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Forgetting Corporate Irresponsibility: The Role of Corporate Political Activities and Stakeholder Characteristics

Author

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  • Nilufer Yapici

    (Middle East Technical University)

  • Ratan J. S. Dheer

    (Eastern Michigan University)

Abstract

Corporate social irresponsibility continues despite institutional pressures for socially responsible behavior, resulting in disasters like the Kalamazoo River Oil Spill and the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill. We conduct an in-depth abductive analysis of the Kalamazoo River Oil Spill to explain factors that enable corporate forgetting work projects. Specifically, we illustrate how a corporation’s political activities allow it to gain the power to suppress its mnemonic community’s voices, thereby attenuating an irresponsible event’s memory from the minds of its stakeholders, protecting its image, and maintaining legitimacy in the shareholder and state’s eyes. We also highlight how the remembrance and forgetting of an irresponsible incident diverges between stakeholders based on their characteristics, future goals, and aspirations and whether they directly suffered from the disaster. Our research makes notable contributions to forgetting work literature by highlighting the importance of corporate political activities and context on the success of corporate forgetting work projects.

Suggested Citation

  • Nilufer Yapici & Ratan J. S. Dheer, 2024. "Forgetting Corporate Irresponsibility: The Role of Corporate Political Activities and Stakeholder Characteristics," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 191(1), pages 29-57, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:kap:jbuset:v:191:y:2024:i:1:d:10.1007_s10551-023-05482-1
    DOI: 10.1007/s10551-023-05482-1
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    References listed on IDEAS

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