1. The document discusses a study exploring how CSR managers make sense of their roles within organizations. 2. It identifies five key triggers that cause ambiguity and uncertainty for CSR managers: the concept of CSR, transferring CSR ideas to others, coordinating CSR activities, changing agendas and issues, and obtaining support from management. 3. These triggers interact complexly with organizational culture, strategy, structure, and stakeholders to both enable and hamper CSR initiatives. The study aims to understand how CSR managers address these triggers through sensemaking interactions.

1. DATE MONTH YEAR
CSR Communication Conference, Amsterdam 26-28
October, 2011
Making sense of CSR among CSR managers: Exploring local
strategies
Work-in-Progress
Poul Erik Flyvholm Jørgensen, Bo Laursen, Anne Ellerup Nielsen, Irene Pollach, Line
Schmeltz, Leila Trapp & Christa Thomsen

2. Purpose and contribution
Purpose:
› Investigate CSR sensemaking processes in organisations, the
focus being on the local interpretation of CSR (CSR managers).
Contribution:
› Knowledge of which factors might trigger, shape or hamper CSR
initiatives and activities. [Thinking: communicative constitution of
organisations/CSR programs]

3. Research questions
1. Which kinds of ambiguities and uncertainties articulated in their
discourse about the organisation do CSR managers experience,
and which sensemaking interactions do they engage in?
2. To what extent are these ambiguities and uncertainties tied to the
ways they characterize their organization [in terms of corporate
culture, strategy, structure, and stakeholders]?

4. Conceptual framework of CSR sensemaking
› Ambiguity and uncertainty are two types of sensemaking occasions
common to organizations (Weick, 1995).
› Examples of ambiguity and uncertainty are when the definition of a
problem is unclear and shifting, when people rely on different value
orientations or when goals are vague or contradictory (Weick,
1995: 45; “paradox theory”/paradoxes as analytical lens (Smith &
Lewis 2011).
› When CSR is introduced in a company, managers and employees
are confronted with a new reality that influences all departments
and processes in the organization (e.g. Lindgreen et al., 2009).

5. Empirical material and analysis strategy
› Interviews with CSR managers of16 large industrial companies in
Denmark which have practiced CSR for several years and are
considered as frontrunners in the area of CSR (members of a CSR
network hosted by the Confederation of Danish Industries - thus, a
rather homogeneous group of companies).
› The interviews were semi-structured and conducted in English. They
were taped, transcribed and analyzed using NVivo. Steps: reading
the texts, ordering, coding and grouping to form (sub)categories.
› The companies’ perceived CSR efforts are mapped in a number of
dimensions, the focus being on the interaction between triggers
(uncertainty factors) and dimensions.

6. Analysis and empirical observations: Five triggers
Triggers Examples – interaction between uncertainty factors and corporate culture,
strategy, structure and stakeholders
Culture Strategy Structure Stakeholders
1. The what is CSR: why CSR: how CSR: which CSR
concept "I don’t think anybody "So this has "Ideally, I issues and
of CSR [employees] thought it slowly emerged wouldn’t want activities should
[CSR] would be as big and then at there to be a we focus on:
as it really is. ... but this some point we formal see item 4 –
awareness has really started talking organization – agenda and
increased, is a deep about our CSR CSR must be issues
learning curve" combining all part of the
those things" culture"

7. Analysis and empirical observations:
Organizational commitment
Triggers Examples – interaction between uncertainty factors and corporate
culture, strategy, structure and stakeholders
Culture Strategy Structure Stakeholders
2. Employee CEO Commitment to External
Transferring commitment: commitment: human stakeholder
or communi- "there have been "the former resources: interest:
cating CSR very big CEO; between "For me "that’s just a
ideas to acquisitions within you and me, he personally it's whole
other people the last five or six basically just been a discussion in
and years ... eight wanted me to resource itself, who’s
departments thousand take care of it, question I mean actually
in the employees have he didn't want just too few reading it [the
organization just been part of to hear about it, people to do CSR report]
– organiza- the company and just take care of work basically" besides
tional it takes time to it and things like students and
commitment integrate" that" the employees
of the

8. Analysis and empirical observations: Coordinating
or organizing CSR activities
Triggers Examples – interaction between uncertainty factors and corporate
culture, strategy, structure and stakeholders
Culture Strategy Structure Stakeholders
3. Lack of Absence of Lack of coordination Lack of
Coordinating binding strategy: mechanisms: stakeholder
or organizing glue: "I don’t know if "And of course it’s not dialogue:
CSR activities "I’m not we could talk something where I "you need to
sure we about a strategy, say okay now I set interact with a
have we don’t have the strategic direction lot of different
common one overarching and then I can lean stakeholders,
values" strategy on CSR back and relax. It’s you need to be
but we have a hard work of course inspired by
sustainability to keep track also of others, you
policy and an the development need to learn
environment and from others"
policy and that implementation"
kind of things"

9. Analysis and empirical observations: Changing
agendas and issues
Triggers Examples – interaction between uncertainty factors and corporate
culture, strategy, structure and stakeholders
Culture Strategy Structure Stakeholders
4. Continuous Continuous Continuous re- Changing
Changing change: improvements: organizations: expectations:
agendas "we are not "You just have "The structure "But ethics changes
and issues capable of to continue has changed even faster so
further changes, going on and multiple times – therefore we need
so we need on and on and the agenda is to take that into
some time for on to always be so broad we account something
consolidation" one step ahead organize that was ok to do
of the ourselves five years ago is not
competitors" differently all ok to do
the time" nowadays""

10. Analysis and empirical observations: Obtaining
support and resources from management
Triggers Examples – interaction between uncertainty factors and corporate culture,
strategy, structure and stakeholders
Culture Strategy Structure Stakeholders
5. Strategic Strategic Strategic Stakeholder
Obtaining thinking on the decisions: integration: orientation:
support part of "it's still if you "If you have a "we traditionally came
and employees: ask me it’s boss that can from a production
resources "maybe the [the CSR speak the case point of view, looking
from mindsets have strategy] still at executive inside the company,
manage- to change a an appendix level then you’re and we had to look
ment. little bit because thing" fine if you don’t outside the company
once, when we you’re not fine … in the entire value
made that vision also a help that chain. I pushed,
of course no we are closely pushed, pushed for
one was really organized next that ... I’m not sure they
thinking about to the really knew what they
CSR" communication were talking about at

11. Summing-up: factors triggering sensemaking
among CSR managers …. & CSR programs
Factors which trigger sensemaking:
› Five triggers
Uncertainty factors which might trigger, shape or hamper CSR
programs:
› E.g. related to: emerging ‘things’, going on and on and on and
on to always be one step ahead of the competitors, lack of
interest from top management, etc.
› Complex interaction between these factors.

12. Discussion and conclusion
› Next step : Which sensemaking interactions do CSR managers
engage in?
› What is the role of CSR managers? Which strategies of managing
should CSR managers pursue that stimulate a successful
implementation of CSR?
› How can we bring CSR managers’ reflections about CSR practices
to a relevant and constructive operational level?