Student Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

Spring 5-24-2022

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Program of Study

Communication - Corporate Communication

Language

English

First Advisor

Allison Hahn

Abstract

This thesis asks if corporations are better off expressing their values publicly or best if value are best left unannounced. Researchers such as Caldwell (2017) and Caraway’s (2016) work will be cited regarding individual corporate responses to consumer’s reactions to the company’s values. However, there is yet to be a comparative case study between multiple corporations including Chick-Fil-A, Nike, Ben & Jerry’s, Walmart, TOMS, Equinox Group, and PepsiCo. This thesis utilizes comparative case studies analyzed using thematic analysis to compare companies that have expressed their values publicly and how those expressions influenced consumers. The findings could help corporations decide if taking a stand is a worthwhile endeavor, or if it is preferable say nothing and maintain their customer base.

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