1. Exceeding Expectations:
Social Responsibility in Gaming
Dr. Jessalynn R. Strauss
Elon University, USA
@jrstrauss

2. My background
Ph.D., Univ. of Oregon, 2010
Public relations,
social media marketing,
and corporate social responsibility in
Las Vegas, Nevada

3. My purpose: Introduce concepts from strategic
communication/organization-side
•
Stakeholder theory
•
Moral and ethical obligations of business and corporations
•
Relationship management

4. Corporate social responsibility:
“business and society are interwoven rather than distinct
entities; therefore, society has certain expectations for
appropriate business behavior and outcomes” (Wood, 1991)

5. Corporate social responsibility:
“business and society are interwoven rather than distinct
entities; therefore, society has certain expectations for
appropriate business behavior and outcomes” (Wood, 1991)

6. Corporate social responsibility:
“business and society are interwoven rather than distinct
entities; therefore, society has certain expectations for
appropriate business behavior and outcomes” (Wood, 1991)

7. Corporate social responsibility:
“business and society are interwoven rather than distinct
entities; therefore, society has certain expectations for
appropriate business behavior and outcomes” (Wood, 1991)

8. 1. Business and society are interwoven rather than
distinct entities

9. Milton
Friedman
“The business of business is business”

10. 2. Society has certain expectations...

11. SOCIETY

12. EMPLOYEES
CUSTOMERS
COMMUNITY
SUPPLIERS
ENVIRONMENT

13. EMPLOYEES
CUSTOMERS
COMMUNITY
SUPPLIERS
ENVIRONMENT

14. EMPLOYEES
CUSTOMERS
COMMUNITY
SUPPLIERS
ENVIRONMENT

15. SOCIETY

16. EMPLOYEES
CUSTOMERS
COMMUNITY
SUPPLIERS
ENVIRONMENT

17. CUSTOMERS
EMPLOYEES
COMMUNITY
SUPPLIERS
ENVIRONMENT

18. Fair wages
• Safe working conditions
• Opportunities for advancement
•
EMPLOYEES
CUSTOMERS
COMMUNITY
SUPPLIERS
ENVIRONMENT

19. EMPLOYEES
CUSTOMERS
COMMUNITY
SUPPLIERS
ENVIRONMENT

20. What to do with stakeholders?
•
Assess perceptions and (dis)satisfaction
•
•
Dialogue
Enhance/repair relationships
•
•
•
Communication
Action
Prioritize/balance based on duties and obligations

21. What can stakeholders do for you?
•
Affect reputation, legitimacy
•
Lower (or raise) transaction costs
•
Buy (or boycott) your product
•
Pressure you to act in a socially responsible way

22. 3. ...for appropriate business behavior and outcomes

23. Immanuel Kant
Behavior vs. outcomes
John Stuart Mill

24. Philosophical duties/obligations (Ross)
•
Non-injury
•
Beneficence
•
Gratitude
•
Fidelity
•
Justice

25. What is “acceptable”?
Behavior
Outcomes
• Good management
• Financially successful
• Attempt to address negative
externalities (problem gambling)
• No negative impact on
stakeholders
• Support the community
• Jobs
• Nonprofits
• Engaged corporate citizen

26. 1. Who are our stakeholders?
2. What are our duties to these stakeholders?
3. What outcomes are we obligated to guarantee for them?

27. Relationship management theory

28. Antecedents
Antecedents
Antecedents

29. Antecedents
Antecedents
Antecedents
Cultivation strategies

30. Antecedents
Outcomes
Antecedents
Cultivation strategies
Outcomes
Outcomes
Antecedents

31. An example: labour relations
Cultivation
Strategies
Antecedent
•
•
•
Employees are
dependent on
organization
Jobs may be scarce
Power dynamic
(Desired)
Outcomes
•
Dialogue
•
Satisfaction
•
Establish trust
•
Low turnover
•
Task-sharing
•
•
Assurances
Reduced transaction
costs
•
Openness
•
Positive goodwill
For more on cultivation strategies, see Ki and Hon (1999),
“A Measure of Relationship Cultivation Strategies”

32. Takeaway messages
•
•
•
Consider all stakeholders, not just customers/society
Consider whether an act itself is ethical AND whether it produces an
ethical outcome
Analyze relationships and communicate accordingly with stakeholder
groups

33. Questions?
jstrauss2@elon.edu