The Role of Social Media in Sustainability Oriented Practices - MBA Management Project Report

University of Nottingham

The Role of Social Media in Sustainability Oriented Practices

An Exploratory Study

By

Fahad Ramzan

2013

A Management Project presented in part consideration for the degree of

Master of Business Administration

PRELIMINARIES

i

o Abstract

o Acknowledgements

o Table of Contents

o List of Tables

o List of Figures

PRELIMINARIES

ii

ABSTRACT

Media, which was once seen as social institutions, came under criticism with the emergence

of private media. It was argued that private media was more about profit than social purposes.

But with the emergence of social media (like blogs, Facebook, twitter etc.) the important of

media as social institution can be seen as increasing. In USA, France, Spain and other

European countries there is a rapid growth in the use of social media and its influence is

acknowledged in different arena’s including business and marketing. This study explores the

role of social media as an institution towards making business responsible / sustainability

oriented practices of business organisations. There has been quite a lot of practice literature

regarding the role of social media and CSR or sustainability - it appears to focus on the

aspects ranging from “communications” or “building relations” with stakeholders, engaging

and influencing constituents towards responsible practices. Another dimension of

sustainability or CSR that is being discussed is about transparency – that through discussion

in various social media there is transparency to customers about the products or services, to

others about how it treats employees and such. Such discussions in articles in press and also

in reports by consultants leads us to ask the question what role does social media play have in

for sustainability for firms operating in Malaysia – can social media become a social

institution that can hold businesses responsible? Can they influence business organisations to

integrate social or environmental issues into their strategies? If so how are global firms

adopting or using social media in the context of sustainability oriented business strategies?

And could there be a difference of the influence of social media in different sectors. This

study outlines what different social media can play in different aspects of sustainability /

responsible business practices in organisations operating in different sectors. Relevant

literature related to social media and business and also social media and sustainability issues

is gleaned to identify different themes to provide an initial framework or questions to make

the inquiry. The method on enquiry for this study is qualitative and involves discourse /

analysis. The sources for these discourses are primary as well as secondary – interviews of

Malaysian CSR practitioners and business executives in general are conducted and also

discussions in different internet forums or blogs are used as a source for discourses. This

analysis focuses on identifying how different social media could have an influence on

holding businesses to be responsible – different social media’s influence on different

dimensions of sustainability oriented business practices. In addition an attempt is made to

elicit and analyse data to propose an operational framework for organizations to have a

positive impact on stakeholders related to their sustainable business practices using social

media technologies.

PRELIMINARIES

iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All thanks and all praise goes to Allah, who has helped me and given me the strength,

patience, knowledge and ability to complete my management project.

Writing the acknowledgement is, in general, left to end. I have started to do this during the

first month (June 2013) of management project. Why so early?

I believe certain things are to be said anytime, anywhere. Even when you are back in

hometown for your engagement function; everyone around you is busy to make

arrangements, but journals / articles are keeping you stick with your laptop rather than

focusing on courtship.

The completion of this report would have been impossible without the assistance,

encouragement, support and patience from the many individuals to whom I wish to express

my gratitude. This acknowledgement is the brief of this long process and it is my pleasure to

take this opportunity to thank everyone. It cannot express the long nights spent sitting in front

of my laptop, long hours spent on Semenyih-KL highway for KLTC classes and project

meetings, battling shoulder to shoulder with my fellow students and friends, the excitement

of presenting paper for International Conference on Corporate Social Responsibility (ICCSR)

2013, the hope for good results, the sadness and tiredness with each failed attempt and long

fights over Skype with parents and fiancée for missing important festivals.

I would like to express my gratitude to Dr. Avvari Mohan for his valuable time, guidance and

inputs in the various phases of this project. His meticulous supervision, continuous

encouragement, creative suggestions, critical comments, brilliance and mentorship have not

only contributed to the completion of this report but have also enhanced my confidence, both

professionally and personally. The many lessons I learned each day, his guidance and

inspiration have been invaluable. I am proud to have him as a friend, mentor and guide in this

journey.

I owe this manuscript largely to the loving support of my family who believed in me, and

especially to my father who has spent his life working day and night to build a new, better

world and ensuring that I do the same. I have to make a special mention of my mother, who

missed my presence at home on major events and her prayers provided immense emotional

support and encouragement at all times.

I am indebted to my friends and MBA class-fellows, especially Haji Mahmud Bin Haji

Mohamed, who supported me with their encouragement, enthusiasm and patience.

Last, but definitely not least, I am thankful to all the business owners and managers who

agreed to participate in this study. This thesis would not have been possible without these

people’s kind willingness to give up their time to talk to me.

At the end, thanks to you, reader. If you are reading this line after the others, you at least read

a part of my thesis. Thank You.

http://lintasgayo.co/2013/08/20/international-conference-on-corporate-social-responsibility-iccsr-malaysia-conference-19-20-august-2013-university-of-nottingham-campus-malaysia1

PRELIMINARIES

iv

TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT ............................................................................................................................................................... ii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .......................................................................................................................................... iii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ............................................................................................................................................. iv

LIST OF TABELS ..................................................................................................................................................... vii

LIST OF FIGUERS .................................................................................................................................................. viii

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH .................................................................................................................... 2

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT ..................................................................................................................................... 4

1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS ..................................................................................................................................... 6

1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES ..................................................................................................................................... 7

1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH ............................................................................................................................ 9

1.6 ORGANISATION OF STUDY .............................................................................................................................. 11

1.6.1 PART 1 - INTRODUCTION ......................................................................................................................... 11

1.6.2 PART 2 - BACKGROUND LITERATURE ...................................................................................................... 11

1.6.3 PART 3 - METHODOLOGY ........................................................................................................................ 11

1.6.4 PART 4 – FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS ................................................................................................... 12

1.6.5 PART 5 - RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION ................................................................................. 12

1.7 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................................. 13

2.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................... 15

2.2 SOCIAL MEDIA................................................................................................................................................. 18

2.2.1 BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ORGANISATIONS ................................................................................ 18

2.2.2 SOCIAL VISUALISATION ........................................................................................................................... 21

2.2.3 CONCERNS ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA .......................................................................................................... 21

2.3 SUSTAINABILITY .............................................................................................................................................. 23

2.3.1 IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT CSR ..................................................................................................................... 25

PRELIMINARIES

v

2.3.2 IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL CONTEXT ......................................................................................................... 26

2.3.3 GREEN PRACTICES ................................................................................................................................... 27

2.4 SOCIAL MEDIA AND SUSTAINABILITY ............................................................................................................. 29

2.4.1 IMPLICIT / EXPLICIT CSR and SOCIAL MEDIA ........................................................................................... 33

2.4.2 HONEST COMMUNICATION .................................................................................................................... 33

2.5 IMPLICATIONS ................................................................................................................................................. 35

2.6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK ........................................................................................................................... 36

2.7 CONCLUSION TO THIS CHAPTER ..................................................................................................................... 39

3.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................... 43

3.2 JUSTIFICATION OF RESEARCH METHODS ....................................................................................................... 44

3.2.1 PURPOSE OF RESEARCH .......................................................................................................................... 44

3.2.2 INTERPRETIVIST APPROACH .................................................................................................................... 45

3.2.3 QUALITATIVE METHODS .......................................................................................................................... 47

Quantitative Research ................................................................................................................................. 48

Qualitative Research .................................................................................................................................... 48

3.2.4 CASE STUDIES .......................................................................................................................................... 49

3.2.5 INTERVIEWS............................................................................................................................................. 50

3.3 RESEARCH PARADIGM .................................................................................................................................... 52

3.4 RESEARCH DESIGN .......................................................................................................................................... 53

3.4.1 PLANNING AND CREATION OF RESEARCH ............................................................................................... 53

SELECTION AND STUDY OF CASES IN CONTEXT ........................................................................................... 55

SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS ...................................................................................................................... 56

3.5 DATA COLLECTION METHODS ........................................................................................................................ 58

3.6 DATA ANALYSIS ............................................................................................................................................... 60

3.7 CONCLUSION .................................................................................................................................................. 61

4.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................... 63

4.2 STAGE 1 – CASES ............................................................................................................................................. 65

4.2.1 CASE 1 – LEVI STRAUSS & CO. ................................................................................................................. 65

4.2.2 CASE 2 – BBVA ......................................................................................................................................... 68

4.2.3 CASE 3 – eBAY ......................................................................................................................................... 70

PRELIMINARIES

vi

4.2.4 CASE 4 – DANONE ................................................................................................................................... 72

4.2.5 CASE 5 – GENERAL ELECTRIC (GE) ........................................................................................................... 74

4.2.6 CASE 6 – PEPSI CO ................................................................................................................................... 77

4.2.7 CASE 7 – FORD ......................................................................................................................................... 79

4.2.8 CASE 8 – MARKS & SPENCER ................................................................................................................... 82

4.2.9 CASE 9 – FedEx ........................................................................................................................................ 84

4.2.10 CASE 10 – MICROSOFT .......................................................................................................................... 87

4.2.11 SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS FROM CASES .................................................................... 89

BlogZine Formats ......................................................................................................................................... 89

Games, Apps and Maps ............................................................................................................................... 90

Emerging Channels ...................................................................................................................................... 90

Personalised Approach ................................................................................................................................ 91

Big Ideas ....................................................................................................................................................... 93

4.3 STAGE 2 – MALAYISAN VIEWS ........................................................................................................................ 94

4.3.1 PRESENTING RELEVENT INFORMATION ONLINE ..................................................................................... 94

4.3.2 SHARING RIGHT CONTENT WITH RIGHT AUDIENCE ................................................................................ 95

4.3.3 SIMPLICITY OF ACTION/JOINING FOR AUDIENCE .................................................................................... 96

4.3.4 SHARING AND INTERECTIVITY OPTIONS FOR AUDIENCES ...................................................................... 98

4.3.5 SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS FROM INTERVIEWS ............................................................ 99

4.4 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................................................ 100

5.1 INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................................................. 102

5.2 PROPOSED FRAMEWORK ............................................................................................................................. 103

5.3 CONTRIBUTIONS ON THE RESEARCH PROBLEM ........................................................................................... 108

5.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY ......................................................................................................................... 111

5.5 IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGERS ................................................................................................................... 111

PRELIMINARIES

vii

LIST OF TABELS

Table 2-1: Definitions of CSR ................................................................................................................. 24

Table 2-2: Implicit and Explicit CSR ....................................................................................................... 26

Table 3-1: Overview of Research Paradigms ........................................................................................ 46

Table 3-2: List of Companies Selected for Cases................................................................................... 56

Table 3-3: Interview Questions ............................................................................................................. 59

PRELIMINARIES

viii

LIST OF FIGUERS

Figure 1-1 Different Social Media Tools for Different Business Processes ............................................. 3

Figure 1-2: Factors Influencing Change ................................................................................................... 9

Figure 2-1 Structure of Literature ......................................................................................................... 17

Figure 2- 2: Conceptual Framework ...................................................................................................... 37

Figure 3-1: Research Design .................................................................................................................. 54

Figure 4-1 Levi's Water<Less Campaign ................................................................................................ 66

Figure 4-2 Water.Org and Water<Less ................................................................................................. 66

Figure 4-3 Levi's Water<Less Perceptions ............................................................................................. 67

Figure 4-4 BBVA OpenMind Homepage ................................................................................................ 69

Figure 4-5 BBVA Friends&Family HomePage ........................................................................................ 70

Figure 4-6 Patagonia Campaign on eBay .............................................................................................. 71

Figure 4-7: Danone Social Business Networks ...................................................................................... 73

Figure 4-8: Danone "Down to Earth" Visual Presentation .................................................................... 74

Figure 4-9: An Example of GE's Infographics ........................................................................................ 76

Figure 4-10: GE HealthyShare Facebook App ....................................................................................... 77

Figure 4-11: Pepsi Refresh Project ........................................................................................................ 79

Figure 4-12: Ford Social......................................................................................................................... 80

Figure 4-13: Ford's Digital Maps ........................................................................................................... 81

Figure 4-14: Marks & Spencer Shwopping Page ................................................................................... 82

Figure 4-15: M&S Facebook Site ........................................................................................................... 83

Figure 4-16: FedEx Pinterest Contest .................................................................................................... 85

Figure 4-17: FedEx Route Optimization Game ...................................................................................... 85

Figure 4-18: FedEx Sustainable Future Infographic .............................................................................. 86

Figure 4-19: Microsoft YouthSpark Program ........................................................................................ 88

Figure 4-20: MNC's Twitter CSR Channels ............................................................................................ 92

Figure 5-1: Presenting Relevant Information ...................................................................................... 103

Figure 5-2: Sharing the Right Content with the Right Audience ......................................................... 104

Figure 5-3: Simplicity of Action / Joining for Audience ....................................................................... 105

Figure 5- 4: Sharing and Interactivity Options for Audience............................................................... 105

Figure 5-5: Proposed Framework ....................................................................................................... 106

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION

1

o Background to the Research

o Problem Statement

o Research Questions

o Research Objectives

o Significance of Research

o Organisation of Study

o Conclusion

CHAPTER 1


2

1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE RESEARCH

In the recent past, many researchers and analysts have recommended that social media

technologies (blogs, social networking sites, mobile applications, wikis, forums and etc.) may

expedite organisational communication practices from other conservative computer

technologies like e-mails, instant messaging, video or audio conferencing and intranet

(Steinhuser, Smolnik, and Hoppe, 2011). The business press is full of many bold

proclamations such as: “Business Growth and Social Media”, “Social Media: What Most

Companies Don’t Know”, “How to Build Relationships using Social Media” and “The

Development Role of Social Media in the Modern Business World” (Forbes, 2013; Time,

2013; Harvard Business Review, 2013; Social Media Examiner, 2013). While firms may

have rapidly adopted social media for “marketing” and “public relations”, the implications of

such modern technologies in many key organisational processes have still yet not been well

explored by communication researchers. AOL executive Ted Leonsis used the term “Social

Media” for the first time in 1997 during an interview and commented that firms needed to

facilitate consumers with “social media communities or networks where they can be guided

and interact in social environment” (Bercovici, 2010). Later the second avatar of web (Web

2.0) was known as the “Social Web”, because it facilitated users to generate and publish

content easily. In the last decade, many famous social media sites and applications such as

Delicious (2003), MySpace (2003), LinkedIn (2003), Facebook (2004), YouTube (2005),

Twitter (2006), Instagram (2010), Pinterest (2010) and many others were launched and

showed completely different dimensions of business processes to organisations (Figure 1-1).


3

Figure 1-1 Different Social Media Tools for Different Business Processes

Source: tednguyenusa.com


4

1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT

In recent times it has been postulated that the main goal of organisations is not to

make profits alone but also to create a positive relationship with the environment (Melissa,

2009) and society also. This has been called Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) or

Corporate Responsibility (CR) or Responsible Business Practices and is now becoming a

must for most organisations. CSR/Sustainability is a non-financial goal that seeks to

intertwine the relationship between meeting economic, social and environment needs with the

future in mind (Figge, 2002). These CSR/sustainability efforts are to be practical and should

involve the relaying of information to the stakeholders (Langely, Ortt and Pals, 2010). These

efforts may be categorised into environmental, economic and social equity impacts. CSR has

advanced in stages. Changing times and consumer awareness are among the different reasons

that have led to increasing CSR practices. Changing communal values, consumer demands

and requisitions for the corporate entities to be morally and socially just and better

stewardship of the environment have seen the an evolution in CSR practice. Accounting

scandals at various institutions (for example Enron and WorldCom) have brought to the

surface the idea of transparency in the running of business organisations. Corporate bodies

have used formal written reports as a means of communicating their CSR and sustainability

strategies, in the past. The main disadvantages with this mode of communication include

dullness, time consumption, and inefficiency in distribution, wastage of materials and

resources and a non-interactive audience. It is felt that social media could overcome the

weaknesses of print media, which could be considered as dull in that it does not capture the

movement and sound necessary for appeal as compared to audio-visual tools like the internet.

Also print media could carry information that is outdated – it may not be as quick as internet

news sites. Also it is relatively time-consuming when compared to social media. Social media


5

could also provide consumers and other stakeholders first-hand and real-time information as

available on internet (Grevet and Mankoff, 2009).

Given the above discussion, social media can be seen to have a crucial role to play in

the sustainability efforts of an organisation. It has empowered the common people and given

them a sense that their voice matters. Social media technologies have completely changed the

way we act online and given every individual a belief that they can make a difference (Salo,

Lahteenoja and Lettenmeier, 2008).

While there is a lot of discussion online about social media and CSR’s it appears there

have not been many research studies conducted in this field of research. The research paper

aims to explore and identify the key areas of social media implications on CSR/sustainability

efforts.


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1.3 RESEARCH QUESTIONS

The main research question analysed in this study is:

“To explore and identify the key areas of social media implications on

CSR/sustainability efforts.”

The sub-research questions:

1. Identifying the role of social media in influencing sustainable practices.

The aim of this research question is to investigate how leading global companies

have figured to turn this two-way communication platform to their advantage and

influenced their responsible business practices. This question will also explore

different social media themes/approaches to reflect a new dimension – how

sustainability is communicated effectively.

2. The influence of social media on firms in Malaysia

This question will present the views and perceptions of Malaysian CSR

practitioners (experts, researchers, academicians, consultants) and business

executives about trends in social media and its effectiveness to influence

responsible business practices.

3. To propose a model for organisations to use social media for their CSR

practices

This question will aid our overall understanding, proposing an operational model

or framework for organisations to have a positive impact on stakeholders related

to their sustainable business practices using social media technologies.


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1.4 RESEARCH OBJECTIVES

The objective of this study is to establish the efficiency of social media in the

sustainability efforts of an organisation. Many organisations are embracing technology and

using it to express their views and corporate strategies, with a view to maximising profit and

interacting with their customers and other stakeholders. In the past, organisations relied on

print media, but with the advent of social media it has been quite easy and efficient.

Social media is quite different from the traditional media in that it is much faster, has

high quality, high frequency and the virtue of permanency. The amount of time spent by

internet users on social media has greatly increased, and more and more sites are being used

by communication executives. The role of this research is to look at the role of social media

in the context of CSR practices among business organisations. There are many terms these

days for CSR – including Corporate Responsibility (CR) or CSV. But in this report we use

the CSR to mean organisations’ concurrent fulfilment of economic, social and environmental

obligations (also known as sustainability or triple bottom line practices). The main aim is to

explore and understand the role of social media in terms of how it is used and how it

influences different aspect of CSR in business organisations.

The following objectives are set for the study:

1) The first objective is to investigate social media relationship with CSR and its role in

sustainable practices. It will include leading global firms on how they use social

media to communicate CSR and influence their responsible business activities. These

cases will help to reveal interesting ways (themes/approaches) in which social media


8

is used as an interactive platform for practical communication and relying of

information related to CSR/sustainability practices with stakeholders.

2) Secondly, this research will explore what could be the role of social media on firms’

CSR practices in Malaysia – through the views and perceptions of CSR experts

(researchers, academicians, practitioners, consultants) and other business executives

working in Malaysia. It will aim to reveal their awareness and experiences about

social media practices to communicate or influence sustainable practices.

3) As most of the companies are still not sure how to process in engaging and

monitoring social media channels (Burson-Marsteller, 2013), the final objective is to

propose a framework for organisations to share their experiences about an initiative

and motivate other individuals to be active, participate and take action (Armstrong,

2007) – a framework that can help companies to have a positive sustainability impact

on stakeholders using social media tools.


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1.5 SIGNIFICANCE OF RESEARCH

Social media is set to play a crucial role in the sustainability efforts of an organisation.

It has empowered the common people and given them a sense that their voice matters and

influences firms to change their business practices (Figure 1-2). Social media technologies

have completely changed the way we act online and given every individual a belief that they

can make a difference.

Figure 1-2: Factors Influencing Change

Source: huffpost.com


10

This study will elaborate how leading global companies have figured to turn this two-

way communication platform to their advantage to influence their responsible business

practices. It will also present different social media themes/approaches to reflect a new

dimension – how sustainability is communicated effectively. Communication researchers in

Malaysia at first were slow to understand the potential of social media but in recent years

they have filled a huge gap. Hence, this study will also present the views and perceptions of

Malaysian CSR practitioners about trends in social media and its effectiveness to influence

responsible business practices.

Since there have not been any studies conducted in this field of research, this research

paper intends to create a precedence of a body of work, which can grade and identify the key

areas of social media implications on sustainability efforts.


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1.6 ORGANISATION OF STUDY

1.6.1 PART 1 - INTRODUCTION

This section is aimed to point up the background to the management project, plotting

the scene for this research topic, The Role of Social Media in Sustainability Oriented

Practices – An Exploratory Study, and research questions. Further, it justifies the significance

of the research and overall structure to assist the readers in finding out the objectives of this

study.

1.6.2 PART 2 - BACKGROUND LITERATURE

This section of the study presents a comprehensive literature review. It displays

maximum effort to acknowledge and inspect the existing literature. It starts with the pertinent

parent literature on sustainability and social media, gleaning and presenting the ideas

discussed in that literature. An attempt is made to analyse social media and its benefits, social

visualisations, benefits of social networks for organisations and concerns about social media.

This is followed by issues in literature related to “Social Media and Sustainability” and the

implications of social media and CSR. Drawing from some of the papers in research journals,

a conceptual framework from one of the papers is adapted and used to examine the role of

social media to influence sustainable business practices. This section ends with a conclusion

seeking to identify the significance of social media in the modern society.

1.6.3 PART 3 - METHODOLOGY

This part has been allocated for the explanation of methodology applied in this

research. It outlines the selection and justification of research methodology, research


12

paradigm, research design, data collection and data analysis methods and finally the

conclusion.

1.6.4 PART 4 – FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

This part reports and interprets the data for this study. Individual companies were

analysed and key respondents were interviewed using selection developed for this research in

Part 3 (Methodology). All the findings from selected cases and participants are discussed in

detail and compared according to the conceptual framework.

1.6.5 PART 5 - RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

This is the last section of report. In this section, a framework is proposed based on

complete findings as the contribution of the research in addressing research questions and

concludes with the limitations and potentials for future research related to this topic. In the

end, implications for managers on the use of social media to influence responsible business

practices are reported.


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1.7 CONCLUSION

In this chapter we have introduced the research topic: “The Role of Social Media in

Sustainability Oriented Practices – An Exploratory Study” and presented the basic

fundamentals to investigate it. This report proceeds as follows. An inclusive literature review

of the related disciplines is documented leading through “Methodology” and “Data Analysis

and Findings” in Chapter 3 and Chapter 4 respectively. In the end, “Recommendations and

Conclusions” are documented in Chapter 5.

CHAPTER 2 – BACKGROUND LITERATURE

14

o Introduction

o Social Media

o Sustainability

o Social Media and Sustainability

o Implications

o Conceptual Framework

o Conclusion to this Chapter

CHAPTER 2


15

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Media is a fundamental constituent of society due to its role as a social institution

whereby the media can facilitate positive change in society. However, in recent times there

have been various criticisms of the media due to the emergence of private media. This can be

attributed to the rationale that private media is more concerned with profits than serving

society. This perspective has changed with the emergence of social media including

Facebook, blogs and Twitter, among other social platforms, whereby the institution of the

social mandate of the media is being rekindled. For instance, the influence of social media in

countries like Malaysia, Singapore and South Korea is evident in several crucial fields

including marketing and business, posting rapid growth in the sectors (Diamantopoulos. and

Winklhofer, 2001). Considering this role, this study explores the role of social media in

global organisations, to ensure that businesses adopt sustainable and responsible practices.

There has been extensive research and literature concerning the correlation between social

media and CSR (Mankoff et al., 2007). Previous studies focus on different aspects, including

communications and the relationship development with various stakeholders, in a transparent

way, and engaging constituents towards practices that are responsible. Firms should use

social media to communicate transparently with consumers concerning its goods among other

information concerning its operations (Cornelissen et al., 2008). Considering this dimension,

it is crucial to determine the role of social media in ensuring sustainability among firms. For

instance, Can social media develop into a social institution, which can ensure the

accountability of businesses, and make an actual impact? In order to determine the influence

of social media on society and in the corporate scenario, it is crucial to review parent

literature on social media and its role in the corporate world, sustainability and how social


16

media can drive sustainable behaviour. The literature section is presented as follows. First

key issues related to social media are discussed, followed by issues related to CSR or

sustainability, and finally papers related to CSR and social media are looked at to glean issues

and develop a framework for the study. Figure 2-1 outlines the structure of the literature.


17

Sustainability (Responsible Business Practices)

Social Media

Implicit and Explicit CSR

Importance of Social Context

Benefits of Social Media for Organisations

Social Visualisation

Concerns about Social Media

Social Media and Sustainability

Implicit/Explicit CSR and Social Media

Honest Communication

PARENT LITERATURE

IMMEDIATE LITERATURE

Implications

Figure 2-1 Structure of Literature

Source: Prepared for this study

Green Practices

Conceptual Framework


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2.2 SOCIAL MEDIA

Social media is today a vital communication platform, as it has been integrated into

the social and corporate aspects of the society. The increased influence of the mass media in

the 20th century has been momentous and this has been cemented by the introduction of the

internet whereby communication has changed significantly, with society becoming fast

moving, informed and mobile (Lorenzoni, Nicholson-Cole, and Whitmarsh, 2007). The

introduction of social media has made information accessible to the masses and created a

platform for instantaneous reaction towards the information shared. Social media refers to a

platform where information is shared, created and transmitted using networks and virtual

communities. In addition, it is described as internet-based applications, which use the 2.0

Web foundations based on the concept of listening, learning and sharing. This technology is

highly interactive when compared to traditional media and the input of individuals who

access information through this platform is instantaneous. It is crucial to be aware that social

media does not refer only to Facebook and Twitter. Other web applications including wikis

and blogs are also prominent social media platforms.

2.2.1 BENEFITS OF SOCIAL MEDIA FOR ORGANISATIONS

The concept of social media is consistent with the sentiments of Westlake (2008) who

reflected on the translation of the readers' habits to involve participatory reading (Froehlich et

al., 2009). This means that readers can be active in contributing to the development of text on

the internet and any individual can generate an idea or topic, which will be developed further

using comments and other contributory communication. The unique features of social media

communication have allowed organisations and businesses to have an effective avenue to

interact with the community and the market. This has enabled communication in this area to


19

be two ways as opposed to the previous situation with traditional media. Despite the obvious

benefit of this approach, there has been a question about whether it is in the interest of

businesses to open themselves for feedback – the threat of unsolicited negative feedback from

the public domain. This can be detrimental especially when the business is not involved in the

developing conversation. The influence of social media is also present in the areas of

marketing and advertisement. Marketers can use these avenues to pass information about

products in order to create market awareness. This means that social media can have a direct

influence on the performance of an organisation as the communication about an organisation

in the social media can influence society’s perspective. The opinion of one user can influence

other individuals concerning a company, as some users are considerably more influential in

social media than others (Froehlich et al., 2009). The relevance of social media has changed

drastically over time and it is no longer considered a pastime for teenagers. According to

research by Harvard, 79 percent of the 2,100 companies interviewed currently use social

media platforms (Harvard Business Review, 2013). Their feedback on the benefits of this

platform included the following:

Social media increased the number of individuals visiting company websites.

There was an increase in awareness about the company from the public. The

perceptions of the companies were also influenced positively due to active

involvement in social media.

Companies also accessed insights into their markets, and the negative and positive

aspects of the company. This allows organisations to understand the needs of

consumers and the society better in the future.

Companies are also able to access early warning about social concerns when its

operations are involved. This will enable an organisation to adjust its operations

according to the requirements of society.


20

However, according to Stabroeknews.com (2013), the adoption of social media is still

in a transition period. This means that organisations are still not sure about how best to utilise

this communication platform in their operations. This can be attributed to several challenges.

For instance, it has been difficult to quantify the impact of social media in business

performance. This has impeded companies from investing and committing to the use of this

communication avenue. Organisations are required to understand the dynamic behaviour of

consumers regarding social media. This will enable organisations to experience the benefits

of social media, leading to positive outcomes and sustainable practices. Froehlich et al.

(2009) explained that the effectiveness of social media in this perspective is questionable.

However, research was able to explore the perspective using several qualities of social media

that offer businesses and organisations an advantage. This approach identifies four

affordances of the technology, and these include visibility, association, editability and

persistence (Jeffrey, Treem and Paul, 2012). Social networks have developed significantly

(Geyer and Millen, 2010) and they also help employees to connect with each other within

organisations. The preferred systems may be used to encourage collaboration, increase the

engagement of users and to facilitate expertise development. The effectiveness of a social

network is dependent on the rationale of the connection and such connection on social

networks will guarantee that trust and collaboration is ensured. If this is not the case, then

there will be isolation of a group, in turn impeding the diffusion of information. This means

that organisations need to research the relationship between the social structures and

knowledge creation. In the journal by Shangapour, Hosseini, Hashemnejad (2010) the crucial

rule of cyber social networks to influence society is explained clearly. The article explores

the concept of social activism, which can be facilitated by social media. In this article, the

authors define social networks as open structures, which can be grown without any limits.


21

This means that organisations can use this principle to facilitate the desired change in society.

The same avenue also empowers society to dictate their concerns to the corporate world,

safeguarding their interests in the process. This approach reiterates the plausibility of using

social media as an avenue of facilitating sustainable behaviour.

2.2.2 SOCIAL VISUALISATION

According to Mankoff and Grevet (2008), individuals can be encouraged to be

proactive in adopting sustainable behaviour by being shown how they contribute to

environmental degradation – for instance, if individuals are shown how their carbon footprint

contributes to environmental degradation. This will encourage individuals to adopt

sustainable behaviours in the long term. In order to create personal awareness, there should

be an interactive system that facilitates direct feedback between the individual and the

communicating parties. The article explores how social visualisation can be instrumental in

facilitating social change. Therefore, social visualisation creates an intuitive representation of

social interaction. Social networks with a predefined purpose will create an identity for the

virtual community formed. This will create a situation where strangers will cooperate in order

to achieve a goal. This is crucial in the quest for organisations to encourage sustainable

behaviour in society using the social media platform.

2.2.3 CONCERNS ABOUT SOCIAL MEDIA

Despite the increasing prominence of social media, issues of privacy have been

discussed constantly. For instance, companies can collect market information about

consumers without their consent. In addition, there are concerns about the credibility of some

social media sources, such as wikis. This means that the content in such avenues cannot

always be trusted by society. Lack of credibility impedes the ability of an organisation to be a


22

social change agent. Despite these concerns, it is obvious that social media offer a consistent

and reliable information platform for the corporate world.


23

2.3 SUSTAINABILITY

In order to understand sustainability, it is crucial to explore the role of the corporation

in society. Despite the consideration that organisations and businesses want to ensure

profitability and progressive growth, they also have a responsibility to stakeholders.

According to Grevet, and Mankoff (2009), stakeholders are not confined to investors but also

include society, workers and consumers. This means that an organisation has a responsibility

to ensure the well-being of all stakeholders in their mandate. Sustainability is an extensive

concept that varies from ecology to business and it edges with corporate social responsibility

(CSR) focusing on the advancement of living standard and also preserving natural and human

resources for next generations (Reilly, 2010). Prior studies have indicated that organisations

often opt for formally written reports to communicate its corporate sustainability initiatives.

According to the reports of Sustainable Life Media (2008), more than 30 percent of Global

Fortune 500 firms started issuing sustainability reports in 2007. This reporting refers to the

efforts of a company to ensure that the ethics and laws of business are being observed. This is

an indication of having a business culture that is consistent with the ethical and legal

standards in society. Also an organisation needs to be self-regulatory in order to ensure that

its practices are sustainable. Organisations are required to be proactive in ensuring social

good during its operations. This means that the operations of the organisation should go

beyond the interests of the organisation. Considering the experiences of companies like Nike,

who were accused of neglecting their social responsibilities by using sweatshops for

production, it is evident that CSR is a crucial aspect of business. Table 2-1 displays the major

authors and their views on the social responsibility of businesses until the beginning of the

21st century.


24

Authors (year) Definitions/Views

Bowen (1953) The responsibilities of businessmen to follow those rules, to make those choices or

to execute such actions which are anticipated in terms of the objectives and ethics of

our society.

Davis (1960) Social responsibilities of organisations need to be matching with their social power.

Frederick (1960) The use of financial, environmental and human resources in such a way that the

whole society gets extreme benefits apart from the business entities and their

titleholders.

Eells and Walton

(1961)

Problems that arise when corporate enterprise casts its shadow on the social scene

and the ethical principles that ought to govern the relationships between the

corporation and society.

Johnson (1971) A socially responsible organisation is one whose decision-making personnel balance

an array of interests rather than struggling only for huge profits for its investors.

Eilbert and Parker

(1973)

The best technique to recognise social responsibility is to consider of it as a good

and respectable neighbour.

Eells and Walton

(1974)

The business executive must stay grounded in his thinking, open in his attitude and

able to take conclusive actions that are at once lucrative and harmonious with the

acknowledged values of his society.

Sethi (1975) Being an essential part of society, corporates should justify social commitments,

social responsibility and social responsiveness.

Ackerman and

Bauer (1976)

Social responsibility is the business impact affecting the constituents of the

enterprise.

Carroll (1979) Suggested an early emphasis on economic, then legal and finally concern for ethical

and discriminatory aspects.

Jones (1980) Notion that corporations have an obligation to constituent groups and society other

than stockholders and beyond that prescribed by law and union contract.

Epstein (1987) Achieving outcomes from organisational decisions concerning specific issues that

have beneficial rather than adverse effects on pertinent corporate stakeholders.

Wood (1991) Moral responsibilities of individual managers to make ethical decisions are the most

basic of CSR components, followed by the organisation's obligation to obey social

and legal norms.

Table 2-1: Definitions of CSR

Source: Suman Sen (2011)


25

2.3.1 IMPLICIT AND EXPLICIT CSR

Sustainable practices have gained prominence due to globalisation. Despite the

popularity of CSR and sustainable practices, it is not definite that the practice will expand

globally. There are several assumptions concerning the implementation of CSR in different

regions. For instance, it is assumed that in countries where there are weak regulations, then

there will be voluntary actions from the corporate, which ensure that the stakeholder

relationship prevails (Kolk and Perego, 2008). Considering the effect of globalisation, it is

apparent that different countries have diverse policies on CSR (Hiss, 2009). There are regions

with weak policies, which do not require organisations or corporates to be involved in social

responsibility or consider the needs of the stakeholders. In this scenario, the organisations

must be proactive in promoting sustainable practices in order to bolster stakeholder

relationships.

In order to understand the significance of sustainability in different global situations,

it is crucial to differentiate implicit and explicit CSR. Implicit CSR includes the values,

norms and rules that dictate that an organisation respect the interests of the stakeholders

(Garriga and Mele, 2004). In this scenario, the incentives realised from the voluntary CSR

practices are limited due to an existing number of initiatives by the state or other social

partners. These initiatives include healthcare, pensions and vocational training among others

(Hiss, 2009). In addition, implicit CSR is motivated by the consensus in a society on what is

considered legitimate (Jespersen, 2003). This is a contrast with explicit CSR where it refers to

the efforts of a corporate through its policies to increase ecological and social sustainability.

This involves programmes, strategies and policies that are voluntary and are motivated by the

expectations perceived by the stakeholders (Hall and Soskice, 2001). These activities are

usually labelled clearly as the actions of an organisation to promote sustainable practices.


26

This means that the organisations assume the responsibility of society through their

initiatives. According to Matten and Moon (2008), the system of corporate governance in

Europe is consistent with implicit CSR. However, in cases where there are liberal economies

explicit CSR is favoured. Distinguishing implicit and explicit CSR is crucial in the effort to

understand sustainable practice in corporates globally (Table 2-2).

Explicit CSR Implicit CSR

Describes all corporate activities to assume

responsibility in society

Describes all formal and informal institutions

of a society that assign and define the extent

of corporate responsibility for the interests of

an entire society

Consists of voluntary corporate policies,

programmes and strategies

Consists of values, norms and rules that

result in (chiefly codified and mandatory)

requirements for corporations

Motivated by the perceived expectations of

all stakeholders of the corporation

Motivated by the societal consensus on the

legitimate expectations towards the role and

contribution of all major groups in society,

including corporations

Table 2-2: Implicit and Explicit CSR

Source: CSR as a dual construct, Jeremy Moon (2010)

2.3.2 IMPORTANCE OF SOCIAL CONTEXT

In CSR, the motives of the stakeholders involved in an organisation shape the

governance in the corporate. In order to understand the correlation of the stakeholders, the

social context is crucial in the perspective. This is attributed to the varying scenarios in

different countries influencing the approach of sustainable behaviour in the long term.

According to Gjølberg (2009), the manifestation of sustainability in corporate responsibility

is influenced by cultural, social and political factors (Kinderman, 2008). This means that in

order for an organisation to be successful in their efforts to promote sustainability, they must

be aware of the aforementioned factors and incorporate them in their perspective of social


27

responsibility. This will ensure that the efforts to create a positive relationship with the

stakeholders are bolstered by an appropriate approach. Understanding the scenarios in

different regions is crucial in ensuring that the CSR conforms to the values and legal

requirements of the region hence ensuring positive outcomes for the organisation in the long

term (Hall and Soskice, 2001).

2.3.3 GREEN PRACTICES

In the recent scenario, the issue of pollution and sustainable energy has been a crucial

consideration for businesses. This has resulted in businesses adopting green practices in order

to reduce environmental degradation. This means encompassing business practices that

reduce the negative impact of organisations on the environment. This also includes

encouraging society to be proactive in protecting the environment through initiatives. Some

of the actions taken by global companies in this perspective include sustainable energy

practices, reduced pollution, supporting environmental initiatives among other environmental

friendly practices.

The significance of sustainable behaviour is evident in the study by David Langley

and Tijs van den Broek, who state that most consumers respond positively to sustainability.

The interests of the modern consumer are based on sustainable behaviour and balancing the

life quality. According to the article, several barriers to behaviour are environmentally

sustainable. This includes scepticism, lack of knowledge and interest, blame and helplessness

among other impediments. Considering disasters including the British Petroleum (BP) oil

spills and other negative publicity in the corporate arena, companies and business are

encouraged to share their progress and achievements with the public. This will create a

positive rapport with the public and entrench a culture of sustainability in the long term. In

addition, companies should be encouraged to be committed to CSR. This will require


28

constant communication with the public, who are the key stakeholders of CSR initiatives.

This will ensure that the interests of society are considered in the mandate of organisations.


29

2.4 SOCIAL MEDIA AND SUSTAINABILITY

Media in the contemporary scenario has developed to take up crucial mandates in

society. The relevance of media as a social institution is evident in the media assuming

various roles that were once reserved for traditional institutions, including schools and

churches (Daly, Geyer and Millen, 2010). According to Art Silverblatt (2004), the private

ownership model has impeded this role, with the media becoming egocentric in nature in that

the primary objective is the realisation of profits. This is evidenced by the content in the

media being centred on violence and sex in order to attract large audiences. Considering this

situation, Silverblatt (2004) explores the functions of social institutions. For instance, it is

stated that social institution should offer individual membership into a grouping. In addition,

the social institution should provide access to other groups. This, in turn, unifies diverse

groups and establishes an order in society (Langley and van den Broek, 2010). Social

institutions also define the values and threshold for success in society. They also facilitate

change and encourage society to embrace the same. A social institution also educates,

motivates and directs society. Considering these roles, it is evident that the media will have a

positive influence on society when its role as a social institution is re-established.

As aforementioned, the increased influence of the mass media in the 20th century has

been momentous. The introduction of social media has made information accessible to the

masses and has created a platform for instantaneous reaction towards the information shared.

This has created a new form of media whereby the interests of the masses can be ensured

(Garrett, 2006). This shift has created a situation where social media can re-establish the role

of a social institution (Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe, 2007). This is a significant

development considering that western media was previously preoccupied with profitability,


30

ignoring its crucial role as a social institution. The increased prominence of social media has

provided organisations with a new and revolutionary approach for communicating with the

market. This is crucial in the perspective of developing sustainable practices in organisational

culture. According to Reilly and Weirup (2010), organisations in the current scenario are

looking to meet the social and environmental needs of the society. This can be achieved

through communication in the organisational culture and its intersection with organisational

needs. For instance, the emergence of global warming and other environmental issues have

necessitated organisations and businesses to adopt green practices.

Sustainable initiatives are realised when there is an intersection between the culture,

strategy and change in an organisation (Reilly and Weirup, 2010). Organisational culture is

crucial in ensuring sustainable practices. This means that all levels of an organisation should

be proactive to ensure sustainable practices. Despite the broadness of the term

“sustainability”, it can be attributed to the mandate of CSR in ensuring the preservation of

human and natural resources. This is evident in several initiatives including recycling, green

manufacturing and corporate philanthropy. In order for the sustainability culture of

organisations to be effective, it is crucial for the organisation to communicate these initiatives

with the public (Lorenzoni, Nicholson-Cole, and Whitmarsh, 2007). Social media offers an

effective and reliable channel to communicate the sustainability initiatives. This includes

platforms like Facebook, Twitter and blogs among other social media platforms. According

to research, the impact of a company’s use of social media will be appraised using a triple

bottom line. As social media offers instantaneous feedback, it is easy for an organisation to

determine the reception of the public towards their services or products (Ehrlich and Shami,

2010). Therefore, communication using social media platform should be encompassed into

the organisational culture of firms. Some of the approaches used by organisations to satisfy


31

this include the use of mission and vision statements. In addition, social media can be used

for positive behaviours among stakeholders, including the staff or the public.

Allowing for these possibilities, it is crucial to link sustainability with social media

(Boyd, 2010). This can be achieved using the context of organisational culture and change. In

order to determine this, several variables need to be considered – for instance the influence of

leadership change on sustainable practices in the size of the organisation. According to

research by Reilly and Weirup, the organisational culture is crucial in determining the

commitment of an organisation towards sustainable practices. An organisation that has

entrenched sustainable practices into their culture will be involved more in ensuring

sustainable practices (Daly, Geyer, and Millen, 2010). If the organisational culture supports

innovations, it is likely that the organisation will entrench other innovations into its culture.

Therefore, the research reiterates that communication using social media has a positive

influence on sustainable business practices since organisations will be able to share their

achievements in the same. According to Reilly (2009), the performance of organisations

should not be confined to financial performance. Responsible leadership in organisations

should ensure that there is sustainability in the mandate of an organisation. This means

ensuring that the social and environmental needs of society are being addressed and

communicated properly as per the mandate of the organisation. This leads to the importance

of CSR and its relationship with social media. The article states that most organisations use

social media in order to promote CSR initiatives. The article reiterates the strategic

advantages of facilitating sustainable behaviour using social media. This means that the

organisation should be proactive in exploiting the benefits of social media in promoting

sustainable behaviour by engaging the public.


32

In their article, Jeffrey W. Treem and Paul M. Leonardi (2013) reiterated the growing

importance and use of social media in modern society. According to them, the use of these

platforms has become integral in organisational communication. Treem and Leonardi (2012)

also identified the link between social media and organisational communication. This

approach identified four affordances of the technology – visibility, association, editability

and persistence. The journal attempts to determine how the affordances can be used to

influence knowledge sharing, power process and socialisation in organisations. Visibility in

the perspective involves the ability of social media to make the preferences, knowledge and

behaviours of an entity visible to other individuals (Grevet and Mankoff, 2009). According to

research, if the public is not aware that information relevant to some cause or initiative exists

or if it has difficulty to access such information, it will not pursue this information. Social

media has addressed this perspective by making information visible and accessible for the

public. Interviews including a sample of 40 employees stated that visibility was influenced

positively by social media. This premise can be attributed to the appeal of social media for

being open-sourced (Hennig-Thurau, Henning, and Sattler, 2007). In addition, persistence

was cited as a benefit of social media during communication. This means that the

communication remains accessible even after the presentation and does not disappear or

expire with time. Stakeholders can have easy access to the relevant information using social

media platforms as it is not time barred; hence, it helps organisations to create a common

ground during communication. Editability allows for the information in these platforms to be

updated and corrected, making it relevant to the required situation. This makes the

communication more effective in different situations involving corporations. Finally, social

media allows for the creation of associations. This includes social ties and the association

between an individual and the information provided.


33

2.4.1 IMPLICIT / EXPLICIT CSR and SOCIAL MEDIA

In order for social media to be used effectively in the promotion of sustainable

behaviour, it is crucial for organisations to be aware of the legal and cultural differences in

different regions. Despite the universal nature of social media, the values and laws of the

targetted region influence the content and communication. Considering this, it is crucial to be

aware if the conditions favour implicit or explicit CSR. In the case of implicit CSR, the

communication in social media will include values, norms and rules that dictate that an

organisation respect the interests of stakeholders. In this scenario, communication has to be

sensitive to the social and legal aspects of the region. In addition, the communication of

implicit CSR is motivated by the consensus in a society on what is considered legitimate and

acceptable (Bohle and Greskovits, 2010). This is a contrast with explicit CSR where it refers

to the efforts of a corporate through its policies to increase ecological and social

sustainability. According to Maignan and Ralston (2002), in the US 53 percent of companies

actively mentioned their involvement in CSR on their websites. This information is crucial

for the research since it avoids the generalisation of the use of social media in promoting

sustainability. The two approaches will dictate the nature of the communication used by

organisations through social media. Therefore, the distinction between the two perspectives

of CSR is essential in the efforts to promote sustainable behaviour using social media.

2.4.2 HONEST COMMUNICATION

According to the Climate Change Communication Advisory Group (2010), there are

several communication approaches that can be utilised effectively to communicate on the

significance of climate change. In order to change the perception of the public, it is crucial for

the communicators to consider seven principles of effective communication. One of the


34

principles that are encouraged is that individuals should think beyond social marketing.

According to the article, it will be difficult to encourage sustainable change in society if there

is a focus on selling behavioural changes. In addition, honesty about the effects on the

climate is required in the communication. This means that organisations should avoid

perpetrating fear or guilt among the targeted populations. Instead, the communication should

motivate the individual to adopt sustainable behaviour in order to address the changes that are

being experienced. Organisations should honestly communicate to stakeholders about

changes that might affect them in future. There should also be avoidance of over emphasising

that may be experienced by society when climate change is mitigated. This also includes

avoiding exploiting green consumerism for economic benefits. The communication should

ensure that the population is emotionally engaged in the communication. According to the

article, the authors emphasise the need to harness the influence of social networks in order to

promote pro-environment behaviour. This is consistent with the mandate of social media as a

tool of social change. The article states that social networks will facilitate the bridging of the

disconnection between corporate and public entities.


35

2.5 IMPLICATIONS

Communication theorists argue that social media influences business. This premise

has seen the platform being adopted by organisations rapidly. According to a survey by

McKinsey, 65 percent of organisations in the modern market use Web 2.0 technologies. In

addition, it is predicted that corporate spending on social media will exceed $4.6 billion

yearly (Silverblatt, 2004). Considering the aforementioned statistics, it is evident that social

media is being integrated into corporate communication. Despite this development, the

influence of social media on the performance of the organisation has not been

comprehensively established. Therefore, it is crucial to study the emerging research on the

topic. This involves treating social media as a different media class. This will mean defining

social media and differentiating it from other communication technologies used in

organisations. According to the definition by Ted Leonsis (1997), social media depicts a

channel where individuals can communicate, be entertained and participate actively (Miller,

Fabian and Lin, 2009). This definition is consistent with various social media platforms,

including Facebook and Twitter.

There were several implications concerning the outcomes of the use of social media

on sustainable behaviour. For instance, sustainable initiatives carried out online will pressure

other companies to follow suit. This will change the organisational behaviour of companies in

the region to involve sustainable initiatives benefiting the public (Beenen et al., 2004). There

will also be implications for the public whereby the availability of information and pressure

from participants will increase the number of individuals participating in sustainable

initiatives (Bandura, 2001). This means that social media can be an instrumental agent of

social change; this compliments the function of the media as a social institution.


36

2.6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK

Based on the literature examined in the previous section, key issues are gleaned to

develop a conceptual framework for the study. This section presents the framework adapted

for this study.

The starting point for this research is the study from David Langley and Tijs van den

Broek (2010), who state two social developments: the increasing interests of society and

communities in responsible business behaviour of organisations and the increasing trend of

social media tools. According to them, consumers respond positively to sustainability if these

two concepts (social media and sustainability) are aligned; then there will be a large-scale

transformation in social behaviour. This perspective includes an outlook on two barriers to

sustainable behaviour. These behaviours include “Fatalism” and “Busyness”. Fatalism

involves the lack of belief experienced in large communities comprising potential participants

(businesses) that specific sustainability efforts will have an important impact. On the other

hand, busyness refers to the situation where the priorities of the majority of the population

(lack of time and energy) are not consistent with the sustainable behaviour that is being

sought (Lorenzoni, Nicholson-Cole, and Whitmarsh, 2007). This is crucial in determining

whether social media develops into a social institution, which can ensure the accountability of

businesses.

Taking this as a starting concept, the conceptual model analyses whether social media

encourages the encompassing of social and environmental issues into business strategies. One

of the theories that will be consistent with the conceptual framework is that social media can

be instrumental in overcoming fatalism; and develop into a social institution. This is possible

by “Presenting Relevant Information/Achievements Online” and “Sharing Right Content


37

with Right Audience”. This form of online presentation is vital for businesses and together

leads to a better “Social Media Optimization” stimulating participation among the sceptical

segments of the population (Langley, 2010). Next, “Simplicity of Action” to join any cause

and better “Sharing and Interactivity Options for Audience” will also stimulate individuals

who were previously busy in assisting the existing participants of an initiative. It helps

participants to share their experiences about an initiative and other individuals will be

motivated to be active in a particular cause (Armstrong, 2007). The relations and variables of

the aforementioned theories present in the conceptual model (Figure 2-2).

Social Media Optimisation

Presenting Relevant

Information/Achievements

Online

Sharing Right Content with

Right Audience

Change in Behaviours

Simplicity of Action/Joining for Audience

Sharing and Interactivity Options for Audience

X1

X2

X4

X3

Y1

Y2

Sustainability Impact

Figure 2- 2: Conceptual Framework



38

The figure represents the process whereby the communication of an organisation

using social media can transform a sustainable change. X1 and X2 will be key to overcome

“Fatalism”, whereas X3 and X4 are vital to overcome the “Busyness”; and together they

lead to a sustainable change as Y1 and Y2 (Figure 2-2). This means that social media can

become a social institution and driver for the required change among the society. This

research uses this model to investigate the practices of global firms and Malaysian

perspectives. Learnings from these cases and interviews will help to explore all independent

variables in detail and propose an operational model in the end.


39

2.7 CONCLUSION TO THIS CHAPTER

This chapter explored the significance of social media in modern society. A detailed

analysis of information from various literature was explored in order to determine the

influence of social media on sustainable practices. The emergence of social media platforms

like Facebook and Twitter and other Web 2.0 (social web) tools have revolutionised

communication in the modern scenario. For instance, the influence of social media is obvious

in several crucial business processes including marketing, sales, PR and HR; and has led to

rapid growth in the sectors. In recent times, communication experts have been trying to

overcome different barriers to a sustainable change in society; and observe if social media

tools can be a part of this change. In order to determine the influence of social media on

society and in the corporate scenario, the literature review of the research explored three

perspectives.

One of the aspects reviewed in this section was on social media, and its importance in

modern times. The chapter highlighted the influence of Web 2.0 technologies in corporate

communication as a medium that enables instantaneous reaction from the engaging parties. It

established an argument that in order for effective two-way communication with

stakeholders, businesses must be aware of the significance of social media. In addition, the

concept of social visualisation/activism was reviewed to explore the open structure of social

media that can be used to facilitate the desired change in society (Shangapour, Hosseini,

Hashemnejad, 2010). The literature on social media recognised the importance of social

media to encourage individuals to be protective in adopting any change (Mankoff and Grevet,

2008). Some issues related to social media – negative feedbacks, lack of credibility,

authenticity and transparency – were also discussed. Background studies showed that social


40

media can be a double-edged sword for organisations and one user can easily influence other

individuals concerning the whole company (Froehlich et al., 2009). Hence, it is crucial for

companies to adopt social media strategies and engage stakeholders, as it will help them to

change their views and perceptions about the responsible business practices of business.

Secondly, this chapter explored sustainability, as a 60-year old American corporate

concept. In last 60 years, the corporate world has seen different names for it – Sustainability,

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR), Creating Shared Value (CSV), Responsible Business

Practices (RBP) and a few others. A latest dual construct based on implicit and explicit CSR

elements was also discussed. This clarified that, in simple words, sustainability is about doing

something good every day. It is a practice that makes companies focus on the advancement of

living standard and preserve natural and human resources for next generations to produce an

overall positive impact on society (Reilly, 2010). The literature showed that most consumers

and stakeholders respond positively to sustainability (David Langley and Tijs van den Broek,

2008), so it is vital for companies to tell their stories and share their experiences to influence

stakeholders. It also clarified that an organisation must be aware of cultural, social and

political factors to promote sustainability. Previous studies revealed that 30 percent of Global

Fortune 500 firms started issuing sustainability reports in 2007 (Sustainable Life Media,

2008). Background literature also indicated one-way communication, lack of knowledge and

interest and disbelief as major problems for this kind of reporting (David Langley and Tijs

van den Broek, 2008; Kinderman, 2008) and indicated that firms need constant

communication medium/approach to relay information to stakeholders.

This section further explored literature on the correlation between social media and

sustainability. Previous studies disclosed that private media has become egocentric and its

content is being centred on violence and sex only to gain profits (Art Silverblatt, 2004). The


41

literature showed that a few researchers believed that social media can re-establish its role as

a social institution (Ellison, Steinfield, and Lampe, 2007) as it offers an effective and reliable

channel to communicate the sustainability initiatives with stakeholders (Lorenzoni,

Nicholson-Cole, and Whitmarsh, 2007). Social media will change the organisational

behaviour of companies to involve sustainable initiatives benefitting the public (Beenen et al.,

2004). The chapter also highlighted the implications of companies using social media for

sustainable initiatives and showed the influence of this approach. This chapter depicted social

media as a channel where individuals can communicate and participate actively; pressure

from participants increases the number of individuals participating in sustainable initiatives

(Miller, Fabian and Lin, 2009). Although the importance of social media to create a positive

sustainable impact in society has been discussed by many researchers, still further research

and insight is required when determining the influence of social media on sustainable

behaviour and on how companies can use the communication platform effectively.

Finally, based on the literature examined, key issues were gleaned in this chapter to develop a

conceptual framework for the study.

CHAPTER 3 – METHODOLOGY

42

o Introduction

o Justification of Research Methods

o Research Paradigm

o Research Design

o Data Collection Methods

o Data Analysis

o Conclusion

CHAPTER 3


43

3.1 INTRODUCTION

In order to determine the role of social media in encouraging sustainability-oriented

practices, it is crucial for the research to gather credible data and ascertain the arguments of

the research. This chapter provides research with strategies to collect data and analyse it with

existing facts to create a valid theory on the topic. This chapter proceeds as follows.

Following the justification of research methods, it outlines research paradigm, research

design, data-collection methods and data analysis.


44

3.2 JUSTIFICATION OF RESEARCH METHODS

The purpose of this section is to rationalise the research strategies used in this study.

There are detailed descriptions in the subsections discussing the purpose of the research and

the rationale behind the chosen paradigm. There is also a description of the rationale behind

the qualitative research approach, case study justification and the preference of the interview

study approach.

3.2.1 PURPOSE OF RESEARCH

The three different types of business research studies are descriptive, exploratory and

casual/explanatory (Churchill, 1999). The degree to which an adequate knowledge of the

research topic has been set dictates the study’s nature (Sekaran, 2003).

Descriptive research provide a visual representation using numbers or words and

delivers a profile, classifications or a sequential outline to be used in answering research

questions such as who, where, how and when (Neuman, 2006). Descriptive research is not

keen on exploring new ideas, but instead focuses on giving the descriptions of phenomena.

The primary purpose of casual research is to explain why events take place. This is

achieved by a definition of the cause-and-effect association among the variables. The use of

such studies is instrumental when a well-documented research problem is already available

(Zikmund, 2003). In addition, the discovered connection is useful to comprehend and forecast

the outcomes of the problem being analysed.

Exploratory research is different from both casual and descriptive research.

Exploratory research is employed in the initial stages of research to have a better

comprehension of the research problem. According to Wong (1999), in-depth investigations


45

during exploratory research are used to narrow a broad problem into sub-problems that are

well defined.

In this research, existing knowledge was instrumental to provide significant insights

on the research theme. To explore and investigate the influence of social media on

sustainable business practices further, the exploratory approach seemed feasible and this can

be refined and tested in future studies through descriptive or casual research.

3.2.2 INTERPRETIVIST APPROACH

A research paradigm is crucial since it provides the researcher with an understanding

or perspective of the world. This is crucial in determining what problems are influential. In

addition, a researcher is also able to determine what methods are effective and available to

tackle the research problem (Perry and Cavaye, 2004). According to Lincoln and Guba

(1994), the paradigm identified for the research will provide a guide for the researcher to

identify a methodology that is consistent with his or her perspective of the world.

According to the research question, the basic belief system is referred to as ontology.

This is the researcher’s perception of what is real. In research language, the worldview in this

perspective is termed as epistemology. This is the relationship between the researcher and

reality.

Several perspectives exist in a research paradigm and these have been identified by

several authors. According to Easterby-Smith, Thorpe and Lowe (1991), group paradigms

such as positivist and phenomenological (interpretivist) approaches are based on inductive

and deductive orientation. According to the summaries of Lincoln and Guba (1994) and

Perry, Riege and Brown (1999), paradigms include constructivism, critical theory, positivism

and realism. Jennings (2002) proposed six paradigms – the post-modern approach, critical


46

theory orientation, positivism, feminist perspectives, the interpretive social science approach

and chaos theory. As detailed discussion on each category is beyond the scope of this

research, two key paradigms (positivist and phenomenological approaches) are shown in the

table below (Table 3-1).

Table 3-1: Overview of Research Paradigms

Source: Adapted from Lyon (2003, p. 91), Bryman (1998, p. 94), Creswell (2003, p. 5), Easterby et al. (1991, p. 27)


47

Considering the positivist perspective of the world, there is a belief that information

about the external world can be collected through a specified collection of methods

(Easterby-Smith, Thorpe, and Lowe, 1991). Positivists are mostly concerned to confirm the

feasibility of theories (Deshpande, 1983). They are less interested in the development,

discovery, or context of discovery (Lincoln and Guba, 1985, p. 25). The paradigm uses

qualitative methods including surveys and controlled environments to test provided

hypotheses in this perspective (Tsoukas, 1989). The positivist approach was not appropriate

for this research due to the deficiency of existing theories on the research topic, and this

research investigated a link between social media and sustainability to develop and propose a

new model for organisation. Thus, this paradigm was not appropriate for this study.

Background studies on the research problem revealed an ontological observation

about multiple perspectives influencing social media on organisational practices due to the

lack of existing research. From an epistemological viewpoint, this study required the

researcher to interpret the successful and best available examples and interact with informants

to acquire detailed knowledge of the topic. This dictates that the insight of the research will

be subjective. Due to an exploratory aspect of theory building and a subjective approach, an

interpretivist paradigm appeared to be more appropriate for the topic (Jennings, 2001).

3.2.3 QUALITATIVE METHODS

Research designs can be split into two divisions of methodologies – the qualitative

and quantitative approaches (Ticehurst and Veal, 2000). These approaches have

distinguishing characteristics and are effective in different situations. The aim of this section

is to justify the use of a qualitative approach in favour of quantitative.


48

Quantitative Research

Quantitative research relies on statistics and its main focus is to measure, confirm or

validate the connection between research variables; all together it helps research to develop

generalisations and contribute to theory (Denzin, Norman, and Lincoln, 2003; Leedy and

Ormrod, 2005). The perspective depends on numerical data collected from a large audience.

This approach is effective in analysing data and determining the appropriate conclusion about

a population (Ticehurst and Veal, 2000).

Qualitative Research

This can be defined as an approach that tries to explore, interpret or decode

phenomena in terms of real meaning rather than the rate of recurrence (Maanen, 1983). The

approach allows an individual to gather information and explore it deeply. This requires a

format that is less structured and the respondents of the study are fewer than in quantitative

research (Bellenger, Bernhardt, and Goldtucker, 1989).

In addition, qualitative research is inclined to words as opposed to figures (Neuman,

1994). In contrast to quantitative research, qualitative research develops theories rather than

making generalisations. This allows the gathering of detailed information on a research

problem (Eisenhardt, 1989). According to Ticehurst and Veal (2000), the benefits of

qualitative research are in summary as follows.

I. This method enables the researcher to comprehend and explain an individual’s

experience.

II. There is an emphasis on the comprehension and interpretation of individuals, which

can be applied in narrow studies that examine a situation holistically.

III. This method enables a researcher to see the research through the viewpoint of the

participants.


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IV. This approach combines techniques and may even invent methods to analyse social

situations and focus on issues of human interest crucial for managers.

Qualitative research is appropriate for a study based on the advantages. For instance,

the study requires a strategy that gathers rich information and comprehends the situations

involved in the study. This includes the Global Trends and Malaysian perspective in the use

of social media in encouraging sustainable practices. In addition, there is limited research on

the topic. Finally, the approach is convenient for answering questions on what and how

(Flick, Karloff, and Steinke, 2004).

3.2.4 CASE STUDIES

The term “Research Methodology” refers to an approach developed or used to

determine reality (Perry, Riege, and Brown, 1999); though, it is crucial to ensure that the

methodology compliments the problem being analysed. The aim of this part is to justify the

case study approach used to explore the research problem. Perry (2001) defines case research

as follows:

It is an analysis of a dynamic and contemporary phenomenon with an

emerging knowledge body (Bonoma, 1985; Chetty, 1996; Eisenhardt, 1989;

Gable, 1994; Romano, 1989; Yin, 1994).

It occurs in an actual context where the boundaries between the study and the

reality are unclear (Bonoma, 1985; Chetty, 1996; Stake, 1994; Yin, 1994).

Case studies include the elucidation of causal links that are complex for

experimental methods (Eisenhardt, 1989; McGuire, 1997); however, clear

outcomes are impossible (McGuire, 1997).


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It employs observations and interviews among other approaches including

multiple data sources (Bonoma, 1985; Perry, 1998a; Robson, 1993).

According to Miles and Huberman (1994), qualitative data, obtained from case

studies, provide the required explorations of views, perceptions, meanings and

presuppositions within a business or social perspective. The flexible interaction of data

allows for theory construction, which is crucial for the research. As mentioned in Chapter 1,

the objective of this study is to explore and identify the key areas of social media implications

on CSR efforts by leading global firms. Qualitative data from cases will provide real

perceptions and meanings within social perspective, which makes the case study approach

appropriate for this research. The study of one case would have been insufficient to gain

sufficient knowledge vital to explore the research problem, so this research involves multiple

cases to have a better view. Multiple case studies help to make any research more valuable

and strong (Herriott and Firestone, 1983), and also indications from different case studies are

more compelling (Yin, 1994).

3.2.5 INTERVIEWS

Another key objective of this study is to explore and investigate the views of

Malaysian CSR practitioners (experts, researchers, executives and academicians). In order to

ensure efficiency in the research, the qualitative interviews technique is chosen to know the

views and perceptions of Malaysian CSR practitioners. Such interviews have the ability to

gain complete and accurate information and also provide the interviewer an opportunity to

communicate ideas with participants (Cannell and Kahn, 1968). Taylor and Bogdan (1998)

explain such opportunities as helping the researcher to explore experiences of participants

and also learn how interviewees link certain terms and theories to a concept. Interviews can


51

justify trustworthiness, which is very significant to any qualitative technique, in terms of

precision, validity and consistency. Lincoln and Guba (1985) explained that trustworthiness

in the qualitative context involved:

Credibility

Transferability

Dependability

Conformability

The interview technique is selected to collect judgments from experts in the field and

then distilling this information to have a better view of the Malaysian context.


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3.3 RESEARCH PARADIGM

As justified in previous section, considering aim of the study, the research paradigm

will be inclined towards an exploratory nature. The research aims to explore the significance

of social media in encouraging sustainable practices. This will involve the analysis of case

studies to determine the feasibility of the approach in existing situations. This will require a

goal-oriented approach in order to answer the research questions effectively and achieve

objectives successfully. The following objectives were developed to conduct this study.

Objective 1: Identifying the role of social media in influencing sustainable practices

Objective 2: The influence of social media on firms in Malaysia

Objective 3: To propose a framework for organisations to use social media for their

CSR practices

It is hoped that the first and second objectives will provide an overall understanding

of social media and CSR practices and thus help to develop and propose a model or

framework that will help firms to have a positive impact on responsible business practices

using social media.


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3.4 RESEARCH DESIGN

3.4.1 PLANNING AND CREATION OF RESEARCH

Planning for the research is crucial in order to ensure that the research is efficient and

intensive. This is consistent with the requirements of effective research methodology. In

order to achieve the above-mentioned research objectives, extensive literature was studied

and a conceptual framework was designed. Key variables and themes, from the conceptual

framework, were used to select global firms for further analysis. This analysis helped to

design a semi-structured questionnaire with the help of the conceptual framework; and used

to interview Malaysian CSR experts. Findings from both, cases and interviews, were further

analysed in detail to propose an operational framework that firms can use to have a positive

influence of their responsible business practices using social media. This research design is

presented in Figure 3-1.


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Figure 3-1: Research Design


Introduction

Previous Studies

Framework

Global Cases

Malaysian Views & Perceptions

Findings

Proposed Model


55

The stages used in the research creation and planning are outlined next.

SELECTION AND STUDY OF CASES IN CONTEXT

After looking at various companies that have used social media to great effect, ten

companies were selected for this study (Table 3-2). All these organisations have used social

media prominently to influence responsible business practices and stand high in the Dow

Jones Sustainability Index (DJSI) and FTSE4GOOD rankings. These companies used

different approaches to communicate with the masses, based on their organisation strategy.

The approach of companies is spread across the various themes. The data relevant to cases

was collected through secondary resources such as the annual sustainability and

communication reports of the company.

A part from this, social media channels, sustainability groups (Yahoo, LinkedIn,

Quora), blogs, press releases and news articles were used to find the information relevant to

these cases. Some of the criteria that were used to determine these companies were:

How frequent do the companies update the social media channels?

How transparent are the companies in allowing comments from the users?

How authentic is the content in the media channels?

How innovative is the content?

How practical is the information on the media channels?


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No. Logo Name Sector

1

Levi Strauss Consumer Goods

2

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria Financials

3

eBay Technology (Online Retailer)

4

Danone Food Processing

5

General Electric Industrial Goods and Services

6

Pepsi Co. Consumer Goods (Beverages –

Soft Drinks)

7

Ford Automotive

8

Marks & Spencer Consumer Goods

9

FedEx Courier

10

Microsoft Technology

Table 3-2: List of Companies Selected for Cases


SELECTION OF PARTICIPANTS

The research will also attempt to determine the awareness of Malaysian CSR and

senior business executives about social media in encouraging sustainable practices in

Malaysia. As depicted in Figure 3-1, major themes, trends and concepts emerging from the

case analysis will be used to determine local awareness. Senior CSR experts, academicians,

http://biz.yahoo.com/p/3conameu.html

http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/348.html

http://biz.yahoo.com/ic/348.html


57

practitioners, executives and communication executives from Malaysian companies were

selected to determine their views about global practices depending on key variables from the

conceptual framework. All the interviewees were informed about the research to avoid any

concern about protecting interviewees’ rights to confidentiality (Ticehurst and Veal, 2000;

Zikmund, 2000).


58

3.5 DATA COLLECTION METHODS

In the research, several data sources were relied upon for an insight on the topic. The

data relevant to “Research Question 1” was collected through secondary resources such as the

annual sustainability and communication reports of the company. In recent years,

sustainability and communication reporting has become a significant statement of firms’

commitment to documenting and assessing their sustainability initiatives. Most of the

publicly listed firms invest huge money and time to publish such reports; hence it is the most

reliable source to find firms’ sustainability initiatives. Apart from this, social media channels,

sustainability groups (Yahoo, LinkedIn, Quora), blogs, press releases and news articles were

used to find the information relevant to these cases.

To answer “Research Question 2”, a different qualitative research method of

interviews was adopted. The interviews, which were conducted for one month, include open-

ended questions. The interviewees were individuals who were highly knowledgeable on the

topic. This involved the heads of CSR in several leading companies. Open-ended questions

were used in research to give the participants freedom to express their sentiments. Despite

this, the interest of the research was to establish complete information. This required

participants to be prompted to provide detailed descriptions in incidences they provided brief

answers. All interviews were transcribed within the following 24 hours. This ensures that the

integrity of the data is maintained making the research credible. Table 3-3 displays some of

the common questions asked to the respondents of this study.


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No. Question

1 Are you aware of firms that use any dedicated social media channel to communicate

sustainability achievements?

2 Which social media platform do companies use to communicate “Responsible Business

Practices or Actions” to consumers (company blog, discussion forum, Facebook, Twitter,

YouTube, company webfeeds, e-mail)?

3 Do you follow such communications regularly on social media?

4 Have your perceptions of views changed by reading such material?

5 Have you been influenced in any way by reading such material?

6 Did you ever tell other people about any particular story shared on social media?

7 How regularly does/do those firm/s publish and update their sustainability social media

channels?

8 Do you have any compelling story or example from your experience to share?

9 Do you really think that people may stop or start something by getting inspired from you on

social media?

10 How creative and innovative is the social media content relevant to sustainability efforts of

firms?

11 How transparent are firms that communicate sustainability issues on social media?

12 How authentic do you think is the social media content?

13 Do firms communicate what the company is doing or what it says it would like to do?

14 Are you aware of NGOs or other organisations communicating RBPs using social media?

15 Did your firm ever try to figure out the best social media platform to optimise your

company’s efforts and stories?

16 How useful is the information and conversation on social media to the community?

17 How do you measure that what audiences care about most?

Table 3-3: Interview Questions



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3.6 DATA ANALYSIS

This section is significant for the research methodology. This includes the process

followed to narrow results and creates valid theories to understand and determine the valid

research results. This was crucial in identifying a valid hypothesis for the research.

The analysis was aimed to determine the social media usage of various firms. The

analysis appraised this using several variables. This included patterns like “Presenting

Relevant Information/Achievements Online”, “Sharing Right Content with Right

Audience”, “Sharing and Interactivity Options for Audience”, “Simplicity of Action”.

Other key indicators such as visibility, association, editability, persistence, authenticity,

creativity and content were also considered while analysing these cases. This whole analysis

was aimed to determine whether the communication through social media of the pre-

identified companies optimises their CSR communication. The data analysis will investigate

various successful approaches being used by global firms. Similar themes were considered to

analyse respondents’ views and perceptions. This analysis helped to propose an operational

model or framework helping firms on the role of social media to influence responsible

business practices. In addition, the framework will use a participatory approach where

experiences and evidence will be shared.

The data analysis process is crucial in the research since it will enable the correlation

of social media and sustainable practices in the chosen cases and determine whether social

media is effective in encouraging firms to entrench sustainable practices in their cultures.


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3.7 CONCLUSION

The significance of this chapter was to give a detailed insight into the justification and

selection of research methods used to address the questions raised in Chapter 1 and Chapter

2. This section involved discussion of several aspects such as: research paradigm, design and

data collection methods deemed suitable for this scenario. The final section of the

methodology involved data analysis. In the methodology, strategies used to combat bias

during data collection were also addressed. The next chapter analyses and interprets the

collected data and findings from the research.


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o Introduction

o Stage 1 - Cases

o Stage 2 – Malaysian Views

o Conclusion

CHAPTER 4

CHAPTER 4 – FINDINGS AND DISCUSSIONS

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4.1 INTRODUCTION

Chapter 1 outlined a detailed discussion of social media as a vital tool for business

processes. The problem statement was followed by the research questions and research

objectives of this study to explore the role of social media in influencing responsible business

practices.

In Chapter 2 a comprehensive parent literature on “Sustainability” and “Social

Media” was analysed followed by the immediate literature on the correlation of

“Sustainability and Social Media”. It concluded with the formulation of the conceptual

framework that required to be further explored in this study to address the research problem.

Chapter 3 justified the selection of qualitative research methods for the problem

identified in Chapter 1. It also explained the research paradigm, research design, data

collection, data analysis and conclusion to ensure the reliability and credibility of this study.

The aim of this chapter is to analyse the data collected through cases and interviews in

detail. First, it presents cases selected on their social media usage to promote sustainable

practices, and then findings from all these cases are discussed in detail. These findings

involve different themes/approaches used by companies who have succeeded in sustainable

communication in recent times. Next, this chapter analyses the information collected from

interviews to provide a comprehensive insight into awareness of Malaysian CSR

professionals concerning the influence of social media in the corporate world. In addition,

there is a brief discussion to determine the views and perceptions of Malaysian executives

concerning the use of social media in encouraging sustainable practices in the corporate

world.


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Consequently, all the relevant, latest and advanced knowledge gained from this

chapter is evaluated and compared with the literature to propose an operational framework in

Chapter 5.


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4.2 STAGE 1 – CASES

It is essential for any firm to have a “Good Story” in order to have a positive impact

on society for their efforts. Also, every company should differentiate its actions from other

firms to have an influential impact through social media (Monica Ruck, 2011). This study

finds interesting patterns on how global firms are using social media to influence

stakeholders about sustainable business practices.

4.2.1 CASE 1 – LEVI STRAUSS & CO.

Recently, Levi’s has proved how social media can improve the responsible,

sustainable and charitable image of any brand. Considering the initiative of Levi Strauss, it is

evident that the organisation had a good story for the public. For example, they decided first

to use sustainable cotton and communicated this story to consumers using interactive videos,

infogrpahics and tutorials; advising consumers on how best to maintain and wash jeans.

In 2011, they started promoting new WaterLess jeans via dedicated social media

channels, which increased their responsible image fourfold (WaveMatrix, 2011). This

campaign was named as “Water<Less”, and the firm leveraged social media channels to

engage consumers and create a movement. The website http://store.levi.com/waterless/

(Figure 4-1) promotes this whole idea via videos, infographics and interactive education on

water conservation. This firm has come up with many interactive and creative ways to engage

consumers rather than taking one-time initiative. The commitment of the company in

adopting sustainable practices is growing and the company’s association with NGO

water.org founded by the famous Hollywood celebrity Matt Damon in a YouTube video

featuring the star reiterates this reality (Figure 4-2).

http://store.levi.com/waterless/


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Figure 4-1 Levi's Water<Less Campaign

Source: Levi’s Store Website

Figure 4-2 Water.Org and Water<Less

Source: Levi’s YouTube page


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According to WaveMatrix (2011), posts about WaterLess all over social media

increased the perception that Levi’s is socially responsible, as shown in Figure 4-3.

Figure 4-3 Levi's Water<Less Perceptions

Source: WaveMatrix

In addition, the company introduced a new line, which encouraged recycling and

reducing the amount of waste in the environment through a campaign dubbed “Waste<Less”

(Levi’s, 2013). This included the collection of food trays and bottles. The company is also

active in Instagram, with its employees advocating “Waste<Less”. This shows that the

strategy of the company to ensure sustainable practice is extensive and inclusive (Broad,

2013). Despite the efforts of the company in promoting sustainable practices, there has been a

backlash from activists on social media with regard to their water usage in its Mexican plants.

The company was able to address these concerns using its blog and enhanced its reputation in

the use of social media in the process. This firm has not only used social media to work for


68

causes, but its engagement with consumers, interactive media, authentic and transparency

information is also leading the way to solve social problems (Network For Good, 2012).

4.2.2 CASE 2 – BBVA

Banco Bilbao Vizcaya Argentaria (BBVA) is a Spanish company renowned for

innovation and active engagement on social media. Their reputation is underlined by their

2012 project involving the creation of an innovation centre named “BBVA Centro de

Innovacion”. In a short time, the group’s corporate responsibility website bancaparatodos

has reflected its initiatives with a “working towards a better future for people” strategy. This

involved the use of several social media platforms, including a website, blog, Pinterest,

Twitter and Facebook. Some of the topics that are explored using these platforms include

“Smart Cities”, which is an adaptation of IBM’s strategy. Christophe Langlois (2012)

explained that by the end of 2012 BBVA’s YouTube channel reached more than 105 million

views, the Facebook page reached 2.7 million fans and the Twitter profile recorded 1 million

followers. The firm has almost 131 profiles on various social media platforms across 12

countries. BBVA has successfully explored responsible banking using technological

innovations and mobile breakthroughs. “Crowdfunding” and “Ability to share content” are

the firm’s benchmark practices to ensure that banking services are not limited to any specific

group.

BBVA started a new website, Openmind, that is focused to spread banking and

financial knowledge in a more open, broad and interactive way. It allows consumers to create

communities that pursue the sharing of knowledge and practices for a better future. This

platform (Figure 4-4) is working with many famous authors and world-class figures who

contribute articles on the latest financial and ethical business issues/practices; and later the

firm will published an annual book with a series of such articles.

http://bancaparatodos.com/es

http://www.visiblebanking.com/author/christophe-langlois/


69

Figure 4-4 BBVA OpenMind Homepage

Source: BBVAOpenMind.com

BBVA also developed a first crowdfunding platform by a bank in Spain with the

name “BBVAFF (Friends & Family)”. The platform uses the latest cloud technology to

make the consumer experience more social by enabling them to post their objectives online.

Consumers can clearly define the goals that they hope to achieve in a certain time and the

website (Figure 4-5) helps them to identify the right tools to describe the project outline, raise

its awareness among communities and receive funds from secure resources guaranteed by

BBVA.


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Figure 4-5 BBVA Friends&Family HomePage

Source: BBVAff.es

The financial sector usually faces challenges when trying to relate with society. In

some instances, the sector is viewed negatively. This can be attributed to the mystery that

surrounds the financial sector where the ordinary individual is not knowledgeable. Social

media is changing this perception and this is evident in the efforts of institutions like BBVA.

The organisation has been successful in harnessing the positive attributes of social media to

engage the public it serves, using strong social media technologies and communicating via

Slideshare and Instagram. This is beneficial since the company has been able to bring its

operations closer to the public.

4.2.3 CASE 3 – eBAY

eBay is undoubtedly one of the most popular e-tailers (online marketplaces) in the

world. According to the company’s Global Citizenship and Internet Market Head (Robert

Chatwani), this firm was established on the noble credence that people are basically good

(CSRwire, 2010). In the past, the company has run many social media campaigns and “eBay


71

Give.Good.Green” was one of them. The company allowed individuals to participate in this

campaign, offering them a menu of ways. Most of these initiatives didn’t work very well but

eBay’s green team successfully learned from its experiences and has been proactive in

creating an impressive sustainability project. The driving force of the company’s

sustainability effort has been its partnership with Patagonia (Figure 4-6). The company has

established a specialised second-hand store in order to extend Patagonia’s products’ lifecycle.

This has seen the resale of over 38,000 clothing products through the online store. Patagonia

has been living up to its promises to meet the four R’s (Reduce, Repair, Reuse and Recycle)

of waste management. Patagonia and eBay together have successfully promoted the

reusability of products. Consumers are also encouraged to take the “Common Thread

Partnership Pledge” and sell the company’s items, which in turn helps them to bring more

products back into the circle.

Figure 4-6 Patagonia Campaign on eBay

Source: eBay.com


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Despite the success of the “Common Thread Partnership Pledge”, the company

also uses several social media platforms including Twitter, Pinterest, Facebook and forums to

promote discussions among the market that are environmentally friendly and influence them

to buy and sell used products. The company is very well aware of its position as an online

retailer and has used this advantage to ensure that it has a positive impact on society. The

company has used its social retailing experience very well and as a result 53,000 Patagonia

products are circulating in the market, where otherwise such products would have been

wasted in a closet or landfill (Alan Marks, 2013). The US and UK are two of the major

markets of eBay and many people can access the website from any corner of the world.

Hence, this partnership represents a very strong opportunity for worldwide consumers in

future, once they start shipping reusable products internationally.

4.2.4 CASE 4 – DANONE

Danone is one of the biggest global firms in the food sector, with headquarter in Paris.

One significant part of Danone’s corporate culture is that since its beginning it had a clear

commitment to society driven by CEO, Antoine Ribaud. The company has undertaken two

major social sustainability initiatives using social media – “Down to Earth” and “Social

Business Networks”.

“Social Business Networks” (Figure 4-7) is a long-running project that started in

2006, following a meeting between the CEO and Muhammad Yunus (President of Grameen

Bank Bangladesh, 2006 Noble Peace Prize Winner). It is designed to offer funding and

encourage social business initiatives.


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Figure 4-7: Danone Social Business Networks

Source: DanoneCommunities.com

“Down to Earth” is a major platform, an official corporate voice, to communicate

the company’s major sustainability initiatives to stakeholders with a theme that impacts the

firm’s social capital in a positive way. On social media, the Down to Earth project appears

to be the company’s flagship initiative. The institutive includes a blog with appealing visuals,

amazing storytelling with futuristic and provocative content providing strategic insight and

easy sharing options. The magazine highlights the company’s responsibility and role to the

planet, people and profits ensuring authenticity and local perspectives. They believe that the

company’s practical and creative voice (using photos, videos, short texts) are productive in

highlighting its sustainability efforts and are more likely to circulate on social media

(Kruglianskas, 2013). The use of visuals and infographics, as depicted in Figure 4-8, enabled

the company to appeal to a wide audience in the social media.

http://www.mixprize.org/users/5vkqiges7n


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Figure 4-8: Danone "Down to Earth" Visual Presentation

Source: DownToEarth.Danone.com

Using social media technologies, Danone has transformed this blog into a global tool

to invite activists, CSR bloggers and personalities and consumers/users. This interaction with

stakeholders and criticism on the firm’s environmental or social policies from participants

helps the firm to improve and drive sustainability efforts. The company also puts its annual

communication and sustainability reports online, making all the information shareable and

easily accessible by stakeholders.

4.2.5 CASE 5 – GENERAL ELECTRIC (GE)

For more than a century, General Electric (GE) has been one of the most successful

global conglomerates, ranked third in the list of Forbes Global 2000 world largest companies

(Greene, 2013). The company has a strong influence in US history with its interests in

various sectors such as energy, technology, consumer and industrial electronics and finance.


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This influence has driven the firm to bring innovation into every sector, including CSR. Since

the inception of the “Ecomagination” initiative, launched in 2005 to build its image as a

green company, GE has been successful in producing content that is both relevant and

thought-provoking, using sustainability and innovation.

GE has impressively packaged its portfolio of social media platforms including

“Txchnologist.com”, “Data Visualization”, “Healthymagination”, “Ecomagination” and

“Ideas Lab” under the hood of its online magazine “GE Reports”. The company uses this

magazine and platforms under it to raise public awareness on health, technology, future

innovations and environment. All this provocative and inspiring information is shared among

consumers on multiple social channels – Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Sine Weibo. The

company has been successfully sharing stories through social media channels that people may

not link with the operations of the firm. For example, Figure 4-9 displays one of GE’s cancer-

awareness infographic that went viral last year on social networks.

Recently, GE Healthcare care launched a global “#GetFit” competition that

encourages its participants to share their personal stories and experiences of staying fit and

healthy. To raise the cancer prevention awareness, GE supported its “#GetFit” campaign

with “GE’s HealthyShare Facebook App” (Figure 4-10), which allowed Facebook users to

track daily, monthly and weekly progress on their healthy challenges and progress in the

game by sharing and posting more about healthy lifestyles. This unique social gaming

experience motivated and encouraged more users to follow updates on cancer in an

interactive way. GE Reports is a great example of how interactive and thought-provoking

content-based social media publishing with the help of experienced and qualified editors can

influence a firm’s sustainability practices (Synato, 2012).


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Figure 4-9: An Example of GE's Infographics

Source: www.ge-gefit.com


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Figure 4-10: GE HealthyShare Facebook App

Source: apps.facebook.com/healthyshare

4.2.6 CASE 6 – PEPSI CO

PepsiCo started using social media in 2010, with its amazing cause-related marketing

campaign, “Pepsi Refresh Project”. In the 21st century, when all global firms started using

cloud computing in their business operations, this firm took a unique approach to implement

CSR initiatives using “Cloud” model and started the Pepsi Refresh Project. The purpose is to

refresh deprived and needy communities with innovative ideas. Any individual with an idea

to refresh a particular community is encouraged to invite more people to support the idea and,

if that particular idea is approved, the company will help that individual with funding from

the Pepsi Refresh Project. This project helped the company to leverage the brand’s identity

on social media networks and also encouraged consumers to participate in fund raising for


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various charitable causes. Pepsi also collaborated and partnered with other organisations –

e.g. 7-Eleven – to raise funds for Feeding America and Burton to manufacture sustainable

clothing from recycled plastic bottles. These collaborations and partnerships were socially

fuelled by Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest apps.

Jackie Millan, VP and Senior Director of Corporate Contributions for the PepsiCo

Foundation, discussed the role of social media to boost their socially responsible image:

“We implemented social media tools to promote responsible business practices because our

research indicated that a majority of users, active on social networks, voluntarily participate

and contribute for cause-related groups or organisations. This helped us to figure out the

potential; we only needed to recruit”.

(Greene, 2013)

Emily M. Kamischke (2012) explained that the company managed to offer more than

$21 million through this project, refreshing 189 schools, 93 parks and 45 cities; and raised

$10.8 million funds through grants, as shown in Figure 4-11. The Pepsi Refresh Project has

earned the company a premium standard of CSR among global companies to gain

competitive advantages using social media. According to a Pepsi official, while more

worldwide companies begin to follow the same approach in recognising the intrinsic value of

social media tools, PepsiCo will still lead them all. The most impressive part is the way the

firm’s social media communicates all these stories and engages followers in a dialogue. By

highlighting the sustainability performance with a purpose on Facebook, Twitter and other

dedicated channels the company has increased awareness about its responsible business

practices.


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Figure 4-11: Pepsi Refresh Project

Source: emilykamischke.com

4.2.7 CASE 7 – FORD

Since the emergence of social media technologies, car companies have also started

understanding their power to appeal and engage users, and begun dipping their toes into it.

One company that has excelled such practices in this particular sector is Ford. Earlier we

learned how GM used its blogs and podcasts to communicate and engage with stakeholders,


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but Ford surprised everyone on building its innovative social project “The Ford Story”

under the hood of a social media hub known as “Ford Social” (Figure 4-12).

The company’s global head of social media, Scott Monty believes that we don’t use

Facebook, Twitter and other social channels to simply announce our upcoming products. The

purpose is to increase customer loyalty to the brand by engaging, helping and understanding

them. “Ford Social” gives the fans and followers a chance to experience the brand in ways

they never imagined, and in return they are rewarded for it. It gives consumers an option to

claim badges according to their interests and get a chance to attend the industry’s exclusive

networking events and workshops. Ford Social also includes a dedicated ideas section

inspired from the “MyStarbuksIdea” and “Dell’s Ideastorm”, where people can submit

their sustainable ideas for next vehicle features.

Figure 4-12: Ford Social

Source: social.ford.com


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The blog is full of consumer news, environmental issues and information on clean and

green technologies. It provides a playground for Ford fans to share their personal experiences

and even launch their sustainable campaigns. It also has collaborations with other blogs –

“What Women Want Initiative” and “BoxTops for Education Initiative”. The social

media team also makes interactive, creative, real-time and shareable digital maps indicating

the sustainability journey and progress of the firm within the year (Figure 4-13).

“@FordDrivenGreen” is a dedicated Twitter channel managed by the company to tweet the

company’s sustainable practices.

Figure 4-13: Ford's Digital Maps

Source: Social.Ford.com


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4.2.8 CASE 8 – MARKS & SPENCER

The impressive British retailer has become known for its inspiring and influencing

sustainability initiatives in recent years. M&S has struggled in the past and experienced

numerous challenges when attempting to communicate its sustainability initiatives. Last year,

the company launched a new social innovation campaign, “SHWOPPING”, in collaboration

with NGO Oxfam, to sell unwanted clothes in the UK, where consumers discard 2 million

tons of cloths every year (Sangeeta, 2012). M&S upped its communication game using social

media and encouraged its consumers to bring in old clothes, even if they were not purchased

from M&S, whenever they buy something new. These products are reused, recycled or resold

by Oxfam (Charity Partner).

Figure 4-14: Marks & Spencer Shwopping Page

Source: marksandspencer.com


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This campaign is supported by a creatively designed webpage that interacts with the

viewer using simple facts and playful visuals. The whole purpose is to encourage consumers’

buying behaviour, making them realise that how much a “wasted” item is worth and how it

can help to make someone’s life better in Senegal, Nigeria and Bangladesh. For example, an

interactive app (Figure 4-14) will let users know that a jacket is worth £20, a watch £5 and

that a shoe generates £9. Next, by dropping a trouser (worth £5) in the drop box, this app

reveals how it would help buy a water container for 4 families in Nigeria.

Figure 4-15: M&S Facebook Site

Source: FB/MarksandSpencer


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Marks & Spencer has also provided consumers a social media channel through the

“M&S Facebook Site” (Figure 4-15) that displays the top showppers in the latest week and

helps them to decide “to shwop or not to showp”. Consumers can make profiles and upload

pictures of old clothes and vote for others to help with their pick. The mobile Facebook app

has also been designed by the company to exhibit their commitment to the clothing cause.

Marks and Spencer has established a strong influence on stakeholders, making a determined

effort with regard to wasted clothes using social media innovations. Sangeeta, a 3BL media

reporter on Justmeans, explains that M&S has donated 5,500 tons (equivalent to five jumbo

jets) of clothes through “Shwopping” (Sangeeta, 2012).

4.2.9 CASE 9 – FedEx

Like every other sector, global carrier services also have a large presence on social

media to engage their consumers on sustainable business practices. DHL have more than 1

million likes on Facebook, whereas UPS and TNT are lagging behind with 35,000 and 25,000

likes respectively (Transglobal Express, 2013). FedEx are competing the race with an

amazing 650,000, committing themselves to narrative content and storytelling. This has put

the firm in a good position for social media sustainability communication.

FedEx recently launched the “Grow a Greener School Contest” on Pinterest (the

photo-sharing social network) with a mission to provide resources for teachers, students,

parents and staff to start sustainability projects at their school. All schools in the US are

encouraged to enter by submitting creative photographs related to small green initiatives at

their school. The entries with the most number of likes are the weekly winners and they are

awarded $3,000, $2,000 and $1,000 for their green initiatives (Figure 4-16).


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Figure 4-16: FedEx Pinterest Contest

Source: FedEx.com

Apart from this, FedEx has a longstanding social media initiative, “EarthSmart”,

with an impressive framework to communicate the firm’s responsible practices. This

shareable social media site is full of addictive logistic games that inspire individuals to think

of what solutions are feasible in the effort to meet delivery demands, while addressing the

environmental challenges (Figure 4-17 displays FedEx Route Optimization Game).

Figure 4-17: FedEx Route Optimization Game

Source: FedEx.com


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The company has been criticised for the overstretching of creativity in its “Facebook

app, Forest app” but on Twitter, the company’s vice president of sustainability Mitch

Jackson offers formal, authentic and transparent communication on the latest sustainability

activities of the firm. Overall, this global carrier has highlighted the importance of social

media to influence sustainable behaviour in a positive way. “FedEx Cares” and the

company’s social platforms provide creative reports, videos and infographics that are easily

accessible / shareable by the public. This information provides detailed and useful material

concerning its stand on corporate social responsibility (FedEx Sustainable Future Infographic

in Figure 4-18).

Figure 4-18: FedEx Sustainable Future Infographic

Source: csr.FedEx.com


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4.2.10 CASE 10 – MICROSOFT

In March 2013 the research-based Ethisphere® Institute published their 7th annual list

of the world’s most ethical companies. Out of 145 companies in the list, only five computer

software companies made the ranking and Microsoft is one of them (Ethisphere, 2013).

Microsoft’s CSR website “Microsoft Citizenship” has not only been blogging about the

company’s efforts towards society but has also invested a lot in development of software

applications to support CSR programmes and measure the impact of these efforts. This

transitioning software company doesn’t just spam its viewers with the latest press releases

and posts on social media channels. They use quantified information to measure their success

internally and externally and this helps them to generate good content. This content

strengthens the company’s CSR stories and provides them an opportunity to share more.

Microsoft’s latest CSR initiative “YouthSpark”, launched in 2012, has generated a buzz in

CSR communities on social networks (Figure 4-19). This programme aims to help 300

million children in more than 100 countries with quality education, to find jobs or launch

their own start-ups. The firm has incorporated the role of social media technologies in a good

way to lead this programme by designing a micro-funding portal “Give for Youth” and a

promising global community “Innovate4Good”. This has provided youth a platform to

network with each other, share new ideas, find the right teams or partners and change the

future using technology. Microsoft’s Citizenship’s Facebook page and Twitter profile has

more active and engaging followers than other companies. This leading software company

has been effective at using its technological powers and abilities to help communities with

their problems and for a better future (Louis Columbus, 2013).

http://www.forbes.com/sites/louiscolumbus/


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Figure 4-19: Microsoft YouthSpark Program

Source: Microsoft.com


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4.2.11 SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS FROM

CASES

Companies have employed several strategies in order to ensure that their sustainable

communication is appealing and effective for online communities. Based on above findings

from cases, these strategies can be discussed as following different approaches / themes.

BlogZine Formats

This is crucial considering that communities are disparate and scattered but also

growing constantly in recent times. These communities have a strong interest in sustainability

information and news. This realisation has spurred companies to adopt an online blog

magazine mentality, “blogzine formats” as a feasible approach for communicating

sustainability. Companies were aware that sustainability was no longer an interest of niche

stakeholders. Society in general was increasing its interest in the sustainability efforts of

organisations. The advent of social media provided an effective and interactive media for this

communication, creating a suitable environment for the magazine mentality. The mentality

solves the need to communicate with large audiences concerning sustainable behaviour in an

interactive and creative way. Some of the companies that have been successful in

implementing this approach include Coca-Cola Unbottled, GE Reports, Deutsche-Post,

Ford Social, GSK More than Medicine, Timberland’s Bootmakers Blog, Renault’s

Sustainable Mobility and Danone’s Down to Earth.

“We were missing a connection to you. Even in this social age, our

communications still felt very one way. We couldn’t easily have a conversation

about water conservation, empowering women, or take you behind-the-scenes

at the Olympics.”

(Mallory Perkins, Coca-Cola Journey, 2012)

http://www.coca-colacompany.com/search?q=Mallory+Perkins


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Games, Apps and Maps

Social media is characterised by innovation, and helping companies to find more

practical and innovative ways to engage stakeholders. For instance, “games, apps and

maps” have become a prominent part of sustainability communication since 2010 to engage

online communities and build conversations. Novo Nordisk’s interactive sustainability

games (e.g. Business Risk and Reputation Game) have set standards to make consumers

aware about business dilemmas on ethical, moral, environmental and health issues. FedEx

Route Optimization, GE Healtymaginiation and Nike’s app Making have raised

awareness about fuel efficiency, cancer treatments and choosing sustainable materials for

designing respectively. Companies like Telefonica and Petrobras have smartly used maps

applications to show navigation of their CSR stories. The new emerging channels, such as

apps, games and maps, have set new trends for companies for making sustainability

communication more significant and effective for stakeholders. It inspires stakeholders

(especially those who might not always like reading massive quantitative data – filled PDF

reports) to join the action and share information with others.

Emerging Channels

Technology is advancing at an astonishing rate and new innovations like Pinterest,

Instagram, Visual.ly, SocialCam and other new “emerging channels” have given

organisations the opportunity to improve story-telling and sustainability communication

techniques. Starbucks used Instagram to encourage consumers to keep reusable cups and

upload pictures of their cups in collaboration with “KeepCup.com”. Danone designed a

creative infographic to communicate its programme, helping Egyptian milk producers with


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increased prices and monopolisation of local traders, and shared via Visual.ly. Philips

recently used Pinterest to encourage its fans to share things that make their cities livable and

loveable. The reason behind the famous #PinYourCity campaign was to raise people’s

awareness of social problems and healthier lifestyle. Similarly Wal-Mart used the same

channel “Pin to Win” contest inspiring fans to share pictures that motivate them to be green.

These emerging channels and platforms are helping organisations to influence stakeholders

on their responsible business practices as well as inspiring communities to take action on

certain issue.

Personalised Approach

Social media has revolutionised how society communicates. This development has

percolated to the corporate scenario with companies looking to tap into this avenue in

order to communicate with consumers. Despite the benefits of social media, there has been a

dilemma about how companies would benefit from this exciting and interactive innovation.

Companies have debated whether the communication should be fronted by a personality or a

brand. This is a crucial concern considering that companies aim to use this avenue to

demystify themselves to the public. An organisation needs to determine the nature of

interaction that is desired in the platforms. For instance, if a company uses the “personalised

approach”, then the communication will have to be simple.

This will create an image of greater authenticity and transparency for the company

than when the communication is fronted by a brand. For instance, British

Telecommunication (BT) uses a personality for its social media communication. Niall

Dunne is the front man in the company’s CSR efforts to communicate with the public using

Twitter and Facebook. Advanced Micro Devices (AMD) has also embraced the personal

approach with its CSR communication being led by Tim Mohin. The critics state the brand


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approach is as straightforward as the personalised approach. If a company decides to use a

personality as a front for social media communication, the company will lose out when the

personality leaves the company. The brand is a permanent fixture in a company meaning that

it cannot be lost under any circumstance. Apart from these, some companies operate vibrant

Twitter and Facebook CSR accounts with the authentic and coordinated brand voice of the

CSR team, sharing social responsibility news and updates from the company. Figure 4-20

displays a few active Twitter accounts of major global firms.

Figure 4-20: MNC's Twitter CSR Channels

Source: SocialMediaInfluence.com


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Big Ideas

Social media tools and technologies have provided new paths to engage customers

globally and it has witnessed a huge shift from “Like us” to “Let’s do it together”. With the

help of cloud technologies, MNC’s have started “big ideas” like Pepsi Refresh, Microsoft

Youthspark, BBVAFF, Siemens Answers and Sony FutureScapes. These initiatives are

helping companies to take inputs from stakeholders and create solutions for big sustainability

issues and problems. Such solutions inspire consumers to take action for a better future.

These community-driven programmes have influenced many stakeholders with a sustainable

twist. These social initiatives touch directly on the hearts and emotions of targetted

stakeholders and support their related cause. To influence stakeholders, it is necessary to

make them realise that their views and ideas are being welcomed and turned into actions.

Global firms like Pepsi, Sony, Dell, Starbucks, Microsoft and American Express have

demonstrated how a crowd can be motivated to take action for a sustainable initiative; and

also how rewarding and satisfying some ideas (turning them into success), to innovate new

solutions, can bring priceless results. This approach has helped companies to facilitate

behavioural change, not within their firms but that of their consumers.

Analysing global firms on their latest social media sustainability initiatives reveals

interesting themes like blogzine formats, apps, games, maps, emerging channels,

personalised approach and big ideas. These themes are shaping the future of sustainability

communications to inspire stakeholders about responsible business practices. These practices

are helping organisations to engage users, motivate them to take actions and share authentic

content with others in interactive and creative way; making sustainability communications

more meaningful and effective.


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4.3 STAGE 2 – MALAYISAN VIEWS

In accordance with the conceptual framework and trends from the global cases, some

Malaysian CSR experts, academics and researchers were interviewed to discover their beliefs

and perceptions on the role of social media to influence responsible business practices. Next,

this section analyses respondents’ feedback.

4.3.1 PRESENTING RELEVENT INFORMATION ONLINE

In accordance with the conceptual framework and trends from the global cases, some

Malaysian CSR experts, academics and researchers were interviewed to discover their beliefs

and perceptions on the role of social media to influence responsible business practices. Most

of the respondents named no Malaysian firms, only MNC’s, such as: Starbucks, Siemens AG,

Shell, Nestle, Lion Group, Coca Cola and Pepsi with a dedicated CSR channel on social

media. Respondent (9) described:

“At the outset no ...but I would not be surprised if there are plenty ghost writers who would

be paid to do so especially in case of FMCGs”

Respondent (4) mentioned that Malakoff Corporation Berhad, “a premiere global

power and water company working successfully to grow sustainability with local

communities”, regularly blogs and reports about its sustainable practices on its domestic

website. All respondents believed that Facebook is the most common platform to

communicate with business stakeholders. Company blogs and YouTube channels are two

other platforms frequently mentioned by these experts. Most respondents did not have any

exact idea how often firms are updating their social media sustainability channels.


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4.3.2 SHARING RIGHT CONTENT WITH RIGHT AUDIENCE

Participants believed that most MNC’s do communicate very effectively; they only

present/publish information on what they are doing right now. But one respondent shared a

completely different view: “mostly given the nature of corporate communications they are in

future tense”.

In terms of transparency on social media, experts believed that it depended on the

company and its willingness to share in a transparent way. A respondent from DiGi

Telecommunications Sdn. Bhd. described that:

“...Can't say for sure, but I'm guessing that in reality, most companies use it more for PR

purposes, as to get honest feedback on real issues/challenges. I've not yet seen any CR-

related social media that has any bad news about the companies they represent.”

According to experts, firms are not very engaging and remain censored on many

issues. Most of the firms are only using one-way communication channels in terms of

sustainability issues, as the vice president from Siemens Malaysia explained:

“The firms use social media as a public relations tool. It is transparent till someone makes a

negative comment. Therefore companies, despite allowing debate on its social media content,

maintain full control and check on the reaction it draws from the viewers.”

According to experts, authenticity of content is questionable. Respondents with

research and academic background explained that “it depends on who’s publishing it? As

company’s perspective is always colored”; plus, “they merely report their CSR practices

with regards to society, so it makes them quite authentic” and “sometimes it seems to tough

people’s emotions only”.

A senior executive from the Sime Darby stated that:

“..Firms might not be very transparent but I feel mostly the content is still authentic.”


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Except researchers, all working executives believed that the content is always

authentic since it involves companies’ long-term reputations i.e. there is no false information

provided. However, its authenticity as in the firm's sincerity to the message is questionable.

According to their beliefs most social media activity is part of the company's branding

strategy and it only highlights the positive sides of the social, economic and environmental

impact from its activities. Sincerity becomes questionable when news about the company's

unsustainable activities is leaked from other quarters.

In terms of the usefulness of the CSR information shared on social networks, experts

indicated that it is useful to create awareness and disseminate information on causes that

actually need attention, but that it’s always good to validate the authenticity. As one of the

respondents mentioned:

“..It's useful, but should be taken with a pinch of salt...in other words, it's important to

verify/validate the information. It could be useful for the purpose of using social media to

mobilise support for a community cause.”

One of the respondents said that: “as a user I believe it’s very useful because many

common questions get answered and people get to know a lot of new facts and information”

and “it allows for alternative perspectives and pushes business to greater accountability”.

Hence, according to experts, it is useful to share what the company is doing to be sustainable.

As they mentioned, creating awareness in the public is the only way to differentiate a

company and its product from less responsible organisations.

4.3.3 SIMPLICITY OF ACTION/JOINING FOR AUDIENCE

Most of the experts believed that cause-related information is hardly helpful to change

perceptions or views about a company’s sustainable business practices as they presumed it

was mostly related to PR. The Head of Corporate Social Responsibility at Tesco Malaysia


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mentioned that, “this information is not enough to change the perceptions, but information

and sharing is good overall”. Two CSR researchers shared a different point of view on this;

they believed that this information is good enough to change consumers’ perceptions as well

as any other stakeholders. Sometimes it doesn’t only change perceptions but it also builds

new perceptions about a company’s efforts, as respondent (9) described:

“Yes ... and if I am concerned I do try to read the company response – for example the latest

Johnson and Johnson issues in Asia with their childcare product range.”

A senior executive explained that information shared on social media platforms has

really influenced him to develop a better understanding about a firm’s behaviour to

communities and the environment:

“I have developed a deeper understanding of how the company is engaging in sustainable

initiatives such as new product design or consultancy services which help reduce

environmental impact. e.g. products and services developed to be have a smaller carbon

footprint.”

Half of the respondents said that social media like any other media is a powerful

influencing force for people who take heed of the message being broadcast. As respondent

(6) described:

“I do get my inspiration from watching various YouTube channels such as TED Talks and

also from reading blogs. I am sure if I have something interesting to tell which could bring

about a change, it will be easier to spread the message in the cyber world than in the real

world”

The Sime Darby representative mentioned, “They [firms] must start using it, as it

reaches more people and is quite an 'in' thing to do”. Plus, according to him, firms can

measure this by “responses received and conducting targeted stakeholder engagement

activities” – because different audiences (stakeholders) have different expectations,

depending on whether they're customers, regulators, employees, etc. So, most of the


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respondents believed that polling, survey, research feedback with proper user engagement on

CSR websites and Facebook can be productive to measure stakeholders’ interests.

4.3.4 SHARING AND INTERECTIVITY OPTIONS FOR

AUDIENCES

Experts agreed that most large MNC’s are clever enough to make the content creative

and innovative, if they want to be noticed in the world of social media. The creativity of the

content is sometime more important than the sustainability effort undertaken by the firm. In

most cases companies are forcibly associating their sustainability agenda to an inspiring story

just to be able to stand out from the crowd. Respondent (5) regarded this as “a very creative

way of reaching the masses who would otherwise have no interest in the company’s core

sustainable activities”. Overall, perception was that content is normally easy to understand

(too much emotional focus sometimes) and share, but only large firms are dynamic in

conveying new stories on social media. Respondent (3) explained:

“It's more innovative, as it's real-time, and engages stakeholders on a continuous basis. Also,

it's more timely, as the issues discussed/highlighted are current, and one does not have to

wait till end of the reporting cycle to highlight these. It also allows companies to address key

issues in a timely basis. In fact, companies that don't will be taken to task by their

‘followers’."

So, participants agreed with the idea that the interactivity, creativity and

innovativeness of social media content influences audiences to share it with more people

around them and it also penetrates their reading and consciousness zone.


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4.3.5 SUMMARY AND DISCUSSION OF FINDINGS FROM

INTERVIEWS

Overall, all the participants believed that social media has provided companies with

new effective ways to communicate with stakeholders. In Malaysia, CSR is still at the early

stages of disseminating information, creating awareness and enhancing corporate brand

reputation. As one of our participants mentioned:

“.. I would say firms do it for enhancing legitimacy.”

There are only a few firms doing CSR activities as part of their corporate strategy.

CSR strategies are standalone initiatives, yet not fully integrated into their overall corporate

strategy. MNC’s are however more advanced and tend to have broader sustainable strategies.

However these MNC’s (subsidiaries) in Malaysia are merely following what their parent

company is doing and thus are more advanced than local companies. One good example is

DIGI Malaysia (a subsidiary of Telenor group). This company tends to integrate CSR

strategies into their overall corporate strategies. Using social media platforms, just like global

companies, to engage users and share more authentic content in interactive and creative ways

will give domestic firms a meaningful approach to influence responsible business practices.

Though it might not instigate people to start or stop doing something, experts agreed that

firms should use such platforms as they reach more people. Plus, innovative ways of sharing

content help firms to be noticed and gain competitive edge.


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4.4 CONCLUSION

In this chapter collected data was analysed in detail. First, 10 different cases were

developed for the companies who successfully used social media to communicate sustainable

business practices; and engaged stakeholders to have a positive impact on society. Second, as

mentioned clearly in our research objectives, beliefs and perceptions of Malaysian executives

concerning the use of social media in encouraging sustainable business practices were

explored. Findings were drawn from the cases and also from the interviews conducted. Thus,

all the relevant, latest and advanced knowledge gained from this chapter is evaluated and

compared with the literature to develop and present an operational framework in Chapter 5.

CHAPTER 5 – RECOMMENDATIONS AND CONCLUSION

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o Introduction

o Proposed Framework

o Contributions on the Research Problem

o Limitations of the Study

o Implications for Managers

CHAPTER 5


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5.1 INTRODUCTION

This chapter outlines the overall conclusions and implications of the study. It consists

of five sections. The first section presents the structure of Chapter 5 as an introduction. In the

second section, findings from the cases and also from the interviews conducted in Chapter 4

are compared with the literature to develop and present a framework. Next, the conclusion

regarding the research problem and contributions of this study are reviewed. At the end of the

chapter, the limitations of the study are discussed, followed by the implications of the

research findings for managers.


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5.2 PROPOSED FRAMEWORK

In this study, findings from both cases and interviews reveal that firms should start

using social media channels to communicate their sustainable business practices. CSR is a

strategic action for firms and in the last 10 years social media has driven awareness of

responsible business practices more than any other media. Successful firms are presenting

relevant information/achievements online, since they are aware of social media as an

institution to engage/address customer’s problems; and the selection of the right social

media channels (blogzine, maps, apps, games and new emerging channels) relevant to the

campaign is based on the company’s strategic integrated plan. Findings from global cases

reveal that firms should actually have a social media strategy that they can use to push their

CSR efforts further. Firms should find individuals (movers and shakers) within the

organisation with the right expertise and it is only possible when senior executives realise the

importance of social media as an institution. Every new product, every new app or new

service that comes to the social media market enables CSR experts to push their objective

even further, as each channel or product has its individual audience and targets. This

information on multiple channels and engagement from firms will increase the number of

individuals participating in sustainable initiatives (Bandura, 2001).

Awareness of Social Media as

Institution

Right Selection of Social Media

Channels

Presenting Relevant

Information/Achievements

Online

Figure 5-1: Presenting Relevant Information


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Social media leaves companies nowhere to hide and big companies are more

vulnerable in this technological era. If something happens in a company and it gets tweeted,

posted and shared, it will be seen by millions on the internet. Being responsible is different

from being sustainable – sometimes firms operate in an environment in which they can’t be

sustainable (e.g. the petroleum industry) but still they can be responsible. So firms have to be

honest with themselves as to how much transparency they can have. They should focus on

what kind of data and things can be shared and communicated on social media. Firms,

explored in this study have redefined what transparency is and become more realistic by

sharing the right content with the right audience. Many companies have adopted

personalised approaches, with its CSR communication being led by sustainability heads

creating an image of greater authenticity and transparency for the company than when the

communication is fronted by a brand. Many firms use social media platforms to get

feedbacks from stakeholders on latest issues being more transparent.

Everyone likes and appreciates companies doing and involved in good things; and

social media has been an effective way to communicate these practices. Successful

companies prioritise on substance and engagement that makes their stories trend further and

faster. Finally, simplicity of action/joining for audience depends on the way firms

communicate, build interests by engaging users and being proactive. User engagement with

Authenticity of Information

Transparency of Information

Sharing the Right Content with the Right

Audience

Figure 5-2: Sharing the Right Content with the Right Audience


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quality content changes consumers’ perceptions and beliefs about a company’s efforts and

social media tools provide them easy ways to take action or join the cause.

Every new application, service or product that comes to the social media market

pushes organisations further to increase audience and reach their target audiences. New

emerging channels like Instagram, Visual.ly and Pinterest have given firms an opportunity to

express their messages in creative and interactive ways, showing the heart and soul of the

business. Shwopping by Marks & Spencer and Earthsmart by FedEx show how firms can use

interactive, creative and real-time content to increase stakeholder awareness of latest

issues and involve them with these practices. Quality content and creative story-telling also

influence people to share information with others e.g. Pepsi Refresh and Levi’s

Water<Less campaigns.

In the end, CSR for global firms is doing something good every day. It is helping

them to manage their business processes to produce an overall impressive and positive impact

User Engagement

Easy to Join and Take

Action

Simplicity of Action/Joining for Audience

Interactive, Real-time and

Creative Content

Sharing information with others

Sharing and Interactivity Options for Audience

Figure 5-3: Simplicity of Action / Joining for Audience

Figure 5- 4: Sharing and Interactivity Options for Audience


106

on society. According to a survey conducted by the Reputation Institute in 2011, an

organisation’s sustainability programme or initiative can be responsible for more than 40

percent of its overall reputation (Tiggelovent, 2012).

Social Media

Optimization

Awareness of Social Media as

Institution

Right Selection of Social Media

Channels

User Engagement

Transparency of Information

Authenticity of Information

Change in behaviours

Interactive, Real-time and

Creative Content

Easy to Join and Take

Action

Sharing information with others

Positive Impact

Figure 5-5: Proposed Framework



107

The advent of social media has given companies new ways to reach their stakeholders

and influence them about company’s responsible actions. However, if not organised properly,

social media can be a double-edged sword. Figure 5-5 presents a proposed framework that

shows how firms can use social media to influence stakeholders and produce positive impact

on society.


108

5.3 CONTRIBUTIONS ON THE RESEARCH

PROBLEM

The main aim of the study was to gain an understanding of social media in the context

of CSR/sustainability practices. Three objectives were set for the study:

Objective 1: Identifying the role of social media in influencing sustainable practices

The aim was to investigate the latest trends globally. It included exploring the cases of

10 global companies on how they use social media to communicate CSR and to see how

social media could influence responsible business activities. The cases helped reveal

interesting ways in which social media was used as an interactive platform for

communication of CSR/sustainability practices.

In the last few years, big bold CSR campaigns like Pepsi Refresh, Levi’s Water<Less,

Microsoft Youthspark, Marks & Spencer Shwopping, eBay Patagonia and many others have

influenced their niche stakeholders on responsible business practices. Social media has been a

driving force behind such campaigns, as companies have found that CSR is no longer just of

interest to niche stakeholders. Social media technologies have empowered people with a

sense that their voice matters; and MNC’s have sought to turn this two-way dialogue to their

advantage, using the innovativeness, creativity and usefulness of these technologies not only

to communicate with such people but also to engage them into such responsible actions.

These companies have all clearly recognised the common values of social media and

sustainability (transparency, authenticity, community, creativity and innovation) and

combined them using different themes (blogzine, apps, games, maps, emerging channels,

personalised approach and big ideas) to improve their business from inside and outside.


109

Objective 2: The influence of social media on firms in Malaysia

This aim was to explore what could be the role of social media on first CSR practices

in Malaysia – through the views and perceptions of CSR experts (researchers, academicians,

practitioners and consultants) and other business executives working in Malaysia. It revealed

their awareness and experiences of social media practices to communicate or influence

sustainable practices.

Malaysian CSR experts agree that social media has provided companies with new

effective ways to communicate with stakeholders. Using social media platforms to engage

users and share more authentic content in interactive and creative ways will give domestic

firms, just like global companies, a meaningful approach to influence responsible business

practices. According to them, it might not instigate people to start or stop doing something,

but firms should use these platforms as they reach more people; and innovative ways of

sharing content help firms to be noticed and gain competitive edge. In Malaysia, CSR is still

at the early stages of disseminating information, creating awareness and enhancing corporate

brand reputation. There are only a few firms undertaking CSR activities as part of their

corporate strategy. CSR strategies are standalone initiatives, yet not fully integrated into their

overall corporate strategy. MNC’s are, however, more advanced and tend to have broader

sustainable strategies. However these MNC’s in Malaysia are merely following what their

parent company is doing and thus are more advanced than local companies (e.g. DIGI

Malaysia and Siemens Malaysia).

Objective 3: To propose a framework for organisations to use social media for their

CSR practices

Findings from Objective 1 and Objective 2 revealed that global companies are

focusing on their stakeholders and finding best ways to engage them using innovative and


110

creative social media tools; and motivating them to be a part of their programmes e.g. Pepsi

Refresh, Startbucks MyIdea. Most of the companies are still not sure how to proceed in

engaging and monitoring social media channels (Burson-Marsteller, 2013). This paper has

proposed a framework (Figure 5-5) for organisations to share their experiences about an

initiative and motivate other individuals to be active, participate and take action (Armstrong,

2007). The framework reveals that presenting transparent, authentic and updated information

online; and using creative, innovative and real-time social media tools to engage

stakeholders, can help companies to have a positive sustainability impact on stakeholders.


111

5.4 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This study presents an initial exploratory analysis on the role of social media in

CSR/sustainability-oriented practices and, as such, it has few limitations. This research was

based on a limited number of cases and participants, which could be increased to investigate a

more reliable set of outcomes; therefore generalisation is not advised. Since the technology is

advancing at an astonishing rate, it was not possible to extract information from all the

various kinds of social media tools and themes, only the ones being practised by global firms.

The proposed framework is not tested and provides avenues for further research to measure

the sustainability impacts.

5.5 IMPLICATIONS FOR MANAGERS

The sustainability processes of any firm embrace the fact that a company is

responsible for its actions, in an authentic and transparent way, and encourage a positive

impact through these actions on the environment and stakeholders (Tiggelovent, 2012). In

recent years, internet innovations and an increasing number of social media communities

have been underpinned by the need to be transparent and authentic; and caused concerns to

MNC’s (Ehrlich and Shami, 2010), if they are responsible for their societal impacts? The next

step for managers, in modern transformation, is to apply social media thinking to

sustainability and drive change in companies. It would give them meaningful and effective

ways to relay transparent information and dialogues. It would make managers accountable to

all stakeholders instead of a few PR-driven niche stakeholders. Many companies have already

started using social media and innovative services that create bespoke sustainability

programmes (e.g. Pepsi, GE, BBVA, IBM etc.). Mangers at these companies have validated


112

the power of using social media tools to improve the sustainable image of the company.

Social media is no longer the latest trendy form of media; it has become a multi-billion dollar

industry and managers must start harnessing social media expertise to achieve sustainable

goals.

“…the past is over and it is the future that beckons to us now.”

-Jawaharlal Nehru-

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