SOCIAL MEDIA AND CSR COMMUNICATION: AN EMPIRICAL ANALYSIS OF ORGANIZATIONAL AND MANAGERIAL ISSUES

The purpose of this paper is to provide evidence about the role of the Social Media Manager in the Corporate Social Responsibility communication activity. We analyze how Social Media are actually implemented and managed in business practice and more precisely how the role of the Social Media Manager inside the organization is evolving using a case study of a coffee company located in Italy which has a proven track record in CSR related activities. In other words, the paper aims to analyze whether implementation of Social Media Managers in the firm is consistent to the path derived from the sensemaking and sensegiving framework proposed by Gioia and Chittipeddi (1991). From a practitioner perspective, the application of the sensemaking and sensegiving framework may help in the identification of the main challenges and benefits related to CSR Communication. The paper concludes by suggesting several recommendations for the further CSR communication implementation of the company analyzed and for business practice in general.