineering devoted to the implementation of anti-crisis tricks
As regards RQ3, RQ4, and RQ5, CSR could be considered through a two-pronged perspective: 1) a perspective of real responsibility and 2) a perspective focused on the type of behavioural influence, especially during emergencies
Summary
This research work aims to consider the concept of corporate social responsibility (hereinafter: CSR) as a relatively recent perspective that has emerged in the last two decades according to a renewed awareness and consciousness linked to globalized society, which for its intrinsic connotations constantly increases speed and the number of connections between places and people (Elbe, 2018). The authors’ proposal would support the concept of CSR through a close relationship with the goal of companies to take responsibility for their impacts Contrary to when this type of rational/charitable vision occurs in conditions of linearity, the role of CSR would find its alternative response in a specific strategic approach for the improvement of external perceptions on the corporate image. The recent COVID-19 pandemic would instead have a crucial role in changing this perspective, which could become more oriented to the consumer as the main stakeholder in the determination of business continuity This would frame a change in the methods and channels of communication, as well as the publicity of CSR data, in different cases, alternating the spirit and the real objective of promoting responsible activism, shifting the range of action from the real responsibility plan to the plan of the structuring of an impression engineering devoted to the implementation of anti-crisis tricks
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