The main objective of this thesis is to describe the basic elements of corporate identities of selected hotels in Prague and then to find out (by the marketing research) whether the hotel customers (their clients) even notice their corporate identities (their elements) and whether their purchasing decision makings can be influenced by them.

The purpose of this paper is to get a deeper understanding of brand pride as a phenomenon and acompany’s influence on employees’ brand pride through their internal corporate communicationsprocesses. In order to do this, both primary and secondary data were collected and analyzed using a qualitative case study approach. A case company was chosen based on a previous internal surveythat showed that the company’s employees exhibited brand pride. Semi-structured interviews were conducted and documents from the case company were collected in order to analyze according to the analytical model that was developed out of the theory. It was concluded that internal corporate communications processes can contribute towards brand pride in three ways: through clear and explicit communication, repetitive communication, and in matching internal and external communications. It was also found that employees identify with the corporate identity, and thus experience brand pride, differently, contributing towards two types of brand pride: collective and personal brand pride.

During the times of fast phased global business, organizations must discover new ways to make functional strategies to survive, so the search for competitive advantage remains the main objective for companies. Intangible assets are increasingly essential for value creation for firms due to their valuable, rare, inimitable, non-substitutable nature. Particularly corporate reputation can be identified as an essential intangible asset possessed by a firm, due to its tacit nature. Hence, managing and understanding the antecedent of corporate reputation management is crucial for gaining competitive advantage. Moreover, focus on valuing and understanding the intangibles is essential for SMEs, which usually possess fewer resources for evaluating and managing these resources compared to large and more structured companies. Worldwide SMEs are in general representing over half of the economy, and enhanced business performance can further positively influence on the economic wealth. We were able to identify a research gap since there are no studies on how to utilize corporate reputation management in the SME context without a large scale of resources or the separate marketing department. We want to fill the gap by providing empirical evidence on the process of improving reputation management in Finnish SME setting. The purpose of this thesis is to gain more in-depth understanding of the prevailing corporate identity and communication in the SME and how to utilize these as an antecedent of corporate reputation by evaluating the internal managerial perceptions of the Finnish engineering installation company, Alpha Group. Furthermore, the aim is to give practical suggestions for managing corporate reputation by implementing an appropriate way to communicate the desired corporate identity both internally and externally. A framework has been created from the previous literature where a process for managing corporate reputation is compiled. Corporate identity represents an antecedent of corporate reputation, whereas corporate communication can be seen as a management tool to manage it. To fulfill the purpose of the thesis, a qualitative study was conducted, with eight semi-structured interviews with the top and middle managers of Alpha Group. Through the interviews, we gained a more in-depth understanding of the current condition of corporate identity as well as internal and external communications. From our findings, we could conclude that scarcity of resources is limiting the development of intangible resources in Alpha Group. Reputation of Alpha Group is based on the operational factors, rather than managed intentionally, so currently it is strongly associated only to serve their clients. Corporate identity was found unclear within the organization and the organization did not have strategy for corporate communications. This has caused unidentifiable corporate identity within organization, which has led to scattered corporate identity between different locations and business units. We will provide practical recommendations for managers of SMEs in general and for Alpha Group, on how to manage corporate identity and establish corporate communication systems.

Esta dissertação de mestrado analisa a seta como símbolo gráfico universal da comunicação visual, reconhecido por diferentes povos em diversas épocas e culturas. A pesquisa apresenta a seta como transmissora de informações essenciais por meio de seus vários significados e funções facilitando as interações sociais no mundo contemporâneo, diminuindo as dificuldades geradas por especificidades linguísticas e auxiliando na possibilidade de uma rápida interpretação das mensagens comunicadas, ainda que dentro de limites culturais. O estudo mostra que este símbolo gráfico é utilizado desde os tempos mais remotos, nas pinturas rupestres, até os dias atuais, com usos distintos em vários campos do conhecimento. O objetivo da análise é identificar os significados mais notáveis do símbolo gráfico seta, além de sua função direcional básica e como eles se desenvolveram em três modalidades de aplicação: (1) a seta nos sistemas de sinalização, orientando e dirigindo o fluxo do tráfego humano e suas variantes nos pictogramas e na sinalização viária, algumas vezes com significados distintos como o de \"encontro\", \"indicação\" ou \"localização\"; (2) a seta nos sistemas de esquematização em várias áreas do conhecimento, da vida cotidiana às representações científicas, empregada com diferentes funções, dependendo da intenção da mensagem a ser transmitida, entre elas: \"ação\", \"causa-efeito\", \"foco\", \"geração\", \"identificação\", \"intensidade\", \"limite\", \"relação\", \"sequência\", \"tempo\", \"transferência\" e \"transformação\"; (3) a seta nos sistemas de identidades visuais, representando empresas ou produtos visualmente e de forma ordenada, com novos significados vindos de associações semânticas relacionadas às situações específicas de cada marca e aos setores de mercado aos quais elas pertencem, como por exemplo: \"cobertura\", \"satisfação\", \"simpatia\", \"saúde\", \"crescimento\", \"desenvolvimento\", \"rapidez\", \"centralização\", \"prazer\" e \"suavidade\". É uma pesquisa qualitativa que pretende, com a análise e a interpretação das variáveis dos fenômenos particulares a cada campo de estudo, entender de forma ampla, partes das dimensões semântica e pragmática do símbolo gráfico em questão. Este estudo aprofundado pretende contribuir para o melhor entendimento e utilização da seta por comunicadores e designers, com maior conhecimento e propriedade, permitindo sua aplicação mais clara e efetiva nos sistemas de sinalização de grandes espaços, de esquematização da informação visual e de identidades visuais. / This thesis analyzes the arrow as a universal graphic symbol in visual communication, one recognized by different people in different times and cultures. The research presents the arrow as a transmitter of critical information through its various meanings and functions, facilitating social interactions in the contemporary world, lessening the difficulties caused by linguistic specificities and assisting in the possibility of a rapid interpretation, though still within cultural limits, of the messages communicated. The study shows that this graphic symbol has been used since ancient times, from cave paintings to the present day, with different uses in various fields of knowledge. The goal of the analysis is to identify the most notable meanings of the arrow graphic symbol, besides its basic directional function, and how these meanings developed into three types of applications: (1) the arrow in signage systems, guiding and directing the flow of human traffic and its variants in pictograms and road signs, sometimes with different meanings like \"meeting\", \"indication\" or \"location\"; (2) the arrow in diagrams in various areas of knowledge, from everyday life to scientific representations, used with different functions, depending on the intent of the message to be transmitted, including: \"action\", \"cause and effect\", \"focus\", \"generation\", \"identification\", \"intensity\", \"boundary\", \"relationship\", \"sequence\", \"time\", \"transfer\" and \"transformation\"; (3) the arrow in corporate identity systems, representing companies or products visually and in an orderly fashion, with new meanings coming from semantic associations related to the specific circumstances of each brand and market sectors to which they belong, such as: \"covering\", \"satisfaction\", \"sympathy\", \"health\", \"growth\", \"development\", \"speed\", \"centralization\", \"pleasure\", and \"softness\". This qualitative research seeks, with analysis and interpretation of the variables of phenomena specific to each field of study, to broadly understand parts of the semantic and pragmatic dimensions of the graphic symbol in question. This is in-depth study which aims to contribute to a better understanding and use of the arrow by communicators and designers, with greater knowledge and propriety, allowing for its clearer and more effective application in signage systems in large spaces, diagrams of visual information, and corporate identities.

This study aims to examine corporate identity’s relation to corporate websites. Corporate identity is a contextual concept with different definitions depending on the situation and who you ask. In this study corporate identity is defined as the corporate’s comprehensive identity of visual communication, corporate personality, values and the public opinion of the company. The study also deals with relating subjects such as corporate image, CSR and digital information architecture. In this study three companies’ websites are analyzed (Apple, IKEA and The Coca-Cola Company). The analysis was done through two methods, a qualitative content analysis and a combined qualitative- and quantitative survey. The study concludes that corporate identity is primarily identified through campaigns, products and web design, but also visible, and mainly examined, through the corporate values.

The goal of my thesis is to evaluate the current status of visual communication and Corporate Identity of LABORATOIRE BIODERMA CZECH REPUBLIC s.r.o. based on the analysis and to find out whether the Corporate Identity is together with visual communication of this company appropriately designed and to expose their weaknesses. The goal is to find out how the public perceives the brand "BIODERMA", what the opinion of the brand and its competitors is, what brand knowledge and awareness is and how the company communicates, especially visually. Based on the results of research, which were realized by method - polling via the online questionnaire, I propose the appropriate recommendations and the solution of discovered deficiencies. My thesis should be also benefit for other companies besides the company BIODERMA. I show a manual how correctly to use visual communication, I explain the meaning of visual communication, what kind of various forms exist today, what the trends are, how it relates to Corporate Identity and what Corporate Identity is. This thesis provides a consistent view on the problems of visual communication of companies and Corporate Identity, because these two terms are closely related.

Esta pesquisa propõe uma investigação sobre as mudanças incorporadas, a partir da introdução do branding no escopo dos projetos de construção de identidade de marca, à metodologia dos projetos de construção de identidade visual corporativa dos principais escritórios de design brasileiros especializados neste segmento. O principal objetivo é compreender a contribuição e as mudanças causadas pelo branding - uma disciplina proveniente das escolas de administração e marketing - na metodologia de projetos de identidades visuais, uma vez que a maioria dos designers brasileiros teve sua formação pautada sob os princípios e conceitos da escola racionalista e funcionalista de design, em um pensamento muito mais voltado para o caráter visual e pragmático de uma marca do que para o estratégico e subjetivo. A partir de uma abordagem qualitativa, foram investigadas as trajetórias dos principais escritórios de design brasileiros especializados na criação de identidades visuais e a evolução da metodologia por eles empregada nos últimos 40 anos, em quatro estudos de caso, para observar se a inclusão do branding representou uma mudança de paradigma dos pontos de vista metodológico e mercadológico, para o campo do design em relação à prática anteriormente adotada nos projetos de identidade visual sem branding. A análise dos resultados dessa pesquisa pretende documentar um novo estado da arte no campo do design de identidades visuais e contribuir para ampliação do repertório conceitual do designer, disseminando novos conceitos e fundamentos teóricos sobre branding, que possam conduzir este profissional a uma atuação mais estratégica e especializada. Há, ainda, o intuito de enriquecer a bibliografia sobre as relações entre marca, identidade visual, identidade corporativa e branding na concepção, construção e gestão de marcas corporativas no campo do design gráfico. / This research proposes to investigate changes that were incorporated to the methodology of visual identity projects ever since branding was instituted as part of its scope in major Brazilian design studios specialized in this segment. The purpose is to understand how branding - a concept that originated from management and marketing - may have contributed and changed the methodology of projects of visual identity, considering that most Brazilian designers were taught according to principles and concepts of the rationalist and functionalist school of design, which was more committed to the visual and pragmatic features of the brand than to its strategic and subjective aspects. From a qualitative approach, this work examines the paths of major Brazilian design studios, specialized in visual identity projects, and presents four case studies about the evolution of their methods over the last 40 years. The intention is to understand if the incorporation of branding represented a paradigmatic shift to methodological and market perspectives in the field of design, compared to formely adopted practices in visual identity projects that did not include branding. The analysis of research results aims to document a new state of the art in the field of visual identity design, and to contribute to the expansion of the tþeoretical repertoire of the designer, disseminating new concepts and principles of branding that may lead such professional to a more strategic and specialized performance. Furthermore, this work intends add to the bibliography about relationships between brand, visual identity, corporate identity and branding under the conception, construction and management of corporate brands in the field of graphic design.

<p>Organisational Identity (i.e. OI) could be described as an employee theory of who the organisation is. The concept is seen as one of the most problematic concepts to define. One of the main reasons for that is its close relation to the concepts of culture and image, as they are seen as defining each other. As expressed in previous research there is a need for theoretical clarification and investigations in practice in this area.</p><p>We aim to contribute to an OI concept clarification and theoretical understanding by investigating OI in a single case at a Swedish company; Sapa Heat Transfer. The aim is fulfilled by a focus on research questions concerning how different employee groups perceive the organisational identity at this company, how the organisational identity can be described at the company and how the sum of these answers may develop the organisational identity concept further.</p><p>In order to investigate OI at Sapa Heat Transfer we have used four qualitative methods; one to one informational interview with key personnel, observations, desk research and focus groups, where focus groups was the main data collection method. A key for this triangulation was to generate a deep contextual understanding in order to facilitate a separation between identity, culture and image making a definition of the OI possible.</p><p>Our findings show the organisational identity at SHT as being built on four cornerstones; Responsibility, Engagement, Willingness and Energy. The OI at SHT is to be considered as weak rather than strong regarding the OI strength. There is a strong culture resulting in an "industrial mentality" regarding the employees. Our results are showing that the culture might appear as OI, i.e. false OI, if the present OI is weak. There might be multiple OIs at the company, which we are rejecting. Instead our results are showing an existence of multiple cognitive perspectives, functioning as cognitive platforms creating the employee perceptions of the OI. At SHT the perspectives are demonstrated to be developed by vocations, positions, departments, units/divisions and/or work groups. The individual perspective taken is dependent on the employee perceived belongingness. An alignment of all existing employee perspectives will define the true OI at a company. Further, the OI perspective framework presented could facilitate a separation between OI and culture if a time perspective is applied, since our results is indicating culture to be connected to a past time perspective and OI seems to be related to a present. Our results are presenting OI as changeable within limits, developed within a culture frame, possible to make explicit but at the same time occurring mainly unconsciously. Finally, our results have defined a need for a complementing category, regarding behaviouristic characteristics, among the categories presented as potential OI content characteristics within the Balmer and Greyser (2002) framework.</p>

<p><strong>Problem: </strong>How should a company act to sustain a strong identity and thereby a strong brand image when operating in a changeable world?</p><p><strong>Purpose:</strong> The purpose of this thesis is to analyze whether the corporate identity of Academic Work is strong or fragmented. Further more this thesis aims to give recommendations on how the company could continue working to maintain a strong brand image.<strong> </strong></p><p><strong>Methodology: </strong>The thesis is a case study of Academic Work. The study is based on data collected from interviews, a poll as well as data from the company website. The thesis does not intend to generalize but rather it aims to give a deeper understanding and a greater knowledge within the field.</p><p><strong>Theoretical perspectives: </strong>The theoretical base of this thesis is the Vision, Culture & Image Model by Hatch and Schultz. Organizational Identity Construction Model by Lane and Scott, and Service marketing model by Grönroos.</p><p><strong>Empirical findings: </strong>The empirical<strong> </strong>section contains a summary of the conducted interviews as well as a compilation of the poll.</p><p><strong>Analysis & Result: </strong>The study shows that the corporate identity of Academic Work is strong due to the fact that image, vision and corporate culture are coherent. In addition employees share company values and experience identification with corporate goals and vision. Furthermore the company successfully communicates the business plan and ideas about personnel through external-, internal- and interactive marketing.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The study shows that companies should work towards a strong company culture where employees on a personal level share company values. Managers should try to motivate employees in working towards company goals. The company must have an image that is coherent with reality. Also they must be aware of its strengths and weaknesses. The company needs an internal, external and interactive communication that works successfully. These working methods contribute in strengthening the corporate identity and will give a strong brand image.</p><p> </p> / <p><strong>Problem:</strong> Hur skall ett företag som verkar inom en föränderlig omgivning arbeta för att upprätthålla en stark identitet och därmed en stark image för sitt varumärke?</p><p><strong>Syfte:</strong> Syftet med uppsatsen är att genom en fallstudie analysera om företagsidentiteten på</p><p>Academic Work är stark eller fragmenterad. Syftet är även att ge rekommendationer till företaget för hur det kan arbeta för att bibehålla en stark image för sitt varumärke.</p><p><strong>Metod:</strong> Uppsatsen består av en fallstudie av bemanningsföretaget Academic Work. Studien behandlar data insamlat från enkätundersökning, intervjuer, samt material från företagets hemsida. Uppsatsen har en kvalitativ ansats som inte syftar till att leda till några generaliseringar eftersom det är en fallstudie. Istället syftar uppsatsen till att ge en djupare förståelse och en större kunskap inom området.</p><p><strong>Teori:</strong> Uppsatsens teoretiska underlag utgörs av Vision, Culture & Image Model som författas av Hatch och Schultz. Organisational Identity Construction Model, författad av Lane och Scott, samt Modell för tjänstemarknadsföring, författad av Grönroos.</p><p><strong>Empiri:</strong> Empiriavsnittet består av en sammanfattning av de intervjuer som genomförts samt en sammanställning av svaren från enkätundersökningen. Dessa går att finna i fulltext i bilagorna.</p><p><strong>Analys & Resultat:</strong> Studien visar att företagsidentiteten på Academic Work är stark eftersom image, vision och företagskultur är nära sammanlänkade. Arbetsgruppen identifierar sig med företagets identitet och delar på ett personligt plan företagets normer och värderingar. Dessutom lyckas företaget kommunicera ut sin affärsidé och personalidé effektivt genom den externa, interna och interaktiva marknadsföringen.</p><p><strong>Slutsats: </strong>Undersökningen visar att företag bör arbeta för att ha en stark företagskultur där medarbetarna på ett personligt plan delar företagets normer och värderingar. Ledningen bör även arbeta aktivt för att motivera de anställda att jobba mot företagets mål. Företaget bör ha en effektiv kommunikation både internt, externt och interaktivt. Dessa sätt att arbeta inom ett företag bidrar var för sig till att stärka företagets identitet och ger en stark image av varumärket.</p>

Organisational Identity (i.e. OI) could be described as an employee theory of who the organisation is. The concept is seen as one of the most problematic concepts to define. One of the main reasons for that is its close relation to the concepts of culture and image, as they are seen as defining each other. As expressed in previous research there is a need for theoretical clarification and investigations in practice in this area. We aim to contribute to an OI concept clarification and theoretical understanding by investigating OI in a single case at a Swedish company; Sapa Heat Transfer. The aim is fulfilled by a focus on research questions concerning how different employee groups perceive the organisational identity at this company, how the organisational identity can be described at the company and how the sum of these answers may develop the organisational identity concept further. In order to investigate OI at Sapa Heat Transfer we have used four qualitative methods; one to one informational interview with key personnel, observations, desk research and focus groups, where focus groups was the main data collection method. A key for this triangulation was to generate a deep contextual understanding in order to facilitate a separation between identity, culture and image making a definition of the OI possible. Our findings show the organisational identity at SHT as being built on four cornerstones; Responsibility, Engagement, Willingness and Energy. The OI at SHT is to be considered as weak rather than strong regarding the OI strength. There is a strong culture resulting in an "industrial mentality" regarding the employees. Our results are showing that the culture might appear as OI, i.e. false OI, if the present OI is weak. There might be multiple OIs at the company, which we are rejecting. Instead our results are showing an existence of multiple cognitive perspectives, functioning as cognitive platforms creating the employee perceptions of the OI. At SHT the perspectives are demonstrated to be developed by vocations, positions, departments, units/divisions and/or work groups. The individual perspective taken is dependent on the employee perceived belongingness. An alignment of all existing employee perspectives will define the true OI at a company. Further, the OI perspective framework presented could facilitate a separation between OI and culture if a time perspective is applied, since our results is indicating culture to be connected to a past time perspective and OI seems to be related to a present. Our results are presenting OI as changeable within limits, developed within a culture frame, possible to make explicit but at the same time occurring mainly unconsciously. Finally, our results have defined a need for a complementing category, regarding behaviouristic characteristics, among the categories presented as potential OI content characteristics within the Balmer and Greyser (2002) framework.