Beyond Myth and Ceremony?: An Examination of Corporate Responses to Climate Change.

Abstract

The focus of this dissertation is on corporate responses to climate change. Using three empirical studies, I examine the gap in corporate words and actions when it comes to addressing climate change through three empirical studies. The first study uses critical theory to analyze how firms decouple climate change discourse and actions through an examination of Environmental Protection Agency Climate Leaders participants. The second study uses textual analysis of sustainability reports to examine the underlying logics of corporations addressing climate change. Finally, I present an ethnographic and historical case study of Ford Motor Company and their journey from symbolic to substantive climate change response to better understand the mechanisms and tensions underlying such change. Throughout the three chapters, the themes of opportunity and belief in the science of climate change stand out as important motivating factors driving substantive corporate response to the issue.