Understanding where policies and decisions can go wrong: Utilising a 360 analysis model as a proactive reputation management strategy

Abstract

An organisation’s reputation is its most relevant asset. The perceptions of the various audiences with which an organisation interacts both directly and indirectly can enhance or destroy that reputation. Due to the critical role these audiences play in an organisation’s reputation, they should be actively considered as a part of an organisation’s reputation management strategy. This paper introduces the 360 analysis model, which considers the benefits, detriments and potential fallout in regard to different audiences when creating policy or making important organisational decisions. The model’s goal is to foster well-considered policy and decisions that proactively protect an organisation’s reputation. The model is also designed to be used as a research construct that can be utilised in the expansion of the reputation management literature in regard to heterogeneity and dynamics within and across audiences that can have an impact on an organisation’s reputation.