Not My Business: How Cognitive Frames and Role Identities Influence Corporate Sustainability

Abstract

The recent years have seen a strong increase in studies that investigate the role of cognition for corporate sustainability. Currently, however, we still lack detailed insights into how the cognition of individuals holding different roles within the organization affects the implementation of corporate sustainability initiatives. To address this shortcoming, in this study we explore how cognitive frames and role identities jointly influence corporate sustainability initiatives. Drawing on a longitudinal case study of a sustainability initiative within a medium-sized German car dealer, we show that whether individuals engage in sustainability-related activities not only depends on their sustainability-related cognitive frames but also whether they perceive social and environmental aspects to be part of their organizational role. We provide insights into the detailed mechanisms through which individuals adjust their organizational roles and corresponding identity over time. Moreover, we demonstrate that inte...