Salford Business School’s Lecturer in International Business, Dr Neetu Sharma, recently presented her co-authored research paper, ‘Bridging ESG, Financial Performance, and Social Media Influence: Unpacking Parent-Subsidiary Firms Dynamics for Sustainable Development’, at the 2025 Academy of Marketing Conference, held at University College Cork, Ireland. The paper was co-authored with Dr Amir Khan, Lecturer in Digital Marketing at Salford Business School.
The annual conference, which took place from 7- 10 July, centred around the theme Saints and Scholars, inviting academics to present research encompassing both the societal challenges marketers face and the role of researchers in navigating these diverse issues. Especially in the face of challenging societal issues, there was emphasis on the responsible, ethical and sustainable business practices and hence a renewed focus on the role of marketing within society.
About Neetu’s research
Neetu’s research explores the empirical relationship between a parent firm’s Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance and its subsidiaries’ social media coverage (SMC). It sheds light on how multinational enterprises (MNEs) can use sustainability practices to enhance reputation, influence consumer attitudes, and build stronger relationships with stakeholders in local markets.
The study addresses a gap in existing literature by exploring the unique connection between social media coverage and ESG scores, offering fresh insight into how these factors shape positive consumer brand sentiment. It also examines the interplay between ESG performance, financial performance, and institutional distance between home and host countries, looking at how these factors influence brand sentiments on social media and contribute to enhancing brand reputation.
The core objectives of Neetu’s research are:
- To investigate the empirical relationship between ESG performance and social media coverage in parent-subsidiary context.
- To assess the moderating influence of institutional distance between home and host countries on the ESG-SMC relationship.
- To explore the impact of ESG performance on overall brand sentiments and vice-versa.
- To examine the relationship between financial performance and social media coverage of MNEs.
On her research presentation, Neetu commented: “Attending the 2025 Academy of Marketing Conference in Cork was an enriching academic experience and it gave me a valuable opportunity to connect with researchers from universities across the UK and other parts of the world .”
