Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities
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Pertanika · Universiti Putra Malaysia Press

Pertanika Journal of Social Sciences & Humanities

Official journal of Universiti Putra Malaysia for scholarly work across the social sciences, humanities and related interdisciplinary fields.

e-ISSN 2231-8534 ISSN 0128-7702
Research article

Thinking Harmony: Exploring Cultural Values Towards Digital CSR Communication

Nobertus Ribut Santoso and Sherly Hindra Negoro

https://doi.org/10.47836/pjssh.34.S3.05
KeywordsCultural values, digital CSR, harmony, millennial expectations, unicorn companies
Article content

Abstract

Despite the massive usage of digital platforms to communicate organisations’ corporate social responsibility (CSR), empirical evidence in understanding digital CSR messages is mainly dominated by quantitative inquiry. Limited research has examined millennials’ expectations to digital CSR communication, particularly in emerging cultural values. Therefore, this study aims at examining how Indonesian cultural values contribute CSR initiatives in shaping Indonesian millennial expectations. Results, based on 14 in-depth conversations with millennials actively using Instagram and following one of the Indonesian unicorn companies (UCs), revealed millennials expect companies to include Indonesian cultural values, such as gotong royong (mutual help among neighbors), tenggang rasa (empathy and mutual understanding), and Bhinneka Tunggal Ika (unity in diversity), when communicating CSR through Instagram. Considering Indonesia’s diversity, this study proposes that to ensure harmony, issues of ethnicity, religion, group-based interests, pornography, LGBT, and politics, should be avoided when communicating CSR.