Stigma

A stigma is a label that evokes a collective stakeholder-specific perception that an organization possesses a fundamental, deep-seated flaw that de-individuates and discredits the organization. Recent growing awareness of the ubiquity and persistence of organizational stigma as a part of organizational life has led to increased attention to it and to how organizations and stakeholder audiences negotiate that stigma. Furthermore, as this attention has increased, insights have been gained about a broader range of organizational phenomena such as boundary management and investment portfolios, which might have been overlooked otherwise. These discoveries have reinforced the importance of an awareness of organizational stigma not only for itself but also for a greater understanding of the fullest range of organizational life. This entry further defines organizational stigma and ...