session 19, schultz

Friederike Schultz

VU University Amsterdam

ANALYZING CSR, TRANSPARENCY, AUTHENTICITYAS MYTHOS.A non-dualistic perspective

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Outline

1. What’s going on?

2. What is said to be going on?

3. What about a descriptive perspective?

4. What about taking a non-dualistic perspective serious?

5. Conclusions

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What`s going on?

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1. Starting Observations

Increasing construction of CSR, transparency & authenticity

… associated with accountability & controllability

“the authentic enterprise“ (A. W. Page Society, 2007)

… & co-construction of lack of CSR, transparency & authenticity•“transparency gaps”, “authenticity gaps” and “responsibility gaps” •distances between projected and actual corporate identities (Wicki & van der Kaalj, 2007).

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What is said to be going on? Functionalist Corporate Communications

Normative Business Ethics

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2. Understandings in Corporate Communications (functionalist, normative)

Corporate Social Responsibility•Functionalist perspective: CSR as strategic tool to build reputation; business case•Political-normative perspective: CSR as political role

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2. Understandings in Corporate Research (functionalist, normative)

Corporate Social Responsibility•Functionalist perspective: CSR as strategic tool to build reputation; business case•Political-normative perspective: CSR as political role

Authenticity & Transparency•Integral part of the “normative paradigm” of PR:

• Symmetric, dialogic and transparent communication as more ethical & effectiveGrunig 1976, Grunig, Grunig & Dozier, 2002, see also Marsh, 2008, Gower, 2006, Botan & Hazelton, 2006

•Authenticity regarded as centrally for building of public relations & trust• „Indeed, for organizations to build community relations requires commitment to conversations and relationships,

genuineness and authenticity — all strengths in ethical public relations” (Kent & Taylor, 2002, p. 30)

• see Grunig, 2006; Kent & Taylor, 2002, Grunig et al., 2002, Bentele & Seidenglanz, 2008

•Consensual communication in normative conceptualizations (e.g. Palazzo & Scherer, 2006)

Related to (Corporate) Identity•Corporations have distinct identity, fixed set of norms, moral & authentic personality… •Effects loyalty & identification of employees, increases motivation, effectiveness…

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2. General understandings of Authenticity

Authenticity as umbrella-concept including transparency•extend, to which an actor acts in accordance with his “true self”•Authentic actors have to be true or honest towards themselves (truthfulness), present their “self” transparent, take responsibility for their actions, and behave consistent with regard to their values and constructions (Kernis & Goldmann, 2006; see Shen & Kim, 2010, Henderson & Brookhart, 1996)

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What about a descriptive perspective?Luhmann, CCO, …

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3. Descriptive perspective: State of the Art (Luhmann, CCO, etc.)

• Communication as Organization of reality and as Co-orientation• “… as ongoing process of making sense of the circumstances in which people collectively find ourselves and of

the events that affect them. […] Communication thus concerns both descriptions of existing states (the epistemic function of speech) and what to do about them (the deontic function of speech, with the focus on virtual or as yet unrealized states)” (Taylor & van Every, 2000, p. 58).

• Image of Man: “Animal Symbolicus” (Cassirer, 1944; Schultz 2011)

• man’s perception of the world is mediated by models, symbols, myths as anchors• men do not have, but live within a plurality of meanings, symbolic forms, narrations

• Objects & Descriptions:• Objects are neither entities represented in language (realism) nor constructs

developed through language (constructivism)• Objects are existent in languages, sum of developed, competing descriptions• Reality is directly integrated in communication (see illocutionary speech-acts, Austin, 1962)

• Organizations & Identity• emerge & consist through communication (Taylor & van Every, 2000, Luhmann, 1995, 1998, 2000)

• No distinction between subjective inner & objective outer sphere of organizations

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3. Descriptive perspective: Conclusions

CSR, transparency, authenticity are…•communicative, situative, relational events•result of multiple actors’ perceptions, observations, and interactions

… paradox: “un-respondable communication”•Authenticity as precondition for autonomy and originality•Expectations on authenticity expect “authentic conformity” (Schultz, 2011) •Results:

• Imperative to be authentic is communication that cannot be answered• But leads to decoupling processes (second reality)

Nevertheless: It says something!Re-Orientation: Analyzes Semantics, Functions & Effects.

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What about taking a

non-dualistic perspective, serious?Semantics

Functions

Implications

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3. Descriptive perspective: … the non-dualistic approach

Semantics•Subjectivistic meaning (originality, autonomy, break with norms) vs. objectivistic meaning (differentiation from the “normal”)•Refers to subjective, inner authority (subconscious) AND objective, external, timeless authority (metaphysical)•signalizes affirmation, whereas detailed explanations can be hidden

= is mythical in character

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Functions of Communications on CSR, Authenticity, Transparency

F1:•invisibilizes structural problems and conditions in organizational and societal crises•expresses desires for reintegration in fragile continuums of time and space

= mythologization & invisibilization

F2:•With regard to identity: self-talk in uncertain environments & external expectations•Organizations have to keep illusion alive

= securing follow-up communication & adaptive building of identity & order

F3:

-“polemical concepts” that are proclaimed when legitimacy is in question

-Means of distinction (differences, incommensurability invisibilized)

= differentiation, distinction, empowerment

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Effects of Communications on CSR, Authenticity, Transparency

Assumption E1: Myths are getting reality: • Myths are filled with meaning (sensemaking)• Corporations are evaluated on myths• The non-authentic, irresponsible, intransparent as counter-myth is constructed (self-

fulfilling prophecy, Merton 1948)

Assumption E2: Break-up of communication & delegitimization• De-fragmentarises identity-constructions, Amoralization• Breaks up communication (polegomen)

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Conclusions

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Conclusions

- Contributes with non-dualistic perspective to descriptive views on CSR

- worked out short comings in dominant understandings of responsibility, transparency and authenticity in functional and normative views

- Conceptualized responsibility, transparency and authenticity as communicative events (situative, relational )

- Paradoxies of claims (authentic conformity) and mythological character

- Functions: distinction, mythologization and adaptive building of identity