Impression management in a crisis: A conceptual framework of listed firms during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract

This study develops a conceptual framework for impression management for listed companies, targeting various financial information users during the COVID-19 pandemic. During the pandemic, many listed firms faced financial distress and limited in-person communication. Our framework is based on various communication categories and types, providing insights for managers to adjust impression management tactics, which affect emotions and induce cognitive biases in their targets that may impact their decision-making processes. Our research not only contributes to the existing literature pertaining to corporate impression management and crisis communication but also holds implications for future studies.