Making sense of corporate communication about social and environmental impacts by listed state-owned enterprises

Suwanmongkhon, Wanisara (2024). Making sense of corporate communication about social and environmental impacts by listed state-owned enterprises. University of Birmingham. Ph.D.

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Abstract

This thesis employed a case study approach to examine corporate communications of three listed state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Drawing on a study of corporate communications surrounding three crisis events in Thai listed SOEs: the oil spill, the ‘aviation safety concerns’, and the rice pledging scheme. Utilising the synthesis of sensemaking theory (Weick, 1995, p. 574) and communication constitutes organisations (CCO), a detailed case analysis of the corporate communications from four communication channels (annual reports, sustainability reports, press releases, and social media official sites), supported by interviews with organisational actors. The study identifies how organisational actors make sense of corporate communications surrounding those events, how the listed SOEs select to use reporting mechanisms in response to conflicting expectations, and examines the relationship between the corporate communications about disclosures relating to wider corporate social responsibilities and actions.
The study finds that sensemaking in the process of identity formation influences the use of corporate communication in listed SOEs. The formation of corporate identity is also shaped by organisational actors so that corporate communication can be linked with social and environmental responsibility toward significant corporate events. The results also show how the interaction and double interactions between corporate statements and stakeholders’ responses are likely to play key roles in the sensemaking process of organisational actors. Within the three cases presented, three periods surrounding the significant events were recognised. The analytical framework is used as a mechanism to analyse the change of identity-related communications in these three periods. The findings further illustrate how impression management was used as a tool in response to the issues. It is proposed that the responsibility and visibility levels of the issues, and the strength of identity are likely to play key roles in selecting impression management tactics and communication channels of these tactics.
Further, the study illustrates that the relationship between disclosures relating to wider corporate social responsibilities and actions of the three cases vary, depending on the way in which the organisations place communication as a tool to transmit or transform information. In particular, the study identifies two forms of relationships, namely organised hypocrisy and aspirational CSR communication. Such an aspirational CSR communication provides the performative potential to change organisations toward corporate social responsibility (CSR) improvements.
This study provides contributions by providing evidence on the sensemaking processes associated with disclosures relating to wider corporate social responsibilities and actions of listed SOEs. The theoretical framework on the synthesis of the sensemaking theory and the communication constitutes organisation (CCO) highlights how the inconsistencies in disclosures relating to wider corporate social responsibilities and actions can prompt organisations to develop their corporate social responsibilities. Moreover, this study offers a new perspective to explore factors influencing the performativity of communications of listed SOEs.

Type of Work:

Thesis (Doctorates > Ph.D.)

Award Type:

Doctorates > Ph.D.

Supervisor(s):