No organization is an island: How crisis history, temporal distance and response strategy influence organizational reputation in spillover crises (2026)

Crises at one organization can spill over and harm the reputations of others. This study examined how crisis similarity, timing and response strategies shape stakeholder perceptions in such situations. Using an experimental design, the authors find that crises farther in the past reduce perceived responsibility and negative emotions, improving reputation, and that organizations with similar crisis histories may benefit when blame is diffused across an industry.