Social innovation: Crowdsourcing and the new face of corporate social responsibility

UnrestrictedThe recent popularity of corporations integrating social media to their promotional strategy has created a world in which consumers want direct engagement with brands and the ability to have multi-directional dialogue. Companies have often engaged in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) to raise awareness and cultivate good will among consumers toward the brand. This paper will examine how corporations are utilizing crowdsourcing for CSR purposes to meet their business goals and engage with consumers to build brand ambassadors.; Corporations utilize crowdsourcing projects to raise brand awareness, bring their corporate missions into action and instill good sentiments about the brand among consumers with the ultimate goal of increasing sales. By looking at three different case studies of corporations that have used crowdsourcing for social good, conclusions will be drawn regarding the advantages and risks involved with using this tool for CSR purposes. Furthermore, interviews with industry experts will solidify the claim that despite the risk involved with companies using social media for social good, the ability to participate in the dialogue surrounding a company and to garner good will for practicing social philanthropy is worth the risk. The potential to employ crowdsourcing for social innovation to enhance brands will also be examined to determine best practices for the future of crowdsourcing project