International Business Environments and Operations 16th Global Edition test b...
Session 5, Coombs & Holladay
1. The Pseudo-Panopticon: The
Illusion Created by CSR-Related
Transparency
W. Timothy Coombs, PhD
Sherry J. Holladay, PhD
University of Central Florida, USA
Presented at the International
CSR Communication Conference
Amsterdam, Netherlands
27 October 2011
3. Pseudo-Panopticon:
“Transparency” of CSR Claims
Stakeholders
Watchdogs
CSR Claims
Internet
4. Pseudo-
Panopticon
• False sense of security
• Internet creates transparency
myth
5. Key drivers
• CSR can be used to boost reputations
• CSR is transparent due to fear of discovery
o Wrongdoing exposed online
o Wrongdoing is punished
6. Problems
• Unlikely to question CSR claims
• Apathy permits corporate control of
disclosure
• Watchdogs and Internet taken as effective
monitors of corporate CSR claims
7. Future research
• To what extent do stakeholders believe CSR
information is verified?
• What motivates stakeholders to
question/research CSR claims?
• To what degree do stakeholders believe in
the pseudo-panopticon?
• What sources do stakeholders consult when
verifying CSR claims?