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The influence of social media on stakeholder engagement and the corporate social responsibility of small businesses

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  • Ananda Khanal
  • Muhammad Akhtaruzzaman
  • Indrapriya Kularatne

Abstract

In recent decades, the concepts of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and social media have gained immense importance among businesses and their stakeholders. These concepts have gained popularity and acceptance among both large and small businesses of most industries. However, the existing CSR literature showed that most studies concentrated on large businesses, leaving the domain of small businesses under‐explored. The literature review revealed that only a few researchers had investigated the influence of social media on stakeholder engagement and the CSR of small businesses. This research aimed to explore the impacts of social media on the CSR of small businesses and used a concurrent mixed‐method research design, employing survey questionnaires from 82 participants and semi‐structured interviews with eight participants. The study conducted among the owners and managers of small businesses in a local government district in New Zealand discovered that many of them considered social media beneficial to engage with stakeholders and understand CSR trends. It also found that social media encouraged businesses to understand their vision, values and implement policies that are environmentally friendly and beneficial to the employees.

Suggested Citation

  • Ananda Khanal & Muhammad Akhtaruzzaman & Indrapriya Kularatne, 2021. "The influence of social media on stakeholder engagement and the corporate social responsibility of small businesses," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 28(6), pages 1921-1929, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:corsem:v:28:y:2021:i:6:p:1921-1929
    DOI: 10.1002/csr.2169
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Enrico Fontana & Prapassorn Siriwichai, 2022. "Understanding transgender persons' careers to advance sustainable development: The case of Trans for Career Thailand," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(6), pages 1573-1590, December.
    3. Giuseppe Crapa & Maria Elena Latino & Paolo Roma, 2024. "The performance of green communication across social media: Evidence from large‐scale retail industry in Italy," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 493-513, January.
    4. Bigné, Enrique & Ruiz-Mafé, Carla & Badenes-Rocha, Alberto, 2023. "The influence of negative emotions on brand trust and intention to share cause-related posts: A neuroscientific study," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 157(C).
    5. Thaís Vieira Nunhes & Maximilian Espuny & Thalita Lauá Reis Campos & Gilberto Santos & Merce Bernardo & Otávio José Oliveira, 2022. "Guidelines to build the bridge between sustainability and integrated management systems: A way to increase stakeholder engagement toward sustainable development," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 29(5), pages 1617-1635, September.
    6. Xiaodan Wu & Richard Amoasi, 2024. "The role of CSR in sustaining corporate brands in the global market: The perspective of telecommunication companies in Ghana," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(1), pages 433-447, January.

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