Curtin University Homepage
  • Library
  • Help
    • Admin

    espace - Curtin’s institutional repository

    JavaScript is disabled for your browser. Some features of this site may not work without it.
    View Item 
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item
    • espace Home
    • espace
    • Curtin Research Publications
    • View Item

    Building corporate reputation with stakeholders: exploring the role of message ambiguity for social marketers

    Access Status
    Fulltext not available
    Authors
    Dickinson, Sonia
    Beverland, M.
    Lindgreen, A.
    Date
    2010
    Type
    Journal Article
    
    Metadata
    Show full item record
    Citation
    Dickinson, S. and Beverland, M. and Lindgreen, A. 2010. Building corporate reputation with stakeholders: exploring the role of message ambiguity for social marketers. European Journal of Marketing. 44 (11-12): pp. 1856-1874.
    Source Title
    European Journal of Marketing
    DOI
    10.1108/03090561011079918
    ISSN
    03090566
    School
    School of Marketing
    URI
    http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/31470
    Collection
    • Curtin Research Publications
    Abstract

    Purpose – Managing the corporate reputation of hybrid firms (organizations that act commercially to pursue social agendas) involves particular challenges because of competing stakeholder interests. With reference to the Trappist beer market, the paper seeks to identify the value of message ambiguity in reducing stakeholder tension, while simultaneously achieving a clear market positioning. Design/methodology/approach – In total, 25 in‐depth interviews were conducted with brand marketers, owners, channel buyers, industry representatives and consumers. Findings – The findings demonstrate how ambiguous communications minimize tension between stakeholders. One form of ambiguous message strategy is identified – i.e. the deliberate use of “authenticity” as a positioning device. This positioning allows stakeholders to ascribe conflicting meanings to the Trappist brand, resulting in increased reputation and decreased stakeholder tension. Research limitations/implications – The use of authenticity and message ambiguity represents one means of balancing stakeholder interests, while achieving a clear market position. The paper believes the findings are particularly relevant for social marketers and managers of highly symbolic brands. Originality/value – Marketers can reduce stakeholder conflict through the use of brand images that emphasize normative as opposed to performance‐based commitments. Such commitments need to be broad enough to allow different stakeholders to ascribe their own meaning to the brand without diminishing the strength of the firm's market position.

    Related items

    Showing items related by title, author, creator and subject.

    • Drivers and Consequences of City Brand Love – Unravelling Tourists’ Love for Perth, WA
      Rabbanee, Fazlul ; Sadeque, Saalem; Swapan, Mohammad (2019)
      City branding is an important activity of the governing authorities of the cities around the world. While extant literature on urban governance highlights the significance of residents’ role in the development and managing ...
    • Corporate social responsibility branding: the role of organisational identity and its impact on performance
      Suprawan, Lokweetpun (2011)
      The concept of corporate social responsibility (CSR) has received much attention over several decades, although its definition has splintered into different perspectives termed in this thesis as economic, socio-political, ...
    • How do brand evaluations affect online brand engagement? Mediation impact and evidence from Facebook
      Alqahtani, Abdul; Sharma, Piyush ; Davcik, Nebojsa; Kingshott, Russel (2024)
      The research explores how electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM) messages on Facebook affect the brand evaluation and engagement of airline passengers. The Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM) of persuasion theory is used to examine ...
    Advanced search

    Browse

    Communities & CollectionsIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument TypeThis CollectionIssue DateAuthorTitleSubjectDocument Type

    My Account

    Admin

    Statistics

    Most Popular ItemsStatistics by CountryMost Popular Authors

    Follow Curtin

    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 
    • 

    CRICOS Provider Code: 00301JABN: 99 143 842 569TEQSA: PRV12158

    Copyright | Disclaimer | Privacy statement | Accessibility

    Curtin would like to pay respect to the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander members of our community by acknowledging the traditional owners of the land on which the Perth campus is located, the Whadjuk people of the Nyungar Nation; and on our Kalgoorlie campus, the Wongutha people of the North-Eastern Goldfields.