Communicating CSR – The Lasswell’s Model Approach

The article explored how Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) communication could be effectively understood and implemented using Lasswell's persuasion model, which includes elements like sender, message, medium, receiver, and effect. It synthesized various sources to create an integrated theory, suggesting that a well-structured communication strategy based on Lasswell's model could enhance the effectiveness of CSR initiatives. The findings indicated that consumers trust CSR activities more when informed by neutral sources and that CSR messages should focus on social or ethical issues rather than the company to avoid suspicion of hidden motives. Effective CSR communication was found to positively influence consumer perceptions of product performance, although there were concerns about CSR being linked to corporate tax avoidance.