Startups, Corporate Reputation of

Startups, or new ventures, are entrepreneurial firms at the beginning stages of their organizational life cycles. They are newly formed organizations usually focused on the research and development of specific products and services. The corporate reputation focus and strategies of startups differ from those of more established, larger firms; rather than maintaining and improving existing reputations, these startups more often are building their reputations from the ground up.

For startups, a positive reputation is built on credibility and legitimacy. Startups often face the challenge of establishing their legitimacy and convincing external audiences of their credibility. These new ventures are at a disadvantage when it comes to the issue of legitimacy and credibility because they are often unable to provide evidence of their reliability, trustworthiness, and competitiveness. ...