Corporate Reputation and its importance for business success

Table of Contents

• Chapter 1. Introduction
• 1.1 The dissertation topic
• 1.2 Weber Shandwick Worldwide
• 1.3 Structure of the dissertation
• Chapter 2. Literature Review
• 2.1 The relationship between the marketing communications function, corporate communications and Public Relations
• 2.2 Principles of Public Relations
• 2.2.1 Public Relation practices promoting the corporate brand
• 2.2.2 The changing environment of Public Relations
• 2.3 The concept of corporate reputation and the role of Public Relations
• 2.3.1 Corporate reputation defined
• 2.3.2 The role of the PR consultancy in corporate reputation management
• 2.4 Evaluation of Public Relations effectiveness
• 2.4.1 Current approaches of measuring Public Relations effectiveness
• 2.5 Conclusion
• Chapter 3. Methodology
• 3.1 Defining the research methodology and strategy
• 3.1.1 The research philosophy
• 3.1.2 The research approach
• 3.2 Corporate reputation investigated
• 3.2.1 Basic requirements
• 3.2.2 Company selection criteria
• 3.2.3 Method of data gathering
• 3.2.4 Method of data evaluation and presentation
• 3.2.5 Reflection
• Chapter 4. Analysis
• 4.1 Importance of enough data points for valid statistical analysis
• 4.2 Corporate PR as an important marketing communications tool
• 4.2.1 Who handles the PR of Europe's leading companies
• 4.2.2 Companies use corporate PR more often than corporate advertising
• 4.3 Corporate reputation investigated
• 4.3.1 Communication managers' definition of corporate reputation
• 4.3.2 Factors shaping the corporate reputation
• 4.3.3 Reputational drivers that can be influenced by corporate PR
• 4.3.4 Impact of corporate reputation on financial performance
• 4.4 Importance of corporate reputation management
• 4.4.1 Maintenance of corporate reputation
• 4.4.2 Market research on perceived corporate reputation
• 4.4.3 Key factors for choosing a PR consultancy
• 4.5 Measuring Public Relations effectiveness
• 4.5.1 Importance of measuring PR in clear financial terms
• 4.5.2 PR objectives – financial or non-financial
• 4.5.3 Majority of companies measures if PR objectives have been reached
• Chapter 5. Conclusion and implications of findings for Weber Shandwick

Objectives and Key Themes

The dissertation aims to understand the European perspective on corporate reputation management and its significance for business success. It investigates expert opinions on the topic through a pan-European survey of leading companies. The study explores the role of public relations (PR) in shaping and maintaining corporate reputation, considering both in-house and external PR consultancies.

• The European perspective on corporate reputation management.
• The role of PR in building and maintaining corporate reputation.
• The relationship between corporate reputation and business success.
• Methods for measuring PR effectiveness and their relevance to financial performance.
• Implications for PR consultancies in managing corporate reputation.

Chapter Summaries

Chapter 1. Introduction: This introductory chapter sets the stage for the dissertation. It introduces the topic of corporate reputation and its importance in the context of intangible assets. The chapter also provides background information on Weber Shandwick Worldwide, the host organization for the research, and outlines the structure and methodology of the dissertation. The significance of the research lies in its focus on the European perspective of corporate reputation management, a relatively unexplored area compared to the extensive research conducted in the United States.

Chapter 2. Literature Review: This chapter provides a comprehensive review of existing literature on marketing communications, public relations (PR), and corporate reputation. It examines the relationship between marketing communications, corporate communications, and PR, outlining the key principles of PR and its various practices, including public affairs, investor relations, media relations, and employee relations. The chapter then delves into the concept of corporate reputation, defining it, identifying factors that shape it (such as CEO actions and corporate social responsibility), and exploring the crucial role of PR consultancies in its management. Finally, the chapter reviews current approaches for evaluating PR effectiveness, highlighting various methods like Ketchum's effectiveness yardstick and media content analysis.

Chapter 3. Methodology: This chapter details the research methodology employed in the dissertation. It outlines the research philosophy, approach, and strategy for investigating corporate reputation in Europe. This includes specifying the selection criteria for participating companies, explaining the methodology for data gathering (a questionnaire survey sent to 700 leading European companies), and describing the methods for data evaluation and presentation, focusing on statistical analysis. The chapter justifies its methodological choices and discusses their limitations, contributing to the overall rigor and transparency of the research.

Chapter 4. Analysis: This chapter presents the analysis of the data collected through the pan-European survey. It examines the importance of corporate PR as a marketing communications tool, investigating who handles PR for leading European companies and comparing the use of corporate PR to corporate advertising. A major focus is on analyzing communication managers' definitions of corporate reputation, factors that shape it, and which reputational drivers are influenced by corporate PR. Furthermore, it explores the impact of corporate reputation on financial performance, including methods used for maintaining reputation and measuring PR effectiveness. Finally, the analysis also looks at factors influencing the selection of PR consultancies.

Keywords

Corporate reputation, public relations, business success, intangible assets, marketing communications, Europe, PR consultancy, reputation management, survey, methodology, statistical analysis, financial performance, PR effectiveness.

Frequently Asked Questions: A Comprehensive Language Preview

What is the main topic of this dissertation?

The dissertation focuses on corporate reputation management in Europe, exploring its significance for business success and the role of public relations (PR) in shaping and maintaining it. It investigates expert opinions through a pan-European survey of leading companies.

What are the key themes explored in this dissertation?

Key themes include the European perspective on corporate reputation management, the role of PR in building and maintaining corporate reputation, the relationship between corporate reputation and business success, methods for measuring PR effectiveness and their relevance to financial performance, and implications for PR consultancies in managing corporate reputation.

What methodology was used in this research?

The research employed a qualitative approach utilizing a pan-European survey of 700 leading European companies. The chapter details the research philosophy, approach, and strategy, including company selection criteria, data gathering methods (a questionnaire survey), and data evaluation and presentation methods, focusing on statistical analysis.

What are the key findings of the analysis chapter?

The analysis chapter examines the importance of corporate PR as a marketing communications tool, comparing its use to corporate advertising and investigating who handles PR for leading European companies. It analyzes communication managers' definitions of corporate reputation, factors shaping it, reputational drivers influenced by corporate PR, and the impact of corporate reputation on financial performance. It also explores methods for maintaining reputation and measuring PR effectiveness, and factors influencing the selection of PR consultancies.

What is the significance of this research?

The research is significant because it focuses on the European perspective of corporate reputation management, a relatively unexplored area compared to the extensive research conducted in the United States. It provides valuable insights into how leading European companies view and manage their corporate reputations and the role of PR in this process.

How is PR effectiveness measured in this study?

The study investigates various methods for measuring PR effectiveness, including the importance of measuring PR in clear financial terms, the consideration of financial versus non-financial PR objectives, and whether companies measure if PR objectives have been reached. The analysis explores the relevance of these methods to financial performance.

What is the role of PR consultancies according to this research?

The dissertation explores the crucial role of PR consultancies in corporate reputation management. The analysis investigates factors influencing the selection of PR consultancies and how they contribute to maintaining corporate reputation.

What is the relationship between corporate reputation and financial performance?

The research explores the relationship between corporate reputation and financial performance, examining how corporate reputation impacts business success. The analysis investigates the impact of reputational drivers influenced by corporate PR on financial outcomes.

What is covered in the literature review?

The literature review comprehensively examines existing literature on marketing communications, public relations (PR), and corporate reputation. It explores the relationship between marketing communications, corporate communications, and PR; outlines key PR principles and practices; defines corporate reputation; identifies factors shaping it; and reviews current approaches for evaluating PR effectiveness.

What are the key words associated with this dissertation?

Key words include: Corporate reputation, public relations, business success, intangible assets, marketing communications, Europe, PR consultancy, reputation management, survey, methodology, statistical analysis, financial performance, PR effectiveness.