Walk the Talk?

Investigating the Performative Effect of Corporate Sustainability Communication

authored by

Manuel Reppmann, Frederik Maibaum, Laura Marie Edinger-Schons, Johann Nils Foege

Abstract

In contrast to the common notion that corporate sustainability communication (i.e., CS talk) primarily serves as a backward-looking description of CS activities, the formative perspective acknowledges its potential to trigger CS-related organizational change (i.e., CS walk). Based on this view, we develop and empirically test a nuanced theoretical framework suggesting that, although CS talk can evoke future CS walk, too much talk can have an adverse effect, inhibiting companies from walking their talk. Furthermore, we argue and show that the performative effect of CS talk gradually unfolds within companies, initiating symbolic CS walk before evolving into substantive CS walk.

Organisation(s)

Centre for Continuing Education in Industrial Science

External Organisation(s)

Universität Hamburg

Type

Conference article

Journal

Academy of Management Annual Meeting Proceedings

Volume

2024

ISSN

0065-0668

Publication date

01.08.2024

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Management Information Systems, Management of Technology and Innovation, Industrial relations

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 9 - Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure, SDG 12 - Responsible Consumption and Production

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.5465/AMPROC.2024.319bp (Access: Closed)