University of Twente Student Theses
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The Dynamics of Employee-Led Climate Activism and Corporate Response in Big Tech : A Media-Based Case Study of Amazon
Suciu, Sonia-Maria (2025) The Dynamics of Employee-Led Climate Activism and Corporate Response in Big Tech : A Media-Based Case Study of Amazon.
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| Abstract: | Employee-led climate activism has become an increasingly influential force within corporations, especially in the Big Tech sector. While prior research studied employee activism as isolated events, how these movements evolve over time and interact dynamically with corporate response is still underexplored. The present thesis aims to address this gap by analysing the longitudinal interaction between employee activism and corporate response, using Amazon as a case study. Focusing on Amazon Employees for Climate Justice, events from 2018 till late 2024 will be traced. Using a qualitative case study approach and implementing the Gioia methodology, 101 media articles were dissected and coded to map cyclical patterns of activism and response. The findings reflect a dynamic feedback loop, where employee activism progresses from internal mobilization to public protests and media engagement, while Amazon’s response cycles between defensive framing, symbolic or partially substantive concessions and retaliation. These interactions are then further shaped by external actors, such as the media, NGOs and regulators. This thesis provides an empirically grounded processual framework to better understand employee activism and corporate response interactions over time, providing practical insights for both activists and organizations, as well as policymakers, to navigate climate accountability within large corporations. |
| Item Type: | Essay (Bachelor) |
| Faculty: | BMS: Behavioural, Management and Social Sciences |
| Subject: | 85 business administration, organizational science |
| Programme: | International Business Administration BSc (50952) |
| Link to this item: | https://purl.utwente.nl/essays/106779 |
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