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Presentational Change Caused by Crises in Annual Reports: A Critical Discourse Analysis Based on the Case of Abercrombie & Fitch

Lorenz, Anna LU (2020) SKOM12 20201
Department of Strategic Communication
Abstract (Swedish)
This thesis is using the example of Abercrombie & Fitch’s handling of presentational change caused by a crisis in annual reports. The company was accused to discriminate employees and customers on grounds of distinction of human beings, their appearance and ethnic backgrounds. Fairclough’s approach of critical discourse analysis is used as a theoretical and methodological framework to uncover how companies are using language and words in annual reports to maintain stakeholders interest in times of crises. Four annual reports of Abercrombie & Fitch from 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 are used to understand the phenomenon. Research questions that guide this thesis are called: How is Abercrombie & Fitch using annual reports to communicate... (More)
This thesis is using the example of Abercrombie & Fitch’s handling of presentational change caused by a crisis in annual reports. The company was accused to discriminate employees and customers on grounds of distinction of human beings, their appearance and ethnic backgrounds. Fairclough’s approach of critical discourse analysis is used as a theoretical and methodological framework to uncover how companies are using language and words in annual reports to maintain stakeholders interest in times of crises. Four annual reports of Abercrombie & Fitch from 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 are used to understand the phenomenon. Research questions that guide this thesis are called: How is Abercrombie & Fitch using annual reports to communicate presentational change which is caused by criticism in a beneficial way in order to maintain the stakeholders’ interest? How is the company changing its presentation over time? How is A&F persuading stakeholders of a certain belief?
Discourse in annual reports actively contribute to the knowledge for stakeholders and the field of strategic communication to understand that companies use their power position through language and words to distract from crises (and presentational change) while persuading stakeholders in a beneficial way. However, as companies depend on stakeholders, those on the other hand carry out their own position of power. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
Lorenz, Anna LU
supervisor
organization
course
SKOM12 20201
year
type
H2 - Master's Degree (Two Years)
subject
keywords
Crisis Communication, Presentational Change, Annual Reports, Critical Discourse Analysis, Strategic Communication. Power Relations
language
English
id
9027524
date added to LUP
2021-02-01 09:11:50
date last changed
2021-02-01 09:11:50
@misc{9027524,
  abstract     = {{This thesis is using the example of Abercrombie & Fitch’s handling of presentational change caused by a crisis in annual reports. The company was accused to discriminate employees and customers on grounds of distinction of human beings, their appearance and ethnic backgrounds. Fairclough’s approach of critical discourse analysis is used as a theoretical and methodological framework to uncover how companies are using language and words in annual reports to maintain stakeholders interest in times of crises. Four annual reports of Abercrombie & Fitch from 2007, 2011, 2015 and 2019 are used to understand the phenomenon. Research questions that guide this thesis are called: How is Abercrombie & Fitch using annual reports to communicate presentational change which is caused by criticism in a beneficial way in order to maintain the stakeholders’ interest? How is the company changing its presentation over time? How is A&F persuading stakeholders of a certain belief?
Discourse in annual reports actively contribute to the knowledge for stakeholders and the field of strategic communication to understand that companies use their power position through language and words to distract from crises (and presentational change) while persuading stakeholders in a beneficial way. However, as companies depend on stakeholders, those on the other hand carry out their own position of power.}},
  author       = {{Lorenz, Anna}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{Presentational Change Caused by Crises in Annual Reports: A Critical Discourse Analysis Based on the Case of Abercrombie & Fitch}},
  year         = {{2020}},
}