---
_id: '47917'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Companies disclosing negative aspects in sustainability reports often
employ legitimation strategies to present mishaps in a favorable light. In incentivized
experiments, we find that nonprofessional investors divest from companies with
a negative sustainability-related incident, and that symbolic legitimation (which
only evasively explains a negative incident) is not a strong enough signal to
counter this divestment behavior. Even substantial legitimation (which reports
on measures and behavioral change) mitigates the divestment decisions only if
the company reports on concrete remediation actions in morally charged situations,
such as social or environmental incidents. We elaborate these results in light
of signaling and screening theory, and suggest the conceptual extension of “costly
signals” to what we call “valuable signals.” We argue that valuable signals need
be not only costly for the sender from an economic perspective but also perceived
as appropriate by the receiver from a noneconomic perspective.
author:
- first_name: Rüdiger
full_name: Hahn, Rüdiger
last_name: Hahn
- first_name: Daniel
full_name: Reimsbach, Daniel
id: '100169'
last_name: Reimsbach
- first_name: Peter
full_name: Kotzian, Peter
last_name: Kotzian
- first_name: Madeleine
full_name: Feder, Madeleine
last_name: Feder
- first_name: Barbara E.
full_name: Weißenberger, Barbara E.
last_name: Weißenberger
citation:
ama: Hahn R, Reimsbach D, Kotzian P, Feder M, Weißenberger BE. Legitimation Strategies
as Valuable Signals in Nonfinancial Reporting? Effects on Investor Decision-Making.
Business & Society. 2019;60(4):943-978. doi:10.1177/0007650319872495
apa: Hahn, R., Reimsbach, D., Kotzian, P., Feder, M., & Weißenberger, B. E.
(2019). Legitimation Strategies as Valuable Signals in Nonfinancial Reporting?
Effects on Investor Decision-Making. Business & Society, 60(4),
943–978. https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650319872495
bibtex: '@article{Hahn_Reimsbach_Kotzian_Feder_Weißenberger_2019, title={Legitimation
Strategies as Valuable Signals in Nonfinancial Reporting? Effects on Investor
Decision-Making}, volume={60}, DOI={10.1177/0007650319872495},
number={4}, journal={Business & Society}, publisher={SAGE Publications},
author={Hahn, Rüdiger and Reimsbach, Daniel and Kotzian, Peter and Feder, Madeleine
and Weißenberger, Barbara E.}, year={2019}, pages={943–978} }'
chicago: 'Hahn, Rüdiger, Daniel Reimsbach, Peter Kotzian, Madeleine Feder, and Barbara
E. Weißenberger. “Legitimation Strategies as Valuable Signals in Nonfinancial
Reporting? Effects on Investor Decision-Making.” Business & Society
60, no. 4 (2019): 943–78. https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650319872495.'
ieee: 'R. Hahn, D. Reimsbach, P. Kotzian, M. Feder, and B. E. Weißenberger, “Legitimation
Strategies as Valuable Signals in Nonfinancial Reporting? Effects on Investor
Decision-Making,” Business & Society, vol. 60, no. 4, pp. 943–978,
2019, doi: 10.1177/0007650319872495.'
mla: Hahn, Rüdiger, et al. “Legitimation Strategies as Valuable Signals in Nonfinancial
Reporting? Effects on Investor Decision-Making.” Business & Society,
vol. 60, no. 4, SAGE Publications, 2019, pp. 943–78, doi:10.1177/0007650319872495.
short: R. Hahn, D. Reimsbach, P. Kotzian, M. Feder, B.E. Weißenberger, Business
& Society 60 (2019) 943–978.
date_created: 2023-10-10T10:00:40Z
date_updated: 2023-10-30T11:33:44Z
department:
- _id: '186'
- _id: '815'
doi: 10.1177/0007650319872495
intvolume: ' 60'
issue: '4'
keyword:
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Business
- Management and Accounting (miscellaneous)
language:
- iso: eng
page: 943-978
publication: Business & Society
publication_identifier:
issn:
- 0007-6503
- 1552-4205
publication_status: published
publisher: SAGE Publications
status: public
title: Legitimation Strategies as Valuable Signals in Nonfinancial Reporting? Effects
on Investor Decision-Making
type: journal_article
user_id: '21810'
volume: 60
year: '2019'
...
---
_id: '47912'
abstract:
- lang: eng
text: Factorial surveys (FSs) integrate elements of survey research and
classical experiments. Using a large number of respondents in a controlled setting,
FSs approximate complex and realistic judgment situations through so-called vignettes—that
is, carefully designed descriptions of hypothetical people, social situations,
or scenarios. Despite being rooted, and predominantly applied, in sociology, FSs
are particularly promising for business and society (B&S) scholars. Given
the multiplicity, inherent complexity, and sometimes fuzziness of B&S research
objects, conventional research methods inevitably reach their limits. This article,
therefore, systematically presents methodological and thematic opportunities for
FS studies in B&S research. It is argued that FSs are well suited to dealing
with the complex interplay of societal-, organizational-, and individual-level
factors in B&S research and to studying the principles underlying human perceptions,
attitudes, values, social norms, and (anticipated) behavior. The application of
the FS method is illustrated based on a showcase example in the realm of socially
responsible investments (SRIs). As the literature on the conceptualization of
FSs is limited, methodological challenges are addressed to guide B&S researchers
past the common methodological pitfalls.
author:
- first_name: Josua
full_name: Oll, Josua
last_name: Oll
- first_name: Rüdiger
full_name: Hahn, Rüdiger
last_name: Hahn
- first_name: Daniel
full_name: Reimsbach, Daniel
id: '100169'
last_name: Reimsbach
- first_name: Peter
full_name: Kotzian, Peter
last_name: Kotzian
citation:
ama: 'Oll J, Hahn R, Reimsbach D, Kotzian P. Tackling Complexity in Business and
Society Research: The Methodological and Thematic Potential of Factorial Surveys.
Business & Society. 2016;57(1):26-59. doi:10.1177/0007650316645337'
apa: 'Oll, J., Hahn, R., Reimsbach, D., & Kotzian, P. (2016). Tackling Complexity
in Business and Society Research: The Methodological and Thematic Potential of
Factorial Surveys. Business & Society, 57(1), 26–59. https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650316645337'
bibtex: '@article{Oll_Hahn_Reimsbach_Kotzian_2016, title={Tackling Complexity in
Business and Society Research: The Methodological and Thematic Potential of Factorial
Surveys}, volume={57}, DOI={10.1177/0007650316645337},
number={1}, journal={Business & Society}, publisher={SAGE Publications},
author={Oll, Josua and Hahn, Rüdiger and Reimsbach, Daniel and Kotzian, Peter},
year={2016}, pages={26–59} }'
chicago: 'Oll, Josua, Rüdiger Hahn, Daniel Reimsbach, and Peter Kotzian. “Tackling
Complexity in Business and Society Research: The Methodological and Thematic Potential
of Factorial Surveys.” Business & Society 57, no. 1 (2016): 26–59.
https://doi.org/10.1177/0007650316645337.'
ieee: 'J. Oll, R. Hahn, D. Reimsbach, and P. Kotzian, “Tackling Complexity in Business
and Society Research: The Methodological and Thematic Potential of Factorial Surveys,”
Business & Society, vol. 57, no. 1, pp. 26–59, 2016, doi: 10.1177/0007650316645337.'
mla: 'Oll, Josua, et al. “Tackling Complexity in Business and Society Research:
The Methodological and Thematic Potential of Factorial Surveys.” Business &
Society, vol. 57, no. 1, SAGE Publications, 2016, pp. 26–59, doi:10.1177/0007650316645337.'
short: J. Oll, R. Hahn, D. Reimsbach, P. Kotzian, Business & Society 57
(2016) 26–59.
date_created: 2023-10-10T09:19:10Z
date_updated: 2023-10-30T11:37:08Z
department:
- _id: '186'
- _id: '815'
doi: 10.1177/0007650316645337
intvolume: ' 57'
issue: '1'
keyword:
- Social Sciences (miscellaneous)
- Business
- Management and Accounting (miscellaneous)
language:
- iso: eng
page: 26-59
publication: Business & Society
publication_identifier:
issn:
- 0007-6503
- 1552-4205
publication_status: published
publisher: SAGE Publications
status: public
title: 'Tackling Complexity in Business and Society Research: The Methodological and
Thematic Potential of Factorial Surveys'
type: journal_article
user_id: '21810'
volume: 57
year: '2016'
...