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Consumer Complaints and Public Policy: Validating the "Tip-of-the-Iceberg" Theory

This article examines data from a statewide study to test whether organizational aberration theory or systemic pattern theory is supported by data on complaining. The article concludes that citizen and consumer complaints can serve both as early-warning and fail-safe functions leading to increased accountability and safer, more effective, high quality processes, products, and services. Are citizen and consumer complaints, especially those to third-party organizations, instances of unique organizational aberrations, or are they indicators of patterns in organizational processes, products and services? Many organizations behave as if the former is the case. Others use complaints as strategic intelligence about their operations and products. While there is considerable literature about consumers and consumer behavior when problems and complaints occur, there is a dearth of literature about complaints and their role in organizations that cause them. This article takes a step toward bridging the gap by examining data about consumer complaining to identify whether complaints should be considered as unique occurrences or whether they might be reflective of broader organizational malaise. It examines the