The introductory part deals with the fundamental characteristics of communication, currently used communication models, analyze the communication process and describe social nature of communication using managers communication networks inside and outside the organization. After that, the work refers to specific forms of communication and their use with ICT technology. The practical part firstly examines the managers communication needs and then analyzes the claims and demands for communication strategy. The gained knowledge is then used to design specific management communications system.

Text in English / In its proposal of a communication strategy that will be of use as an enabling tool for increasing graduate employment potential, this study contributes uniquely to the discipline of communication. It envisages that communication takes into consideration the involvement of the key stakeholders, namely: government, labour market, education system, and media. Amid unemployment challenges that affect the majority of the population, media is regarded as a powerful tool to reach the majority of the population. With specific regard to graduate unemployment, media-driven interaction with unemployed graduates is not as efficient as it should be. Factors contributing to graduate unemployment are identified as career choices, skills shortage, job opportunities, career development, work experience, skills development, entrepreneurial skills, internships, and access to the labour market. It is also important to note that media is regarded as tool for disseminating information about such factors. In order to address this problem, the study establishes an integrated communication strategy that will be of use as an enabling tool for increasing the potential of graduate employment. The role of such communication could be applicable in various ways, such as organisational communication, business communication, public communication, personal communication, interpersonal communication, etc. This study locates itself in the domain of public communication because information about unemployment issues is a matter of public concern. This study adopts mixed research methodologies, with a survey research design—in order to gather data from the graduate students at a University of Technology. The study found that while social and print media are highly preferred and used due to their accessibility, there is a need to stress their use with regard to employment search. The main concepts that contributed to the establishment of the strategy included strategic communication, unemployment and media. It must be here noted that, for purposes of this study, strategic communication was informed by a confluence of the constitutive model of communication, systems theory, and situational theory of publics. The phenomenon of unemployment is informed by unemployment approaches, on the one hand, and the Maslow theory of needs, on the other. Furthermore, the understanding of the concept of media is informed by mass communication approaches and media richness theory. This thesis expects that, as an outcome, such a communication strategy would increase graduate employment potential. Public relations planning model is applied in the study in order to guide the implementation of the proposed communication strategy. / Communication Science / D. Litt. et Phil. (Communication Science)

Die vorliegende Dissertation behandelt in fünf wissenschaftlichen Artikeln Grundfragen aus dem Themenfeld der Konsumenten-Marken Beziehung. Artikel 1 befasst sich mit der Fragestellung, was Konsumenten dazu führt, eine Marke in Betracht zu ziehen. Artikel 2 untersucht den Zusammenhang von Kundenzufriedenheit und Loyalität. Artikel 3 analysiert Konsumentenreaktionen auf Beziehungsverstöße und die Rolle von Beziehungsnormen. Artikel 4 untersucht den Einfluss negativer Informationen auf die Stärke der Markeneinstellung von Konsumenten. Im abschließenden 5. Artikel werden schließlich Kommunikationsstrategien für den Fall negativer Markenvorfälle entwickelt. / This dissertation consists of five articles concerned with different aspects of consumer-brand relationships. Article 1 looks at what makes consumers consider a brand in the first place, the precondition for a brand to establish a relationship with a consumer. Article 2 deals with sustaining consumer-relationships and the role of satisfaction in retaining customers. Article 3 looks at whether consumers stay with the brand in the case of a relationship problem, actively work to sustain the relationship or silently let it deteriorate. It shows that relationship norms constitute an important factor in how consumers react to such negative incidents in a relationship. Article 4 investigates the effect of negative brand information on consumers’ attitudes and article 5 develops communication strategies for companies to employ when negative brand incidents occur.

Made available in DSpace on 2016-04-26T18:16:15Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 adriana.pdf: 20038813 bytes, checksum: 18558f48a139a7c8900a0d72fc2b81c7 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2007-05-18 / This research intends to investigate the Urban Vernacular Design, and the relations established taking it as a starting point, with socity and culture. We understand that: Urban Vernacular Design is a denomination given to popular artifacts created by an individual or a community in order to attend to its basic, concrete needs in the struggle for survival. The insertion of this research in the area of communication is justified by the fact that the artifacts of Urban Vernacular Design are analyzed as agents of communication between the producer/user, and the medium where they were generated, and, in a more all-encompassing form, in the relationship established between the artifacts and the consumer and observing public. The hypotheses for our research is that if urban vernacular design, born of the interchanges between cultures and individuals in the big urban centers, can be characterized as a communication and social insertion strategy. The general goal of this research is to investigate the place of the Vernacular Design in urban culture, from an exploratory methodology and bibliographical research, identifying the existing products, the needs that generated them, the modes of creation/production and contextualizing them as hybrid artifacts. . In order to conceptualize our study subject, we use several authors that researched this theme, as Fernanda de Abreu Cardoso, Rafael Cardoso Denis, and others. In our investigation on the Urban Vernacular Design, we seek to guide ourselves through the Semiotics of Culture, of the School of Tartu, from the work of Iuri Lotman, regarding the notion of text, also studied by Ivan Bistryna. To understand vernacular design as a process of cultural hybridization, we based ourselves in authors as Nestor Garcia Canclini, in Culturas Híbridas ; Massimo Canevacci, in Sincretismos: uma exploração das hibridações culturais , and Peter Burke, in Hibridismo Cultural . When we characterize the city of São Paulo as the place of urban vernacular design, proposing connections between the artifacts and its middle, from the viewpoint of perception, memory, and interpretation of the city, we use as reference the works Leitura sem Palavras , by Lucrécia D´Alessio Ferrara, Cidade & Alma , by James Hillman, and Pour une Anthropologie des Images , by Hans Belting / A presente pesquisa pretende investigar o Design Vernacular Urbano, e as relações estabelecidas a partir dele, com a sociedade e a cultura. Entendemos que: Design Vernacular Urbano é uma denominação atribuida aos artefatos populares criados por um indivíduo ou uma comunidade para atender às necessidades básicas e concretas na luta pela sobrevivência. A inserção desta pesquisa na área de comunicação, se justifica pelo fato de que os artefatos do Design Vernacular Urbano são analisados como agentes de comunicação entre o produtor/usuário, e o meio no qual foram gerados, e, de forma mais abrangente, na relação estabelecida entre os artefatos e o público consumidor e observador. Nossa pesquisa levanta como hipótese se o design vernacular urbano, fruto das trocas que ocorrem entre culturas e indivíduos nos grandes centros urbanos, pode ser caracterizado como uma estratégia de comunicação e inserção social. O objetivo geral desta pesquisa é o de investigar sobre o lugar do Design Vernacular na cultura urbana, a partir de uma metodologia exploratória e de pesquisa bibliográfica, identificando os produtos existentes, as necessidades que os geraram, os modos de criação/produção e contextualizando-os como artefatos híbridos. Para conceituarmos nosso objeto de estudo, utilizamos diversos autores que pesquisaram sobre o tema, como Fernanda de Abreu Cardoso, Rafael Cardoso Denis, entre outros. Em nossa investigação sobre o Design Vernacular Urbano, procuramos nos pautar na Semiótica da Cultura, da Escola de Tartu, a partir da obra de Iuri Lotman, no que se refere ao conceito de texto, também trabalhado por Ivan Bistryna. Para compreendermos o design vernacular como processo de hibridização cultural, fomos buscar subsídios em autores como Nestor Garcia Canclini, em Culturas Híbridas ; Massimo Canevacci, em Sincretismos: uma exploração das hibridações culturais , e Peter Burke, em Hibridismo Cultural . Ao caracterizarmos a cidade de São Paulo como lugar do design vernacular urbano, propondo relações entre os artefatos e seu meio, a partir da percepção, memória e interpretação da cidade, utilizamos como referência as obras Leitura sem Palavras , de Lucrécia D´Alessio Ferrara, Cidade & Alma , de James Hillman, e Pour une Anthropologie des Images , de Hans Belting

Thesis is dedicated to characteristics of marketing and communication mix, to analysis and evaluation of marketing and communication tools and processes of Czech branch of Philip Morris company and to possible advices. Thesis is divided into three parts. The first part is a theoretical one, dedicated to general marketing definitions. The second one deals with the specific of tobacco market and with extend and impacts of existing regulation. The last one describe the company this thesis is dedicated to, its tools and processes and also include the evaluation and some advices to improvement.

The diploma thesis deals with the use of event marketing in the communications strategy of OBO Bettermann Praha which operates in business-to-business market in electrical engineering. The first part looks into event marketing from a theoretical point of view. The second part firstly introduces the company OBO Bettermann Praha and its marketing communications. Subsequently is the influence of event marketing on the company's business relations with its customers and business partners explored (currently the main pillar are theater evenings). The survey is conducted by online quantitative questioning of event's participants and qualitative in-depth interview with the director of the company. The survey results are evaluated in the final chapter of the thesis.

Inter-organizational network initiatives such as regional strategic networks (RSNs) are often used by firms and public agencies to support regional development and competitiveness. RSNs are designed networks managed by a hub and financed by public or private means. RSN management is complex as members are autonomous and initially often loosely connected. The effects of RSNs on regional development are disputed as engineered relationship development may interfere with ongoing business relationships.  Despite this, vast public funds are being invested in collaborative initiatives. Identifying factors affecting RSN performance will provide a better basis for evaluating and managing such initiatives. Based on concepts such as actors, resources, and activities findings are reported from longitudinal case-studies built on interviews with 68 members and hubs in four RSNs. Data were also collected through participant observation, conversations, archival data and emails. Findings indicate that factors such as evaluation criteria, member composition, relationships, location, goals, the hub, physical and human resources, knowledge sharing and development, resources, policies and norms, social activities, and communication exert an impact on entrepreneurship and cooperation. The first paper focuses on factors such as actor composition, actor goals, number of actors, and activities facilitating relationship development and commitment. The second paper identifies a framework of seven tasks to be performed by the hub. The effects on development of preferences and atmosphere are dealt with in the third paper. Effects of cooperation between public/private sector and universities are addressed in the fourth paper, and entrepreneurial processes in network contexts are analyzed in the fifth one. The important management role of the hub is emphasized as is carefully considered member composition. Relationships and commitment are found to be crucial. These factors are not covered by national and regional performance criteria. They merit a place of their own.

The aim of this study is to examine which communication channels and communication strategies Umeå municipality could use for information concerning outdoor recreation. To achieve this aim the following theories and views have been applied: social communication, communication strategies, two-way symmetrical communication, social media and uses and gratifications. The study was conducted through four focus group interviews and one informant interview. The focus groups consisted of four groups of outdoor enthusiasts in Umeå municipality: outdoor interested students, organized outdoor enthusiasts, active families and active seniors. The informant were the person that is centrally positioned within the business. The material was collected during the 6th and 19th of February 2014. The results and analysis of the study showed that outdoor enthusiasts have acquired new communication habits and that the municipality partially requires changes in their communication strategy. The new media habits has meant that outdoor enthusiasts would like to receive personalized information rather than information that is targeted towards the crowd. Thus, there is a clash between how the municipality communicates and outdoor interested’s approach to dialogue. Outdoor enthusiasts also want to communicate with each other to a greater extent than with the municipality. The result also showed a lack of communication channels that enable outdoor enthusiasts to communicate with each other. Finally, there were also a digital divide that shows that active seniors are distinguished because they have not embraced the new media consumption in the same extent as other groups. This has the consequence that Umeå municipality must use a mixture of communication channels to adapt to the public. / Syftet med studien är att undersöka vilka kommunikationskanaler samt kommunikationsstrategier Umeå kommun kan använda för information som rör friluftsliv. För att uppnå syftet har teorier och fakta om samhällskommunikation, kommunikationsstrategier, tvåvägs-symmetrisk kommunikation, sociala medier samt uses and gratifications använts. Studien har genomförts genom fyra fokusgruppsintervjuer och en informantintervju. Fokusgrupperna bestod av fyra grupper av friluftsintresserade i Umeå kommun: friluftsintresserade studenter, organiserade friluftsmänniskor, aktiva barnfamiljer samt aktiva seniorer. Informanten som intervjuades var den person som är centralt placerad inom verksamheten. Materialet samlades in under tidsperioden 6-19 februari 2014. Resultatet och analysen av studien visade att friluftsintresserade har skaffat sig nya medievanor och att kommunen delvis måste ändra sin kommunikationsstrategi. De nya medievanorna har medfört att friluftsintresserade vill få individanpassad information istället för information som är riktat mot den breda massan. Därmed har det uppstått en krock mellan hur kommunen kommunicerar och friluftsintresserades syn på dialog. Friluftsintresserade vill även kommunicera med varandra i större utsträckning än med kommunen i fråga. Resultatet visade också att det saknas kommunikationskanaler som möjliggör att friluftsintresserade kan kommunicera med varandra. Slutligen återfanns även en digital klyfta som visar att aktiva seniorer särskiljer sig då de inte har anammat den nya mediekonsumtionen i lika utsträckning som övriga grupper. Det betyder att Umeå kommun måste använda en blandning av kommunikationskanaler för att anpassa sig efter medborgarna.

Avec la montée en popularité d’Internet et des médias sociaux, de plus en plus d’organismes sociaux et publics, notamment, intègrent des plateformes Web à leurs volets traditionnels. La question d’Internet demeure toutefois peu étudiée eu égard à la publicité sociale. Ce mémoire porte donc sur la question du Web en relation avec les campagnes sociales adressées aux jeunes Québécois de 18 à 25 ans, une population particulièrement réceptive aux nouvelles technologies. Plus exactement, dans cette étude, nous avons analysé trois sites Web rattachés à des campagnes sociales (La vitesse, ça coûte cher de la SAAQ, Les ITSS se propagent du MSSS et 50 000 adeptes, 5 000 toutous de la Fondation CHU Sainte-Justine) dans l’objectif de déterminer leurs forces et leurs faiblesses pour ensuite proposer des pistes pour leur optimisation. C’est à l’aide d’une analyse critique de contenu suivie d’entrevues et d’observations individuelles auprès de 19 participants que nous sommes parvenue à suggérer des pistes pour l’optimisation des sites Web de campagnes sociales destinées aux jeunes adultes québécois. Une des plus grandes difficultés en ce qui a trait à leur conception consiste à choisir les stratégies les plus appropriées pour provoquer un changement d’attitude ou de comportement, a fortiori chez ceux qui adoptent des comportements à risque (fumer, conduire en état d’ébriété, avoir des relations sexuelles non protégées); des stratégies qui, pour être plus efficaces, devraient être adaptées en fonction des caractéristiques propres aux publics cibles et aux médias de diffusion. Afin d’analyser adéquatement les campagnes sociales, nous avons fait appel aux théories de la persuasion et aux théories sur l’influence des médias jugées pertinentes dans notre contexte puisqu’elles sont propres à ce type d’étude. Ces approches combinées nous ont permis d’intégrer à l’analyse d’une campagne donnée les contextes qui l’entourent et les pratiques dans lesquelles elle s’inscrit. Cette étude nous a, entre autres, permis de démontrer qu’il existait d’importants écarts entre les attentes et les besoins des internautes et l’offre des sites Web étudiés. / With the growing popularity of Internet and social networks, more and more public and social organizations, notably, include Web-based platforms in their communication strategies. However, Internet remains poorly studied with regard to social advertising. This master thesis focuses on the Web with respect to social campaigns targeted at young Quebecers aged 18 to 25, a population particularly receptive to new technologies. More precisely, in this study, we analyzed three Websites related to social campaigns (La vitesse ça coûte cher – SAAQ, Les ITSS se propagent – MSSS et 50 000 adeptes, 5 000 toutous – Fondation CHU Sainte-Justine) with the objective of determining their strengths and weaknesses in order to suggest possible avenues for their optimization. It is through a critical analysis of content followed by 19 individual interviews and observations that we managed to suggest ways of optimizing social campaign Websites aimed at young adults in Quebec. One of the biggest challenges with regard to their conception is choosing the most appropriate strategies to induce a change in attitude or behaviour, especially among those who engage in risky behaviours (smoking, driving under the influence of alcohol, having unprotected sexual relations); strategies that should be tailored to the specific characteristics of the targeted groups and the selected media in order to be more effective. In order to analyze adequately our social campaigns, we deemed it relevant to use persuasion and media influence theories since they are fit for this type of study. These combined approaches have allowed us to integrate to the analysis of a given campaign its surrounding contexts and the practices in which it is embedded. This study has demonstrated, among other things, that there were significant gaps between the needs and expectations of users and what is offered on the Websites that were studied.

Information has always been strategically relevant for the European Commission, especially during the last thirty years with discussions about a gap in communication and the possible democratic deficit propagating. For that reason, communication was introduced as a policy after 2000. In order to reach specific interests in the Union, the Commission highlighted the importance of the partnership with civil society in 2005 through the “Plan D for Democracy, Dialogue and Debate” and its “going local” approach. The purpose of this thesis is to analyze the communication strategy of the EU through the lens of one of its regional communication instruments, the Europe Direct relays of information. The relays are a first-hand portal for the citizens to enter into the Union not only by acquiring information but also by transferring their comments and suggestions to Brussels. They form, therefore, a debate platform between citizens and institutions under a European “public sphere.” Nevertheless, research has identified two critical points in their function: the host structure, which intervenes in their administration role, and the European Commission, which provides them with financial support and information services. This thesis seeks to ascertain the success or not of the relays in relation to those two variables. In order to achieve that, the Spanish study case is examined. It will be finally verified if, according to the guidance of the European Commission, the relays fulfill their role in fostering national involvement in supranational activities.