Text mining analysis of retail and consumer service leaders' sustainability narratives: Are they actually true?

Ananya Hadadi Raghavendra, Pradip Kumar Bala and Arindam Mukherjee

Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, 2024, vol. 80, issue C

Abstract: This study investigates the relationship between the sustainability narratives of retail and consumer services leaders and their actual sustainability practices, with a focus on the impact of these narratives on consumer perceptions and engagement. Firm-generated content (FGC) has become a significant factor influencing consumer reactions, especially in the context of sustainability claims within the retail and consumer services sectors. Our research examines the alignment of linguistic and communicative elements in sustainability communications with the actual sustainability performance of companies employing a multifaceted analytical approach including content/theme analysis, sentiment analysis, emotion detection, and readability assessments. The findings reveal that thematic content related to sustainability, emotional engagement strategies, and the clarity of communication are shown to play vital roles in enhancing consumer trust and engagement with retail and consumer services firms. Moreover, readability and polarity are critical in shaping consumer perceptions of authenticity and reliability in sustainability narratives. The study underscores the importance of transparency and authenticity in sustainability communications, demonstrating that effective messaging can significantly influence consumer engagement with retail and consumer services firms. By bridging the gap between sustainability narratives and actual practices, the research contributes to a deeper understanding of strategic communication's role in fostering sustainable consumer behavior and trust in the retail and consumer services sector.

Keywords: Retail and consumer services; Sustainability communications; Firm-generated content (FGC); Consumer; Leadership narratives (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2024
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:joreco:v:80:y:2024:i:c:s0969698924002170

DOI: 10.1016/j.jretconser.2024.103921

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