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Rhetoric, argument and impression management in hostile takeover defence documents

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  • Niamh Brennan
  • Caroline A. Daly
  • Claire S. Harrington

Abstract

This exploratory study extends the analysis of narrative disclosures from routine reporting contexts such as annual reports and press releases to non-routine takeover documents where the financial consequences of narrative disclosures can be substantial. Rhetoric and argument in the form of impression management techniques in narrative disclosures are examined. Prior thematic content analysis methods for analysing good and bad news disclosures are adapted to the attacking and defensive themes in the defence documents of target companies subject to hostile takeover bids. The paper examines the incidence, extent and implications of impression management in ten hostile takeover defence documents issued by target companies listed on the London Stock Exchange between 1 January 2006 and 30 June 2008. Three impression management strategies – thematic, visual and rhetorical manipulation – are investigated using content analysis methodologies. The findings of the research indicate that thematic, visual and rhetorical manipulation is evident in hostile takeover defence documents. Attacking and defensive sentences were found to comprise the majority of the defence documents analysed. Such sentences exhibited varying degrees of visual and rhetorical emphasis, which served to award greater or lesser degrees of prominence to the information conveyed by target company management. While exploratory in nature, this paper concludes with suggestions for future more systematic research allowing for greater generalisations from the findings.

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  • Niamh Brennan & Caroline A. Daly & Claire S. Harrington, 2010. "Rhetoric, argument and impression management in hostile takeover defence documents," Open Access publications 10197/2898, Research Repository, University College Dublin.
    • Handle: RePEc:rru:oapubs:10197/2898
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    Cited by:

    1. Isidora Tachmatzidi, 2018. "Takeover Defenses in the United Kingdom," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(4), pages 105-118.
    2. repec:ers:journl:v:vi:y:2018:i:4:p:105-118 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Maria-Silvia Sandulescu, 2017. "Impression management – an international perspective," The Audit Financiar journal, Chamber of Financial Auditors of Romania, vol. 15(148), pages 605-605.
    4. Niamh M. Brennan & Doris M. Merkl-Davies, 2014. "Rhetoric and argument in social and environmental reporting: the Dirty Laundry case," Accounting, Auditing & Accountability Journal, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 27(4), pages 602-633, April.
    5. Maurizio Floris & David Grant & Leanne Cutcher, 2013. "Mining the Discourse: Strategizing During BHP Billiton's Attempted Acquisition of Rio Tinto," Journal of Management Studies, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 50(7), pages 1185-1215, November.
    6. Lorenzo Gelmini & Valentina Minutiello & Patrizia Tettamanzi & Maurizio Comoli, 2021. "Rhetoric, Accounting and Accountability: COVID-19 and the Case of Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-21, April.
    7. Justin Logie & Warren Maroun, 2021. "Evaluating Audit Quality Using the Results of Inspection Processes Performed by an Independent Regulator," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 31(2), pages 128-149, June.
    8. Kouassi Marius Honoré Aké & Olivier Boiral, 2023. "Sustainable development and stakeholder engagement in the agri‐food sector: Exploring the nexus between biodiversity conservation and information technology," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 31(1), pages 334-348, February.
    9. Jessica H. Yang & Siwen Liu, 2017. "Accounting narratives and impression management on social media," Accounting and Business Research, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(6), pages 673-694, September.
    10. Gustavo Alberto Ruiz Rojas, 2016. "Retórica y contabilidad: de la crítica retórica a la retórica crítica," Revista Facultad de Ciencias Económicas, Universidad Militar Nueva Granada, vol. 25(1), pages 243-270, December.
    11. La Torre, Matteo & Dumay, John & Rea, Michele Antonio & Abhayawansa, Subhash, 2020. "A journey towards a safe harbour: The rhetorical process of the International Integrated Reporting Council," The British Accounting Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(2).
    12. Thomas Gutmayer & Dannielle Cerbone & Warren Maroun, 2022. "An Evaluation of Business Model Disclosures in Integrated Reports," Australian Accounting Review, CPA Australia, vol. 32(2), pages 220-237, June.
    13. Merkl-Davies, Doris M. & Koller, Veronika, 2012. "‘Metaphoring’ people out of this world: A Critical Discourse Analysis of a chairman's statement of a UK defence firm," Accounting forum, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 178-193.
    14. Niamh Brennan & Doris M. Merkl-Davies, 2013. "Accounting Narratives and Impression Management," Open Access publications 10197/4949, Research Repository, University College Dublin.

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