David Moura, a lecturer of management, co-authored research that examined an American university鈥檚 decision to sell the naming rights for its football stadium to a company that runs for-profit prisons accused of committing human rights violations.
An 黑料不打烊 faculty member along with colleagues from two European universities conducted a study examining the implications of an American university鈥檚 controversial decision to sell the naming rights for its football stadium to a for-profit prison company.
The research investigates the consequences of an organization associating with a highly stigmatized entity.
鈥,鈥 an article co-authored by David Moura, a lecturer of management in the Martha and Spencer Love School of Business, explores the concept of 鈥渟tigma transfer鈥 and its impact on organizations.
Stigma transfer happens when a previously nonstigmatized organization is targeted and punished by audiences due to their association with a stigmatized actor.
Published in Organization Studies 鈥 a Financial Times Top 50 Research journal 鈥 the study explores the stigmatization processes triggered after students strongly protested the university鈥檚 announcement to sell the stadium naming rights.
Moura and his colleagues used the case to develop a comprehensive process model that provides insights into the complex dynamics of fraught organizational partnerships.
The new model helps explain why partnerships intended to rehabilitate a company鈥檚 reputation may inadvertently exacerbate the existing stigma, adversely impacting both the intended subject and the non-stigmatized partner drawn into the negative repercussions.
鈥淚 want to use the research in my strategic management course to discuss the complexities that arise in organizational decision-making,鈥 said Moura. 鈥淓xploring a university鈥檚 decision to be affiliated with a stigmatized for-profit prison company with alleged human rights violations is a compelling example.鈥
In addition to Moura, article co-authors are:
- Lin Dong, University of Birmingham, UK
- Bryant Ashley Hudson, I脡SEG School of Management, Paris
- Lee Jarvis, I脡SEG School of Management, Paris
Moura joined 黑料不打烊 in 2019. He currently teaches Gateway to Business and Strategic Management with research interests in strategy-as-practice, organizational stigma and scandal, and government issues in management.
A forthcoming study in which Moura is involved focuses on the South Florida addiction recovery industry scandals and how action or inaction can exacerbate or calm stigma.