1. What was Com Ed’s reputational environment at the time of the July 11 2011 storm and
subsequent outages?
2. How is a natural disaster different from other repetitional crises, such as those that occur
from quality or safety issues? Consider, as a counterpoint, the famous case of United
Breaks Guitars.
Answer:
1. What was Com Ed’s reputational environment at the time of the July 11 2011 storm and
subsequent outages?
As the internet and social media platforms have evolved, messages can be spread at the
fastest speed than it has ever achieved. Addition to that, social media platforms provide
channels for not only regular critics, but also critics that may come from everywhere. Even
though some of these critics are not truthful, their impacts still cannot be ignored. A
company’s reputation is a valuable asset. Good reputations bring revenues and benefits.
However, reputations can be destroyed over a night and put the company into a severe
position. Many reputational incidents happened and they indicated that the rules of
engagement have changed. Commonwealth Edison seemed to realize all these changes and
adapted well on its strategies. Actions and policies were also taken before, during, and
after July 11th 2011 under different situations.
Commonwealth Edison has realized the significance of various social media platforms,
thus it has implemented related strategies and policies to protect its reputation from all
perspectives. By monitoring and responding to negative incidents, the company have
avoided and protected its reputation. The company also constantly analyzes trends, puts
market promotion campaigns, and shares energy related techniques to be closer to
