Understanding issue complexity when building a socially responsible brand

Abstract

Purpose

To discuss the importance of understanding corporate social responsibility (CSR) by analysing the issues that comprise CSR. Without this understanding it will not be possible for organisations to develop responsible brands.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper draws on the existing business and marketing literature to define four aspects of issue complexity. It also draws on a range of real and hypothetical examples affecting local and global organisations to explain the four components.

Findings

Developing CSR requires intensive corporate commitment and failure to deliver on stakeholder expectations will result in reputational damage. It is essential to understand CSR issue complexity and to consider carefully CSR‐linked brand positioning. Basically, the implementation of CSR activities requires something substantial and communicable in the first place.

Research limitations/implications

The work is conceptual in nature and additional research needs to be undertaken to better understand how organisations define the CSR issues that they will integrate into activities and how the management of these issues can be undertaken to ensure system‐wide implementation.

Practical implications

The work suggests that by understanding the four components of issues complexity organisations will be in a better position to integrate CSR‐related branding. Without understanding these issues, organisations may potentially unintentionally exaggerate claims or set themselves up to be criticised that they are unfairly exploiting consumers' interest in CSR issues.

Originality/value

Previous research has documented the value of CSR, but to date there have been only limited attempts to systematically examine how managers could know whether they have considered the issue completely and realistically.

Citation

Polonsky, M.J. and Jevons, C. (2006), "Understanding issue complexity when building a socially responsible brand", European Business Review, Vol. 18 No. 5, pp. 340-349. https://doi.org/10.1108/09555340610686930