Corporate perspectives on the role of global public relations and CSR in public diplomacy

September 8, 2015

By Candace L. White, Ph.D., University of Tennessee and Kathy R. Fitzpatrick, Ph.D., American University

Public diplomacy has been transformed by transnational communication systems, including social media and the involvement of non-state actors. Globalization has created a power shift in international relations with greater interdependence of global business and international politics. The multi-lateral nature of 21st Century public diplomacy means that governments are part of a network rather than always on top of a hierarchy.

Involvement in public diplomacy by the private sector, particularly international corporations, has been endorsed by government entities, non-profit organizations, political think tanks and academics. There often are more business people in other countries than diplomats, and multinational corporations spend more money on public communication than do many governments. Brands and products, corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices and corporate communication in host countries affect how the country with which the international corporation is associated is perceived. Furthermore, the private sector has expertise and resources that are valuable to public diplomacy including access to research, extensive networks and locals on the ground, and the ability to be nimble and efficient. However, there is no clear understanding about how the private sector is, or should be, involved in public diplomacy. There has been virtually no research to determine corporate views on corporate participation in public diplomacy and the potential impacts of CSR and public relations initiatives on public diplomacy outcomes.

Our study, supported by the Arthur W. Page Center, will be among the first to empirically examine the perceptions of corporate communication executives on the role and impact of private-sector corporations in public diplomacy. It will explore these perceptions by surveying executives in U.S. international corporations who are involved in CSR, business diplomacy and corporate communication functions related to activities that may influence diplomatic outcomes. We will use a Delphi survey to allow participants to revise their original responses and answer other questions based on group feedback. The Delphi method is advantageous when the research questions are speculative because it allows for questions to be refined as the study progresses. 

Key issues that we want to examine are the intentionality of corporate efforts in public diplomacy and strategic coordination of efforts between governments and non-state actors. Intentional involvement is purposeful collaboration with government entities for the purpose of affecting foreign policy and/or international relations and includes private/public sector partnerships. Other corporate activities, such as practices related to CSR, may have the effect and impact of public diplomacy, even though they are not intentionally carried out for diplomatic purposes. While some business and government leaders have called for international corporations to make diplomacy an intentional component of their business strategy, international corporations may be reluctant to be involved in public diplomacy in order to protect their commercial interests. Strategic coordination of state and non-state players in public diplomacy efforts also is a complex process. Operating structures that allow for coordinated roles between state and non-state actors to utilize the resources and expertise of business that are of value to public diplomacy will be explored. We will also consider how ethical corporate behavior and public communication can affect national reputation, the nature of activities that carry the effect of public diplomacy, as well as the logical extension of CSR management to include deliberate corporate citizenship. 

We hope our findings will contribute to practical and theoretical development in both global public relations and public diplomacy, with implications for ethics and responsibility in the public communication of corporations.