Reputation Management: Corporate Image and Communication

Reputation was, is, and always will be of immense importance to organisations, whether commercial, governmental or not-for-profit. To reach their goals, stay competitive and prosper, good reputation paves the organisational path to acceptance and approval by stakeholders. Even organisations operating in difficult ethical environments - perhaps self-created - need to sustain a positive reputation where possible. Argenti & Druckenmiller argue that, “organisations increasingly recognize the importance of corporate reputation to achieve business goals and stay competitive” (Argenti & Druckenmiller 2004, p.368). While there are many recent examples of organisations whose leadership and business practice behaviours have destroyed their reputation, such as Enron, Arthur Andersen, Tyco and WorldCom, the positive case for reputation is that it has fostered continued expansion of old stagers like Johnson & Johnson and Philips and innovators such as Cisco Systems, who top recent rankings of the most respected organisations in the US and Europe. What is evident is that reputation does not occur by chance. It relates to leadership, management, and organisational operations, the quality of products and services, and - crucially - relationships with stakeholders. It is also connected to communication activities and feedback mechanisms. This chapter will consider the definitions and nature of reputation and its management, best practice and evaluation. It will also discuss the boundaries between branding, image and reputation

Communications at a crossroads: what place for integrated marketing communications in a post-Covid-19 landscape?

Integrated marketing communications (IMC) are a core part of business success in the 21st century, but are facing exceptional challenges, some of which predate the devastation wrought by the COVID-19 pandemic. The various stages of IMC offer rich potential to enhance marketing techniques, harness the power of data analytics and build brand success. However, while most firms would claim to be deploying IMC, many are offering little more than sales-orientated mass marketing, having failed to move beyond the most basic form of its operation (Stage 1). Amid shrinking economies and slashed marketing budgets, even the minority of firms that has moved into Stage 2 (targeted marketing exchanges), Stage 3 (the application of information technology), Stage 4 (information-led communication planning), or even the putative Stage 5 (fully integrated marketing) now risk reverting to Stage 1. It is therefore critically important to develop an advanced understanding of IMC and its potential. Equally significant is the need to address the global trend towards focusing on attracting customers while neglecting post-purchase experience. A twin approach of successfully harnessing all the stages of IMC while also paying full attention to customer retention will maximise the chances of building brand success in the current challenging climate.Las comunicaciones integradas de comercialización (CIM) son una parte fundamental del éxito empresarial del siglo XXI, pero se enfrentan a retos excepcionales, algunos de los cuales son anteriores a la devastación causada por la pandemia COVID-19. Las diversas etapas de la CIM ofrecen un gran potencial para mejorar las técnicas de comercialización, aprovechar el poder del análisis de datos y construir el éxito de la marca. Sin embargo, aunque la mayoría de las empresas afirman estar desplegando el IMC, muchas están ofreciendo poco más que marketing masivo orientado hacia las ventas, habiendo fracasado en su intento de ir más allá del nivel más básico de su funcionamiento (fase 1). En un contexto de economías en contracción y presupuestos de comercialización recortados, incluso la minoría de empresas que ha pasado a la fase 2 (intercambios de marketing personalizados), la fase 3 (aplicación de la tecnología de la información), la fase 4 (planificación de la comunicación basada en la información), o incluso la supuesta fase 5 (markting totalmente integrado) corren ahora el riesgo de volver a la etapa 1. Por lo tanto, es de importancia crucial desarrollar una comprensión avanzada de la CIM y su potencial. Asimismo, es muy significativa la necesidad de abordar la tendencia mundial a centrarse en la atracción de clientes, descuidando la experiencia post-compra. Un enfoque a doble vía para aprovechar con éxito todas las etapas de la CIM, al tiempo que se presta plena atención a la retención de clientes, maximizará las posibilidades de construir el éxito de la marca en el actual contexto lleno de desafíos

A mutagenic approach to elucidating aquaporin function

Aquaporins (AQPs) are transmembrane proteins that facilitate the movement of water molecules across biological membrane by osmosis. Green fluorescent protein-tagged aquaporin 4 relocalized to the plasma membrane of HEK293 cells in response to reduced tonicity and this phenomenon was reproduced for endogenous AQP4 in primary astrocyte cultures. The mechanism was dependent on phosphorylation at serine-276 by PKA and required activation of CaM. AQP4 knockout animals are protected from brain edema so pharmacologically modulating the subcellular localization of AQP4 may provide a platform for an alternative or complementary approach to hyperosmotic solution based edema therapies. Using the same methodology, we also describe some of the factors controlling AQP5 plasma membrane abundance. AQPs have a signature aromatic/arginine (ar/R) motif that is thought to aid in solute selectivity. Mutants of AQP4 in this region permitted the passage of small solutes differently to AQP1, questioning the validity of a generalized model of AQP solute exclusion. Furthermore, the relative selectivity for glycerol and urea of AQPs could be modulated independently of the physical size of the Ar/R region, suggesting that lack of solute exclusion and solute selectivity are not the same thing. AQPs retain homotetrameric quaternary structures, but the structural basis and functional relevance of this assembly is not known. Mutants of an intracellular loop of AQP4 had reduced ability to form tetramers and, despite no change in constitutive levels of membrane localization or water permeability, had reduced capacity to relocalize in response to hypotonicity

Sharing but caring: Location based mobile applications (LBMA) and privacy protection motivation

Location based mobile applications (LBMA) are developing rapidly with the increasing adoption of smartphones. These applications advantage userś location to provide products or services based on information obtained from their smart devices. However, implementation and execution of these services may raise userś privacy concerns related to sensitive information being handled. In this context, this paper examines the factors that motivate users and lead them to protect their privacy while using LBMA. It also considers potential benefits they could encounter and thus enable their privacy trade. The model proposed is based on Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and tested through a variance-based Structural Equations Modelling approach. Data were obtained through an online survey with 820 participants. Findings reveal that perceived severity, perceived vulnerability and self-efficacy exert a positive effect on the intention of privacy protection, which in turn is found to be positively related to the behavior of protecting privacy.Spanish Ministry of Economics, Industry and Competitiveness under the grant ECO2017-82449-PFunding for open access charge: Universidad de Granada / CBU

Developing corporate communications: insights from the Italian scenario

Purpose - Based on business manager perceptions in large firms, this paper explores the emergence, growth and importance of corporate communications and how it is evolving and creating competitive advantage in Italian firms. Design/methodology/approach - A qualitative approach is deployed, comprising depth interviews with senior managers from corporations from a broad spectrum of industries including: energy, telecommunications, automotive, transport, retail chain, appliances, technology and engineering, private shipping, government-owned holdings, marketing consultancy, and construction. Findings - The paper provides insights of corporate communication (corpcom) practices in the sampled companies. The research shows that corpcoms involves a complex range of activities leading to performances managed and implemented under CEO direction. Practical implications - Corpcoms is perceived as a strategic concept with effective application relative to managing corporate image and reputation. The findings offer insights for communication professionals who deal with corpcoms, branding, and marketing communications. Originality/value - Corpcoms can be viewed via lens of social actors’ perspectives, i.e. via practitioners – including brand managers and senior executives as they possess practical knowledge of contextual business setting and the managerial capacity to design and implement integrated corporate communications

Exploring the link between managing cultural heritage and tourism industry competitiveness: a two country comparison

Purpose of the Paper – Built cultural heritage, such as museums, are deeply linked to their locations and have a crucial role to play in tourism developments. Yet, the literature on museum management is focused upon museums without considering the competitiveness of the tourism industry where they are located. This paper will seek to address this lacuna, and attempt to connect or link museums management and competitiveness in the tourism industry. Design – Two samples (most visited U.K. and Italian museums) will be analysed together with the competitiveness of their (local) tourism industry. Findings – Research findings will allow classifying most visited U.K. and Italian museums in clusters. The comparison will reveal country-specific differences and tourism industry competitiveness of regions of most visited Italian and U.K. museums. Practical Implications – The differences in tourism industry competitiveness and the museums appeal will enable elaboration of specific strategies for museums and the tourism industry for each identifiable cluster. Originality/value – The link between museum marketing strategies and destination competitiveness has been quite neglected by researchers to date. This paper is a first attempt to address this gap, with regard to U.K. and Italian context

Introducing Big Sagebrush into a Crested Wheatgrass Monoculture

Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron desertorum or A. cristatum) has been effectively used to stabilize arid and semi-arid range sites for decades. Reestablishing native plant materials into these areas is often desirable to increase wildlife habitat and ecological diversity. Due to its competitive nature, efforts to reestablish native plants into crested wheatgrass monocultures have had limited success. Tillage will control the grass but leaves the soil vulnerable to erosion and weed invasion. This publication will report on a trial conducted near Nephi, Utah to find a method of introducing native plants into a crested wheatgrass monoculture without subjecting the resource base to degradation in the conversion process. In this trial, the effect of chemically controlling crested wheatgrass before transplanting big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) was studied. Small container grown plants of sagebrush were transplanted either directly into a 60 year-old stand of crested wheatgrass or after chemically controlling the grass. Three different subspecies of big sagebrush; Basin big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. tridentata), Mountain big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. vaseyana (Rydb.) Beetle) and Wyoming big sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata Nutt. ssp. wyomingensis Beetle & Young); were planted to see if there would be differences among subspecies. Four years of data indicate that controlling crested wheatgrass prior to transplanting resulted in higher sagebrush survival and faster establishment. There were some differences among sagebrush subspecies. Basin big sagebrush survived equally well with or without grass control but grew faster with grass control. Chemical control of the grass was important for both the survival and growth of Mountain big sage and Wyoming big sage

Aquaporins in GtoPdb v.2023.3

Aquaporins and aquaglyceroporins are membrane channels that allow the permeation of water and certain other small solutes across the cell membrane, or in the case of AQP6, AQP11 and AQP12A, intracellular membranes, such as vesicles and the endoplasmic reticulum membrane [16]. Since the isolation and cloning of the first aquaporin (AQP1) [20], 12 additional mammalian members of the family have been identified, although little is known about the functional properties of one of these (AQP12A; Q8IXF9) and it is thus not tabulated. The other 12 aquaporins can be broadly divided into three families: orthodox aquaporins (AQP0,-1,-2,-4,-5, -6 and -8) permeable mainly to water, but for some additional solutes [4]; aquaglyceroporins (AQP3,-7 -9 and -10), additionally permeable to glycerol and for some isoforms urea [14], and superaquaporins (AQP11 and 12) located within cells [12]. Some aquaporins also conduct ammonia and/or H2O2 giving rise to the terms 'ammoniaporins' ('aquaammoniaporins') and 'peroxiporins', respectively. Aquaporins are impermeable to protons and other inorganic and organic cations, with the possible exception of AQP1, although this is controversial [14]. One or more members of this family of proteins have been found to be expressed in almost all tissues of the body [reviewed in Yang (2017) [26]]. AQPs are involved in numerous processes that include systemic water homeostasis, adipocyte metabolism, brain oedema, cell migration and fluid secretion by epithelia. Loss of function mutations of some human AQPs, or their disruption by autoantibodies further underscore their importance [reviewed by Verkman et al. (2014) [23], Kitchen et al. (2105) [14]]. Functional AQPs exist as homotetramers that are the water conducting units wherein individual AQP subunits (each a protomer) have six TM helices and two half helices that constitute a seventh 'pseudotransmembrane domain' that surrounds a narrow water conducting channel [16]. In addition to the four pores contributed by the protomers, an additional hydrophobic pore exists within the center of the complex [16] that may mediate the transport through AQP1. Although numerous small molecule inhibitors of aquaporins, particularly APQ1, have been reported primarily from Xenopus oocyte swelling assays, the activity of most has subsequently been disputed upon retesting using assays of water transport that are less prone to various artifacts [5] and they are therefore excluded from the tables [see Tradtrantip et al. (2017) [22] for a review]

Discovering surrogate branding via online image development: A case from India

International audienceInternet penetration and usage are accelerating in all countries due to individuals using online platforms to express their views and opinions. These activities are conducted widely in emerging economies such as India. There, internet penetration usage level in 2016 was 34.8% - primarily undertaken by young adults aged between 18-35 years. While there are multiple studies regarding online image, personal branding, digital sharing and consumption, no extant work has yet explored online activities in terms of projected individual online image though this has been explored offline in terms of self-marketing (Belk, 2013). This projection may be termed 'surrogate branding'. It refers to managing online individual images that help them become digital brands. To assess this further, ethnographic and netnography studies were utilised to understand behavioural patterns and gain insights. The findings revealed four significant dimensions related to surrogate branding of individuals. These are implantation, prenatal, embedded and exultation