Best of CASE District IV Award
 

Institution: Rice University

Title of entry: Falling Stars

About this entry: As a business school, we continually watch trends in business and rely upon our expert faculty and alumni to weigh in. One aspect of business is that —no matter who you are, or what you represent—your organization is one social media post away from a reputational crisis. In "Falling Stars," writer Scott Pett focuses on the rise and fall of a well-known controversy, Toyota, and exposes the inaccuracies in the media and consumer commentary that followed. "In at least one important way, the recall crisis was emblematic of a fast-paced culture with an appetite for fall-from-grace narratives," Pett writes. "Toyota’s perceived technical issue evolved very quickly into a debate about company character."

Our goal with the magazine is to highlight our alumni, students, and faculty and share their expertise. But more than that, we want to give readers news, stories and insight that they can apply in their own business practice. What Pett reveals through faculty research—and a case study that spans years—is that it's possible to future-proof your company's reputation. The secret is to prioritize high and consistent customer satisfaction. The research also has a lesson for customers themselves: "The panics we observe on a screen are not always panics in truth." And even if they are, it's important to reflect on how we respond.