Trine Susanne Johansen

Strategic stakeholder dialogues: a discursive perspective on relationship building

Purpose – Societal developments and stakeholder awareness place responsibility and legitimacy high on corporate agendas. Increased awareness heightens focus on stakeholder relations and dialogue as key aspects in corporate social responsibility (CSR), corporate identity and corporate communication scholarship, but the question remains how can dialogue be initiated and maintained? The purpose of this paper is to establish a framework for conceptualizing dialogue.Design/methodology/approach – Through a review of CSR, corporate identity, corporate communication and stakeholder literature, a framework is developed taking into account the different stakes held by key stakeholder groups, i.e. consumers, investors, employees, non‐governmental organization and suppliers. Based on the discursive terms of form and script, we argue that different stakes condition different dialogical types.Findings – The paper argues that the stakeholder orientations of the CSR, corporate identity and corporate communication discipl...

The integration of CSR into corporate communication in large European companies

Purpose – This paper aims to shed light on corporate practices regarding the integration of CSR into corporate communication in large European companies.Design/methodology/approach – An e‐mail survey was conducted among large European companies in a total of 14 European countries. The questionnaire focuses on the organization of corporate communication activities, the organization of CSR activities, and the cooperation between the two.Findings – The authors find that CSR is managed most frequently by CSR departments, but also by communication departments to a small extent. Whichever organization is chosen, the communication departments frequently engage in cooperation with the CSR departments. The more frequently the two cooperate, the more likely they are to have formalised their cooperation. The authors also conclude that the communication department is generally aligned to the strategic management of the organization, whereas this is not always the case for the CSR department.Research limitations/impli...

CSR in corporate self‐storying – legitimacy as a question of differentiation and conformity

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to address corporte social responsibility (CSR) as a form of corporate self‐storying that highlights isomorphic processes influencing legitimacy as a key organisational concern.Design/methodology/approach – Having constructed a theoretical framework incorporating CSR and corporate identity literature, the paper draws on a discourse perspective to analyse the legitimation strategies applied by a single organisation storying its CSR involvement. The strategies are subsequently addressed in relation to isomorphic discourses of legitimacy.Findings – The analysis supports the view that corporate self‐storying of CSR balances between the needs for differentiation and conformity. Organisations thus navigate between the value associated with compliance with societal norms and expectations and the value of promoting organisational uniqueness.Research limitations/implications – Institutional processes result in isomorphic organisational practices also in relation to legitimacy...

The Narrated Organization: Implications of a Narrative Corporate Identity Vocabulary for Strategic Self-Storying

Narrative is assigned a central role in conceptualising and constructing both individual and collective identity. The purpose of this article is to articulate a narrative vocabulary of corporate identity in order to address its implications for analyzing and storying identity. The central argument is that a narrative corporate identity vocabulary questions the usefulness of integrated communication and consequently introduces polyphonic assumptions regarding strategic organizational self-storying. Following a brief overview of existing corporate identity vocabularies articulated within mainstream research, a narrative vocabulary is constructed with reference to select contributions from organizational studies research. Third, an illustration of what corporate identity is when articulated from within a narrative point of view is offered with reference to the storying of the Danish-Swedish dairy cooperative Arla Foods during the controversy surrounding the 2006 Mohammed cartoon incident. Attention is given to the narrative construction and negotiation of the organizations identity with Danish consumers on its weblogs. In conclusion, focus is placed on the potential consequences a narrative vocabulary has for strategic self-storying. The consequences include ambiguous, collaborative and emergent storytelling practices.

Cause-related marketing 2.0: Connection, collaboration and commitment

The article aims to explore and revise cause-related marketing (CRM) in light of an emerging concept of the market and the roles assigned to companies and consumers in marketing communication processes. Based on a dialogical reflexive approach to case studies, we take our point of departure in theoretically identifying key CRM constituents and their interrelations, and we show how current theories within CRM build upon axioms of a traditional firm-centric view on value creation and fail to meet the challenges of new market structures and relations. This tension of axioms provides a point of direction for introducing the Pepsi Refresh Project as a case illustration of an alternative CRM practice that redefines CRM from company-driven to community-driven – and points towards relocating CRM from an overt to a covert brand and marketing communication strategy. CRM becomes a joint value- and identity-constructing practice transforming consumer criticism into brand involvement and community commitment. By reflexively merging theoretical and case insights, the contribution of the article lies in the revisiting of existing CRM theories in the context of connected, critical and empowered consumers and the subsequent outlining of what we suggest to be CRM 2.0.

Guest Editors’ Introduction: Scrutinizing Stakeholder Thinking: Orthodoxy or Heterodoxy?

Abstract This issue provides an overview of stakeholder theory and corporate identity scholarship marshalling insights from the corporate marketing and corporate communications fields. In examining the corporate identity-stakeholder interface the authors compare and contrast endogeneous and exogenous approaches to the territory. The first, endogeneous and institutional, approach represents the orthodox and dominant perspective which focusses on an organization’s inherent corporate identity traits, ethos, and capabilities: an approach informed, in part, by stakeholder theory. The second, exogenous and relationnal, approach exemplies a critical and construcionist perspective where corporate identities are seen to be constituted by interactions with stakeholders. It is argued that both perspectives can be of value in comprehending contemporary organisations.

Researching collective identity through stories and antestories

Purpose – Situated in scholarship on narrative and antenarrative, the purpose of this paper is to develop central assumptions of an (ante)narrative approach to collective identity research and to reflexively address the methodological questions such an approach raises for producing and analysing (ante)stories. (Ante)stories include proper stories with chronology and plot as well as antestories which are fragmented and incomplete. Design/methodology/approach – Based on a concrete research project exploring collective identity as narratively constructed in negotiation between organizational insiders and outsiders, emphasis is placed on elements related to the production and analysis of (ante)stories. Challenges of the applied (ante)narrative methodology are addressed focusing on three central questions: where do (ante)stories come from? Whose (ante)stories are told? And whose storied constructions of collective identity are explored? Findings – The (ante)narrative methodology allows for a broad approach to ...

Constructing Non-profit Identity in the Midst of Stakeholder Complexity

Abstract The purpose of the study is to conceptualize the identity of nonprofit organizations as suspended between various stakeholders who present the organizations with different challenges, paradoxes, and dilemmas. Thus, it seeks to answer the questions: How do we define and study the relational identity of a nonprofit organization (NPO)? How do stakeholders participate in NPO identity constructing practices? Theoretically, the study draws on and contributes to the relational conceptualization of organizational identity as a discursive accomplishment. Based on a discourse analysis of an online discussion on the micro-lending NPO Kiva, the study’s findings point to complex articulations of both the organization and its stakeholders. Conclusively, the study suggests that NPO identity can be defined and studied through multiple discourses articulated by stakeholders. In addition, it points to understanding NPO identity alongside stakeholder identities, as stakeholders construct a number of different identities simultaneously.

Corporate visual identity: exploring the dogma of consistency

The purpose of this paper is to conceptually and empirically explore and challenge the dogma of Corporate visual identity (CVI) consistency. The goal is to nuance the current polarized debate of consistency or no consistency.,A qualitative research strategy is employed in this paper. Specifically, the empirical work rests on an interview study with strategists from ten different CVI agencies. The interview transcripts are analyzed using template analysis.,In terms of findings, both empirical and conceptual arguments for and against CVI consistency are presented. Many of these arguments rest on conflicting assumptions of CVI communication, CVI authenticity and CVI management, which all influence the debate of CVI consistency.,CVI practitioners are presented with a more reflective approach to dealing with consistency and hands on examples for inspiration.,This paper offers alternative and more nuanced conceptualizations of CVI consistency. This includes seeing consistency and inconsistency as ends of a spectrum to be balanced rather than mutually exclusive and by differentiating between consistency across platforms and consistency over time – coined CVI continuity. Furthermore, several future research areas that can help to further develop the field of CVI are suggested.