Self-defence against carbon footprint evidence: How employees of destination management and marketing organisations cope with conflicting environmental and economic data

Abstract

We use motivational theories of self-defence to explain how employees of destination management and marketing organisations experience carbon footprint data as a threat. A three-stage study, with a total of 186 employees of destination management and marketing organisations, shows few instances of consonant evaluation of sustainability data that lead to conceptual or instrumental use of indicators. Instead, dissonant cognitive evaluations result in the symbolic engagement and misuse of data to justify previous decisions, promote incremental change and delay sustainability actions. Greater levels of identification with the industry explain cognitive dissonance resulting in moral disengagement, through advantageous comparison, moral justification, and the downplaying, discrediting and disregarding of data.