Impression Management Strategies Research Articles

Strategic tone management in ESG reports and ESG risk

In this study, we investigate whether strategic tone management in environmental, social, and governance (ESG) reports can serve as an indicator of future ESG risk. Our baseline results reveal a positive association between abnormal positive tone in ESG reports and future ESG risk. The findings suggest that firms employ impression management strategy in their ESG reports to provide misleading information. Analyst coverage and media attention can mitigate this positive association. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the positive correlation is stronger for firms mandated to disclose ESG reports and those adhering to the Global Reporting Initiative guidelines. Additional tests indicate that abnormal positive tone is positively associated only with future environmental risk, not with future social and governance risk. We observe this positive association exclusively in government-reported ESG risk, not in media-reported ESG risk. Our results offer valuable implications for mitigating the adverse impact of strategic tone management on corporate sustainability practices.

Intercultural communication, faith and impression management: former Muslims’ engagement with social media

ABSTRACT This study adopts a virtual ethnographic approach to delve into the intercultural communication of eight purposively selected Malaysian former Muslims through social media. It focuses on postings that contest Islamic beliefs while excluding general criticisms of Islam. Data generated, through an extended observation of participants' Facebook and Twitter accounts, were analysed using discourse analysis, focusing on impression management strategies. The findings unveiled the former Muslims' recurrent engagement in and interplay of self-promotion, ingratiation, supplication, and exemplification which elucidated their adept utilisation of IM strategies, particularly humanisation and rationalisation, in shaping their image as advocates of humanity and rational thinking.

Impression management strategies, entrepreneurial reputation, and financial resource acquisition: an empirical study in entrepreneurship

Impression management strategies, entrepreneurial reputation, and financial resource acquisition: an empirical study in entrepreneurship

The Impression Management Consequences of Hiding Effort Among Adolescents: The Mediating Role of Authenticity.

Hiding effort has become prevalent among adolescents; however, whether this behavior benefits or harms their social impression remains unclear. The study explored whether hiding effort is an effective impression management strategy to obtain high popularity, likeability, interpersonal trust, and cooperation intention from peers. Using hypothetical scenarios, Study 1 (N = 243) found that hiding effort led to lower popularity, likeability, interpersonal trust, and cooperation intention among adolescents. Study 2 (N = 176) replicated the findings of Study 1 and found that the hiding-effort adolescents did not realize these negative consequences. Furthermore, Study 2 revealed that authenticity mediated the effect of hiding effort on popularity, likeability, interpersonal trust, and cooperation intention. The findings provided theoretical and practical implications for educators and adolescents. Educators should foster environments where effort and authenticity are rewarded. Adolescents should understand the cost of hiding efforts from peers.

Creating a religious identity and impression management by Islamic banks

PurposeIslamic banks (IBs) place significant importance on their religious identity, prompting the utilization of impression management (IM) strategies to emphasize such identity. This paper aims to discuss the motivations behind using IM in the creation of religious identity by IBs, and to explore the use of religious symbols and language as a form of religious rhetoric. It is argued that to counteract the threats to their religious identity, IBs use IM techniques, predominantly through the inclusion of religious symbols and rhetoric.Design/methodology/approachAn empirical exploratory study, using content analysis, was conducted on the annual reports of the largest IBs for the year 2022. The analyses involved a total of 39 banks based on a filtered list from The Banker’s Top Islamic Financial Institutions of 2022. A manual content analysis was undertaken to extract religious symbols, images and contents.FindingsThe findings reveal the use of IM techniques that emphasize the religious identity of these banks. Notably, IBs consistently reaffirm their commitment to Sharia compliance and disclose their contributions to Zakah. In addition, the analysis reveals the incorporation of Quranic verses, religious iconographic images and other religious rhetoric statements in the annual reports of many IBs.Research limitations/implicationsThe analysis concludes that the assertion by IBs that their guiding principles are rooted in Islamic values are supported by the religious terminology and imagery embedded in their annual reports. Alongside mere religious symbolism, the terms and images are integral part of the corporate identity of the Islamic that not only sends persuasive signals to stakeholders but also help build an impression on the activities of the IBs.Originality/valueIM has been a key objective and strategy of companies. This study aimed at exploring whether and how IBs used religious symbolism as an integral part of IM and corporate identity.

Is social media B2B engagement driven by impression management strategies? Understanding corporate-driven versus individual-driven LinkedIn profiles

Professional social media platforms, such as LinkedIn, allow individuals to build their own personal brand with the aim to foster B2B engagement. Individuals can project both individual- and corporate-driven characteristics through LinkedIn, to create favorable impressions management (IM) strategies and attract viewers engagement. This study aims first to understand the difference between individual- versus corporate-driven elements of LinkedIn profiles. Then, using the IM theory, this paper explores the different perceptions formed by potential business partners on these elements which can lead to B2B social media engagement. A content analysis of 130 LinkedIn profiles, followed by 20 in-depth interviews with business professionals, show that perceptions are different between the individual- versus the corporate-driven profiles and these perceptions together with the IM strategies are not static, showing that IM strategies need to be assessed in combinations and over difference phases. Individual-driven profile elements seem to project the most favorable perceptions to foster B2B engagement, leaving the corporate-driven elements to only compliment what is described as the ‘ideal’ profile for B2B engagement. The findings provide valuable insights to different business partners who want to initiate contact and engage with business professionals on social media in a B2B context.

Stigma, menstrual etiquette, and identity work: examining female exercisers’ experiences during menstruation

ABSTRACT This paper addressed the identity work of female exercisers during menstruation. Specifically, we considered (a) behavioural expectations attached to the sport and exercise role identity during menstruation, (b) menstruation as a discreditable stigma, and (c) the impression management strategies that exercisers put in place to successfully enact the desired sport and exercise role identity during menstruation. Data were generated via 30 semi-structured interviews with female exercisers from diverse ethnic groups. Interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analysed using phronetic iterative analysis. Data were interpreted through symbolic interactionist and dramaturgical theorisations of identity, impression management, and stigma. Our analysis highlighted the importance of the sport and exercise role identity, which was reflected in the time and money that the participants invested in their sport and exercise engagement. We illustrated that, during menstruation, behavioural expectations determined the participants’ hidden management of menstrual symptoms to ensure the successful enactment of their desired sport and exercise role identity. This was because menstruation represented a discreditable stigma, a blemish that had to be hidden away from the view of others. Our participants therefore implemented impression management strategies including the use of props (e.g. pain relief), and management of their appearance (e.g. clothing, hair, makeup), manner (e.g. a stoic expression), and staging (e.g. standing at the back of an exercise class) to help with the enactment of their sport and exercise role identity. We believe this study makes a substantial contribution to the literature addressing menstruation within sport and exercise by unpacking the norms and expectations associated with menstruation. In turn, this study is giving voice to the unique needs and experiences of menstruating exercises and with this, contributes to normalising conversations about menstruation and its impact on menstruators’ daily lives.

Frontline employees’ impression management strategies after engaging in constructive deviant behavior: A leader-centric perspective

While previous research has achieved consensus on the benefits of constructive deviant behavior within the hospitality industry and has proposed various solutions to promote this behavior, there remains a gap in understanding what frontline employees do after engaging in constructive deviant behavior. Drawing on impression management theory, we established a model in which constructive deviant behavior impacts feedback-seeking behavior (FSB) and defensive silence (DS). Study 1 used scenario manipulations to examine the mediation effect of Leader–member exchange (LMX) ambivalence linking constructive deviant behavior with FSB and DS. Study 2, a survey of 362 frontline employees from 11 hotels, revealed that constructive deviant behavior was positively related to LMX ambivalence and that LMX ambivalence mediated the relationship between constructive deviant behavior and actor's FSB and DS. We also found that proactive personality positively moderated the impact of LMX ambivalence on FSB. We discussed the theoretical and practical implications of our findings.

Research on Impression Management: Current Progress and Future Possibilities

In recent years, impression management (IM) has garnered substantial scholarly attention, significantly enhancing our comprehension of various factors within organisational contexts. This is a systematic literature review (SLR) research on IM from 2016 to 2024, building on both foundational and recent research. IM involves intentionally influencing how others see us, which significantly affects both individual behaviour and the way organisations function. This review highlights the widespread role and implications of IM in workplaces. It looks at how IM techniques, organisational rules and gender stereotypes interact. Our review presents two major findings. First, we found a strong positive link between successful IM strategies and better organisational performance, showing the real benefits of skilled IM. Second, we noticed a complex connection between IM methods and employee satisfaction, pointing out the need to align IM practices with employee happiness. This SLR not only deepens our theoretical knowledge but also has practical applications for managers. It emphasises the importance of ethically managing IM to ensure authenticity and openness. Also, by pointing out missing pieces in the existing research, this review suggests new areas for future studies to investigate the changing trends and finer details of IM in modern organisational settings.

Reaching the Top? Profiles of Impression Management and Career Success

Employees use impression management (IM) tactics to influence their image at work. Whereas findings regarding the effects of IM on interview outcomes and performance evaluations are extensive, our understanding of the career implications of IM is both limited and inconclusive. In this two-study paper, we used latent profile analysis to better understand the relationship between the use of five IM tactics in combination—ingratiation, self-promotion, exemplification, intimidation, and supplication—and multiple indicators of objective career success (i.e., salary, promotions, and supervisor-rated reward recommendations) and subjective career success. Four different IM profiles were identified in a sample of 237 employees in Study 1 and which were replicated in Study 2 with 268 employees. In Study 1, we found that the highest levels of salaries and promotions (reflecting objective career success) were associated with a passive use of IM (i.e., employing all five IM strategies at low frequency), thereby running counter to our initial expectations. In contrast, the highest level of subjective career success was associated with a positive use of IM (i.e., a pattern employing the three positive strategies ingratiation, self-promotion and exemplification at higher levels). In Study 2, we found positive use of IM to be associated with the highest level of supervisor-rated reward recommendations as a further indicator of objective career success (followed by passives with the second highest reward recommendations). Our findings highlight the importance of viewing objective and subjective career success as qualitatively different constructs and suggest benefits of employing passive IM use for objective career success.

Impression management of biodiversity reporting in the energy and utilities sectors: An assessment of transparency in the disclosure of negative events

The aim of this paper is to analyse the official corporate reports of selected companies in the utilities and energy sectors to determine whether they report transparently on negative biodiversity-related events or instead present an idealised image through impression management strategies. For this purpose, through a counter-accounting approach, external sources were consulted to find information on incidents with an impact on biodiversity for selected companies from the energy and utilities sectors. 47 incidents linked to 17 companies were identified and the information obtained from the unofficial sources was then compared with what the companies had disclosed in their sustainability reports. Half of the incidents identified were not disclosed at all and those that were informed were, in most cases, partially reported using impression management mechanisms.

Disability disclosure as an impression management technique used in the workplace: A grounded theory investigation.

In order to overcome obstacles to entry and inclusion in the workplace, individuals with disabilities engage in various impression management strategies to present themselves as the socially acceptable 'ideal employee.' This study expands on previous disclosure research by asking individuals with disabilities to share their experiences of identity management and workplace challenges. We leveraged qualitative research techniques to explore the reciprocal impact of workplace treatment and disclosure. Impression management emerged as an especially salient aspect of participants' disclosure decisions, and participants used an array of impression management tactics. Some employees with disabilities described positive experiences; however, we also learned that impression management can present unique challenges that may outweigh potential benefits. Our findings affirm that managing the image we project can be remarkably complicated and effortful when having a disability. This paper concludes with implementation recommendations for vocational rehabilitation counselors and human resource practitioners.

Impression management strategy — The relationship between accounting narrative thematic bias and financial graph distortion

Prior literature has examined 10-K narrative thematic bias and financial graph distortion as two independent outcomes that might arise from managements' efforts at impression management. Largely unexplored is an analysis of narrative thematic bias and financial graph distortion as joint and interrelated outcomes that would arise if management coordinates both in the same 10-K report as part of an impression management strategy. We fill this void in the literature by using a simultaneous equation system to examine the joint relationship between narrative thematic bias and graph distortion in the 10-K filings of S&P 500 firms from 2014 to 2018. We draw upon Paivio's (1986) dual coding theory to predict a positive association between narrative thematic bias and financial graph distortion based on the insight that graph distortion helps reinforce the effects of thematic bias, and vice versa. Consistently, we find a simultaneous and positive relationship between thematic bias and graph distortion. Further, we find that this complementary relationship is more pronounced in firms with weak corporate governance and weak external monitoring. Our findings suggest that management may exploit the reinforcing effects of thematic bias and graph distortion to leave financial statement users with a more favorable impression of firm performance.

Please Excuse My Accent: An Examination of Impression Management Strategies Used by Nonnative Speakers

In this research, we investigate the impression management (IM) strategies used by nonnative speakers. We ask the following questions: (1) What IM strategies do nonnative speakers employ, (2) Are some IM strategies more effective than others, and (3) What determines the use of different IN strategies among nonnative speakers? Across two studies, we examine if some IM strategies are more effective than others in improving outcomes for nonnative speakers. Results from both studies revealed negative effects associated with the use of defensive strategies, and results from Study 2 demonstrated benefits associated with assertive strategies (i.e., self-promotion and flattery).

ESG performance and disclosure quality: does a well-balanced board of directors matter when impression management occurs?

PurposeThis paper explores how the disclosure quality, measured by the abnormal tone of environmental and social report, may determine the environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) performance of the firm. This study also investigates the impact of the moderator “board of directors” to explore the extent to which a well-balanced board of directors may affect this association within an impression management strategy.Design/methodology/approachThis work uses a sample of 616 firm-year observations using a sample of French firms indexed on SBF120 index from 2010 to 2017. To test the developed hypotheses, the GLS regression is applied and to control for endogeneity issue and sample selection bias, the authors used, respectively, the two stage least square (2SLS) procedure and the Heckman model.FindingsFindings suggest that a well-balanced board of directors moderates the relationship between the ESG performance and the disclosure quality. The positive effect of abnormal tone management on ESG is weakened by the presence of a good structure of the board, attenuating impression management initiatives.Research limitations/implicationsThe research provides evidence of the impact of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting quality, in particular disclosure tone management, on the level of ESG performance in the French context. As the board of directors may have a major impact on weakening impression management strategies in particular tone management practices, in order to improve CSR report quality, the authors recommend French companies to ensure a well-balanced board of directors.Originality/valueThis study helps investors to comprehensively evaluate the information disclosed on CSR reports. It unveils that a strong board composition induces better quality of CSR report and brings better ESG performance. Thus, the study results point to the importance of a well-balanced board of directors and the regulation of the narrative disclosure of CSR information.

Does reaction to controversy in corporate narratives depend on its significance for various stakeholders?

PurposeThe study aims to determine whether a relationship exists between the potential significance of corporate controversies for stakeholders and how organisations respond to them in their annual and sustainability reports.Design/methodology/approachThis paper employs content analysis on annual and sustainability reports of 48 listed companies from the Refinitiv database. The logit regression was used to estimate the model.FindingsThe study revealed that the main factors increasing the probability of a controversial issue being addressed in a corporate report are the controversy’s potential significance, companies’ financial performance and lawsuits.Research limitations/implicationsOur study has three major limitations. These are a relatively small sample of companies and reports, focusing on disclosures made in corporate reports and omitting other channels of communication, for example, social media, and a certain amount of subjectivity in the process of coding information.Social implicationsFormer studies show that corporations face a serious risk of their hypocritical strategies becoming too evident for stakeholder groups. Our findings suggest that the risk is already materialising and may undermine the idea of CSR and sustainability reporting.Originality/valueOur research focuses on high-profile adverse incidents widely reported in the media, the omission of which from corporate reports seems to constitute a particular case of organised hypocrite. It also demonstrates that companies use an impression management strategy to defuse adverse publicity and that major controversies cause minor ones to be omitted from their reports.

Firm actions and Media tenor after a data breach: A quasi replication and extension of Zavyalova et al.'s (2012) product harm study

Replications are especially useful to test the generalizability of managerial knowledge across diverse situations and contexts. In this study, we conduct a quasi-replication of Zavyalova and colleagues’ (2012) influential product harm paper, which explored how firm impression management strategies shaped media tenor following misconduct. Extending their approach to a new context, we seek to understand how firm impression management strategies impact media tenor following data breaches, representing a case of firm misfortune. Drawing on a sample of 287 U.S. data breach events, we find that media evaluations are shaped by firm impression management responses and industry features following a breach. Our findings also suggest that firms should respond differently in cases of misfortune than in instances of misconduct, adding important nuance to the literature. Taken together, our study tests the theory of Zavyalova et al. in a different context, finds contextual differences that resulted in dissimilar empirical results, and contributes new knowledge by showing how firm impression management strategies and industry context affect media tenor differently after data breaches than after toy recalls.

Impression management strategies in accordance with social role theory

Impression management (IM) is a process where individuals consciously or unconsciously control the information, behaviors, and expressions they present to others. Studies on IM that are based on social role theory have mostly focused on gender roles. However, there is a growing recognition of the need to expand social role research beyond traditional gender roles (Anglin et al., 2022). This study aims to investigate the influence of various societal roles, including gender, age, occupation, and education, on IM strategies among Jordanian public sector employees within organizational contexts. Drawing upon social role theory and existing literature, this research seeks to explore how different social roles intersect and shape IM behaviors. Data were collected from 927 participants via an online questionnaire distributed through convenience sampling. Nonparametric analysis was employed, utilizing the Mann–Whitney U test and Kruskal–Wallis H test to analyze gender-based and other variables with three or more groups, respectively. The findings suggest that while gender, occupation, and educational background can impact IM, their influence is often overshadowed by the broader organizational context. This study contributes to the literature by expanding our understanding of IM beyond traditional gender roles and elucidating the complex interplay between societal roles and IM strategies.

Visually Impaired Individuals’ Impression Management

We examined visually impaired individuals’ impression management strategies through Goffman’s dramaturgical perspective. Consistent with the biomedical model of disability and ableism, participants managed appearance, suppressed emotions, and strategically asked for help in the frontstage to combat stereotypes, present as less of a burden, and serve as low-vision ambassadors. Backstage, participants expressed emotion privately, engaged in solitary pursuits, and coped through support groups and therapy. While therapy helped some resist ableist ideology, even backstage many participants struggled to decompress and find peace. Thus, a true backstage does not apply to people who are oppressed, as frontstage challenges constrained participants’ backstage coping.

The Humor Advantage: Humorous Bragging Benefits Job Candidates and Entrepreneurs.

From job candidates to entrepreneurs, people often face an inherent tension between the need to share personal accomplishments and the need to avoid appearing arrogant. We propose that humorbragging-incorporating self-enhancing humor into self-promoting communications-can signal warmth and competence simultaneously, leading to instrumental benefits. Four studies explored humorbragging as a potential solution to the self-promotion paradox. Study 1 demonstrated that a humorbragging (vs. self-promoting) resume attracted more hiring interest from recruiters. Study 2 showed that perceived warmth and competence mediate the positive effect of humorbragging on hiring intentions. Study 3 found that humorbragging entrepreneurs achieved greater success securing funding compared to entrepreneurs who used other kinds of humor. Finally, Studies 4a to 4c established that the positive effect of humorbragging on hiring intentions is unique to self-enhancing humor. Overall, the current research establishes the instrumental benefits of humorbragging and explains why and when it functions as an effective impression management strategy.