Relating Word-of-Mouth to Corporate Reputation

Williams, M; Buttle, F; Biggemann, S

Relating Word-of-Mouth to Corporate Reputation

Williams, M

Buttle, F Biggemann, S

Permalink

Publisher:: University of Technology Sydney
Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Public Communication Review, 2012, 2 (2), pp. 3 - 16
Issue Date:: 2012-01

Closed Access

	Filename	Description	Size
	2012003022OK.pdf	Published Version	370.37 kB	Adobe PDF	View/Open

Copyright Clearance Process

Recently Added
In Progress
Closed Access

This item is closed access and not available.

Full metadata record

Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Williams, M https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4553-1820	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Buttle, F	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Biggemann, S	en_US
dc.date.issued	2012-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Public Communication Review, 2012, 2 (2), pp. 3 - 16	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1837-0667	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/31757
dc.description.abstract	This paper explores the relationship between customer-generated word-of-mouth (WOM) and corporate reputation. After a concise literature review, we present several insights from case study analysis of three organizations. Our main finding is that customer dissatisfaction and negative word-of-mouth (NWOM) are thought to have strong downside consequences for corporate reputation. Yet, positive WOM does not appear to have equivalent upside significance for corporate reputation. NWOM often occurs as customers express dissatisfaction because of substandard customer service. However, it is when these issues or other negatively connoted stories find their way into the public domain with the potential of wider electronic WOM spread through the Internet that reputation suffers. Fear of reputational damage causes great anxiety to the organizations' senior management. Reputations are shown to be fragile. Damage limitation strategies are implemented in all three organisations.	en_US
dc.publisher	University of Technology Sydney	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Public Communication Review	en_US
dc.title	Relating Word-of-Mouth to Corporate Reputation	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	2	en_US
utslib.for	2001 Communication and Media Studies	en_US
utslib.for	1505 Marketing	en_US
utslib.for	1902 Film, Television and Digital Media	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences/Public Communication Program
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.consider-herdc	true	en_US
pubs.issue	2	en_US
pubs.volume	2	en_US

Abstract:

This paper explores the relationship between customer-generated word-of-mouth (WOM) and corporate reputation. After a concise literature review, we present several insights from case study analysis of three organizations. Our main finding is that customer dissatisfaction and negative word-of-mouth (NWOM) are thought to have strong downside consequences for corporate reputation. Yet, positive WOM does not appear to have equivalent upside significance for corporate reputation. NWOM often occurs as customers express dissatisfaction because of substandard customer service. However, it is when these issues or other negatively connoted stories find their way into the public domain with the potential of wider electronic WOM spread through the Internet that reputation suffers. Fear of reputational damage causes great anxiety to the organizations' senior management. Reputations are shown to be fragile. Damage limitation strategies are implemented in all three organisations.

Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:

http://hdl.handle.net/10453/31757