Stakeholder communication, sustainability communication, and perceptions of sustainability in Tanzanian cocoa production: The case of Kokoa Kamili
Master thesis
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Date
2024Metadata
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- Master of Science [1729]
Abstract
In this research we investigate the Tanzanian post-harvest handler Kokoa Kamili
and their relationships and communication patterns with their closest stakeholders;
farmers who supply them with cocoa beans, and Fjåk Chocolate Factory who buy
cocoa beans from Kokoa Kamili. We seek to understand how the sustainability
story travels from the farmer to Fjåk, through Kokoa Kamili’s value chain, and
whether the perspectives of communication differs across the different actors. Additionally,
perspectives of communication from UNICEF Tanzania are considered
to further understand the perception of communication in developing nations. In
order to understand the organizational and relational patterns, we look into previous
literature particularly concerning stakeholder environments and networks of communication,
and sustainability communication, CSR communication and narratives
of the global south. Through interviews and thematic analysis, we have defined two
main themes as (1) The Sustainability Story and Perspectives, with additional subthemes
Perceptions of sustainability, Practices and External factors that impact the
perception of sustainability, and (2) Relationships and communication: Trust and
Transparency, with sub-themes Communication in practice and Relationships. We
find that while the farmer’s working conditions and sustainability story have significant
presence in the entire chain’s perspectives of sustainability, the sustainability
story tends to stop when the finished chocolate leaves the factory. Main findings
also include discrepancies in the perceived value of communication initiatives, the
significant impact of relationships on communication patterns, and the substantial
role of collaboration and networking in the bean-to-bar chocolate community.
Description
Masteroppgave(MSc) in Master of Science in Digital Communication Management, Handelshøyskolen BI, 2024