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A language perspective to environmental management and corporate responsibility

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  • Maria Joutsenvirta

Abstract

Few environmental management scholars have applied a research approach that focuses on analysing the language use through which managers and other societal actors come to describe, explain or otherwise account for environmental and social problems. This article discusses some of the important benefits that treating linguistic materials as ‘sites of language use’ offers for studying corporate responsibilities in various societal challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and poverty. Findings from a longitudinal discourse analysis of the debate between a leading global forest industry company (Stora Enso) and a global environmental organization (Greenpeace) demonstrate the utility of a research approach that focuses on the discussants' language use. The article shows how the application of a language perspective opens up new avenues for understanding how certain ways of talking about corporate responsibilities may hinder or facilitate our efforts to steer corporate actions into a more balanced relationship with nature and society. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.

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  • Maria Joutsenvirta, 2009. "A language perspective to environmental management and corporate responsibility," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 18(4), pages 240-253, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:bstrat:v:18:y:2009:i:4:p:240-253
    DOI: 10.1002/bse.574
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Ozgur Isil & Michael T. Hernke, 2017. "The Triple Bottom Line: A Critical Review from a Transdisciplinary Perspective," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(8), pages 1235-1251, December.
    2. Claudia Arena & Saverio Bozzolan & Giovanna Michelon, 2015. "Environmental Reporting: Transparency to Stakeholders or Stakeholder Manipulation? An Analysis of Disclosure Tone and the Role of the Board of Directors," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 22(6), pages 346-361, November.
    3. Antonio Corvino & Silvio Bianchi Martini & Federica Doni, 2021. "Extinction accounting and accountability: Empirical evidence from the west European tissue industry," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 30(5), pages 2556-2570, July.
    4. Geneviève Mireille Perron & John F. (Jack) Duffy, 2012. "Environmental and Business Communities of Practice: Graduate Students Comparing Community‐Relevant Language," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 21(3), pages 170-182, March.
    5. Peter Dobers & Delyse Springett, 2010. "Corporate social responsibility: discourse, narratives and communication," Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(2), pages 63-69, March.
    6. Li, N. & Toppinen, A., 2011. "Corporate responsibility and sustainable competitive advantage in forest-based industry: Complementary or conflicting goals?," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(2), pages 113-123.
    7. Sara Bice, 2014. "What Gives You a Social Licence? An Exploration of the Social Licence to Operate in the Australian Mining Industry," Resources, MDPI, vol. 3(1), pages 1-19, January.
    8. Salla Laasonen & Martin Fougère & Arno Kourula, 2012. "Dominant Articulations in Academic Business and Society Discourse on NGO–Business Relations: A Critical Assessment," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 109(4), pages 521-545, September.
    9. Vainio, Annukka & Paloniemi, Riikka, 2012. "Forest owners and power: A Foucauldian study on Finnish forest policy," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 118-125.
    10. D'Amato, D. & Korhonen, J. & Toppinen, A., 2019. "Circular, Green, and Bio Economy: How Do Companies in Land-Use Intensive Sectors Align with Sustainability Concepts?," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 158(C), pages 116-133.
    11. Winkel, Georg, 2012. "Foucault in the forests—A review of the use of ‘Foucauldian’ concepts in forest policy analysis," Forest Policy and Economics, Elsevier, vol. 16(C), pages 81-92.

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