The Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic has created big challenges and opportunities in Higher Education (HE). In this situation, several universities worldwide have responded with digital methods and hybrid classes in a short period of time. The aim of this paper is to show how the universities have adapted teaching methods to digital platforms in the academic year 2020–2021. This case study is based on the experience of 37 postgraduate communication students in the course Business and Communication from a Communication Programme. The objective of this course was to promote the 17 sustainable development goals (SDGs) in business following the Principles for Responsible Management Education (PRME) of the United Nations. To do this, the students provided different solutions related to the SDGs and developed a communication strategy to inform and engage the stakeholders in the companies analyzed in a hybrid class. The results show that using this methodology and working in digital platforms, students have learned the importance of SDGs through implementing specific solutions linked to the corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. Based on this analysis, they also developed a communication strategy showing how companies can improve society with specific actions through the lens of the SDG perspective.

Exploring stakeholders’ dialogue and corporate social responsibility (CSR) on Twitter

Purpose: – This paper aims to analyse corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives in emerging markets (EMs) from developed countries-based multinational companies (MNCs).Design/methodology/approach: – The analysis is based on eight case studies with data collected through in-depth interviews with senior managers of the companies representing 85 per cent of the Spanish foreign investments in Latin America.Findings: – The findings tend to indicate that instrumental theories of CSR seem to apply for Western MNCs operating in EMs. CSR initiatives from these companies seem to be guided by instrumental theories, as they use these initiatives as a strategic tool to achieve economic objectives, seek a positive relation between them and their financial performance and use them to strengthen their reputation.Research limitations/implications: – The results of this article resulted from an in-depth analysis of case studies with data collected from a carefully selected theoretical sample with data analysed by following well-established methods like coding, triangulation and pattern matching. This combination was designed to minimise possible concerns in these areas, and as a consequence to strengthen the research design and, therefore, the conclusions of the paper. Measures were taken to minimise possible concerns in this area. The companies were selected for theoretical, not statistical, reasons with the aim to replicate or extend emergent theories, which is one of the main objectives of the research.Practical implications: – Companies are using CSR in EMs as a strategic tool to achieve economic objectives (the main principle behind instrumental theories). MNCs seek a positive relation between CSR initiatives in EMs and their financial performance (also a key principle within instrumental theories). Companies in the sample develop CSR initiatives, including those in EMs, to increase their legitimacy as part of their global reputation rather to deal with host country challenges. Finally, MNCs actively manage stakeholders to strengthen their local reputation as a means to improve financial performance.Social implications: – Instrumental theories of CSR seem to apply for Western MNCs operating in EMs. These findings highlight the need to continue the study of CSR from Western MNCs in Ems, as the vast majority of academic literature relates to the characteristics of social responsibility initiatives in developed economies.Originality/value: – Instrumental theories apply in a global market for MNCs; in this case, Spanish companies operating in more than 30 countries with a global strategy in CSR and similar objectives.

Purpose: The paper analyses social and environmental engagement, stakeholders’ relations and corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategies/options along with their underlying mechanisms of firms operating in China.Design/methodology/approach: It does this through the analysis of a unique case study using data collected from internal members and external stakeholders of the company framed within stakeholder theory.Findings: Within the Aguinis and Glavas (2012) framework, the results show that the company’s resources and values can act as a mediator, their high visibility and scale can act as a moderator, and their self-regulation can act as a predictor in weak institutional contexts. Also, the findings show that employees’ perceptions of visionary leadership can act as a mediator, and that the alignment in the vision/values/beliefs of the chief executive officer with those of the shareholders can act as moderators.Originality/value: The paper intends to contribute to the literature on CSR in China by analysing a specific type of investor, the socially responsible investor, neglected in the CSR literature, and by studying multilevel (individual/organisational/institutional) social and environmental engagement, stakeholders’ relations and CSR strategies/options in an evolving institutional environment.

Este artículo es un análisis de la gestión de intangibles en las corporaciones. Esto implica redefinir la identidad y la gestión de la marca corporativa para obtener reconocimiento social y apoyo de los stakeholders. Metodología. Se utiliza una metodología cualitativa mediante el método Delphi. Las entrevistas a expertos de comunicación muestran las consecuencias de la gestión de intangibles en los nuevos medios de comunicación. Resultados. La gestión de intangibles contribuye a diferenciar y fortalecer la marca e incrementar la reputación de la compañía. Sin embargo, es necesaria una clara orientación en la gestión corporativa y la comunicación de la marca hacia los intereses de la sociedad. Discusión. Para obtener influencia y recomendación de los stakeholders, las empresas deben explicar qué y por qué realizan determinadas acciones y su impacto. Conclusiones. Los nuevos medios de comunicación deben ser participativos para lograr reconocimiento y favorecer soluciones reales a las demandas sociales.