Collusion, reputation damage and interest in code of conduct: The case of a Dutch construction company

Abstract

In November 2001, a TV program showed that many large Dutch construction companies participated in price fixing. We analyze how one such company, Heijmans, reacted to the reputation crises after the TV program by introducing a code of conduct. We present the outcomes of a questionnaire survey conducted among 140 managers just after the TV program with respect to the relevance of such a code and discuss the change in attitude of the CEO of Heijmans following after the negative publicity.Corporate social responsibility; code of conduct; collusion; construction sector; reputation; parliamentary investigation; regulation