Self-presentation Research Articles

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.

Factor structure of the Chinese version of Emotion Regulation Goals Scale.

Recent studies in Western cultures suggested emotion regulation goals have important implications for mental health. This study aimed to test the factor structure of Emotion Regulation Goals Scale (ERGS) in a Chinese cultural context. Exploratory factor analysis (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) were first used to examine the factor structure of the ERGS, and then reliability and validity tests were conducted to examine the psychometric properties of the ERGS. Results showed that the original five-factor model demonstrated fit during both EFA and CFA, and was thus adopted for further psychometric analyses. Most of the five factors were significantly associated with emotion regulation tendencies and negative emotional outcomes (e.g., depression), except for the non-significant associations between pro-hedonic goals and expressive suppression, and pro-social and impression management goals with depression. The ERGS also showed good internal consistency and split-half reliability. However, the test-retest reliabilities varied substantially across the five factors. The pro-hedonic goal had a higher test-retest reliability, whereas the contra-hedonic, performance, pro-social, and impression management goals showed lower values, especially the latter two. In brief, the ERGS showed a promising five-factor structure in assessing emotion regulation goals in Chinese cultural context.

Impression Communication Management on Organizational Communication: LAZ Coal Case Study

This case study delves into the significance of impression communication management in influencing organizational communication at LAZ Coal, a prominent coal mining company. The findings provide valuable insights for scholars and practitioners in the fields of organizationalhis research explores the impact of strategic impression communication on stakeholder perceptions, information sharing, and the overall communication environment within an organization. The extensive body of research on impression management emphasizes its importance in projecting a positive organizational image and effectively managing stakeholder perceptions. In the same vein, studies on organizational communication highlight its crucial importance in promoting the sharing of information, teamwork, and the establishment of a unified organizational culture. This case study seeks to combine these two areas to explore how impression communication management and organizational communication interact with each other. This research utilizes a qualitative, multi-method design, following the case study approach proposed by RK Yin. We collected data by conducting in-depth interviews with key personnel, analyzing internal communications documents, and observing organizational interactions. The case study approach provided a thorough understanding of the phenomenon within the LAZ Coal setting, taking into account the context and various factors involved. The findings highlight how LAZ Coal's strategic approach to communication has had a significant impact on both internal and external dynamics. This includes their consistent messaging, selective information dissemination, and effective use of communication channels. As a result, employee engagement, stakeholder perceptions, and the overall communicative culture within the company have been significantly influenced. The case study highlights the significance of incorporating impression communication management into the overall organizational communication strategy. By acknowledging the interdependence of these two areas, LAZ Coal and similar organizations can improve their capacity to present a positive image, promote open information exchange, and foster a cooperative and effective communication environment. The findings provide valuable insights for scholars and practitioners in the fields of organizational communication and strategic management.

Translating virtual product scarcity in gaming to real‐world brand value

AbstractThis study explores how the scarcity of virtual products in virtual gaming spaces influences brand evaluation in the real world. While previous studies suggest that scarcity in virtual spaces can enhance brand value, the mechanisms and conditions under which this effect occurs (e.g., the characteristics of virtual spaces, consumer traits, and stimulus). Drawing on insights from scarcity research on physical products, we propose that the effects of scarcity may stem from the expectation of impression management. We developed a model that incorporates insights from physical product scarcity research with the unique aspects of virtual spaces and consumer characteristics. Through four studies, we discovered that the effect of supply scarcity in enhancing brand evaluation is pronounced when the space is online and when consumers have a high level of social presence. Furthermore, in cases where social presence is not high, encounters with others wearing scarce products were found to enhance the scarcity effect. Companies can enhance brand evaluation by strategically using virtual product scarcity in online gaming, particularly when targeting consumers with high social presence or creating opportunities for players to interact with others wearing scarce items.

The role of cunning misrepresentations in entrepreneurial impression management

ABSTRACT This paper develops a dramaturgical theory of cunning misrepresentations, an important but previously unexplored aspect of entrepreneurial impression management. By cunning misrepresentations, we refer not to illegal activities such as fraud or corruption but rather impressions constructed during everyday interactions that actors (and their performance team) know to be false or misleading, such as small exaggerations, white lies or tall stories. We examine three vignettes from an ethnographic study of small business owners. Our analysis reveals three types of cunning misrepresentation: pretending, exaggerating and embellishing. We outline the contribution of our theory of cunning misrepresentations for the study of everyday entrepreneurial impression management and discussing the methodological implications of studying the relationship between the frontstage (when the audience is present) and the backstage (when the audience is absent).

How Do Situational Cues Influence Honest and Deceptive Impression Management in Selection Interviews? A Grounded Theory Study

In selection interviews, most applicants use deceptive as well as honest impression management (IM) to seem like a better candidate. To date, however, little is known about situational cues that determine these behaviors, about the psychological processes in the form of affect and cognitions caused by situational cues, and about how these processes affect subsequent impression management. Given that the absence of a conceptual model that explicitly considers both kinds of IM is holding the literature back, we explored situational cues and associated psychological processes. To do so, we conducted a qualitative study using a Grounded Theory approach. Based on the data, we were able to establish a main model and three submodels that include both deceptive and honest impression management. The submodels describe situational cues related to either the interviewer or interview content. In these submodels, we were also able to identify several cues that have not yet received attention in the literature. We also found that these situational cues are associated with positive and/or negative affect, and that affect subsequently influences IM behavior. In addition, we were able to identify IM tactics that go beyond the existing literature.

Capturing the smile: Exploring embodied and social acts of smiling.

Smiling is an embodied and complex social act. Smiling is presented as facilitating individual health and wellbeing, but the value placed on smiling raises questions about structural conditions acting on the body. While smiling has been considered sociologically, psychologically and historically, we argue that further exploration of the embodied smile offers fruitful avenues for future research. This article attempts to advance understanding of the smile and its importance by: (I) Bringing together literature on smiling as a social act and smiling as embodied. (II) Systematically identifying key themes, which recognise sociological insights and the relevance of oral health. (III) Pointing to useful directions for future sociological research into smiling. In this article, we review literature on body techniques; impression management and social interaction; gender, race and smiling; and emotional, aesthetic and affective labour. We move on to embodiment, considering the mouth as a body project and in relation to the ageing body, before reflecting on the significance of oral health and dentistry. We highlight future directions for sociological research on smiling, building on eight interrelated and cross-cutting themes: norms and expectations, aesthetic ideals, self and identity, health and wellbeing, body work, commodification and labour, inclusion and exclusion and resistance.

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.

Exploring the Relationship Between Avatar Ego Types and Communication: A Comparative Study of South Korea and the United States Based on the Expectation Confirmation Model.

This research explores the significance of avatar communication in the virtual world, where individuals can create new identities and establish relationships beyond real-world limitations. Avatar users engage in virtual interactions to fulfill their desires, enjoy entertainment, and experience surrogate satisfaction. This study integrates the Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM) and Impression Management Theory (IMT) to investigate the impact of various avatar ego types on communication satisfaction and continued intention to use. Two surveys (n = 600) were administered using South Korean and American samples. The results suggest a significant relationship between expectancy confirmation and perceived usefulness. Specifically, high perceived usefulness leads to increased communication satisfaction. Also, when pre-experience expectancy confirmation is low, it positively affects communication satisfaction. In addition, the study highlights differences between Western and Eastern cultural contexts in avatar ego type's expression. This study contributes to the understanding of virtual interactions, offering theoretical insights through the integration of ECM and IMT. Theoretical and practical implications are discussed.

Military Organization’s Use of Social Media and Its Relationship with Politics: Evidence from Pakistan

The literature on social media (SM) use in government organizations primarily focuses on service delivery, publicity, and public relations. But, how a public sector security organization’s use of social media is related to electoral politics in a country is least understood. This paper conceptualizes the Pakistani military’s use of digital media, drawing on the theory of organizational impression management (IM). It further explores the impact of military-related social media activists (SMAs) on electoral politics in Pakistan. Structural equation modeling was used to test the conceptual model, demonstrating that the citizens’ connectedness with military-related SMAs is significant and positively associated with their voting realignments during the 2018 elections in Pakistan. The results revealed that the citizens’ greater online political participation increases their likelihood of connecting with military-related SMAs. On the contrary, their engagement with the offline political process reduces the chances of consuming the military’s impression management content over social media.

Social Masks and Identity Construction in Lualhati Bautista’s Bata... Pa'no Ka Ginawa?

This research employs a descriptive qualitative method, combining textual analysis with cultural and socio-cultural perspectives, to investigate the portrayal of social masks, identity construction, and resilience in Lualhati Bautista's novels, focusing on "Bata, Bata... Pa'no Ka Ginawa?" The study explores how selected characters navigate social roles, adopt personas, and engage in impression management within Filipino society. Through close reading and theoretical interpretation using Goffman's and Mead's frameworks, the research uncovers insights into the intricate dynamics of identity construction, social interaction, and resilience depicted in Bautista's narratives. Significant findings include resilience among characters and its intersection with identity construction and social interaction. Additionally, the study reveals the influence of cultural norms, historical events, and socio-economic factors on characters' identity construction and resilience strategies. It also highlights moments of authenticity, vulnerability, and resistance, analyzing how they challenge or reinforce social masks and identity performances. Overall, the research contributes to understanding the complexities of Filipino identity and resilience in contemporary society as portrayed in literature.

The Mediation Role of Impression Management in The Effect of Job Security Perception on Task Performance: A Study on Airport Employees

This study aims to reveal the relationship between the job security perceptions and task performances of airport employees and whether impression management has a mediating role in this relationship. The sample of the study consists of employees working at airports in Turkey. The data of the research were collected by online survey method using convenience sampling method between 5-17 October 2022. The IBM SPSS 25 and AMOS 24 statistical programs were used to analyze the data from 278 employees using structural equation modeling methods. According to the results of the analysis, it was determined that the perception of job security had a positive effect on job performance and a negative effect on impression management tactics. According to another important result of the research, there was a negative relationship between impression management and task performance. Finally, impression management did not mediate the relationship between job security perception and task performance.

A double‐edged sword: Interim CEO and corporate social (ir)responsibility activities

AbstractEmploying an interim CEO is one of the key strategies organizations use to address urgent changes in leadership, yet there is a notable lack of attention in existing corporate governance literature regarding their impact on non‐market strategic behaviors. In an effort to bridge this gap, our study integrates institutional theory with impression management literature. Based on unbalanced panel data from Chinese non‐state‐owned listed companies from 2010 to 2019, the study finds that the succession of an interim CEO is associated with a simultaneous reduction in both corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate social irresponsibility (CSI) activities. The negative relationship between interim CEO and CSI activities is weaken in the context of high institutional voids. Mechanism analysis reveals that interim CEOs tend to focus more on the present and allocate more attention toward external stakeholder management strategies and low‐cost and efficiency strategies. Additional analysis indicates that in the face of negative financial performance aspirations, interim CEOs are more likely to reduce CSR activities. Similarly, when confronted with negative social performance aspirations, interim CEOs tend to decrease CSI activities to a greater extent.

Wrapping: an artistic device used in the integration of corporate reporting

PurposeThis study explores the integration of corporate reporting by Mitsubishi, a large Japanese company, using a culturally sensitive narrative that combines and reconciles Japanese and Western corporate values in one story.Design/methodology/approachWe use an analytical framework drawing on insights borrowed from narratology and the notion of wrapping – the traditional art of packaging as communication.FindingsWe find that Mitsubishi is a survivor company that uses different corporate reporting frameworks during its reporting journey to construct a bespoke narrative of its value creation and cultural values. It emplots narratives to convey a story presenting the impression that Mitsubishi is a Japanese corporation but is compatible with Western neo-liberal ideology, making bad news palatable to its stakeholders and instilling confidence in the future.Research limitations/implicationsWrapping is a culturally sensitive form of impression management used in the integration of corporate reporting. Therefore, rather than assuming that companies blatantly manipulate their image in corporate reports, we suggest that future research should focus on how narratives are constructed and made sense of, situating them in the context of local culture and traditions.Practical implicationsThe findings should interest scholars, report preparers, policymakers, and the IFRS, considering the recent release of the IFRS Sustainability Disclosure Standards designed to reduce the so-called alphabet soup of corporate reporting. By following Mitsubishi’s journey, we learn how and why the notion of integrated reporting was adopted and integrated with other reporting frameworks to create narratives that together convey a story of a global corporation compliant with Western neoliberal ideology. It highlights how Mitsubishi used integrated reporting to tell its story rather than as a rigid reporting framework, and the same fate may apply to the new IFRS Sustainability Reporting Standards that now include integrated reporting.Originality/valueThe study offers a new perspective on corporate reporting, showing how the local societal discourses of cultural heritage and modernity can shape the journey of the integration of corporate reporting over time.

Constructing Fame: A Phenomenological Study of Online Impression Management among Indonesian TikTok Celebrities

The relevance of social media platforms in our daily lives is intensifying. Social media have become a "showcase" for our life experiences. In addition, they represent a range of dimensions of our status in the virtual and actual social world. These two factors trigger people to construct particular identities to thrive in dual social ecosystems. Subsequently, Tiktok's prominence as a current trending social media platform with a total of 500 million users globally transforms its function from a communication medium to a medium for gaining social capital. This phenomenon notably influences Indonesian society, with people being heavily invested in that platform, and triggered the rise of "influencers" as a popular career choice for the younger generation. Under those circumstances, this phenomenological study explores practical aspects of the identity construction of TikTok influencers on social media. Additionally, the study also analyses the motivations and experiences of the users in constructing their social media identity through impression management to build social capital. Eleven TikTok influencers were involved in this study as the key informants. The findings indicated that TikTok is socially tempting for building the users' social capital because of its high viral opportunity due to randomly generated algorithms. Moreover, the significance of viewer engagement for TikTok influencers compels them to create their most pleasing online impression for the sake of digital popularity. Therefore, popularity is regarded as both a gift and a social pressure.

Calm Advice: How Digitalizing Pen-and-Paper Practices Improves Financial Advice-Giving

AbstractBank clients’ expectations for enhanced service experiences have increased with the digitalization of banking services and the rise of FinTech. However, despite the availability of online banking services, many clients still prefer personal financial advice due to the personal interaction involved. There has been a growing interest in IT-supported advisory services to meet this demand, aiming to improve customer experience and reduce the cognitive burden on advisors. While previous studies have shown the positive effects of advisory-support systems, they also highlighted downsides such as unnatural interactions, technology’s domination of the interaction space, and impaired impression management. This paper investigates the potential of pen-and-paper user interfaces to resolve the relationship/decision-making tension in advisory services. It evaluates the design of an artifact called bankNotes with eight bank advisors and 24 clients in a within-subject study by drawing on a rich data set consisting of interviews, surveys, and video analysis of the encounters. The results indicate that bankNotes was well-received by advisors, who embraced both existing pen-and-paper practices and new practices facilitated by the system. The clients also benefitted from the system: using bankNotes improved customer orientation, shared understanding, and overall service quality. This research provides valuable insights into the design of advisory support systems that prioritize customer satisfaction and support the needs of both advisors and clients in the banking sector.

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.

A Study on the Self-presentation of Ethnic Minority Youth on Short Videos

This study conducts an in-depth study on the self-presentation behavior of ethnic minority youth on the short video platform, and aims to reveal the characteristics and values behind it. As an important participant of the short video platform, the self-presentation behavior of ethnic minority youth has an important social value. This study analyzes the self-presentation behavior of ethnic minority youth on the short video platform from the perspectives of impression management and background and also notes the possible negative effects of the short video platform. It is expected to further promote social attention to and respect for ethnic minority cultures to build a harmonious and diversified social environment.

Empowering pandemic pivots: the inclusive power of remote work and school

ABSTRACT We examine the transitions to remote work and education as unplanned large-scale social experiments in critical institutions that were rapidly digitized in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. As the long tail of the pandemic continues, going remote continues to impact marginalized populations in unexpectedly positive ways and meet needs that are invisible to dominant populations. Therefore, we make the case for remote work and school as new frontiers in digital inclusion with particular benefit to traditionally underrepresented groups. We use Symbolic Interactionist approaches drawing on Hochschild’s emotion work and Goffman’s impression management and stigma to reveal interactional mechanisms through which digital communication modalities offer a way to circumvent some of the deleterious aspects of face-to-face social interaction that occur in these institutional spheres. Digital interaction tools facilitate flexibility and greater control of impression management to avoid stigma among workers and students who are most at risk of being marginalized or harmed in face-to-face institutionally embedded interactions. Thus, both remote work and school can supply new avenues for institutional inclusion of particular value for those who suffer the most from bias, stigma, and/or discrimination in face-to-face institutional settings governed by norms that were built by those with privilege to serve and replicate their privilege. Finally, we call attention to the ways that going remote is being resisted as older forms of social control reemerge, as well as to how remote workers and students are increasingly subjected to digital surveillance tools that extend Foucault’s concept of the panopticon into the digital realm.

Rethinking Travel Companionship: An Alternative Conceptual Model and Future Research Agenda

Travel companionship is commonplace across tourism industries, with existing discourse exclusively emphasizing positive downstream outcomes. However, limited studies have provided a potential counterpoint to the positive outcomes embedded in scholarly work associated with travel companionship. This research, building on interdisciplinary insights, aims to create a comprehensive perspective on travel companionship, elucidating the conditions where travel companionship can trigger negative evaluations of shared tourism experiences. Emergent findings from a systematic narrative review identified three core research streams that focused on the characteristics of decision makers, relationships between companion and decision makers, and experience type. Drawing on self-construal theory, impression management theory, and the experience economy paradigm, three theoretically justifiable caveats were developed to illuminate the underlying psychological mechanisms of negative companionship-induced outcomes. An alternative model of travel companionship underpinned by testable research propositions is proposed. Future research should move towards the articulation of a theory of travel companionship.