Exploring Corporate Social Advocacy in International Contexts: Evidence from Chile, South Korea, and the United States

The purpose of this study was to identify social issues that stakeholders expect corporations to address through corporate social advocacy (CSA) initiatives and the primary motivators of CSA initiatives perceived across three markets – Chile, South Korea, and the United States – thereby providing strategic guidance for companies seeking to expand their CSA efforts beyond the U.S. market. An online survey was conducted with 1,422 participants from Chile (n = 451), South Korea (n = 519), and the United States (n = 452), recruited through a survey panel firm with demographic characteristics approximating each country’s population. Results showed that stakeholder expectations for CSA were highest for issues directly related to business operations and less controversial (e.g. work environment, unemployment, income inequality), while being relatively low for broader and more controversial issues (e.g. immigration, international conflicts, abortion). Additionally, individuals across all three countries perceived self-serving motives for CSA more strongly than other-serving motives. This study extends CSA communication research to international contexts as well as provides practical implications for multinational companies by identifying CSA issues and how expectations vary across these three markets, while also highlighting the importance of demonstrating sincere motives when expanding CSA initiatives in international markets.