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Legitimacy-Seeking Organizational Strategies in Controversial Industries: A Case Study Analysis and a Bidimensional Model

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Abstract

Controversial industry sectors, such as alcohol, gambling, and tobacco, though long-established, suffer organizational legitimacy problems. The authors consider various strategies used to seek organizational legitimacy in the U.K. casino gambling market. The findings are based on a detailed, multistakeholder case study pertaining to a failed bid for a regional supercasino. They suggest four generic strategies for seeking organizational legitimacy in this highly complex context: construing, earning, bargaining, and capturing, as well as pathways that combine these strategies. The case analysis and proposed bidimensional model of generic legitimacy-seeking strategies contribute to limited literature on organizational legitimacy in controversial industry sectors. In addition, beyond organizations active in controversial contexts, this study and its implications are useful for individuals and organizations supporting or opposing the organizational legitimacy of organizations in controversial industries.

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Acknowledgments

Alex Michalos served as editor for this article.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Bradford University School of Management, Emm Lane, Bradford, West Yorkshire, BD9 4JL, UK

    Jon Reast

  2. IESEG School of Management (LEM-CNRS), 3 rue de la Digue, 59000, Lille, France

    François Maon

  3. University of Cardiff, Aberconway Building, Colum Drive, Cardiff, CF10 3EU, UK

    Adam Lindgreen

  4. EDHEC Business School, 24 Avenue Gustave Delory, CS 50411, 59057, Roubaix Cedex 1, France

    Joëlle Vanhamme

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  1. Jon Reast
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  2. François Maon
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  4. Joëlle Vanhamme
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Correspondence to Adam Lindgreen.

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Reast, J., Maon, F., Lindgreen, A. et al. Legitimacy-Seeking Organizational Strategies in Controversial Industries: A Case Study Analysis and a Bidimensional Model. J Bus Ethics 118, 139–153 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10551-012-1571-4

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