Usage of public corporate
communications of social
responsibility in Brazil, Russia,
India and China (BRIC)
Ilan Alon
Harvard Kennedy School, Ash Institute – Asia Program, Cambridge,
Massachusetts, USA
Christoph Lattemann
Corporate Governance and eCommerce, Potsdam University,
Potsdam, Germany
Marc Fetscherin
Harvard Kennedy School, Ash Institute – Asia Program, Cambridge,
Massachusetts, USA
Shaomin Li
Department of Management, Old Dominion University, Norfolk,
Virginia, USA, and
Anna-Maria Schneider
Institut fu
¨
r Management, Humboldt-Universita
¨
t zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany
Abstract
Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the status of corporate social responsibility (CSR)
communications in Brazil, Russia, India, and China (BRIC) nations. The four countries are among the
biggest emerging markets, forecasted to have increasing influence in economic and political spheres.
How these countries manage their corporate communication in regards to CSR is, thus, the focus of the
investigation.
Design/methodology/approach – This paper compares the extent and content of corporate
communication with respect to CSR from a sample of over 100 companies from the BRIC nations by
investigating the nature of CSR motives, processes, and stakeholder.
Findings – The results of the analysis show that CSR activities differ among BRIC nations with
respect to CSR motives, processes, and stakeholder issues. China seems to be least communicative on a
number of CSR issues.
Practical implications – The research shows that great variations exist in the implementation of
CSR in BRIC nations. Even though India’s GDP per capita is lower than that of China, for example, its
communication of CSR is more intensive. This suggests that economic development alone cannot
fully explain the differences in CSR communication. A full understanding of differences in CSR
communications across BRIC is, thus, needed.
Originality/value – The paper is original in providing across BRIC country analysis of corporate
communication relating to CSR activities.
Keywords Corporate communications, Corporate social responsibility, Brazil, Russia, India, China
Paper type Research paper
The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at
www.emeraldinsight.com/1746-8809.htm
IJOEM
5,1
6
International Journal of Emerging
Markets
Vol. 5 No. 1, 2010
pp. 6-22
q Emerald Group Publishing Limited
1746-8809
DOI 10.1108/17468801011018248