CSR Communication Theories – The Basis of Organizational Communication Management

Abstract

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communication has become a strategic popular path for many researchers and management of various organizations in recent years and is currently associated with several theories. The aim of this work is to systematically analyze and assess which theoretical approaches could serve as a basis for CSR communication research and provide a general overview of the subject of analysis. Following the aim of the study, the subject were the publications searched in the Web of Science database, which were also analyzed in terms of the scope of the publications. The literature review has become the core of the work, by reviewing the literature of previous scholarly studies. Based on the content analysis of the publications, this study has demonstrated the occurrence of the most common theories that form a possible theoretical basis for CSR communication research, namely the stakeholder theory, institutional theory, legitimacy theory, attribution theory, and signaling theory. The presented work points out the key differences that exist between the analyzed theories and their relationship to practices and commitments in socially responsible business and communication activities of organizations. This study has the potential to help the management of many companies deal with the current challenges in strategic communication, especially in the field of CSR, which companies face in the reality of the 21st century.