Competitive Advantage

Corporate Reputations: Should You Compete on Yours?

Grahame Dowling


Abstract
While all companies would like a better corporate reputation, many are not sure what it takes to create a good reputation and others are not sure that they should use their good reputation to compete in their various markets. Mimicking the behavior of respected companies does not provide a reliable resolution to these dilemmas. This article presents a framework to help managers create a better corporate reputation for their organization and assist them in deciding whether to use this as a primary basis for competition. The article also exposes some of the main costs for an organization that decides to compete on its corporate reputation.

California Management Review

Published at Berkeley Haas for more than sixty years, California Management Review seeks to share knowledge that challenges convention and shows a better way of doing business.

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