FAIRFAX, Va., Aug. 26 -- George Mason University issued the following news release:
The capital of any business comes in (at least) two categories.
There's the kind that has a price-land, cash holdings, etc.-and a less tangible, priceless kind. Reputational capital falls squarely into the latter category. Try as they might, companies cannot buy positive public opinion, even with the largest of marketing budgets. But that doesn't prevent some from engaging in dark marketing tactics, such as planting or buying fake "customer reviews" on influential platforms like Yelp and Amazon. Crossing that line can backfire if the company is caught.When its ethical lapses are brought to light, the company undergoes reputational damage, essentially auto-...