Despite the fact that SMEs account for a large share of the Japanese economy, studies on CSR activities and associated corporate communications has focused on large companies. The accumulation of CSR communication research in SMEs is shallow. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct research in order to identify the actual situation and to find problems and issues. In many cases, their resources are limited and ownership and management are not separated. These factors suggest that they have different relationships with stakeholders than large companies. This study discusses the current status and issues based on the results of the interview survey.

DX (digital transformation) is a change in business models aimed at creating value from the customer's perspective. In order for public relations to accelerate corporate DX, it is necessary to move away from company-oriented information dissemination in order to create value from the customer's perspective, and transform to a value co-creation type of public relations that is closer to stakeholders. Public relations strengthens relationships with stakeholders through employees and a variety of influencers, and leverages the advantages of digital technologies to effectively reach target audiences through rapid information dissemination, and to create stories from the customer's perspective.

The introduction of telework in the workplace has expanded significantly as an emergency response to COVID-19 pandemic, but various issues remain due to a lack of preparation. The biggest challenge was communication issues during telework. In order to further promote telework after COVID-19 pandemic, it is necessary to consider realistic countermeasures for communication issues. Telework needs to be ap- proached as part of strategic management rather than a worker welfare measure. In this paper, we look back at the background of telework, survey the merits, demerits, and challenges of telework based on re- search results, and examine methods of approaching communication issues.

In this article, the structure of public relations communication in the modern era is examined and analysed from a social systems theory perspective based on the findings of the sociology of information. In doing so, it critically introduced the concept of 'social public relations studies', which posits that society learns, and explored the possibility of creating new trust. In addition to the radical changes in the media environment where SNS and AI have penetrated deeply and widely, contemporary society is facing social problems that transcend generations, as typified by global environmental issues and energy problems. It has become clear that public relations communication in such circumstances is undergoing a structural transformation in the face of new stakeholders, and that persuasion through public relations activities is extremely difficult to convince stakeholders. Furthermore, the study highlights the importance of PR communications that work towards a social ethos and encourage a change in 'ethical attitudes'.