网站原创摘 要:一个企业的成功必须奠定于一个正面的企业形象.社会大众长期的信任及支持是所有企业成功的关键.2009年,美国通用汽车在宣告破产的窘境下重整了它的企业文化及形象.通过了通用的的公关部门,它在美国人民面前展现了全新的企业形象.利用广大传媒的力量,它成功的告知了社会大众美国通用汽车公司将如何改变经营方式以及为美国的社会和经济带来崭新的未来.
关 键 词:企业形象企业名声品牌价值品牌管理消费者信任
Introduction
Thispaperexaminesintrinsicvaluesofcorporatereputationanditsroleswithinthecontextofstrategicmanagementinthe21stcentury.Forthepurposeofthispaper,emphasiswillbeplacedontheimportanceofreputationmanagementindeliveringcorporatevalueandpetitivenesswithinGeneralMotors(GM),Inc.ParticularemphasiswillbeplacedonthedeclaredbankruptcyofGMinJune2009.ThisreportwillidentifythechallengeacingGeneralMotorsandthechangeswithintheAmericanautomotiveindustryintoday’sglobaleconomy.WiththeUnitedStatesbeingGeneralMotors’largestmarket,thispaperwillfocussolelyonGM’sAmericanmarket.Thispaperwillalsodelineatethenecessarystrategictoolsandtacticortheeffectivemanagementofcorporatereputationinvariousscenarios.Duetothelengthofthisreport,thispaperwillnotattempttocovertrust,ethicsandcrisianagementingreatdetail,eventhoughthesetopicsaredeeplyintertwinedwiththeconceptofreputation
TheFinancialValueofReputation
Untilreputationisthreatened,scholarsandpractitionershetraditionallyoverlookeditasanimportantfinancialindicatorforbusinesses(Fombrun&VanRiel,2006).However,intoday’sworld,highdemandorcorporateaccountabilitynolongerallowanizationstoignoretheimportanceofreputationmanagement(Oliver,2007,p.56).Reputationisthemostimportantassetthatallowsthepanytobettermanagetheexpectationsandneedsofitsstakeholders,creatingdifferentiationandbarriersagainstitspetitors.Reputationistheintellectual,emotionalandbehioralresponseofstakeholderswhenjudgingiftheperformanceandactionsofananizationfulfillwiththeirpersonalneedsandinterests(Schreiber,2008).
Theconceptofreputationiluidandabstract,yetverypowerful.Peoplewillhecertainopinionsaboutapanywithoutactuallyhingdirectinteractionswithit.Ananization’sreputationisderivedfromitsbehiors,experiences,andrelationshipswithothers.Mostofthisreputationiormedoutsideoftheanizationonthebasisof“subjectiveimpressions”(L’Etang,2008,p.49).Sincereputationisexternallyperceived,itisusuallynotdirectlycontrolledbythepanyitself(Fombrun&VanRiel,2006).Reputationisnotstatic.Itisconstantlyaffectedbytheanization’sactionsandtheactionsofothersaroundit.
Brown(1998)notes“poorreputationsignalstoinvestorsthatdisasterlurksandthatwhenitstrikes,thosepanieswillnothethenecessarypublicsupporttheyneedtoweatherthestorm”(p.279,citedinSchreiber,2008).Reputationisoftendifficulttoimitatebecause,thoughreceivedexternally,it“deriveromuniqueinternalfeatures”ofapany.Usuallybuiltonhistory,reputationisusuallydevelopedovertime.MorethanhalfoftheBritishpopulationbelievesthat“oldestablishedpanieakethebestproductsandalltheevidencesuggeststhisisauniversaltruth”while40%reportto“neverbuyproductadebypaniesofwhichtheyhenotheard”(Haywood,2002:176).Becauseoftheoftenasymmetricofexchangeofinformationbetweenanizationsandtheirstakeholders,potentialinvestorsandconsumersoftenlooktoapany’sreputationwhendecidingtoengagewithacertainpany.“Astrongcorporatereputationsuggeststhattheproductsandservicebeingofferedbythefirmareofhigherqualityandthatthefirmisresponsibleandwilltreatitscustomerswell”(Schreiber,2008).Thereforegametheoristsconcludethatreputationiunctionallyimportant,sinceitgeneratesstakeholderperceptionsofthepanythatprovidestabilizationbetweenapanyanditspublics(Dowling,2006).
“Organizationalmarketvaluehasbeenmovingfromtangibletointangibleassets.AccordingtoastudybyErnst&Young(2003),between80-85%ofthemarketvalueoftheS&P500wasprisedofintangibleassetsversusonly15%fromtangibleasset.”“Intangibleassetsareveryimportantforachievingapetitiveadvantagebecausetheyarevaluable,rare,difficultorcostlytoimitate,substituteandtraner”(Schreiber,2008).The4-PartModelofSharemarketValuationshowsthatnotonlydocorporatereputationsaffectcorporatevalue,butitcanalso“impactthedriversofcorporatevalue”(Dowling,2006,p.135).
Companieswithbetterreputationtendtohelongerprofitabilityperiodsthantheirpetitorswithlessestablishedreputations.Whenhandledcorrectly,agoodcorporatereputationwillbeeitalpartofthepany’sintrinsicvalue,whichwillbefactoredintoitsshareprice”(Dowling,2006,p.141.)FombrunandVanRiel(2004)concludedthatpanieswithsolidreputationtendtooutperformpanieswithpoorreputationonvariouinancialmeasures.
TheRiseandFallofGeneralMotors
Sinceitsinitialestablishmentin1908,GeneralMotorshasestablisheditselfastheworld’sleaderinautomobilesales.However,sincethe1980s,thepany’ssuccessstartedtodeclinequickly.Thiswaspartlyduetotheincreasingnumberofpetitorsintheglobalcarindustry,withtherisingpowersofEuropeanandespeciallyJapaneseautomakers.Butmainly,thefallofGeneralMotorsisduetointernalissueianagement.AsofJune1st2009,GeneralMotorsofficiallyfiledforChapter11bankruptcyprotection.ThisactionprotectsGMfromcreditors'demandorpaymentsandfromanytypeoflawsuitswhileitrestructuresitinances.GM’sbankruptcyisthelargestmanufacturingfilinginU.S.history.ThenewGMis60%ownedbyU.S.taxpayersand40%ownedbytheAmericangovernment.
WhyisReputationImportanttoGM
GM’sAdvantages
Aspreviouslymentioned,historyplaysasubstantialroleinthecreationofreputation(Mahon,2002citedinSchreiber,2009).Itisaresultofinteractionandexperiencesofpanyanditsstakeholdersovertime.SimilartoCoombsandHolladay’sconceptoftheHaloEffect,Wartick(1992)concluderomhisempiricalresearchthatevenwhenpresentedwithconflictinginformationaboutapany,itisdifficulttoalterthereputationalperceptionsofstakeholders(citedinFombrun&VanRiel,2004,Schreiber,2008).
InthecaseofGeneralMotors,thepublicmayhelostsomeoftheirtrustandrespectforthetopmanagementatGM,buttheyareempathetictotheoverallsituationofGManditsworkers.Fortunately,withthesupportoftheAmericangovernment,manyremainoptimisticaboutthestrengthofGeneralMotorsasapany.ThisispartlyduetothehistoryofGM.Asoneoftheearliestpioneersofmoderndayautomobile,GeneralMotorsisnotonlyanAmericanpany,butalsoapartoftheAmericanhistory.
OneofthemajorstrengthsGMholdoveritsotherfinanciallystrugglingAmericanpetitorsisitshistoryandreputationofmakingqualityAmericancars.Srivastaetal.(1997)findthatwhendealingwithpanieswithsimilarfinancialstatuses,stakeholdersperceiveapany’sreputationtobethedecidingfactorinitsoverallperformance(citedinSchreiber,2008).ThoughGMshouldhemanageditsissuesdecadesagoandpreventeditsbankruptcy,thisisachanceforthepanytoswitchgearandrestructureitself.JustlikethepaniesnewPRcampaignstates,GMmust“reinvent”itselfandemergeagainastheindustry’sinnovatorandleader.
GM’sOrganizationalValueandReputationduringChangeManagement
Reputationoftenholdsparticularvalueincircumstancessuchaergersandacquisitions(Schreiber,2008).Duringtimesofchange,reputationmanagementisevenmorecrucial.
Apany’sculturecanaffectemployeemotivationandbehiorwhilecorporateidentitycaninfluencehowemployeesinterpretandreactindifferentsituations(Fombrun&VanRiel,2004).Organizationidentitiescanbeaffectedbyitshistoryandculture(L’Etang,2008).Ananization’sidentity(AlbertandWhetten,1985)andbehiors(JonkerandSchumaker,2005)areshapedforemostbyitsvalues(Schreiber,2008).Organizationswithunifiedcorporateculturesandidentitiesaremorelikelytoengageineffectivestakeholdermanagement.
Corporatereputationderiverom“thesense-makingexperiences”ofitsemployees(Fombrun&VanRiel,2004,p.8).Itscorporatecultureandidentityshapeitsbusinesspractices,stakeholderrelationships,andnumerousotheraspects(Fombrun&VanRiel,2004).Fromowningnearlytwentybrandsglobally,GeneralMotorsisintheprocessofdownsizingtokeepingonlyfourofitsbestsellingmakes.Withtheclosingofatremendousnumberofplantsanddealerships,GMislookingtocut20,000morejobsthanthehundredsofthousandsithasalreadylaidoffoverthepastdecade.
Goodleadershipnotonlydrivespanysuccess,italsoinspiresitsemployeestoreachitsgoals(Schreiber,2008).DuringtheturmoilofGM’assivestructuralchange,theCEOandmanagingboardmustprovideitskeystakeholderswithcleardirections,visions,andpletetransparency.
RebuildingGM’sReputation
“Mechaniorraisingcapitalbasedonintangiblesalreadyexist,includingsecuritization,lending,licensingandoutrightsale”(Schreiber,2008).Severalstudies(McGuireetal.,1988,Solomon&Hansen,1985)showapositiverelationshipbetweenCSR,reputation,andapany’soverallfinancialperformance.InordertofulfillitirstandforemostCSRobjective,GeneralMotorustbeeprofitableagain.Thereforeasalesandpromotionalrouteofdiscountingautomobilestodriveshort-termsales,thoughmaybebeusedasatactic,isdeemedtobeshortsighted.
Whenjudgingtheperformanceofapany,stakeholderscollectinformationaboutwhatapanystandor(Schreiber,2008).Inordertooptimizecorporatevalueandrebuilditsreputation,GeneralMotors’CEOandmanagingboardmustheaclearestablishmentofwhatGMstandor.Analogoustothepreviouslymentionedcasestudy,likeShell,GMisalsoapowerfulpanywithastrongsenseofnationalidentityandhistory.Throughthenatureofthetwocrisesaredifferent,GMandShelldoessharesomesimilarities.
GMhaadethecorrectchoiceinutilizingaPR-ledcampaignthatsendsstrongmessageofheritageandinnovationtorebuilditreputation.Throughitsbrandnewwebsiteandtelevisionadvertisements,GMhashumanizeitselfbysincerelyapologizingforitspastmistakesanddemonstratingitsdesiretorestartanditswillingnesstoserveitscustomers.
Trust
Companieustachievesustainedfinancialperformancebybeingprofitableandalsobeingperceivedasgoodbyitsstakeholders(Dowling,2006).L’Etangwritesthatgoodreputationeromtrust,reliability,sincerity,andauthenticity(2008:50).Anotherperspectivewouldbethatgoodreputationbreedsreliabilityandtrustworthiness.AccordingtoanindustrystudyconductedintheUKbyMORI,sevenoutoftenpeopleinthegeneralpublicbelievethat“apanythathasagoodreputationwouldnotsellpoorqualityproducts”(Haywood,2002,p.175-176).
| 有关论文范文主题研究: | 关于品牌管理的论文范文检索 | 大学生适用: | 本科论文、学士学位论文 |
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Summary
“Noteverythingthatcanbecountedcounts,andnoteverythingthatcountscanbecounted”(AlbertEinstein,citedinDowling,2006,p.142).AspresidentandCEOofAPCOWorldwide,MargeryKraus(2003)statedthat:“non-financialfactorssuchaanagementquality,governance,brandequity,ethicalleadership,corporatecitizenship,andresponsiblemarketinghebeeincreasinglyvital.Thesenon-financialfactors,takenasawholeandblendedwithbusinessperformance,constitute‘corporatereputation’(Schreiber,2008).
Notallpaniesarecapableofmaintaingoodreputationovertime.Onceananization’sreputationisdamaged,itmustrebuilditself.Therecoveryperiodoftenrequireoreeffort.“Ittakestimeforareputationtocoalesceinobservers’minds”(Fombrun&VanRiel,2004,p.5).InthecaseofGeneralMotors,withitscurrentPRcampaign,newCEOandbusinessstrategy,itisonitswaytorebuildingitsreputation.Itwillnotbeeasyandnotmuchcanbedonetoalleviatethetimeandenergyrequiredforthisgreattask.ButGMshouldprevail,withthecorrectCSRplan,keepinginmindthatthefundamentalbusinessofGMistomakecars:safeandefficientcarsthataresustainableandreliable.GM’snewmessage,accordingtoCFORayYoung:"WewillfixGMonceandforall".
Bibliography
Fombrun,C.andVanRiel,C.(2004)TheReputationalLandscape.JournalofReputationReview,1(1,2),pp.5-12.
Haywood,R.(2002).Manageyourreputation.2ndedition.London:KoganPage.
Henderson,T.andWilliams,J.(2002)“Shell”.InMoss,D.andDeSanto,B.(eds),Publicrelationscases-internationalperspective,London:Routledge.Pp.10-26.
KitchenP.andDalyF.(2002)Internalmunicationduringchangemanagement.CorporateCommunications:AnInternalJournal,7(1),pp.46-53.
L’Etang,J.(2008).Publicrelations:concept,practice,andcritique.London:Sage.
Oliver,S.(2007).PublicRelationsStrategy,2ndEdition.London:KoganPage.
Roscoe,A.(2002)“Raci-condemnitorcondoneit”.InMoss,D.andDeSanto,B.(eds),Publicrelationscases-internationalperspective,London:Routledge.pp.27-38.
Schreiber,E.(2008)Reputation.InstituteforPublicRelations.
（责任编辑：罗亦成）