Shcherbyna, Alina2026-06-042026-06-042026-05Shcherbyna, Alina. (2026). FOUNDER VISIBILITY, REPUTATION, AND TRUST IN STAKEHOLDER SUPPORT DURING BUSINESS CRISIS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF WARTIME B2B CASES . Kyiv: American University Kyiv. URI: https://er.auk.edu.ua/handle/234907866/183https://er.auk.edu.ua/handle/234907866/183This research aims to examine how founder visibility and reputation influence partner support during crisis situations in B2B contexts. The study focuses on understanding the mechanisms through which reputation acts as a key driver of partner behavior, particularly in high-uncertainty environments such as operational disruptions caused by external shocks (e.g., war-related damage to business infrastructure). The research explores how visibility contributes to reputation formation and how, in turn, reputation affects partners’ willingness to provide support, including financial flexibility, continued collaboration, and accelerated decision-making. Through qualitative and quantitative analysis, the study seeks to develop a conceptual model linking founder visibility, reputation, and partner support in crisis conditions. The object of the research is B2B partnership relationships in crisis situations, particularly in cases of sudden operational disruption affecting companies’ ability to deliver products or services. The subject of the research is the role of founder reputation, shaped in part by public visibility, in influencing partner support behaviors during crisis situations. This includes trust formation, perceived credibility, risk tolerance of partners, and decision-making regarding continued cooperation or withdrawal. Research Results: Research Results: the study revealed significant differences in the scale and mobilization of partner support during business crises depending on the founder’s visibility, reputation, communication style, and embeddedness in business networks. Analysis of the interview responses from both cases produced more than 100 initial codes, which were consolidated into seven major themes: depth of relationship, reputational trust, personal communication, founder visibility and personal brand, founder leadership and influence, trust formation mechanisms, and support decision drivers.en-USfounder visibilitypersonal brandingreputational capitalpartner supportB2B relationshipscrisis communicationstakeholder decision-makingtrust formationnetwork mobilizationorganizational resilienceentrepreneurial leadershipThesis