Advancing Corporate Diplomacy Research

This book provides a comprehensive theoretical understanding of corporate diplomacy by bringing together interdisciplinary perspectives from relevant fields, such as international communication, public diplomacy, business or strategic management. Well-selected case studies from various sectors offer empirical insights on how corporate diplomacy operates in practice – from strategy development and implementation to impact assessment – and how it contributes to global challenges, such as climate change, education, public health, and technological transformation. The chapters explore key questions: what drives companies to engage in diplomatic relations with host countries? How do they shape the national reputation of both their home and host countries? In what ways do corporations contribute to addressing international issues? And how do digitalization, platform power and recent developments around artificial intelligence transform corporate diplomatic practices? This is an essential reading for students and scholars in communication, public diplomacy, international relations, business and management, as well as practitioners in corporate communication, public affairs, and global strategy. By bridging theory and practice, it offers forward-looking insights into international governance and strategic management of corporate diplomacy in a digital-mediated world.