In stigmatized industries characterized by social contestation, hostile audiences, and distancing between industry insiders and outsiders, firms facing media attacks follow different strategies from firms in uncontested industries. Because firms avoid publicizing their tainted-sector membership,...

Using qualitative and quantitative methods, the paper draws on the categorization and stigmatization literatures to predict the amount of negative social evaluations received by firms, i.e. disapproval. Association with a stigmatized category does not automatically result in disapproval, because...