IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eme/aaajpp/v22y2009i7p1029-1054.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Ensuring legitimacy through rhetorical changes?

Author

Listed:
  • Matias Laine

Abstract

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to shed further light on how corporate environmental disclosures are used to respond to institutional pressures stemming from the social context. Design/methodology/approach - Interpretive textual analysis is applied to discuss how the environmental disclosures of a leading Finnish chemical company developed during the period 1972‐2005. This discussion is accompanied by an analysis of the social and institutional context in which the company has been operating. The development of the disclosures is reflected against changing social and institutional pressures identified from the perspective of new institutional sociology. Findings - The results show that during these 34 years there have been major transitions in the rhetoric used by the case company in its environmental disclosures. These transitions coincide with changes in the social and institutional context. It is argued that the case company has adjusted its disclosures to respond to the varying institutional pressures in order to maintain a legitimate position in society. Research limitations/implications - The subjective nature of the interpretive approach and the use of a single case limit the generalisability of the results. However, the longitudinal approach is argued to produce valuable insights on how corporate disclosures are used as a communication tool to portray the organisation in a certain light. Originality/value - The study adds to a growing body of literature using interpretive approaches in deconstructing corporate disclosures. The influence exerted by social and institutional pressures on corporate disclosures is highlighted, further research avenues can therefore be proposed.

Suggested Citation

  • Matias Laine, 2009. "Ensuring legitimacy through rhetorical changes?," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(7), pages 1029-1054, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:eme:aaajpp:v:22:y:2009:i:7:p:1029-1054
    DOI: 10.1108/09513570910987367
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09513570910987367/full/html?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/09513570910987367/full/pdf?utm_source=repec&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=repec
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1108/09513570910987367?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Tim Newton & George Harte, 1997. "Green Business: Technicist Kitsch?," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 34(1), pages 75-98, January.
    2. David Campbell & Geoff Moore & Philip Shrives, 2006. "Cross-sectional effects in community disclosure," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 19(1), pages 96-114, January.
    3. repec:eme:aaajpp:v:20:y:2007:i:6:p:855-882 is not listed on IDEAS
    4. David Campbell & Geoff Moore & Philip Shrives, 2006. "Cross-sectional effects in community disclosure," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 19(6), pages 96-114, November.
    5. repec:eme:aaajpp:v:20:y:2007:i:3:p:423-445 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Patten, Dennis M., 1992. "Intra-industry environmental disclosures in response to the Alaskan oil spill: A note on legitimacy theory," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 17(5), pages 471-475, July.
    7. Carol A. Adams & Ken J. McPhail, 2004. "Reporting and the Politics of Difference: (Non)Disclosure on Ethnic Minorities," Abacus, Accounting Foundation, University of Sydney, vol. 40(3), pages 405-435, October.
    8. Hines, Ruth D., 1988. "Financial accounting: In communicating reality, we construct reality," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 251-261, April.
    9. José M. Moneva & Pablo Archel & Carmen Correa, 2006. "GRI and the camouflaging of corporate unsustainability," Accounting Forum, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(2), pages 121-137, June.
    10. Helen Tregidga & Markus J. Milne, 2006. "From sustainable management to sustainable development: a longitudinal analysis of a leading New Zealand environmental reporter," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(4), pages 219-241, July.
    11. Barreiros, Lídia., 1985. "Towards social accounting," ILO Working Papers 992431063402676, International Labour Organization.
    12. Burchell, Stuart & Clubb, Colin & Hopwood, Anthony G., 1985. "Accounting in its social context: Towards a history of value added in the United Kingdom," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 10(4), pages 381-413, October.
    13. repec:eme:aaajpp:v:20:y:2007:i:3:p:382-402 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Arnold, Patricia & Hammond, Theresa, 1994. "The role of accounting in ideological conflict: Lessons from the South African divestment movement," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 19(2), pages 111-126, February.
    15. S Eden, 1999. "‘We Have the Facts’—How Business Claims Legitimacy in the Environmental Debate," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 31(7), pages 1295-1309, July.
    16. Carol A. Adams & Geoffrey R. Frost, 2006. "Accessibility and functionality of the corporate web site: implications for sustainability reporting," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 15(4), pages 275-287, July.
    17. Edward Arrington, C. & Francis, Jere R., 1993. "Giving economic accounts: Accounting as cultural practice," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 18(2-3), pages 107-124, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. repec:eme:aaajpp:v:22:y:2009:i:8:p:1211-1257 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. repec:eme:aaajpp:v:20:y:2007:i:6:p:805-824 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Horvat Robert & Korošec Bojana, 2015. "The Role of Accounting in a Society: Only a techn(olog)ical solution for the problem of economic measurement or also a tool of social ideology?," Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy, Sciendo, vol. 61(4), pages 32-40, August.
    4. Suzuki, Tomo, 2007. "Accountics: Impacts of internationally standardized accounting on the Japanese socio-economy," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 32(3), pages 263-301, April.
    5. Branco, Manuel Castelo & Rodrigues, Lúcia Lima, 2008. "Social responsibility disclosure: A study of proxies for the public visibility of Portuguese banks," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 40(2), pages 161-181.
    6. Khalifa, Rihab & Scarparo, Simona, 2021. "Gender Responsive Budgeting: A tool for gender equality," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    7. Oehr, Tim-Frederik & Zimmermann, Jochen, 2012. "Accounting and the welfare state: The missing link," CRITICAL PERSPECTIVES ON ACCOUNTING, Elsevier, vol. 23(2), pages 134-152.
    8. repec:eme:aaajpp:v:24:y:2011:i:2:p:161-193 is not listed on IDEAS
    9. Eve Chiapello & C. Richard Baker, 2011. "The introduction of French theory into English language accounting research," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 24(2), pages 140-160, February.
    10. Marisa Agostini & Ericka Costa, 2012. "Mandatory disclosure about environmental and employee matters in Italian listed corporate groups' reports," Working Papers 6, Venice School of Management - Department of Management, Università Ca' Foscari Venezia.
    11. repec:eme:aaajpp:v:21:y:2008:i:2:p:240-267 is not listed on IDEAS
    12. Ahrens, Thomas & Chapman, Christopher S., 2006. "Doing qualitative field research in management accounting: Positioning data to contribute to theory," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 31(8), pages 819-841, November.
    13. Ala, Alessandro S. & Lapsley, Irvine, 2019. "Accounting for crime in the neoliberal world," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 51(5).
    14. C. Richard Baker, 1999. "L'Influence Des Savants Français Sur La Recherche Comptable Anglo-Saxonne," Post-Print halshs-00587746, HAL.
    15. David Campbell & Ken McPhail & Richard Slack, 2009. "Face work in annual reports," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 22(6), pages 907-932, July.
    16. repec:eme:arapps:v:17:y:2009:i:3:p:226-246 is not listed on IDEAS
    17. Matthew Hall & Yuval Millo & Emily Barman, 2015. "Who and What Really Counts? Stakeholder Prioritization and Accounting for Social Value," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 52(7), pages 907-934, November.
    18. María Luisa Pajuelo Moreno & Teresa Duarte-Atoche, 2019. "Relationship between Sustainable Disclosure and Performance—An Extension of Ullmann’s Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(16), pages 1-33, August.
    19. Power, Michael, 2015. "How accounting begins: Object formation and the accretion of infrastructure," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 43-55.
    20. Mäkelä, Hannele & Laine, Matias, 2011. "A CEO with many messages: Comparing the ideological representations provided by different corporate reports," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 217-231.
    21. Bromley, Patricia & Sharkey, Amanda, 2017. "Casting call: The expanding nature of actorhood in U.S. firms, 1960–2010," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 3-20.
    22. Shapiro, B. P., 1998. "Toward a normative model of rational argumentation for critical accounting discussions," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 23(7), pages 641-663, October.
    23. repec:eme:aaajpp:v:20:y:2007:i:6:p:855-882 is not listed on IDEAS
    24. Vuontisjärvi, Taru, 2013. "Argumentation and socially questionable business practices: The case of employee downsizing in corporate annual reports," Scandinavian Journal of Management, Elsevier, vol. 29(3), pages 292-313.
    25. Gray, Rob, 2002. "The social accounting project and Accounting Organizations and Society Privileging engagement, imaginings, new accountings and pragmatism over critique?," Accounting, Organizations and Society, Elsevier, vol. 27(7), pages 687-708, October.
    26. Hall, Matthew & Millo, Yuval & Barman, E, 2015. "Who and what really counts? Stakeholder prioritization and accounting for social value," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 62354, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eme:aaajpp:v:22:y:2009:i:7:p:1029-1054. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Emerald Support (email available below). General contact details of provider: .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.