Abstract

Based on Fairclough’s three-dimensional modelling framework, this paper presents a discourse analysis of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) reports of AbbVie and Hengrui, representative companies in the pharmaceutical field in the United States and China. At the textual analysis level, word frequency statistics are conducted on the report texts. Through keyword analysis, the focus of concern of the two companies is understood. At the discourse practice level, the process of report generation and understanding is explored in terms of data sources and case use. At the social practice level, the performance of the two companies in different cultural contexts is analysed to understand how cultural differences affect the companies’ image building. The study shows that AbbVie’s and Hengrui’s corporate images have common points: focusing on management, actively fulfilling social responsibility, and pursuing sustainable development. Whereas AbbVie is more inclined to show global vision and inclusiveness, Hengrui emphasises local authority and patriotism. By analysing the discourses of the two corporations’ CSR reports, it is possible to gain a deeper understanding of how corporations shape their corporate image through linguistic strategies and to reveal the cultural factors behind the differences in corporate image.

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