Corporate Social Responsibility website representations: A longitudinal study of internal and external self-presentations

November 22, 2021 Siddhant Goyal

Date of Publication: Mar 19, 2008

Author: Debra Z. Basil & Jill Erlandson

Summary:

This research undertakes a longitudinal study to assess the representation of CSR activities on Canadian companies’ websites. A systematic sample of the websites of 159 companies from Canada’s top 1000 was assessed in 2003 and 2006. Results reveal that only 27% expressed some form of CSR activity in 2003, compared to 67% in 2006. Based on a frame from Weaver, Trevino, and Cochran (1999a ), CSR activities are categorized as external or internal. A strong increase in internal CSR activities is evident. Companies that are more successful indicate more CSR activity on their websites; this effect is driven primarily by internal CSR. Implications are discussed.

Link to Full Reading:

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13527260701858497