Reputation Management at the Intersection of Information Seeking and Government Transparency

Abstract

Over the past few years, a controversial public works project in Winter Park, Florida has been the center of debate in the city. At the end of 2021, the new Winter Park Library, against the wishes of its opponents, was dedicated to the citizens. Although controversial land use issues are unremarkable, it is the tensions caused by the local government’s opacity surrounding this major project that has become notable. Here, reputation management, specifically the reputation management of municipal administrations, at the intersection of information seeking and government transparency is explored. Transparency means little without demand for the information in question. Ideally, as the information needs of a public increases the opacity of institutions should decrease. The author argues that transparency eliminates the need for excessive reputation management during contentious public initiatives like the construction of a new library. This research revealed how four professional organizations that specialize in reputation and brand management in their respective fields assist Winter Park in its aims to build a new world-class library facility. This paper identifies how reputation management strategies have been tailored to suit the unique needs of a skeptical public.