COVID-19 pandemic has long-lasting consequences on the health, economic and social life of a country (He & Harris, 2020). In a developing country like India, the socio-economic disruption has led to collaborative action between the central government and state government machinery together with the development sector to curb the impact caused by the virus. Academia substantiates the symbiotic relationship existing between the business and the society (McGuire, 1963; Carroll & Shabana, 2010). The corporates are contributing towards alleviating the pandemic situation through their corporate social responsibility (CSR) activities (Mahmud, Ding, & Hasan, 2021). This article provides insights into the CSR strategies adopted by corporates in India during the COVID-19 pandemic through exploratory research. The study is based on semi-structured interviews of 27 CSR managers involved in strategizing and implementation of CSR activities in their respective organizations. The results outline the commitment shown by corporates towards alleviating the consequence of the virus by multiple CSR strategies. Thus, this research furthers the understanding of CSR and forms a base for future research on COVID-19 and CSR

The current understanding of corporate social responsibility (CSR) and its associated dimensions have majorly been developed by western researchers (Xu & Yang, 2010). An exhaustive study of CSR as a concept based in the specific socio-cultural settings of India is imminent (Mohan, 2001). Hence, this research is predominantly intended to identify the endemic CSR dimensions as well as the actions that constitute these dimensions for organisations based in India. The official company website is the common communication medium for publishing information about CSR. Therefore, inductive research was conducted for twenty-seven corporate websites of companies in India using qualitative content analysis. Nine dimensions of CSR along with the actions that constitute these dimensions were identified. The dimensions are economic dimension, environment protection, ethical consideration, employee, consumerism, community development, legal, stakeholder expectation and philanthropy. Thus, this study helps develop knowledge and understanding about CSR within a specific context, i.e., India. This research will lend a holistic perspective for creating a CSR strategy for an organisation

Purpose: This qualitative research-based study in India looks to uncover the elements that drive customer engagement towards a brand. The backdrop is a prominent use of Emotional branding as a tool for driving customer engagement. The premise of conducting this study is to identify the drivers of customer engagement, along with its implication on the marketing scenario in India.Methodology: It is a Qualitative exploration conducted through semi-structured in-depth interviews of 32 respondents and the transcripts were analyzed to identify the major themes that convene. The themes were further used to build a conceptual framework based on the data available.Findings: A conceptual framework has been developed revolving around the antecedents and consequences of Emotional Branding, which transmits into customer engagement. Also, obstacles to the engagement process have been discussed.Implications: This qualitative study brought forth various constructs that give rise to customer engagement and, in turn, brand loyalty. This paper helped me understand how customers can be engaged at an emotional level and uncover a major marketing tool for brand managers.Originality: With existing researches based on quantitative methodology, the originality of this research lies in developing qualitative research for emotional branding and discussing the opportunities for customer engagement in the Indian context.

The concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has captivated the attention of business, academia, civil society, and governments and has gained a new dominance within the world economy. The concept is deep rooted within the Indian ethos, evolving over a period of time to gain strategic role within the organisations. India made CSR mandatory for profit making companies by introducing the Companies Act, 2013. Despite the enormous studies around various aspects of CSR, there is limited understanding of how the current business environment and mandatory administrative mechanism together with the managerial dynamics shape the critical success factors (CSFs) imminent for the CSR success of any organisation within the Indian context. This exploratory research based on meaning making of the managers utilizes semi-structured interviews of 37 CSR executives from Indian corporations, NGOs and consulting domains. Thematic analysis has been utilized to analyse the data which provides five unique CSFs that ensures a firm’s success for CSR activities thereby further putting forth a conceptual framework for development of sustainable CSR project. It is one of the first studies to explore the CSFs necessary for CSR implementation in India thereby integrating CSR implementation with organisational CSR performance.