Kadek Putra successfully defends PhD thesis

Kadek Dwi Putra, lecturer from Bali, Indonesia, successfully defended his doctoral thesis on communicating corporate social responsibility (CSR) last week.

Kadek Dwi Putra, Dozent aus Bali, Indonesien

Previously, Kadek Dwi Putra stayed at Ilmenau for several years to work on his dissertation at the Institute for Media and Communication Science (IfMK). Last Monday, July 26, 2021, he completed the disputation of his thesis entitled "Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) in Indonesia: An Empirical Case Study on Bali's Tourism Industry" via Webex. Present at the defense were Univ-Prof. Dr. Martin Löffelholz, Putra's supervisor and first reviewer, and Univ-Prof. Dr. Andreas Will, second reviewer. The third reviewer is Prof. Dr. Juliana Raupp of Freie Universität Berlin.

Putra's dissertation addresses the goals, target audiences, content, channels and other factors involved in CSR communication practices in the Bali tourism industry. The tourism industry on the island has been the main pillar of its economy for decades. Using his mixed-methods approach, Putra surveyed more than 500 companies, among other approaches. Putra explained that for this study, he aimed to address the research gap in the literature on CSR communication, which he described as “new and limited” and dominated by Western perspectives. “I hope to raise the awareness and understanding of the importance of communicating CSR strategically and in harmony with other organizational functions,” he added.

“I am glad that I am finally able to finish this very challenging PhD journey.” said Putra, who in addition to his doctorate is a full-time lecturer at the State Polytechnic University in Bali and supports his family of two children.