“Integrated reporting is like God: no one has met Him, but everybody talks about Him”: The power of myths in the adoption of management innovations

摘要: The purpose of this paper is to analyze the process through which an International Integrated Reporting Council (IIRC) pilot company adopted “integrated reporting” (IR), a management innovation that merges financial and non-financial reporting.,A seven-year longitudinal ethnographic study based on semi-structured interviews, observations, documentary evidence used multinational company’s IR adoption from its decision become IIRC organization publication first integrated report.,Findings demonstrate envisioned as “rational myth” (Hatchuel, 1998; Hatchuel Weil, 1992). This conceptualization acted springboard for adoption, with mythical dimension residing in promise had potential portray global performance light own foundational myth. challenged vision suggested by stay true eventually chose implement version report.,The enriches previous research innovations showing how important it organizations acknowledge they pursue support their processes. These findings, suggest myths can play productive role transforming business (reporting) practices. Some transition conditions make transformation possible are identified implications these results future IR, sustainability, accounting more broadly discussed.