1. Corporate Responsibility and Digital Communities: An Introduction

Digital platforms are becoming part of the mainstream media, and online communities are seen as providing contemporary business opportunities and challenges that emerge from engagement with a variety of stakeholders. Credible use of digital technology has become vital for businesses of all sizes, making this book timely as it provides a framework that deepens understanding of new corporate responsibilities resulting from engagement with digital technologies. Following the 2008 global financial crisis, governments and corporations have looked towards the digital economy to help restore growth, provide competitive advantage and achieve sustainability. Engagement with a broad range of audiences through new, interactive social media has proved challenging for many organisations, whether for-profit or otherwise, but has been particularly problematic for those organisations ill-prepared to respond to well-aimed criticism, or even anger from the general public. Thus the significance of this book, that not only expands knowledge on new and rapidly evolving areas of corporate responsibility, but which has a broader societal impact beyond academia.