The Role Of Public Relations In Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility In Multinational Companies, Coca Cola Beverages Africa, Ethiopia In Focus.
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Date
2023-09
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Addis Ababa university
Abstract
The study aimed to investigate the existing PR practices in CSR communication of Coca Cola Beverage Africa, Ethiopia using qualitative research approach. An in-depth interview with purposive sampling design was employed to select 5 informants and used as sources of primary data. Also, available secondary data were collected through document analysis and press releases from CCBA websites and Facebook pages. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically and data collected from documents were also supplemented and analyzed under each themes and sub-themes of the study. The study revealed that the PR role is paramount to communicate the company‟s key CSR initiatives such as economic inclusion of women and youths, environmental protection, prevention of social pandemics, response to different social problems and rehabilitation of the natural hazard affected community members. Though, they are not satisfactory, the company is communicating CSR initiatives using different communication messages, channels and strategies to its primary stakeholders. A combination of different communication channels including electronic communications, mass media, press release, public meeting and inter-personal relations of different types are the common communication channels for the company‟s CSR works. Stakeholders are not found to be only passive receivers of the company‟s CSR information but also active participants and sources of information as well. Thus, the company‟s communication practice is in line with Grunig‟s two-way symmetrical communication model and hence fits with excellence theory. Low interests of Medias toward CSR projects, low public awareness, communication gaps, lack of institutional freedom and lack of scientific articulation to select appropriate communication model are among to be some of the challenges in the area. Finally, the finding of this study implies that the selection of media channels and communication message contents should be carefully considered during CSR works.
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public relation, Coca Cola Beverage Africa