How Corporate-Community Co-Development Constitutes an Impactful HR Initiative
Abstract
This study examines how corporate-community co-development initiatives can serve as impactful human resource management (HRM) practices that foster both social cohesion and social impact. The authors investigated a partnership between a Silicon Valley technology company and five nonprofit organizations through a mixed-method, longitudinal research design that included 62 interviews, 382 hours of field observations, and survey data from 1,101 participants. The findings demonstrate that HR professionals play a critical role in facilitating interactions that build social cohesion by helping participants navigate three key tensions: belonging versus uniqueness, familiarity versus unfamiliarity, and within-sector versus across-sector relationships. The study further shows that stronger social cohesion is associated with greater social impact for both corporate and nonprofit stakeholders.
Authors
Cristina B. Gibson is University Professor and Dean's Distinguished Professor of Management at Pepperdine University. Her research focuses on dignity and inclusion at work, corporate community partnerships, social innovation, and collaboration across organizational and cultural boundaries. She is a Fellow of several major academic associations and is widely recognized for her contributions to organizational behavior and management research.
Jennifer Gibbs is affiliated with the University of California, Santa Barbara, where her research examines communication, technology, collaboration, and organizational processes in contemporary workplaces.
Nitzan Navick is affiliated with Rutgers University and contributes research in organizational and management studies, particularly relating to collaboration and social impact initiatives.
Kimberly McGinnis is affiliated with the University of Alaska Fairbanks and studies organizational effectiveness, partnerships, and community-oriented initiatives.
Keywords
Human Resource Management (HRM); Social Cohesion; Corporate-Community Partnerships; Cross-Sector Partnerships; Human Capital; Social Capital