The communication effects of art on corporate reputation: An exploratory study

This paper explores how the use of art and the role of the artist impacts on corporate reputation and business success. Drawing on data from two retailers this research finds that the use of art in communication has significant impact on corporate reputation and business success. Data suggest that artwork can be used in four ways: (1) as a basis of the design of merchandise being marketed, (2) as a form of advertising synonymous with the product, and (3) as a method of stimulating PR, controversy and word of mouth in the community and (4) the establishment of a unique identity. It is argued that each of these behaviours has contributed to these firms¿ corporate re putations and that in the process emergent goodwill has developed surrounding the artists and their work. Of particular value was the contribution the artists themselves lent to the brand¿s identity, image and corporate reputatio

Building in sustainability, social responsibility and value co-creation

Purpose: This paper aims to address the question of how value can be created through social responsibility programs or other means, so that sustainability is achieved through increasing stakeholders' participation in the process of design and selection of such programs, so that transparency is maximised and trust can be built with the lasting benefits of co-creation of value. Design/methodology/approach: This paper studies the relationship between sustainability, corporate social responsibility, and value co-creation based on qualitative research data gathered from two embedded case studies. The first case study in a large mining company operating in New Zealand and the second case study is based on the New Zealand Merino Company. Findings: Findings of this research suggest that sustainability is built with the participation of many interconnected entities, that is, suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, or more generally stakeholders whose actions are fostered by social responsibility that fuels the pride, trust, and consistency of the members of the value chain. Value in all forms - functional value, hedonic value, symbolic value and cost value - is a recurrent theme in this research data; however it is value co-creation, working together, living up to the values that their products and services promise that ultimately supports sustainability. Originality/value: This paper shows how the scope of sustainability has broadened from environmental matters to include other topics such as good corporate citizenship, business relationships and the value that is created and shared, not only with shareholders, but also within a wider community of stakeholders. © Emerald Group Publishing Limited

An exploration of the drivers of employee motivation to facilitate value co-creation

YesPurpose This paper aims to explore the drivers of employee motivation to facilitate value co-creation. Specifically, it enhances the understanding of social and contextual elements that contribute towards the co-creation of value. Design/methodology/approach Embracing an interpretive paradigm, the study draws on 57 in-depth interviews together with participant observation field notes. The data were analysed using thematic analysis. Findings The findings identify six key drivers that motivate employees to facilitate value co-creation: rewards and recognition, opportunities for life-long learning, interpersonal engagement, role responsibility and accountability, organisational vision and social purpose. Research limitations/implications This study is undertaken within a traditional organisation setting. Other organisational contexts such as working from home should also be considered. Second, this study focused on the individual relational orientations of employees. Also, there is an opportunity to explore the collective orientation of employees. Originality/value Drawing on service-dominant logic (S-D logic) as a theoretical lens, this study adopts and adapts Lindenberg and Steg’s (2013) goal-framing theory to conceptualise six drivers of employee motivation to facilitate value co-creation within three-goal frames that leads to in-role and extra-role job performance

Development of business-to-business relationships in turbulent environments

This research examines business relationship structure, formation, development, and maintenance where the socio-political and economic environment for both exchange partners is highly turbulent. Based on multiple case-study data from 33 firms located in the Middle East, we find that turbulent environments create perceptions of uncertainty, dependence, vulnerability, urgency, and crises, leading to the formation of interimistic relationships different from those found within non-turbulent environments. These relationships are characterised by a constant search for new partners and the maintenance of a diverse portfolio of relationships. Relationships typically develop rapidly comprising three phases where a unique dynamic and structure is apparent. Dominant relationship characteristics include competence-based trust alongside control, high levels of instantaneous commitment, informal and rapid adaptation, frequent informal communication, and significant and ongoing efforts at strengthening social bonds with existing and potential partners

Real-time MRI for dynamic assessment of gastroesophageal reflux disease: comparison to pH-metry and impedance

Purpose To evaluate the diagnostic potential of real-time MRI for dynamic assessment of gastroesophageal reflux in patients with GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease)-like symptoms compared to pH-metry and impedance. Methods Patients who underwent real-time MRI and pH-metry between 2015–2018 were included in this retrospective study. Real-time MRI at 3 T was achieved by undersampled radial FLASH acquisitions with iterative image reconstruction by NLINV. Real-time MRI visualized transit of pineapple juice through the gastroesophageal junction and during Valsalva maneuver. MRI results were compared to 24 h pH-metry to assess acidic reflux (following Lyon Consensus guidelines) and to impedance to assess non-acidic reflux. A standard 2 × 2 table was chosen to calculate diagnostic performance. Results 91/93 eligible patients fulfilled inclusion criteria (male n = 49; female n = 42; median age 55 y). All MRI studies were successfully completed without adverse events at a mean examination time of 15 min. On real-time MRI, reflux was evident in 60 patients (66 %). pH-metry revealed reflux in 41 patients (45 %), and impedance in 54 patients (59 %). Compared to pH-metry and impedance, real-time MRI sensitivity was 0.78 (95 % CI: 0.66-0.87), specificity 0.67 (95 % CI: 0.45-0.84) and PPV 0.87 (95 % CI: 0.75-0.94). Conclusion Real-time MRI is an imaging method for assessment of gastroesophageal reflux in patients with GERD-like symptoms. Considering its high positive predictive value, real-time MRI can accurately identify patients in which further invasive testing with pH-metry and impedance might be considered

Long-term intended and unintended effects of interaction in networks

The accumulated effects of interaction where parties engage in exchange and interpretation of acts explain the development of the relationship between organisations. The effects of such interaction are in general observable within the dyad, however, in the extended network they are more complicated and sometimes impossible to observe beyond the dyad. This research studies the effects of interaction both within the dyad and within the extended network, drawing on single case study of traveling exhibitions organised by Te Papa Museum in New Zealand and touring for the last eight years through a number of museums in USA and Canada. We find that in the context of exchanging less tangible offerings, the parties require lower levels of trust between one another to assume risks to engage in interaction. Such interaction, instead, increases the sense of obligation to reciprocate that results in demonstrations of commitment that over time appear to spill over other parties in the extended network. These parties follow a demonstration of commitment towards the organisation, making observable the effects of interaction in networks

Value creation in art galleries: A service logic analysis

© 2019 Australian and New Zealand Marketing Academy This study addresses how non-profit organisations like art galleries participate in co-creating value to visitors (customers), providers, and other stakeholders, and how these processes can be conceptualised within a service logic framework. We evaluate how an art gallery touring exhibition in regional Australia contributed to customer value, drawing on data collected in 2014–2016 from publications and websites, and interviews with staff of art galleries and arts organisations. Our findings illuminated four forms of value creation: financial, knowledge sharing, social and cultural, and professional value. Country art galleries have strong visitor orientation and employ co-creation processes focused on enhancing visitors’ experience, aligned with government directions on Indigenous understanding and objectives of local Indigenous art communities. However, customer value exchange is not well understood. The lack of marketing research expertise and usable visitor data is a barrier to value creation

Extracellular polymeric substance (EPS)-degrading enzymes reduce staphylococcal surface attachment and biocide resistance on pig skin in vivo.

Staphylococcal extracellular polymeric substances (EPS) such as extracellular DNA (eDNA) and poly-N-acetylglucosamine surface polysaccharide (PNAG) mediate numerous virulence traits including host colonization and antimicrobial resistance. Previous studies showed that EPS-degrading enzymes increase staphylococcal biocide susceptibility in vitro and in vivo, and decrease virulence in animal models. In the present study we tested the effect of EPS-degrading enzymes on staphylococcal skin colonization and povidone iodine susceptibility using a novel in vivo pig model that enabled us to colonize and treat 96 isolated areas of skin on a single animal in vivo. To quantitate skin colonization, punch biopsies of colonized areas were homogenized, diluted, and plated on agar for colony forming unit enumeration. Skin was colonized with either Staphylococcus epidermidis or Staphylococcus aureus. Two EPS-degrading enzymes, DNase I and the PNAG-degrading enzyme dispersin B, were employed. Enzymes were tested for their ability to inhibit skin colonization and detach preattached bacteria. The effect of enzymes on the susceptibility of preattached S. aureus to killing by povidone iodine was also measured. We found that dispersin B significantly inhibited skin colonization by S. epidermidis and detached preattached S. epidermidis cells from skin. A cocktail of dispersin B and DNase I detached preattached S. aureus cells from skin and increased their susceptibility to killing by povidone iodine. These findings suggest that staphylococcal EPS components such as eDNA and PNAG contribute to skin colonization and biocide resistance in vivo. EPS-degrading enzymes may be a useful adjunct to conventional skin antisepsis procedures in order to further reduce skin bioburden