DOI

10.1016/j.bushor.2013.05.001

Abstract

Even the best stakeholder-managed firms can suffer when they become the targets of a secondary boycott, as recent headlines attest. A secondary boycott is a group’s refusal to engage a target firm with which the group has no direct dispute in an attempt to sway public opinion, draw attention to an issue, or influence the actions of a disputant. This article provides a new perspective and tools for both scholars and managers concerned with this phenomenon. Building on a stakeholder theory foundation, we examine possible actions managers can take to avoid being surprised by a secondary boycott, propose conditions that raise the probability of becoming the target of a secondary boycott, and develop four alternative approaches for managing stakeholder relationships in a world of secondary boycotts, consistent with the underlying stakeholder culture of the firm.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

8-2013

Publisher Statement

Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. DOI: 10.1016/j.bushor.2013.05.001.

The definitive version is available at: http://ac.els-cdn.com/S0007681313000694/1-s2.0-S0007681313000694-main.pdf?_tid=c25d856c-0db4-11e4-8b66-00000aacb35f&acdnat=1405603253_c7f36c14418acea73f453c74d034086b

Full citation:

Schrempf-Stirling, Judith, Douglas A. Bosse, and Jeffrey S. Harrison. "Anticipating, Preventing, and Surviving Secondary Boycotts." Business Horizons 56, no. 5 (September/October 2013): 573-82. doi:10.1016/j.bushor.2013.05.001.

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