How media coverage elicits strategic change: The moderating role of the business model design

Sascha P. Klein, Patrick Spieth, Joan Enric Ricart and Charles H. Noble

Strategic Management Journal, 2025, vol. 46, issue 4, 1080-1101

Abstract: Research Summary Prior research indicates that negative media coverage of business activities encourages a firm to engage in strategic change, but the conditions for this strategic focus have drawn less scholarly attention. Considering a firm's business model design (BMD) with distinct sources for value creation, we argue that the effect of negative media coverage on strategic change is contingent on the BMD. An analysis of longitudinal data from 96 established firms shows that novelty‐centered BMDs reduce strategic change in response to negative media coverage. We contribute to research regarding strategic change in response to outside evaluations by explaining an important contingent factor related to strategy. We also expand on previous research indicating that managerial behaviors and attributes moderate the main effect of negative media coverage and provide a more nuanced understanding of this effect from a business model perspective. Managerial Summary Our study explores how negative media coverage affects strategic changes in large firms, focusing on the role of the BMD. We found that firms with a novelty‐centered BMD prioritizing innovation are less likely to alter their strategies in response to negative media coverage, suggesting that these firms are confident in their innovative approaches despite external criticism. Conversely, efficiency‐centered BMDs, which focus on operational efficiency, did not show a meaningful moderating effect. For managers, this implies that firms with innovation‐oriented business models may need less frequent strategic adjustments in the face of negative media. However, they should still communicate strategically to address potential long‐term reputational risks.

Date: 2025
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