The DOI matches its Crossref record; 49 of the 50 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Certifications and Reputation: Determining the Standard of Desirability Amidst Uncertainty
Abstract
We develop a theory that examines how a particular type of third-party quality signal, certifications, influences an actor's long-term reputation by addressing two different types of uncertainty. The first type deals with the degree to which the capabilities of an actor can be inferred over time based on known performance dimensions. We label this technical uncertainty. The second type deals with assessing whether the perceived capabilities of the actor meet the standard of desirability, which we call performance standard uncertainty. We propose and test that certifications will positively influence the long-term reputation of actors in situations that involve minimal technical uncertainty, and that, across levels of technical performance, certifications will have an inverted U-shaped relationship with assessments of actors such that certifications will have the greatest impact on assessments of actors who are close to the uncertain standard of desirability. We test our hypotheses in the context of the voting for Major League Baseball's Hall of Fame, an environment where comprehensive technical performance measures leave little technical uncertainty. Our results support our hypotheses and suggest that certifications can influence an actor's reputation by reducing performance standard uncertainty rather than just technical uncertainty, as previously presumed.
Overview
Integrity signals
Registry
Cites
Statistics
Verification
Claims the paper makes
Claims other papers make about this one
Each is checked against this paper’s own text: does it say what the citing paper says it does?
In the citing paper
“The fact that firms are ranked according to their final scores does not preclude the DJSI from being considered a certification.”
From Strategic Silence: Withholding Certification Status as a Hypocrisy Avoidance Tactic (2018) · cites this paper as Graffin and Ward (2010: 332)
Citations
Cites
Prospect Theory: An Analysis of Decision under Risk
Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979) · Econometrica · doi:10.2307/1914185 · Cited by 48,524
Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk
Kahneman, D. J., & Tversky, A. (1988) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/cbo9780511609220.014 · Cited by 32,720
A theory of social comparison processes
Festinger, L. (1954) · Human Relations · doi:10.1177/001872675400700202 · Cited by 20,926
Gioia, D. A., Mehra, A., & Weick, K. E. (1996) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.2307/259169 · Cited by 15,616
The Social Psychology of Organizations.
Hackman, J. R., Katz, D., & Kahn, R. L. (1979) · Administrative Science Quarterly · doi:10.2307/2989929 · Cited by 12,243
(1969) · Virtual Defense Library (Ministerio de Defensa) · Cited by 10,735
Regression Diagnostics: Identifying Influential Data and Sources of Collinearity
Belsley, D. A., Kuh, E., & Welsch, R. E. (1980) · Wiley Series in Probability and Statistics · doi:10.1002/0471725153 · Cited by 7,297
Regression Diagnostics -- Identifying Influential Data and Sources of Collinearity
Beaumont, C. D., Belsley, D. A., Kuh, E., & Welsch, R. E. (1981) · Journal of the Operational Research Society · doi:10.2307/2581267 · Cited by 6,362
WHAT'S IN A NAME? REPUTATION BUILDING AND CORPORATE STRATEGY.
Fombrun, C. J., & Shanley, M. T. (1990) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.2307/256324 · Cited by 5,429
(1996) · Medical Entomology and Zoology · Cited by 2,621
Research works printed but not linked: 7
- Cohen J., 2003, Applied Multiple Regression/Correlation Analysis for the Behavior Sciences
- Frick F. C., 1973, Games, Asterisks, & People: Memoirs of a Lucky Fan
- Lederer R., 2004, Baseball Analysts
- McConnell B., 2003, Baseball Res. J.
- Podolny J. M., 2005, Status Signals
- Thompson J. D., 1967, Organizations in Action
- Uzumeri M., 1997, Acad. Management Executive, 11, 21
Cited by
Sorted by citations
Wijen, F. (2014) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.2012.0218 · Cited by 459
Strategic Silence: Withholding Certification Status as a Hypocrisy Avoidance Tactic
Carlos, W. C., & Lewis, B. W. (2018) · Administrative Science Quarterly · doi:10.1177/0001839217695089 · Cited by 393
CEO Dismissal: The role of investment analysts
Wiersema, M. F., & Zhang, Y. (2011) · Strategic Management Journal · doi:10.1002/smj.932 · Cited by 368
Studying Choice and Change: The Intersection of Institutional Theory and Entrepreneurship Research
Tolbert, P. S., David, R. J., & Sine, W. (2010) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.1100.0601 · Cited by 345
Signaling by early stage startups: US government research grants and venture capital funding
Islam, M., Fremeth, A. R., & Marcus, A. A. (2017) · Journal of Business Venturing · doi:10.1016/j.jbusvent.2017.10.001 · Cited by 283
Dineen, B. R., & Allen, D. G. (2015) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.5465/amj.2013.1091 · Cited by 222
Cheap talk? Strategy presentations as a form of chief executive officer impression management
Whittington, R., Yakis‐Douglas, B., & Ahn, K. (2015) · Strategic Management Journal · doi:10.1002/smj.2482 · Cited by 171
Examining CEO succession and the role of heuristics in early‐stage CEO evaluation
Graffin, S. D., Boivie, S., & Carpenter, M. A. (2012) · Strategic Management Journal · doi:10.1002/smj.2019 · Cited by 163
Self-citationNavis, C., & Ozbek, O. V. (2015) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.2013.0175 · Cited by 160
Balzarova, M. A., & Castka, P. (2012) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-012-1206-9 · Cited by 145
Risi, D., & Wickert, C. M. J. (2016) · Journal of Management Studies · doi:10.1111/joms.12244 · Cited by 139
Arocena, P., Orcos, R., & Zouaghi, F. (2020) · Business Strategy and the Environment · doi:10.1002/bse.2663 · Cited by 149
The Selection and Nurturing Effects of Corporate Investors on New Venture Innovativeness
Park, H. D., & Steensma, H. K. (2013) · Strategic Entrepreneurship Journal · doi:10.1002/sej.1165 · Cited by 130
Rindova, V., Martins, L. L., Srinivas, S. B., & Chandler, D. (2017) · Journal of Management · doi:10.1177/0149206317741962 · Cited by 122
Governance of Eco-Labels: Expert Opinion and Media Coverage
Castka, P., & Corbett, C. J. (2014) · Journal of Business Ethics · doi:10.1007/s10551-014-2474-3 · Cited by 117
Zona, F. (2015) · Research Policy · doi:10.1016/j.respol.2015.10.012 · Cited by 118
Tsang, A., Wang, K. T., Wu, Y. R., & Lee, J. (2022) · European Accounting Review · doi:10.1080/09638180.2022.2094435 · Cited by 111
Capability Reputation, Character Reputation, and Exchange Partners’ Reactions to Adverse Events
Park, B., & Rogan, M. (2018) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.5465/amj.2016.0445 · Cited by 102
Under Construction: How Commensuration and Management Fashion Affect Corporate Reputation Rankings
Bermiss, Y. S., Zajac, E. J., & King, B. G. (2013) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2013.0852 · Cited by 99
Sector-Based Entrepreneurial Capabilities and the Promise of Sector Studies in Entrepreneurship
Massis, A. D., Kotlar, J., Wright, M., & Kellermanns, F. W. (2017) · Entrepreneurship Theory and Practice · doi:10.1177/1042258717740548 · Cited by 102
Using Sports Data to Advance Management Research: A Review and a Guide for Future Studies
Fonti, F., Roß, J.-M., & Aversa, P. (2022) · Journal of Management · doi:10.1177/01492063221117525 · Cited by 103
Protecting Market Identity: When and How Do Organizations Respond to Consumers’ Devaluations?
Wang, T., Wezel, F. C., & Forgues, B. (2015) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.5465/amj.2014.0205 · Cited by 100
Richards, M., Zellweger, T. M., & Gond, J. (2016) · Journal of Management Studies · doi:10.1111/joms.12249 · Cited by 96
Sharkey, A., Kovács, B., & Hsu, G. (2022) · Academy of Management Annals · doi:10.5465/annals.2021.0025 · Cited by 94
Brown, J. A., Anderson, A. M., Salas, J. M., & Ward, A. J. (2017) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2017.1123 · Cited by 84
Self-citationInstitutions and entrepreneurship
Sine, W., & David, R. J. (2010) · Research in the sociology of work · doi:10.1108/s0277-2833(2010)0000021005 · Cited by 81
Yakis‐Douglas, B., Angwin, D., Ahn, K., & Meadows, M. (2016) · Long Range Planning · doi:10.1016/j.lrp.2016.06.007 · Cited by 79
Lewis, B. W., & Carlos, W. C. (2022) · Administrative Science Quarterly · doi:10.1177/00018392221124916 · Cited by 77
Come Aboard! Exploring the Effects of Directorships in the Executive Labor Market
Boivie, S., Graffin, S. D., Oliver, A. G., & Withers, M. C. (2015) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.5465/amj.2014.0840 · Cited by 72
Self-citationLanguage and market inclusivity for women entrepreneurship: the case of microfinance
Drori, I., Manos, R., Santacreu-Vasut, E., Shenkar, O., & Shoham, A. (2018) · Journal of Business Venturing · doi:10.1016/j.jbusvent.2018.02.002 · Cited by 71
Does More Certification Always Benefit a Venture?
Lanahan, L., & Armanios, D. E. (2018) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2018.1211 · Cited by 70
Grosvold, J. (2011) · Business & Society · doi:10.1177/0007650311408791 · Cited by 74
Kwon, J., & Johnson, M. E. (2018) · MIS Quarterly · doi:10.25300/misq/2018/13580 · Cited by 69
Starstruck: How Hiring High-Status Employees Affects Incumbents’ Performance
Prato, M., & Ferraro, F. (2018) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2018.1204 · Cited by 65
Jeong, S., Kim, H., & Kim, H. (2021) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.5465/amj.2018.1418 · Cited by 68
Iqbal, F., Pfarrer, M. D., & Bundy, J. N. (2022) · Academy of Management Review · doi:10.5465/amr.2020.0371 · Cited by 66
Snihur, Y. (2016) · Entrepreneurship and Regional Development · doi:10.1080/08985626.2016.1155745 · Cited by 59
It's a Different World: A Dialog on the Attention-Based View in a Post-Chandlerian World
Ocasio, W. C., Yakis‐Douglas, B., Boynton, D., Laamanen, T. M. M., Rerup, C., Vaara, E., & Whittington, R. (2022) · Journal of Management Inquiry · doi:10.1177/10564926221103484 · Cited by 55
Shinkle, G. A., & Suchard, J. (2018) · Australian Journal of Management · doi:10.1177/0312896218802611 · Cited by 54
Measuring the corporate managers’ attitudes towards ISO’s social responsibility standard
Camilleri, M. A. (2017) · Total Quality Management & Business Excellence · doi:10.1080/14783363.2017.1413344 · Cited by 50
Cui, Y., Jiao, J., & Jiao, H. (2016) · Technological Forecasting and Social Change · doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2016.02.001 · Cited by 49
Carrot and Stick? The Role of Financial Market Intermediaries in Corporate Social Performance
Slager, R. C., & Chapple, W. (2015) · Business & Society · doi:10.1177/0007650315575291 · Cited by 48
Schepker, D. J., & Barker, V. L. (2018) · Strategic Management Journal · doi:10.1002/smj.2922 · Cited by 48
Wijen, F., & Chiroleu‐Assouline, M. (2019) · Organization & Environment · doi:10.1177/1086026619831449 · Cited by 59
Jun, J., Kang, J., & Hyun, S. S. (2017) · British Food Journal · doi:10.1108/bfj-06-2016-0272 · Cited by 52
Lewis, B. W., & Carlos, W. C. (2019) · Strategic Management Journal · doi:10.1002/smj.3083 · Cited by 45
Cohen, D., Hsu, D. K., & Shinnar, R. S. (2020) · Small Business Economics · doi:10.1007/s11187-020-00387-z · Cited by 51
Risi, D. (2018) · Business & Society · doi:10.1177/0007650318777721 · Cited by 43
Product innovation rumors as forms of open innovation
Hannigan, T. R., Seidel, V. P., & Yakis‐Douglas, B. (2018) · Research Policy · doi:10.1016/j.respol.2018.02.018 · Cited by 43
Is a reputation for misconduct harmful? Evidence from corporate venture capital
Anokhin, S. A., Morgan, T. A., Schulze, W. S., & Wuebker, R. J. (2021) · Journal of Business Research · doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2021.09.008 · Cited by 44
Third-Party Certifications as an Organizational Performance Liability
Desai, V. M. (2016) · Journal of Management · doi:10.1177/0149206316659112 · Cited by 37
Reactivity to Sustainability Metrics: A Configurational Study of Motivation and Capacity
Slager, R. C., Gond, J., & Crilly, D. (2020) · Business Ethics Quarterly · doi:10.1017/beq.2020.20 · Cited by 34
Fini, R., Jourdan, J., Perkmann, M., & Toschi, L. (2022) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2022.1610 · Cited by 37
Power, performance, and expectations in the dismissal of NBA coaches: A survival analysis study
Wangrow, D. B., Schepker, D. J., & Barker, V. L. (2017) · Sport Management Review · doi:10.1016/j.smr.2017.08.002 · Cited by 34
Productive opportunities, uncertainty, and science-based firm emergence
Miozzo, M., & DiVito, L. E. (2018) · Small Business Economics · doi:10.1007/s11187-018-0033-5 · Cited by 39
Institutions and Entrepreneurship
David, R. J., Sine, W., & Tolbert, P. S. (2012) · Academy of Management Proceedings · doi:10.5465/ambpp.2012.12075symposium · Cited by 34
How Country Reputation Differentials Influence Market Reaction to International Acquisitions
Li, C., Shenkar, O., Newburry, W. E., & Tang, Y. (2021) · Journal of Management Studies · doi:10.1111/joms.12706 · Cited by 29
Signaling sustainability: Can it entice business angels' willingness to invest?
Shahid, S., Liouka, I., & Deligianni, I. (2023) · Business Strategy and the Environment · doi:10.1002/bse.3638 · Cited by 29
“Invincibles” and “invisibles”: CEO status and the ‘Matthew effect’ in strategic decision-making
Fralich, R., & Bitektine, A. B. (2019) · Long Range Planning · doi:10.1016/j.lrp.2019.05.007 · Cited by 26
Inappropriateness Penalty, Desirability Premium: What Do More Certifications Actually Signal?
Lanahan, L., Armanios, D. E., & Joshi, A. M. (2021) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2021.1463 · Cited by 24
Do third-party certifications work in a weak institutional environment?
Lamin, A., & Livanis, G. (2020) · Journal of International Management · doi:10.1016/j.intman.2020.100742 · Cited by 24
Ertug, G., & Castellucci, F. (2014) · Strategic Organization · doi:10.1177/1476127014561019 · Cited by 24
Situmeang, F., Gemser, G., Wijnberg, N. M., & Leenders, M. A. A. M. (2016) · Technovation · doi:10.1016/j.technovation.2016.03.002 · Cited by 24
Determinants and benefits of over‐certification: A signaling theory perspective
Gil, J. V., Daddi, T., Scarpellini, S., & Marrucci, L. (2024) · Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management · doi:10.1002/csr.2901 · Cited by 22
Certification Relics: Entrepreneurship Amidst Discontinued Certifications
Eberhart, R. N., & Armanios, D. E. (2021) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2021.1458 · Cited by 20
Double‐edged stars: Michelin stars, reactivity, and restaurant exits in New York City
Sands, D. B. (2024) · Strategic Management Journal · doi:10.1002/smj.3651 · Cited by 19
Mooney, A. C., Brown, J. A., & Ward, A. J. (2021) · Corporate Governance An International Review · doi:10.1111/corg.12373 · Cited by 21
Self-citationMoney Well Spent? Operations, Mainstreaming, and Fairness of Fair Trade
Lim, M. K., Mak, H., & Park, S. J. (2017) · Production and Operations Management · doi:10.1111/poms.13011 · Cited by 20
Penalty Zones in International Sustainability Standards: Where Improved Sustainability Doesn't Pay
Darnall, N., Iatridis, K., Kesidou, E., & Snelson-Powell, A. C. (2023) · Journal of Management Studies · doi:10.1111/joms.12975 · Cited by 19
SRI Indices and Responsible Corporate Behavior
Slager, R. (2015) · Business & Society · doi:10.1177/0007650314557933 · Cited by 17
Exploring the Links between Reputation and Fame: Evidence from French Contemporary Architecture
Boutinot, A., Joly, I., Mangematin, V., & Ansari, S. (2016) · Organization Studies · doi:10.1177/0170840616670433 · Cited by 19
The liability of newer than newness: aspiring entrepreneurs and legitimacy
O’Toole, J., & Ciuchta, M. P. (2019) · International Journal of Entrepreneurial Behaviour & Research · doi:10.1108/ijebr-11-2018-0727 · Cited by 19
Dınçer, H., Hošková-Mayerová, Š., Korsakienė, R., & Yüksel, S. (2019) · Soft Computing · doi:10.1007/s00500-019-04288-6 · Cited by 18
Governing embedded partner networks
Storey, C., Kocabasoglu‐Hillmer, C., Roden, S., & de Ruyter, K. (2018) · International Journal of Operations & Production Management · doi:10.1108/ijopm-12-2016-0708 · Cited by 19
Ouyang, Z., Zhang, Y., & Hu, X. (2020) · Personnel Review · doi:10.1108/pr-09-2019-0510 · Cited by 19
Brito-Ramos, S., Cortez, M. C., & Silva, F. (2023) · Business & Society · doi:10.1177/00076503231204613 · Cited by 16
In the shade of a forest status, reputation, and ambiguity in an online microcredit market
Kuwabara, K., Anthony, D. L., & Horne, C. (2016) · Social Science Research · doi:10.1016/j.ssresearch.2016.09.027 · Cited by 16
Human resource professionals and the adoption and effectiveness of high‐performance work practices
Kirkpatrick, I., & Hoque, K. (2021) · Human Resource Management Journal · doi:10.1111/1748-8583.12403 · Cited by 15
Can certification help incumbent firms?
Liu, B., & Wang, Q. (2019) · Asia Pacific Journal of Management · doi:10.1007/s10490-018-9632-6 · Cited by 15
Maoret, M., Marchesini, G., & Ertug, G. (2022) · Academy of Management Journal · doi:10.5465/amj.2020.0585 · Cited by 13
Leung, A., Xu, H., Wu, G. J., & Luthans, K. W. (2018) · Management Research Review · doi:10.1108/mrr-02-2018-0057 · Cited by 13
Climate risk and green innovation‐ESG disconnect: Firm‐level evidence from China
Liu, R., Zhu, X., & Chen, J. (2025) · Risk Analysis · doi:10.1111/risa.70034 · Cited by 13
Desai, M. N., Lockett, A., & Paton, D. (2017) · British Journal of Management · doi:10.1111/1467-8551.12210 · Cited by 12
Wolfe, M. T., & Patel, P. C. (2019) · IEEE Transactions on Engineering Management · doi:10.1109/tem.2019.2943703 · Cited by 11
Semmelroth, D. (2021) · Journal of Sports Economics · doi:10.1177/15270025211034820 · Cited by 11
Shi, L., & Liu, Y. (2024) · Technological Forecasting and Social Change · doi:10.1016/j.techfore.2024.123392 · Cited by 10
Wangrow, D. B., Schwartz, E., & Hughes‐Morgan, M. (2021) · Journal of General Management · doi:10.1177/03063070211018457 · Cited by 10
Baker, M., French, E., Ali, M. A. M., & Tootoonchy, M. (2024) · Journal of Management in Engineering · doi:10.1061/jmenea.meeng-5715 · Cited by 10
Understanding Frameworking for Smart and Sustainable City Development: A configurational approach
White, L., & Bürger, K. (2022) · Organization Studies · doi:10.1177/01708406221099694 · Cited by 10
Shen, X., Li, H. (., & Tolbert, P. S. (2022) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2021.1493 · Cited by 10
Sustainability Reporting and External Assurance: Evidence From UK Listed Firms
Alkhataybeh, I. A., Hadid, W., Chen, L., & Helfaya, A. (2025) · Business Strategy and the Environment · doi:10.1002/bse.70233 · Cited by 10
Ritchie, W. J., Melnyk, S. A., & Ni, J. Z. (2017) · Transportation Research Part D Transport and Environment · doi:10.1016/j.trd.2017.06.013 · Cited by 8
Situmeang, F., Leenders, M. A. A. M., & Wijnberg, N. M. (2013) · European Management Journal · doi:10.1016/j.emj.2013.11.001 · Cited by 8
Do Boards Reward and Punish CEOs Based on Employee Satisfaction Ratings?
Abdulsalam, K. A., Christensen, D. M., Graffin, S. D., & Li, J. (2024) · Organization Science · doi:10.1287/orsc.2021.15818 · Cited by 7
Self-citationTomaselli, A., Ebbers, J. J., & Torluccio, G. (2021) · Organization Studies · doi:10.1177/0170840621994521 · Cited by 7
The impact of multiple similar online certifications on seller performance in e-commerce platforms
Lu, Y., Cai, S., Xie, Q., & Wang, J. (2025) · Journal of Business Research · doi:10.1016/j.jbusres.2025.115275 · Cited by 7
Yong-sheng, Z., Han, L., Tian, X., & Wang, Y. (2024) · International Journal of Retail & Distribution Management · doi:10.1108/ijrdm-08-2023-0513 · Cited by 6
Adverse Selection and Credit Certificates: Evidence from a P2P PlatformPreprint
Hu, M. R., Li, X., & Shi, Y. (2018) · SSRN Electronic Journal · doi:10.2139/ssrn.3315146 · Cited by 6
Falling Fortunes: The Contingent and Asymmetric Effect of Rankings on Organizational Outcomes
Lee, W. Y. (2024) · Administrative Science Quarterly · doi:10.1177/00018392241272056 · Cited by 2
Marshman, B., Wolf, K., McCausland, K., Daube, M., & Jancey, J. M. (2023) · Tobacco Control · doi:10.1136/tc-2022-057854 · Cited by 5
Metadata
- Authors
- Graffin, S. D., & Ward, A. J.
- Affiliations
- University of Georgia (US)
- Lehigh University (US)
- Venue
- Organization Science
- Published
- 2010-04
- Volume
- 21
- Issue
- 2
- Pages
- 331-346
- ISSN
- 1047-7039 (ISSN-L)
- 1526-5455
- OpenAlex
- W2151148962
- Cited by
- 158
- References
- 50
- Citations by year
- 2026: 12 · 2025: 11 · 2024: 14 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 12 · 2021: 10 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 10 · 2018: 17 · 2017: 12 · 2016: 10 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 9 · 2013: 9 · 2012: 5
- FWCI
- 10.56
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Organization Science (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Strategy and Management › Corporate Identity and Reputation
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Organizational Behavior and Human Resource Management › Management and Organizational Studies
- Social Sciences › Business, Management and Accounting › Marketing › Consumer Behavior in Brand Consumption and Identification
- Keywords
- certification, reputation, technological uncertainty, inverted U-shaped relationship, performance evaluation, organizational reputation
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
Are you an author, or do you see a problem with this page? Request a review