DOI: 10.4018/JGIM.2018100104
Journal of Global Information Management
Volume 26 • Issue 4 • October-December 2018
Copyright © 2018, IGI Global. Copying or distributing in print or electronic forms without written permission of IGI Global is prohibited.
52
Healthcare Systems and Corporate
Social Responsibility Communication:
A Comparative Analysis Between Malta and India
Gianpaolo Tomaselli, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Lalit Garg, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Vipul Gupta, Thapar University, Punjab, India
Peter A. Xuereb, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Sandra C Buttigieg, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
Paula Vassallo, University of Malta, Msida, Malta
ABSTRACT
This article aims to analyze corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication in today’s health
care systems. The authors investigate the importance of CSR communication and the use of both
traditional and interactive technologies for healthcare CSR communication, adopting quantitative
research methodologies. In order to understand different applications of the topic, the article examines
and compares best practices regarding CSR communication between two extremely different countries
and contexts: namely Malta and India. Results emphasize a growing attention on healthcare CSR
communication in both countries. The key finding observed is that healthcare organizations are using
a mixed strategy to communicate their CSR activities. Indeed, interactive technologies enable several
advantages to organizations than traditional tools (such as better dialogue and interaction with different
stakeholders, speed, low costs, easy access to information), as well as they require investments and
costs in infrastructures and skills/competencies for their implementation.
KeywoRdS
CSR Communication, Corporate Social Responsibility, Healthcare Communication, Traditional Vs. Interactive
Technologies
INTRodUCTIoN
The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) refers to the responsibilities of enterprises
that go beyond the mere economic aspect of maximizing profits. These responsibilities should be
directed towards the society, the environment and the different stakeholders (Carroll, 1999; Davis,
1992; Hart, 1997; Shamir, 2005).
Today CSR is a “hot topic” for organizations of all types and across all sectors, not only private
and for-profit companies, but also public and non-profit organizations (Kakabadse & Rozuel, 2006).
In particular, CSR is crucial to the healthcare sector in that healthcare systems are currently facing
new challenges, rapid technological advances and are functioning against a background of financial,
economic and sustainability pressures (Tomaselli et al. 2015). They are required to provide high clinical
quality, a high level of functional quality and cost-effective patient care with the limited resources