Reputation Management

686 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Use of social media for crisis communication

The research suggests that reputation comes from relationships and trust. Fombrun (1996) stated that to have a positive reputation managers must invest in building and maintaining good relationships. Building relationships with the company’s publics can result in a higher opinion of their reputation. These relationships also builds trust in the company. “Trust, like reputation, can take years and resources to build up, and while it may be difficult to break, it, again, like reputation, can take considerable time and even more resources to restore” (Bronn, 2010, pg. 310). With both relationships and trust, a company must be communicating with its publics. Van Riel and Fombrun (2007) developed six key communications principles that yield a high reputation: visibility, distinctiveness, authenticity, transparency, consistency and responsiveness (pg. 313). Applying these six principles to the Carnival case, we can determine if Carnival used them in managing their reputation.

Visibility deals with the public and market prominence of the organization or how much people know about the organization (pg 313). During this crisis, Carnival used social media to keep people updated about what was happening at sea. Before this instance, Carnival was a common name in the cruise industry. According to the Carnival website (www.carnival.com) Carnival is apart of the World’s Leading Cruise Lines alliance. Coombs (2010) said that, “a strong reputation prior to a crisis is an asset to organizations during the crisis” (pg. 478). Having this positive reputation before hand should help Carnival in the end with customers. Distinctiveness are the characteristics that set an organization apart from others. These characteristics can be its logo, slogan and trademarks (pg. 314). Carnival has all three, a distinct logo, slogan “Fun for All. All for Fun.” and trademarks on the names of ships, “Splendor”, “Freedom” and “Liberty” to name a few of the 23 different ships (www.carnival.com). Authenticity helps make an organization real, genuine, accurate, reliable and trustworthy (pg. 314). By using social media and addressing the crisis head on, the company appears trustworthy to people. Carnival took responsibility for the accident and tried to solve it as quick as possible. The CEO of Carnival also made a public apology to those on the ship and to Carnival customers.

Next, transparency is how much information and access stakeholders have about an organization (pg. 314). The Carnival Cruise Director John Heald went to his blog to offer updates and on-broad accounts to consumers and the press.

Show More
Related

  • The Brand Personality of Target Corporation

    1039 Words  | 3 Pages

    In every given business, the name itself portrays different meanings. This serves as the reference point and sometimes the basis of customers on what to expect within the company. Since personality affects product image (Langmeyer & Shank, 1994), the presence of brand helps in the realization of this concept. Traditionally, brand is a symbolic manifestation of all the information connected with a company, product, or service (Nilson, 2003; Olin, 2003). A brand is typically composed of a name, logo, and other visual elements such as images, colors, and icons (Gillooley & Varley, 2001; Laforet & Saunders, 1994)). It is believed that a brand puts an impression to the consumer on what to expect to the product or service being offered (Mere, 1995). In other application, brand may be referred as trademark, which is legally appropriate term. The brand is the most powerful weapon in the market (LePla & Parker, 1999). Brands possess personality in which people associate their experience. Oftentimes, they are related to the core values the company executes.

    Read More

  • Tracing the Global Expansion of the Coca-Cola Company

    732 Words  | 2 Pages

    Organizations want to ensure their image is protected and understand that social media is an essential part of public awareness. When a corporation exercises social responsibility in the form of fundraising or setting up employee giving programs, using social media to promote these actions helps to create a positive branding environment, and it’s a great way to engage with your audience on a deeper level that goes beyond your products or services (Frontstream,

    Read More

  • Case Study: FedEx

    1055 Words  | 3 Pages

    Forman, J., & Argenti, P. A. (2005). How Corporate Communication Influences Strategy Implementation, Reputation and the Corporate Brand: An Exploratory Qualitative Study. Corporate Reputation Review, 8(3), 245-264.

    Read More

  • Burke's Pentadic Analysis

    306 Words  | 1 Pages

    The data was primarily collected through participant-observation and the analysis of the data is done with an analytical device Burke’s pentad (1969). The pentad is a useful analytic device in that it permits a highly condensed summary of the rhetorical force of a narrative (O’ Connor, 1995) according to the key dimensions of act (what the organization is doing, in this case, telling stories), agent (those building legitimacy), agency (how legitimacy is built, in this case, through intertextuality), scene (the background context in which legitimacy building take place), and purpose ( to build legitimacy but also to succeed with other personal or organizational objectives, such as to make money). The distinctions set forth in pentadic analysis

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Keep Vindolanda

    2334 Words  | 5 Pages

    As Chris and Barbra (2011) pointed out, organizations do engage in different audience when it comes to pursuing their marketing and business objectives. Engagement is used to make reference to the form of communication and also whether the nature of the messages and media is essentially emotional and intellectual. In any case, organizations do make use of the mixture of these two elements in order for them to be heard, understood and engage with their audience in the course of performing a particular dialogue and establishing mutually beneficial relationship. Without much of a doubt, the level of relationship that organizations do establish with their audience has a direct influence on the performance of the organization.

    Read More

  • Benefits of Incorporating Ethics and Values in a Company

    1327 Words  | 3 Pages

    As discussed earlier, public opinion can make or break an organization. To grow, companies either need to sell enough products and services to realize a profit or get investors. Both requires a positive public image. A company builds their image by acting in accordance with their values, and from demonstrating appropriate values. Documenting, implementing and publicizing the company's values and/or mission statement allows the public, clients, investors, and employees to understand what the company stands for, that it takes business ethics seriously. Companies with strong reputations are also companies that tend to attract more investments.

    Read More

  • Business Ethics Case Study: Lub Insurance Company

    130 Words  | 1 Pages

    Maintain reputation for fairness and integrity by treating every customer as we would want to be treated

    Read More

  • Tylenol Case Study

    1454 Words  | 3 Pages

    The discipline of public relations is a modern profession which has been in existence for only close to a century; however, it has already taken an important role in the fields of business, government, entertainment and non-profit organizations including educational institutions and healthcare organizations. Public relations professionals are required to have excellent organizational, interpersonal and communication skills and have the ability to persuade the public. It is imperative for PR professionals to effectively communicate with its public in order to establish and maintain a positive relationship. Furthermore, public relations professionals must have the ability to work under pressure and effectively manage crisis which may have detrimental effect on the company and the public it serves. State purpose of paper and an overview of what will be covered in the introduction

    Read More

  • Understanding Product-Harm Crisis Management

    1541 Words  | 4 Pages

    Dawar and Pillutla (2000) also notes that product harm crises present more challenges in this age of mass media. Therefore companies should never underestimate the importance of properly handling product harm crises as it has been documented to have effects on their market share, stock prices, and sales of other company products (Pruitt and Peterson, 1986; Siomkos and Kurzbard, 1994). The fact that understanding that there may be some ambiguity around who the culpable party for a product harm crisis especially when it gets reported first in the media suggest that organizations should have a clear strategy around product harm crisis management. An example of this is the New York Times report (Peters, 2005) which suggested that Ford trucks with faulty cruise control switches, parked in garages were the cause of many house fires. However, Ford suggested that the fires could have started in areas other than the garage and denied any such claims of faulty switches. The implications of product harm crisis is far reaching and may go beyond the short-run on sales or market share loss for any number of reasons. Heerde et al (2007) in their research suggests that one implication for the organization is that their marketing mix effectiveness may be reduced because if the customers trust is breached advertising gets less “bang for the buck” than before the crisis. This may

    Read More

  • Importance Of Corporate Reputation

    1659 Words  | 4 Pages

    Companies have to distinguish themselves in different ways if they are to have a good reputation and this can be done through their communication strategies. In a time of crisis the company’s reputation is threatened and the communication strategies used will save or hurt the firm’s reputation. Before creating communication strategies, companies ought to identify their stakeholders. Appendix 3 illustrates the different stakeholders of a company.

    Read More

  • Illegal Drug Use In Australia

    927 Words  | 2 Pages

    For symmetric communication models, according to systems theory, organization need to bring in resources that enhance their success and deflect threats that can compromise their survival, because they do affect by the environment [Austin and Pinkleton, P. 274]. Symmetric communication unlike the Asymmetric communication, which are relies on honest and open two-way communication and mutual give-and-take rather than one-way persuasion; focuses on mutual respect and efforts to achieve mutual understanding; emphasizes negotiation and a willingness to adapt and make compromises; requires organizations engaging in public relations to be willing to make significant adjustments in how they operate in order to accommodate their

    Read More

  • Student Reputation Analysis

    219 Words  | 1 Pages

    The main concept I took from chapter 13 is be professional a graduate students main goal should focus on building a brand or reputation as a professional student. Students should surround themselves around other students that have professional reputations or have the same goals and objectives as them. Being a graduate student should be treated as a job, so avoid negativity, gossip, and inappropriate conduct. Peters warns the reader the damages that can be caused by students who participate in gossiping and the effects it can have on your reputation as a student. Displaying a positive attitude or what Peters describes a cheerful disposition will make you appear professional when interacting with both professors and other students. It’s okay

    Read More

  • The Importance Of Online Reputation

    603 Words  | 2 Pages

    Reputation has taken on a whole new meaning because of the Internet. Nowadays, it's effortless to know a person and form impressions of them based on how you see them online, through social media sites. It's so easy to tell how a person might be like based on status updates, shared photos, and their online interaction with other social media users. If you can know so much about a person through social media, what more if it's a business establishment?

    Read More

  • Crisis Communications

    1284 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the article “Blowout! Firestone’s Image Restoration Campaign” Blaney, Benoit, and Brazeal (2002) discuss how Firestone failed in its recovery efforts. The authors claim that Firestone’s attempt to shift blame was “poorly conceived.” (p. 379) Also, they claim the use of celebrities to support their products and reputation was unsuccessful due to the obvious financial relationships between them. This discussion leads up to the application of Benoit’s image restoration theory. (2002). This theory states that “communicators who need to restore damaged reputations have five general rhetorical options: denial, evading responsibility, reducing offensiveness, corrective action, and mortification.” (p.380) The author’s conclude that this case study displays “denial and, sadly, concealment of incriminating data, are common responses to wrongful action. Had corrective action been implemented immediately, it seems likely that many deaths and injuries could have been avoided.” (p.388-389)

    Read More

  • Functions Of Public Relations

    1082 Words  | 3 Pages

    Public relations is everywhere today. It is a practice that has become an important aspect of any business venture. Whether an organization is not for profit, for profit, or governmental, they still need and desire to communicate their purpose within the community and public relations allows this to happen. There are several publics in which the PR practitioner must correspond with and each requires a different means of communication. Internal publics are inside the organizations such as clerks, managers, and stockholders. "External publics are those not directly connected to the organization: the press, government, educators, customers, suppliers, and the community" (Seitel, 2004). Each public plays a key role in the PR of the organization. The many functions of PR can also be categorized based on what purpose they serve the organization.

    Read More

More about Reputation Management

Open Document