Journal Article

Corporate Social Responsibility as a Vehicle to Reveal the Corporate Identity: A Study Focused on the Websites of Spanish Financial Entities

Pina, José M., Matute, Jorge, Bravo, Rafael

2012

Overview

This study explores the relevance of corporate social responsibility (CSR) as an element of the corporate identity of Spanish financial institutions. Specifically, it aims to analyze the CSR actions developed by financial entities through the analysis of all the available information disclosed in their websites. A content analysis applied to 82 banking institutions, followed by different quantitative analyses, reveals the multidimensionality of CSR. Findings show that, while the number of entities institutionalizing CSR values as core elements of their identities is still reduced, most organizations disclose CSR information to construct communicated identities and legitimate behaviours. Besides, these dimensions are classified depending on the stakeholder the action is aimed to, and that entities favour the generation of distinctive identities through the implementation and communication of more visible CSR actions like those involving their customers or the community. In any case, results indicate that organizations with certain characteristics are more likely to construct distinctive identities through CSR activities and to establish ethical and social values within their corporate statements and cultures.

• Publisher: Springer,Springer Netherlands,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Action / Bank / Bank workers / Banking / Banking ethics / Banking industry / Behavior / Bibliometrie / Business and Management / Business Ethics / Business structures / Communication / Consumers / Content analysis / Corporate culture / Corporate entities / Corporate identity / Corporate responsibility / Corporate Social Responsibility / Corporate website / Culture / Customers / Disclosure / Education / Ethics / Financial institutions / Financial services / Financial services industry / Finanzdienstleistung / Identity / Legitimacy / Management / Marketing / Organizational culture / Philosophy / Quality of Life Research / Quantitative analysis / Retail banking / Savings banks / Self interest / Social responsibility / Social responsibility of business / Social values / Society / Spain / Spanien / Stakeholders / Statistical analysis / Studies / Unternehmenskultur / Values / Website / Websites