2.
Abstract
This
thesis
is
motivated
by
an
interest
in
corporate
social
responsibility
(CSR)
in
the
context
of
employer
branding.
As
individuals,
we
worry
about
our
environmental
footprints,
and
thus
expect
organizations
to
do
the
same.
Despite
the
fact
that
organizations’
commitment
to
CSR
seems
to
influence
employees’
attachment
to
their
organization,
the
starting
point
for
organizations
to
engage
in
CSR
is
often
characterized
by
the
prospect
of
strengthening
corporate
reputation.
Or
at
least,
this
was
our
hypothesis
going
into
this
project.
Problem
statement
On
the
basis
of
a
preparatory
review
of
the
literature
dealing
with
CSR
in
an
employer
branding
context,
our
initial
hypothesis
were
confirmed.
The
majority
of
the
existing
literature
does
not
link
CSR
with
employer
branding
in
an
internal
perspective.
In
other
words,
the
literature
regarding
CSR
and
employer
branding
has
tended
to
focus
on
external
outcomes,
and
therefore
the
impacts
on
internal
stakeholders,
such
as
employees,
have
been
neglected.
Therefore,
the
purpose
of
this
master’s
thesis
is
to
link
the
theoretical
fields
of
employer
branding
and
CSR
with
the
object
of
examining
how
CSR
can
strengthen
retention
ability
of
organizations.
Subsequently,
we
will
discuss
this
approach
by
making
use
of
an
exemplary
case
and
we
will
conclude
with
reflecting
on
the
theoretical
and
practical
implications.
Theoretical
point
of
view
The
theoretical
part
of
the
thesis
deals
with
the
link
between
employer
branding
and
CSR.
As
mentioned
above,
a
review
of
the
employer
branding
and
CSR
literature
in
an
internal
perspective
confirmed
that
these
fields
have
not
previously
been
linked.
We
found,
however,
that
identification
is
the
connecting
link,
and
we
therefor
built
the
further
theoretical
foundation
of
our
thesis
around
this
concept.
The
thesis
takes
a
social
constructivist
approach
and
as
thus
focuses
on
relations
between
organization
and
employees.
As
we
consider
identity
to
be
a
social
construction
Weick’s
sensemaking
theory
acts
as
the
overall
frame
for

3. understanding
identity
and
identification.
Furthermore,
sensemaking
theory
helps
explain
how
and
why
individuals
make
sense
of
CSR
as
potentially
valuable.
Identification
arises
when
an
individual’s
identity
can
be
reflected
in
the
organisational
identity
to
a
degree
to
which
the
individual
incorporates
the
organizational
identity
in
his
or
her
self-­‐concept.
We
believe
that
CSR
can
add
positive
values
about
social
responsibility
to
the
organizational
identity,
which
many
employees
relate
to,
and
therefore
influence
the
strength
of
identification.
Based
on
the
literature
review
and
the
following
introduction
to
sensemaking,
identity
and
identification,
we
conclude
the
theoretical
part
of
the
thesis
by
proposing
a
model.
The
model
states
that
through
an
identification
process
the
outcome
of
linking
employer
branding
and
CSR
is
a
strengthened
ability
to
retain
employees.
Identification
emerges
from
the
relation
between
the
organization
and
the
employee
and
affects
–
and
is
affected
–
partly
by
the
fit
between
the
identity
and
values
of
the
organization
and
those
of
the
individual
and
partly
by
the
degree
of
involvement
in
CSR
activities.
Empirical
point
of
view
The
theoretical
part
of
the
thesis
concludes
with
a
model
that
illustrates
the
link
between
employer
branding
and
CSR
with
identification
as
the
outcome.
The
model
also
shows
that
elements
as
identity,
values
and
the
degree
of
involvement
impact
the
identification
process.
The
empirical
part
of
the
thesis
takes
its
point
of
departure
in
the
model
and
seeks
to
explore
the
link
in
practice.
To
demonstrate
the
link
between
employer
branding
and
CSR,
the
Danish
carpet
company,
Egetæpper,
was
chosen
as
an
exemplary
case.
Through
three
overall
themes
–
identification,
values
and
involvement
–
that
we
consider
as
key
aspects
in
making
valuable
use
of
CSR
in
employer
branding,
we
examine
the
link
in
depth.
The
fact
that
the
Egetæpper’s
employees
identify
with
the
organization
became
evident
in
part
as
a
result
of
the
congruence
between
the
organizational
values
and
the
employees
personal
values
and
in
part
as
a
result
of
their
involvement
in
CSR-­‐related
activities.
We
observed
an
interesting
difference
between
the
degree
of
identification
of
office
workers
as
opposed
to
manufacturing
workers
based
on
the
CSR
activities
carried
out
by
Egetæpper.
It
is
especially
office
workers
who
regard
CSR
in
relation
to
their
daily
work
in
ideological
terms
and
hence
identify
with
Egetæpper.

4.
Conclusions
Based
on
the
possibility
of
linking
the
fields
of
employer
branding
and
CSR
from
a
theoretical
perspective
coupled
with
the
findings
from
the
empirical
exploration,
we
can
conclude
that
the
potential
of
using
CSR
in
an
employer
branding
context
to
strengthen
organizations’
retention
ability
does
exist.
However,
the
retention
ability
depends
on
the
condition
that
employees
make
sense
of
CSR
as
a
constituting
value
in
the
organization,
which
presupposes
that
a
congruence
of
values
between
the
organization
and
the
employee
and
a
certain
degree
of
involvement
are
required.
Total
number
of
characters:
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