Seeing Is (Not) Believing: Managing the Impressions of the Firm’s Commitment to the Natural Environment

Abstract

This paper examines stakeholder responses to impression management tactics used by firms that express environmental commitment. We inductively analyzed data from 98 open-ended questionnaires and identified two impression management tactics that led respondents to believe that a firm was credible in its commitment to the natural environment. Approximately, half of the respondents responded to illustrative impression management tactics that provide images of, and/or broad-brush comments about, the firm’s commitment to the natural environment. The other half responded to demonstrative impression management tactics, which provide specific facts and details about the firm’s operations. The research results provide important insights into the effects of organizational transparency. In this paper, we explore these findings and provide directions for future research. Copyright Springer Science+Business Media, Inc. 2006impression management tactics, legitimacy, natural environment, stakeholders, transparency,

Accounting for the Unaccountable: Biodiversity Reporting and Impression Management

“…Such disconnection and the complexity of biodiversity issues in general tend to foster the use of various techniques of neutralization whose relevance and validity can hardly be verified by stakeholders. Overall, as pointed out by Bansal and Kistruck (2006), the complexity, opacity, and uncertainty of environmental issues encourage impression management and symbolic rather than substantive commitment on the part of the organizations. As a result, the management of impressions through techniques of neutralization seems easier than the release of substantial and transparent information on an issue as complex, opaque, and socially sensitive as biodiversity.…”

“…Generally speaking, sustainability reports can be used as a tool for managing impressions among stakeholders rather than as a transparent source of information on sustainability practices and performance (Cho et al 2012;Bansal and Clelland 2004). According to the literature on impression management, organizations use various tactics to influence the perceptions of stakeholders in order to protect or improve their image (Bansal and Kistruck 2006;Bansal and Clelland 2004;Bolino et al 2008). These tactics of communication are especially important when organizations face social pressures likely to threaten their social legitimacy, such as external criticism related to environmental impacts (Cho et al 2012;Bansal and Kistruck 2006;Bansal and Clelland 2004).…”

“…According to the literature on impression management, organizations use various tactics to influence the perceptions of stakeholders in order to protect or improve their image (Bansal and Kistruck 2006;Bansal and Clelland 2004;Bolino et al 2008). These tactics of communication are especially important when organizations face social pressures likely to threaten their social legitimacy, such as external criticism related to environmental impacts (Cho et al 2012;Bansal and Kistruck 2006;Bansal and Clelland 2004). Bansal and Kistruck (2006) and Bansal and Clelland (2004) have explored the impression management tactics used by firms to improve their social legitimacy with regard to environmental issues and the ways in which stakeholders may respond to such tactics.…”

“…These tactics of communication are especially important when organizations face social pressures likely to threaten their social legitimacy, such as external criticism related to environmental impacts (Cho et al 2012;Bansal and Kistruck 2006;Bansal and Clelland 2004). Bansal and Kistruck (2006) and Bansal and Clelland (2004) have explored the impression management tactics used by firms to improve their social legitimacy with regard to environmental issues and the ways in which stakeholders may respond to such tactics. According to these studies on environmental issues, impression management appears to be a low-cost and easy alternative to more substantial actions for improving social legitimacy.…”

Managing Biodiversity Through Stakeholder Involvement: Why, Who, and for What Initiatives?

“…Sustainability reporting and corporate communication in general is often used as a tool for managing impressions among stakeholders and improving corporate image (Cho et al 2012;Bansal and Kistruck 2006;Bansal and Clelland 2004). From this critical perspective, the information disclosed in sustainability reports could reflect what the stakeholders would like to hear rather than the actual commitment and performance in this area (Cho et al 2010(Cho et al , 2012Owen et al 2000;Boiral 2013).…”