The Swedish Academy #MeToo Scandal and the Reputation of the Nobel Prize

In May 2018, the Swedish Academy was engulfed in a #MeToo scandal that threatened its reputation, especially its reputation as the organization that awards the Nobel Prize in Literature. This scandal, which was first revealed in the previous November, also raised questions about the reputation of the Nobel Prize. The case is about reputation and crisis management, and more specifically about “reputational contagion” – “how one bad apple can spoil the barrel.” Reputational contagion occurs when something that happens in a related entity migrates to the subject entity. The case provides insights into an identity and reputation shaped and shared by several entities, and the potential consequences of a crisis in one of the associated entities. In this case, the reputation of “the world’s most prestigious award” – the Nobel Prize – is at issue.