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Constructing Care-Based Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Communication During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparison of Fortune 500 Companies in China and the United States

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Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic catalyzes new opportunities for CSR development, and companies in both China and the US, the two largest economies severely impacted by the pandemic, are seeking innovative ways to engage with publics on social media through CSR communication. This study draws on the care ethics theory to examine different manifestations of care values in corporations’ CSR messages and their relationships with publics’ behavioral and emotional engagement on social media. A quantitative content analysis of Weibo and Twitter posts from Fortune 500 companies in China (n = 30) and the United States (n = 30), respectively, revealed that companies in both countries employ multifaceted care-based CSR messages, but in distinct ways and with varying types and levels of public engagement on social media. We interpreted the differences from institutional, cultural, and relational perspectives. The results of this research add to theorizing CSR communication from a feminist ethical viewpoint and with contextualized interpretations. Our findings also guide post-pandemic CSR communication development, particularly relevant to public relations practitioners in the Chinese and US markets.

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Notes

  1. “新冠” is a short form of “新型冠状病毒”, which means ‘novel coronavirus’ in Chinese.

  2. “疫情” means ‘pandemic’ or ‘epidemic’ in Chinese.

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  1. Advertising and Public Relations Department, College of Communication Arts and Sciences, Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA

    Chuqing Dong

  2. School of Public Policy and Administration, Nanchang University, Nanchang, China

    Qiongyao Huang

  3. School of Communication, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China

    Shijun Ni & Bohan Zhang

  4. Graduate School of Social Sciences, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan

    Cang Chen

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Dong, C., Huang, Q., Ni, S. et al. Constructing Care-Based Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Communication During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Comparison of Fortune 500 Companies in China and the United States. J Bus Ethics (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-023-05531-9

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