Case Study of Japanese Food Industry

International Journal of Business and Management; Vol. 8, No. 9; 2013
ISSN 1833-3850 E-ISSN 1833-8119
Published by Canadian Center of Science and Education

Communicating CSR: Case Study of Japanese Food Industry
Kaori Takano1
1

School of Business Administration, Fort Lewis College, USA

Correspondence: Kaori Takano, School of Business Administration, Fort Lewis College, Durango, CO 81301,
USA. Tel: [phone]. E-mail: [e-mail]
Received: February 19, 2013

Accepted: March 18, 2013

Online Published: April 14, 2013

doi:10.5539/ijbm.v8n9p111

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/ijbm.v8n9p111

Abstract

This study examines how the Japanese food industry responded to the food education law of 2005 through corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication. No previous study has examined factory visits and food education of the Japanese food industry as social responsibility activity in the light of the new food education law in Japan. Corporate websites of all the food companies categorized in the food industry in Japan were examined during the period 2009 December to 2010 March: A total of 275 companies, 139 publicly traded and 136 unlisted.
Examined were the availability of factory visits, CSR reports, and food education lessons conducted at schools.
Unlike a positive report from a study conducted by the government, the majority of the Japanese food industry appears to be struggling to meet the social needs of food education and has failed to establish effective CSR communication channels with stakeholders. This study contradicts a government survey report and reveals the food industry did not appear to respond well to the food education law. The industry, however, may have engaged in an implicit CSR approach considering the positive outcomes of the national movement of food education, promoted by the food education law.
Keywords: corporate social responsibility (CSR), communication, public policy, public health,