The Role of Reputation Management in Mitigating Environmental Damage and Restoring Trust

Abstract

This study aims to critically examine the ecological reputation crisis following a landslide disaster and land-clearing activities, focusing on the failure of defensive reputation management, power asymmetries, and the development of an alternative reputation management model. This study employed a critical qualitative case study design, with data collected through direct observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis. The findings indicate that defensive corporate reputation strategies were ineffective in restoring legitimacy due to regulatory violations, polarized digital discourse, and distorted communication practices. Furthermore, instrumental communication that disregarded the four validity claims of communicative action theory intensified public distrust and widened the gap between corporate interests and community expectations. In response, the study formulates an Open Sustainable Tourism-Based Reputation Management Model that integrates discourse ethics, inclusive deliberation, regulatory compliance, and ecological accountability. The model implies that sustainable reputation management requires organizations to move beyond defensive communication toward transparent, participatory, and ethically grounded engagement. These findings contribute to crisis communication and sustainable tourism management by providing an alternative framework for reconciling tourism investment, corporate legitimacy, public trust, and ecological sustainability.