An analysis of Turkey's telecommunications sector's social responsibility practices online

• Telecom companies' Facebook and Twitter accounts are similar, they use Twitter more.
• Telecom companies emphasize CSR initiatives on websites and social media accounts.
• Telecom companies construct a legitimate identity by emphasizing community benefits and superiority.
• Telecom companies highlight themes beyond core business functions to create value.
• CSR activities help construct a strong organizational identity and gain legitimacy.

Rooted in social identity theory, this exploratory study focuses on Turkey's four largest telecommunications companies (Turkcell, Türk Telekom, Avea, and Vodafone) to determine how public relations and corporate social responsibility practices help construct organizational identity. To achieve its aim, the study performs a thematic content analysis of the companies’ corporate websites and social media accounts. Study results reveal that, in addition to focusing on their core business functions, telecommunications companies in Turkey try to create value and construct a legitimate identity by emphasizing community benefits and their superiority vis-à-vis their competitors. This study also demonstrates that companies’ CSR activities play a crucial role in constructing organizational identity and gaining legitimacy.