What type of strategy involves a company addressing complaints only when they come to the notice of the government or regulators?

The strategy that involves a company addressing complaints only when they come to the notice of the government or regulators is characterized as reactive. This approach indicates that the company does not take initiative in resolving issues or complaints until external pressures or oversight forces them to act.

In a reactive strategy, the organization acts in response to incidents rather than seeking to prevent them. This often results in a focus on compliance and damage control after the fact, rather than fostering a culture of proactive problem-solving or continuous improvement. Consequently, this can lead to negative perceptions of the company, as it gives the impression that the organization is only concerned with addressing issues when absolutely necessary, rather than being committed to high standards of conduct and customer satisfaction.

By contrast, proactive strategies focus on anticipating problems and making changes before issues arise, while defensive strategies aim to protect the organization's current operations and image from potential threats. Accommodation strategies involve negotiating or compromising to improve relationships with stakeholders. Therefore, the selected option accurately identifies the nature of a reactive strategy.