PGP II: Communicating Corporate Reputation (CCR)

Slot VIII – 2018-19

Credit: 1:00
Faculty: Asha Kaul

Corporate Reputation, over the last few decades, has gained prominence with researchers and
academics struggling to define this concept in terms of finance, accounting, marketing, etc. The
proposed definitions have gradually expanded beyond the narrow confines of management
disciplines and today, corporate reputation is viewed as a set of images created in the minds of
stakeholders based on company’s product/services, financial performance, leadership, workplace
culture, innovation, governance and employees. Based on literature and current developments in
the business world we explore the following questions in the course. How do you build
reputational capital? What are the key attributes of a good reputation? What are the benefits of a
stellar reputation? How does an organization communicate with stakeholders?

Objectives:

● Craft a framework for communicating reputation

● Comprehend methods of influencing stakeholders
● Understand the mechanics of investor relations in the organizational context
● Recognize the role of media in building organizational and leader reputation
● Analyse the relationship between CSR and reputation and develop strategies to create
shared value
● Comprehend the importance of corporate governance and ethics

Methodology:

The course is structured on case based and project based learning, besides interactive lectures,
role plays, and group discussions. The emphasis in the curriculum is on understanding
methodologies for communicating reputation and developing a strategic framework.

Evaluation:

There is no term-end examination for CCR. Students will be evaluated throughout the course.
The evaluation scheme is as follows:

Class Participation + Attendance 20 %

Presentation on Readings: 10 %
Case Analysis: 20 %
In-class Exercise: 20 %
Project: 30 %

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Course Outline

Session 1 Introduction

Sessions 2 & 3 Building and Communicating Corporate Reputation

(Focus: Analysing reputation from a multiple stakeholder perspective and
understanding various aspects of building and communicating reputation of an
organization).

Session 4 Communicating with Internal Stakeholders

(Focus: Developing reputational asset through appropriate communication with
internal stakeholders)

Session 5 Communicating with External Stakeholders

(Focus: Comprehending the expectations of external stakeholders and
learning skills for communicating differently with a wide array of external
stakeholders).

Sessions 6 & 7 Connecting with the Media

(Focus: Understanding the dynamics of media relationships and communicating
to enhance organizational reputation)

Sessions 8 & 9 Corporate Governance and Ethics

(Focus: Examining the relevance of Corporate Governance and its implications
for corporate reputation and trust)

Sessions 10 & 11 Managing Reputation Online & CEO Digital Activism

(Focus: Leveraging online resources to improve and enhance
corporate reputation)

Sessions 12 & 13 Crisis Communication

(Focus: Positioning corporate communication as a strategic tool for pro-active
crisis management)

Sessions 14 & 15 Managing Investor Relations

(Focus: Building investor relations through appropriate communication
methodologies).

Session 16 Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & Creating Shared Value (CSV)
(Focus: Evaluating the impact of CSR activities and strategies on the reputation
of the company and communicating altruistic motives through online channels
and media)

Sessions 17 & 18 In-class Exercise

Sessions 19 & 20 Project Presentations

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Instructions for In-class Exercise, Project and Case analysis

In-class Exercise

A situation will be provided to you in-class. Based on the readings and discussions in class you
will plan out the communication strategy for various stakeholders to enhance the company
reputation.

This will be followed by a group presentation on strategy, reflections and learning.

Project (Report and Presentation)

This is a live project on a company. In a group, you are expected to make a presentation and
share the report with the instructor. Please select your company and inform the AA at the
earliest. No two groups can select the same company. Companies will be allotted on a first come
first basis.

Some examples and suggested questions on which you can structure your project:

● Study a company and its current reputation in the Industry (either through the net-
secondary data - or interviews - primary data). Trace the growth of the company and its
reputation. Study the speech of the CEO, their CSR initiatives, crisis situation (if any),
media clippings, competitors, etc. What are the strategies followed by the company to
build and communicate its corporate reputation? The company website would be a good
place to begin. What is the impact of the communication on the bottom line of the
company? Check their annual report

● Study a company and analyse its vision, mission, values and objectives. How does it
communicate with its internal and external stakeholders? Discuss the rationale for the
same and the success measures. Critically analyse the organization’s strengths and areas
for improvement. What would you like to recommend to the organization? Your
recommendations should include the economic and political impact post implementation

N.B. The above suggestions are indicative of what should go into the project and should not
restrict you or your analysis.

No. of words: Not less than 3000 words

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Case Analysis (Individual Assignment)

This is an individual assignment. Each student will analyse a case and submit the written
document a week (soft and hard copy) after the discussion in class.

Structure of the Assignment

● Define the problem and identify the issues

● Identify the key stakeholders and their role in building reputation
● What are the steps taken by the company to address the issues?
● What measures would you like to suggest?
● Relate the case to the theory presented in your course mat.
● Validate the significance of the strategies by linking them to the theory presented by
different researchers

No. of words: 1000-1200

CCR Topics and Readings

Session 1 - Introduction

Fombrun, C.J. & Shanley, M. (1990). What’s in a name? Reputation building and corporate
strategy. Academy of Management Journal, 33(2), 233-258.

Dowling, G. (2016), Defining and Measuring Corporate Reputation, European Management

Review, 13(3), 207-223

Sessions 2 & 3 - Building and Communicating Corporate Reputation

Kaul, A., & Desai, A. (2014). An overview of corporate reputation: A hammer or a tool? In
Corporate Reputation Decoded: Building, Managing and Strategizing for Corporate Excellence
(pp. 1-14). India: Sage Publications.

Helm, S. (2007), One reputation or many? Comparing stakeholders' perceptions of corporate

reputation, Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 12(3), 238-254

Session 4 - Communicating with Internal Stakeholders

Cravens, K. S. & Oliver, E. G. (2006). Employees: The key link to corporate reputation
management. Business Horizons, 49, 293-302.

Helm, S. (2011), Employees' awareness of their impact on corporate reputation, Journal of

Business Research, 64(7), 657-663

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Session 5 - Communicating with External Stakeholders

Mitchell, R.K., Agle, B.R. & Wood, D.J. (1997). Toward a theory of stakeholder identification
and salience: Defining the principle of who and what really counts. The Academy of
Management Review, 22(4), 853-886.

Henisz, W. J. (2014), Openness: Strategic communications to reinforce trust and reputation. In

Corporate Diplomacy: Building Reputations and Relationships with External Stakeholders (pp.
120-138). England: Greenleaf Publishing [Ch. 5 in 2017 edition by Routledge]

Sessions 6 &7- Connecting with the Media

Entman, R.M. (1993). Framing: Toward clarification of a fractured paradigm. Journal of

Communication, 43(4), 52

Hallahan, K. (2001). Strategic media planning: Toward an integrated public relations media
model, In R.L. Heath (ed.), Handbook of Public Relations (pp.461-470). London: SAGE
Publications.

Sessions 8 & 9 - Corporate Governance and Ethics

Varma, J. R. (1997), Corporate Governance in India: Disciplining the Dominant Shareholder,

IIMB Management Review, 9(4), 5-18

Pettigrew, J., & Reber, B. (2013), Corporate reputation and the practice of corporate governance,
In Carroll., C., The Handbook of Communication and Corporate Reputation, (Ch. 28, pp. 334-
346), England: Wiley-Blackwell

Sessions 10 & 11 - Managing Reputation Online & CEO Digital Activism

Kaul, A., & Desai, A. (2014). Understanding the ‘Tweet. Post. Call.Comment’Affair: Managing
reputation through social media. In Corporate Reputation Decoded: Building, Managing and
Strategizing for Corporate Excellence (pp. 208-234). India: Sage Publications.

Kaul, A. and Chaudhary, V. (2017), Prologue and Epilogue. In Corporate Communication

through Social Media: Strategies for Managing Reputation. India: Sage Publications

Chatterji, A., & Toffel, M. (2018, January-February), The New CEO Activists, Harvard
Business Review, 78-89

Weber Shandwick, & KRC Research (2016), The Dawn of CEO Activism
[Retrieved from http://www.webershandwick.com/uploads/news/files/the-dawn-of-ceo-
activism.pdf]

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Sessions 12 & 13 - Crisis Communication

Kaul, A., & Desai, A. (2014). Restoring confidence and re-engineering stakeholder frames in the
eye of the storm. In Corporate Reputation Decoded: Building, Managing and Strategizing for
Corporate Excellence (pp. 238-255). India: Sage Publications.

Coombs, W.T. (2007). Protecting organization reputations during a crisis: the development and
application of situational crisis communication theory, Corporate Reputation Review, 10 (3),
163-176.

Sessions 14 & 15 - Managing Investor Relations

Hoffmann, C. & Fieseler, C. (2012). Investor relations beyond financials: Non financial factors
and capital market image building. Corporate Communications: An International Journal, 17(2),
138 – 155.

Kaul, A., & Desai, A. (2014). Increasing crescendo: Wooing investors for market valuation and
visibility. In Corporate Reputation Decoded: Building, Managing and Strategizing for Corporate
Excellence (pp. 100-121). India: Sage Publications.

Seth, A. & Marston, C. (2008). Corporate disclosure, cost of capital and reputation:
Evidence from finance directors. The British Accounting Review, 40, 314-336.

Session 16 - Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) & Creating Shared Value (CSV)

Kaul, A., & Desai, A. (2014). Unleashing the potential of social responsibility for reputational
gain: Managing social impact. In Corporate Reputation Decoded: Building, Managing and
Strategizing for Corporate Excellence (pp. 126-151). India: Sage Publications.

Porter, M.E., & Kramer, M.R. (2011). Creating shared value. Harvard Business Review
Retrieved from http://hbr.org/2011/01/the-big-idea-creating-shared-value/ar/pr

Sessions 17 & 18– In-class Exercise

Read the guidelines on page 3

Sessions 19 & 20 - Project Presentations

Read the guidelines on page 3

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Suggested Readings

Durham, Tyler. (2015). Building a Strong Corporate Reputation: Why We Need Leadership at
the Speed of ‘Now’. The Public Relations Strategist.

Mainardes, E., Alves, H. & Raposo, M. (2011), Stakeholder theory: Issues to resolve,
Management Decision, 49(2), 226-252

Fanelli, A., & Misangyi, V.F. (2006). Bringing out charisma: CEO charisma and external
stakeholders, The Academy of Management Review, 31(4), 1049-1061

Martin, G., & Hetrick, S. (2006). Corporate communications and the employment relationship,
Corporate Reputations, Branding and People Management: A Strategic Approach to HR (pp.
257- 293). Oxford; Burlington: Elsevier.

Power, B. (2013). Make your organisation anti fragile, Harvard Business Review, June 24
[Retrieved from http://blogs.hbr.org/2013/06/make-your-organization-anti-fr/]

Cragg, W., & Matten, D. (2011), Ethics, corporations, and governance, Journal of Business
Ethics, 102, 1-4

Carroll, C. E. (Ed.) (2013), Handbook of Communication and Corporate Reputation, England:

Wiley-Blackwell

Dorobantu, S., Henisz, W., & Nartey, L. (2017), Not all Sparks light a Fire: Stakeholder and
Shareholder Reactions to Critical Events in Contested Markets, Administrative Science
Quarterly, 62(3), 561-597

Vancheshwar, V. et al. (2015), Corporate Reputation – A Study of Practitioners in Indian

Context, Corporate Reputation Review, 18(4), 261-276

Sohn, Y. J., & Lariscy, R. W. (2015), A Buffer or Boomerang? – The Role of Corporate
Reputation in Bad Times, Communication Research, 42(2), 237-259

Opitz, M., Chaudhary V., & Wang, Y. (2018), Employee social-mediated crisis communication
as opportunity or threat? Corporate Communication: An International Journal, 23(1), 66-83

Rousseau, Denise M. Academy of Management Executive. Feb2004, Vol. 18 Issue 1, p120-127. 8p. DOI:
10.5465/AME.2004.12689213.

Kotter, J. P. (1973). The psychological contract: Managing the joining-up process. California
Management Review, 15(3), 91-99.

Money, K., Saraeva, A., Garnelo-Gomez, I. et al. (2017), Corporate Reputation Past and
Future: A Review and Integration of Existing Literature and a Framework for Future Research,
Corporate Reputation Review, 20(3&4), 193-211

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