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Historically, NGOs emerged on the international business scene in the late 1980s as important institutional actors. Their influence paralleled the globalisation of business, declining state power and the scrutiny of business practices. Particularly in developing countries related to exploitation of labour, abuse of weak regulatory mechanisms, and human rights violations. A spate of corporate scandals that created a crisis of leadership and a trust void in business has further bolstered NGO credibility in recent decades. Indeed, the Edelman Trust Barometer finds that vis-à-vis business, government and the media, NGOs are the most trusted institution globally. However, NGO's relationships with businesses has been characterised by mistrust and conflict. Traditionally, NGOs have been treated as peripheral or secondary stakeholders for businesses who lack 'formal' power and can easily be ignored by resource-rich corporations. In many cases, NGOs do not have the institutional standing. However, in others, particularly Western democracies and developed countries, NGOs are increasingly listed as primary stakeholders in CSR reports. Although NGOs are increasingly acknowledged as influential institutional actors, they have received relatively less attention and communication scholarship around social media developments. However, the growing influence of social media are perceived as a game changer and a potential equalizer in how NGOs interact with corporations.

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NGO-business relations through social media: Greenpeace vs. Shell

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