Corporate Reputations: Should you compete on yours?

California Management Review

Volumn 46, Issue 3, 2004, Pages 19-36

  Dowling, Grahame R ^a  

^a Australian Graduate School of Management   (Australia)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 2942562019     PISSN: 00081256     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.2307/41166219     Document Type: Review

References (59)

1. Reporting on the feelings of U.S. investors, L. Collins, "A Matter of Trust," The Australian Financial Review, March 7, 2002, p. 57.
2. For example, see the Frontline television program "Bigger than Enron" at 〈www.pbs.org/frontline〉. See, also, L. Fox, Enron: The Rise and Fall (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2003).
3. For example, see the Frontline television program "Bigger than Enron" at 〈www.pbs.org/frontline〉. See, also, L. Fox, Enron: The Rise and Fall (Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons, 2003).
4. H. Wee, "Corporate Ethics: Right Makes Might," Business Week, April 11, 2002.
5. For example, see C. Fombrun, Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996); A.M. Weiss, E. Anderson, and D.J. MacInnis, "Reputation Management as a Motivation for Sales Structure Decisions," Journal of Marketing, 63/4 (1999): 74-89.
6. For example, see C. Fombrun, Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996); A.M. Weiss, E. Anderson, and D.J. MacInnis, "Reputation Management as a Motivation for Sales Structure Decisions," Journal of Marketing, 63/4 (1999): 74-89.
7. C.J. Fombrun and C.B.M. van Riel, Fame & Fortune (Upper Saddle River, NJ: FT Prentice Hall, 2004), chapter 1. Corporate reputation here can also be thought of as a super-belief about the organization. This halo effect or "constant error" was first discussed in E. L. Thorndike, "A Constant Error in Psychological Ratings," Journal of Applied Psychology, 4 (March 1920): 25-29.
8. C.J. Fombrun and C.B.M. van Riel, Fame & Fortune (Upper Saddle River, NJ: FT Prentice Hall, 2004), chapter 1. Corporate reputation here can also be thought of as a super-belief about the organization. This halo effect or "constant error" was first discussed in E. L. Thorndike, "A Constant Error in Psychological Ratings," Journal of Applied Psychology, 4 (March 1920): 25-29.
9. For a review of this work, see G.R. Dowling, "Measuring Corporate Images," Journal of Business Research, 17/1 (1988): 27-34.
10. For example, see J.T Balmer, ed., "Corporate Identity and Corporate Marketing," European Journal of Marketing, 35/3-4 (2001), special issue.
11. Often these literatures use the terms "corporate identity," "corporate image," and "corporate reputation" to refer essentially to the same construct. Examples are: D. Bernstein, Company Image & Reality (London: Cassell, 1984); W. Olins, Corporate Identity (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1989); C. van Riel, Principles of Corporate Communication (London: Prentice Hall, 1995); C. Fombrun, Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996); M. Schultz, M. Hatch, and M. Larsen, eds., The Expressive Organization: Linking Identity, Image and the Corporate Brand (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000); G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001); J. Larkin, Strategic Reputation Risk Management (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003).
12. Often these literatures use the terms "corporate identity," "corporate image," and "corporate reputation" to refer essentially to the same construct. Examples are: D. Bernstein, Company Image & Reality (London: Cassell, 1984); W. Olins, Corporate Identity (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1989); C. van Riel, Principles of Corporate Communication (London: Prentice Hall, 1995); C. Fombrun, Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996); M. Schultz, M. Hatch, and M. Larsen, eds., The Expressive Organization: Linking Identity, Image and the Corporate Brand (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000); G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001); J. Larkin, Strategic Reputation Risk Management (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003).
13. Often these literatures use the terms "corporate identity," "corporate image," and "corporate reputation" to refer essentially to the same construct. Examples are: D. Bernstein, Company Image & Reality (London: Cassell, 1984); W. Olins, Corporate Identity (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1989); C. van Riel, Principles of Corporate Communication (London: Prentice Hall, 1995); C. Fombrun, Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996); M. Schultz, M. Hatch, and M. Larsen, eds., The Expressive Organization: Linking Identity, Image and the Corporate Brand (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000); G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001); J. Larkin, Strategic Reputation Risk Management (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003).
14. Often these literatures use the terms "corporate identity," "corporate image," and "corporate reputation" to refer essentially to the same construct. Examples are: D. Bernstein, Company Image & Reality (London: Cassell, 1984); W. Olins, Corporate Identity (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1989); C. van Riel, Principles of Corporate Communication (London: Prentice Hall, 1995); C. Fombrun, Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996); M. Schultz, M. Hatch, and M. Larsen, eds., The Expressive Organization: Linking Identity, Image and the Corporate Brand (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000); G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001); J. Larkin, Strategic Reputation Risk Management (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003).
15. Often these literatures use the terms "corporate identity," "corporate image," and "corporate reputation" to refer essentially to the same construct. Examples are: D. Bernstein, Company Image & Reality (London: Cassell, 1984); W. Olins, Corporate Identity (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1989); C. van Riel, Principles of Corporate Communication (London: Prentice Hall, 1995); C. Fombrun, Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996); M. Schultz, M. Hatch, and M. Larsen, eds., The Expressive Organization: Linking Identity, Image and the Corporate Brand (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000); G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001); J. Larkin, Strategic Reputation Risk Management (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003).
16. Often these literatures use the terms "corporate identity," "corporate image," and "corporate reputation" to refer essentially to the same construct. Examples are: D. Bernstein, Company Image & Reality (London: Cassell, 1984); W. Olins, Corporate Identity (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1989); C. van Riel, Principles of Corporate Communication (London: Prentice Hall, 1995); C. Fombrun, Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996); M. Schultz, M. Hatch, and M. Larsen, eds., The Expressive Organization: Linking Identity, Image and the Corporate Brand (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000); G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001); J. Larkin, Strategic Reputation Risk Management (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003).
17. Often these literatures use the terms "corporate identity," "corporate image," and "corporate reputation" to refer essentially to the same construct. Examples are: D. Bernstein, Company Image & Reality (London: Cassell, 1984); W. Olins, Corporate Identity (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1989); C. van Riel, Principles of Corporate Communication (London: Prentice Hall, 1995); C. Fombrun, Reputation: Realizing Value from the Corporate Image (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996); M. Schultz, M. Hatch, and M. Larsen, eds., The Expressive Organization: Linking Identity, Image and the Corporate Brand (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000); G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001); J. Larkin, Strategic Reputation Risk Management (London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003).
18. G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001); P.A. Dacin and T.J. Brown, "Corporate Identity and Corporate Associations: A Framework for Future Research," Corporate Reputation Review, 5/2-3 (2002): 254-263; S. Sen and C.B. Bhattacharya, "Does Doing Good Always Lead to Doing Better? Consumer Reactions to Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Marketing Research, 38/2 (2001): 225-243.
19. G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001); P.A. Dacin and T.J. Brown, "Corporate Identity and Corporate Associations: A Framework for Future Research," Corporate Reputation Review, 5/2-3 (2002): 254-263; S. Sen and C.B. Bhattacharya, "Does Doing Good Always Lead to Doing Better? Consumer Reactions to Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Marketing Research, 38/2 (2001): 225-243.
20. G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001); P.A. Dacin and T.J. Brown, "Corporate Identity and Corporate Associations: A Framework for Future Research," Corporate Reputation Review, 5/2-3 (2002): 254-263; S. Sen and C.B. Bhattacharya, "Does Doing Good Always Lead to Doing Better? Consumer Reactions to Corporate Social Responsibility," Journal of Marketing Research, 38/2 (2001): 225-243.
21. This perspective on corporate reputations has been proposed by K. MacMillan, K.G. Money, and S. Downing, "Successful Business Relationships" Journal of General Management, 26/1 (2000): 69-83.
22. R.K. Srivastava, T.H. McInish, R.A. Wood, and A.J. Capraro, "The Value of Corporate Reputation: Evidence from the Equity Markets," Corporate Reputation Review, 1/1-2 (1997): 62-68; P.W. Roberts and G.R. Dowling, "Corporate Reputation and Sustained Superior Financial Performance," Strategic Management Journal, 23 (December 2002): 1077-1093; J.M. de la Fuente Sabate and E. de Quevedo Puente, "Empirical Analysis of the Relationship Between Corporate Reputation and Financial Performance: A Survey of the Literature," Corporate Reputation Review, 6/2 (2003): 161-177.
23. R.K. Srivastava, T.H. McInish, R.A. Wood, and A.J. Capraro, "The Value of Corporate Reputation: Evidence from the Equity Markets," Corporate Reputation Review, 1/1-2 (1997): 62-68; P.W. Roberts and G.R. Dowling, "Corporate Reputation and Sustained Superior Financial Performance," Strategic Management Journal, 23 (December 2002): 1077-1093; J.M. de la Fuente Sabate and E. de Quevedo Puente, "Empirical Analysis of the Relationship Between Corporate Reputation and Financial Performance: A Survey of the Literature," Corporate Reputation Review, 6/2 (2003): 161-177.
24. R.K. Srivastava, T.H. McInish, R.A. Wood, and A.J. Capraro, "The Value of Corporate Reputation: Evidence from the Equity Markets," Corporate Reputation Review, 1/1-2 (1997): 62-68; P.W. Roberts and G.R. Dowling, "Corporate Reputation and Sustained Superior Financial Performance," Strategic Management Journal, 23 (December 2002): 1077-1093; J.M. de la Fuente Sabate and E. de Quevedo Puente, "Empirical Analysis of the Relationship Between Corporate Reputation and Financial Performance: A Survey of the Literature," Corporate Reputation Review, 6/2 (2003): 161-177.
25. M. Gladwell, "The Talent Myth," The New Yorker, July 22, 2002.
26. See, for example, J.E. Russo and P.H. Schoemaker, Decision Traps (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1989), chapter 4; M.H. Bazerman, G. Loewenstein, and D.A. Moore, "Why Good Accountants Do Bad Audits," Harvard Business Review, 80/11 (November 2002): 97-102.
27. See, for example, J.E. Russo and P.H. Schoemaker, Decision Traps (New York, NY: Simon & Schuster, 1989), chapter 4; M.H. Bazerman, G. Loewenstein, and D.A. Moore, "Why Good Accountants Do Bad Audits," Harvard Business Review, 80/11 (November 2002): 97-102.
28. A.L. Elliot and R.J. Schroth, How Companies Lie (London: Nicholas Brealey Publishing, 2002).
29. For an analysis of the corporate slogans that reflect the corporate brand value proposition see G.R. Dowling and B. Kabanoff, "Computer Aided Content Analysis: What Do 240 Advertising Slogans Have in Common," Marketing Letters, 7/1 (1996): 63-75.
30. M. McNamee with A. Borrus and C. Palmeri, "Out of Control at Enron," Business Week, April 8, 2002, pp. 74-75.
31. J. Larkin, Strategic Reputation Risk Management (New York, NY: Palgrave Macmillan, 2003).
32. R.S. Kaplan and D.P. Norton, The Balanced Scorecard (Boston, MA: Harvard Business School Press, 1996).
33. J. Elkington, The Chrysalis Economy (Oxford: Capstone, 2001).
34. S. Kerr, "On the Folly of Rewarding A, While Hoping for B," Academy of Management Journal, 18/4 (1975): 769-783.
35. Responding to the Leadership Challenge: Findings of a CEO Survey on Global Corporate Citizenship, World Economic Forum, 2003.
36. D.A. Aaker and E. Joachimsthaler, "The Brand Relationship Spectrum: The Key to the Brand Architecture Challenge," California Management Review, 42/4 (Summer 2000): 8-23.
37. Roberts and Dowling, op. cit.
38. Aaker and Joachimsthaler, op. cit.
39. See, for example, C.J. Fombrun and M. Shanley, "What's in a Name? Reputation Building and Corporate Strategy," Strategic Management Journal, 33/2 (1990): 233-258.
40. S. Lubove, "Get 'em Before They Get You," Forbes, July 31, 1995, pp. 88-90.
41. P. Milgrom and J. Roberts, Economics, Organization & Management (Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1992), pp. 259-269.
42. J.M.T. Balmer, "Corporate Identity and the Advent of Corporate Marketing," Journal of Marketing Management, 14 (1998): 963-996.
43. P. Nelson, "Information and Consumer Behavior," Journal of Political Economy, 78 (1970): 311-329.
44. M. Collins, V. Beal, and P. Barwise, "Channel Use Among Multi-channel Viewers," The R&D Initiative, Research Report 15, March 2003, accessed at 〈www.marketingoracle.com〉.
45. J. Samuelson and B. Birchard, "The Voice of the Stakeholder," strategy + business, 32 (Fall 2003): 97-105.
46. J.R. Rossiter and L. Percy, Advertising Communications & Promotion Management (New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, 1997), chapter 9.
47. See 〈www.altria.com/responsibility〉, accessed December 24, 2003.
48. For a description of Chevron's "People Do" corporate reputation advertising campaign, see G.R. Dowling, Creating Corporate Reputations (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001), pp. 151-160.
49. C.J. Fombrun and V.P. Rindova, "The Road to Transparency: Reputation Management at Royal/Dutch Shell," in M. Schultz, M.J. Hatch, and M.H. Larsen, eds., The Expressive Organization (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000), pp. 77-96.
50. See, for example, "The Shell Report - People, Planet and Profits," 〈www.shell.com〉; Fombrun and Rindova, op. cit.
51. See, for example, "The Shell Report - People, Planet and Profits," 〈www.shell.com〉; Fombrun and Rindova, op. cit.
52. G.R. Dowling and M. Uncles, "Do Customer Loyalty Programs Really Work?" Sloan Management Review, 38/4 (1997): 71-82.
53. Larkin (2003) op. cit.
54. Rossiter and Percy (1997), chapter 9, op. cit.
55. I b i d.
56. S. Webley, "Why Having a Code of Business Ethics Is Not Enough," Reputation Impact, 10 (September 2002): 14-15.
57. J.A. Conger, E.E. Lawler, and D.L. Finegold, Corporate Boards (San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass, 2001), pp. 146-150.
58. G.R. Bowling and S. Sheather, "Marketing Business Schools with the Help of the Rankings: A Sensible Strategy for Some, But Dangerous for Most," working paper, Australian Graduate School of Management, 2002; C.E. Fee, C.J. Hadlock, and J.R. Price, "Business School Rankings and Business School Deans," working paper found at 〈http://nebula.bus.msu.edu:8080/ feehadlock〉.
59. G.R. Bowling and S. Sheather, "Marketing Business Schools with the Help of the Rankings: A Sensible Strategy for Some, But Dangerous for Most," working paper, Australian Graduate School of Management, 2002; C.E. Fee, C.J. Hadlock, and J.R. Price, "Business School Rankings and Business School Deans," working paper found at 〈http://nebula.bus.msu.edu:8080/ feehadlock〉.