ABSTRACT
In a small, high-trust country like Denmark with traditions of egalitarianism, participative management, and social-democratic politics, the corporate quest for social legitimacy has been tame (Greeness, 2003; cf. Hofsteede, 1994; Inglehart, Basanez, & Moreno, 1998). While Danish companies have always been concerned about the public’s perceptions of them, historically they have not been exposed to the same criticism, skepticism, and anticorporate activism as companies in the United States (Marchand, 1998). The Danes generally trust corporations and their managers (Bibb & Kourdi, 2004, p. 11) and Danish companies have not had the urge to indulge in conspicuous corporate self-celebration. Only recently has corporate reputation become a key feature of Danish companies’ strategic management; in the wake of globalization, Danish companies have realized the strategic importance of standing out from competitors and sensed the need to change from implicit, subtle communication to explicit, articulated communication strategies (Morsing & Beckmann, 2006).
