To read this content please select one of the options below:

Corporate social responsibility activity reportage on bank websites in Ghana

Robert Hinson (Department of Marketing & Customer Management, University of Ghana Business School, Accra, Ghana)
Richard Boateng (ICITD, Southern University, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA)
Nnamdi Madichie (Department of Management, Marketing and Public Administration, University of Sharjah, Sharjah, United Arab Emirates)

International Journal of Bank Marketing

ISSN: 0265-2323

Article publication date: 12 October 2010

4309

Abstract

Purpose

The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has witnessed a resurgence in the management literature in recent years. This might be due to a renewed focus on corporate governance and ethical practices of companies the world over. This current study seeks to focus on how banks operating in Ghana communicate their CSR programmes and intentions via their corporate websites.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework was adapted from the extant literature and was used as the basis of a content analysis of 16 banks in Ghana. This paper adopts a qualitative research approach drawing upon available information from the websites of these 16 banks.

Findings

One of the banks that had won the most CSR awards at the Ghana banking awards had the poorest CSR communication content on its corporate website. It was also noted that banks that had never won a CSR award previously seemed to have a better organised structure in respect of their CSR activities on their websites. These findings clearly demonstrate the challenges that sometimes exist in transferring bricks‐and‐mortar organisational capabilities to online environments.

Originality/value

Studies focussing on online CSR communications in emerging market contexts are almost non‐existent and this study makes an important contribution in not only addressing this imbalance, but more importantly in improving bank marketing practices in Ghana.

Keywords

Citation

Hinson, R., Boateng, R. and Madichie, N. (2010), "Corporate social responsibility activity reportage on bank websites in Ghana", International Journal of Bank Marketing, Vol. 28 No. 7, pp. 498-518. https://doi.org/10.1108/02652321011085176

Publisher

:

Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2010, Emerald Group Publishing Limited

Related articles