Comparative Analysis About Corporate Social Responsibility Report Of Sino-US Food Businesses From Transitivity

This paper selects English-version corporate social responsibility reports of a Chinese Food Company,Yili,and American Food Company,Kraft Heinz,published in 2017,as research objects and carries on textual analysis.Within the framework of Carroll’s Pyramid model,each report is divided into four parts from the dimensions of economic responsibility,legal responsibility,ethical responsibility and philanthropic responsibility.Each part is analyzed from transitivity.Based on the distribution of transitivity and semantic analysis,transitivity features of CSRR of Chinese Food Company and American Food Company in terms of language use can be discovered.The functions of similar and different use of transitivity,especially the different use,on shaping corporate images and deeper understanding of CSRR can be disclosed.In the end,the paper puts forward suggestions for the future writing of Chinese Food Companies.The paper analyzes six process types of transitivity of two reports and finds out distribution of transitivity.Based on the results,Yili and Kraft Heinz frequently use material,relational,mental,and verbal processes in the report,while the number of behavioral and existential processes is few.Therefore,the author focuses on the analysis of mental,relational,verbal and mental process.For exploring statistical significance of frequency of the use of transitivity process types,the author conducts the Mann-Whitney U test.The result shows that the difference is significant in the use of verbal process between two reports.With the similarities and differences of two reports,the paper illustrates the functions of the use of transitivity on the deeper understanding of CSRR and the shaping of corporate image.(1)A good deal with material process in two reports indicates Yili and Kraft Heinz perform CSR actively.When performing economic and legal responsibility,Yili uses many process verbs that have upward meaning and mean enhancement,which highlights that Yili pays attention to the effects of fulfilling responsibilities.Kraft Heinz frequently uses process verbs which mean obedience,which indicates that the company strictly complies with laws.(2)About relational process,both Yili and Kraft Heinz use this kind of process to present more detailed information.However,Yili tends to use identifying clauses to emphasize its status and its contributions,and Kraft Heinz tends to use attributive clauses to uncover features of the company and stakeholders.(3)Mental process is used to show two companies’ attitudes towards measures and social problems.However,Yili is inclined to use cognitive clauses to present working priorities.Kraft Heinz also prefers cognitive clauses.However,Kraft Heinz tends to choose “believe and support” as process verbs,which indicates its confidence and attitudes towards the performance of responsibility.Kraft Heinz frequently uses affective and desiderative clauses to show ample and emotional experience.(4)About verbal process,it enhances the authenticity of two reports.Differently,Yili tends to use verbal process to show positive evaluations.Kraft Heinz uses more verbal processes more often.Kraft Heinz presents attitudes and suggestions of internal staff at different levels and speakers from outside the company,indicating that the company is good at listening and is open to different opinions.(5)About participants,“Yili”,as the actor,plays a dominant role,enhancing the authority of its report.In Kraft Heinz’s report,diverse participants bridge the distance between the company and stakeholders,the public.Yili archives a kind of corporate image that Yili performs CSR actively and emphasizes cohesion of company,a harmonious relationship between employees,the authority,powerful execution capability and being better at corporate image.Kraft Heinz archives a kind of corporate image that the company fulfills CSR positively and focuses on involvement and contribution of stakeholders,feelings of consumers,and being better at listening to different opinions.Based on the transitivity features in terms of language use,the author make an explanation from national culture and business culture.It is found that different national and business cultures influence the choice of participants,the understanding about the employee,different use of participants and different choice of process verbs in verbal and mental process.Publishing CSRR is considered as a strategic policy by many companies,achieving the purposes of promoting companies.According transitivity analysis,the paper finds out that Yili and Kraft Heinz shapes different corporate images through different choices of process verbs and participants.Therefore,the paper offers suggestions for the future writing of CSRR of Chinese Food Companies from transitivity.(1)Optimizing the proportion of transitivity process.(2)Making the participant role diverse.These suggestions can make readers understand CSRR comprehensively.They also can improve readers’ identification with CSRR and corporate.