If Zuckerberg’s Earnings Call Vagueness Was a Strategy, Investors Didn’t Like It
Plus, Jamie Dimon leaves the board presentations to his lieutenants.
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A recent study of more than 69,000 earnings calls shows that CEOs make more promises in moments when they need to build legitimacy, and pull back on pledges in uncertain environments. In the latter scenario, executives employ what the researchers call “strategic ambiguity,” offering noticeably fuzzier details on timelines or other commitments in order to preserve their flexibility, and possibly save face later on.